"Queer in Europe"
A three-day International Research Symposium
13-15 September 2008
Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Sexuality and Gender in  Europe
University of Exeter
Keynote speakers:
Del LaGrace Volcano and Ulrika Dahl (Södertörn University College,  Sweden)
Marie-Hélène Bourcier (University of Lille, France)
Tim Dean (SUNY Buffalo, USA)
Gert Hekma (University of Amsterdam, NL)
The draft programme and registration forms can be found at:
http://www.sall.ex.ac.uk/conferences/queer-in-europe
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page to download a PDF of the  programme, a
registration form, and other information.)
If you have enquiries about registration and other practical  issues, please email
Amanda Edmondson ( A.J.Edmondson@exeter.ac.uk),  the conference's research administrator.
For questions about the academic content of the programme, please  email the
organisers: Lisa Downing ( L.M.Downing@exeter.ac.uk) and  Robert Gillett
( R.M.Gillett@qmul.ac.uk).

The 4th European Gay Police Association conference (GAYLESPOL) is due to take place in Barcelona, Spain, from 2nd to 4th July 2008.

Conference venue: Collegi Major Sant Jordi, Barcelona

The conference will examine i.a. the following subjects:

• The situation of gays and lesbians in Europe
• Religion, faith and hate crimes
• Exchange of good practice examples of the different police forces in Europe, based on non-discrimination and sexual diversity
• Lives in the darkness: police repression during Franco's regime
• Creation of public value through the management of diversity in police services

The conference programme is available on the GAYLESPOL website.

With pictures from Gay Pride events around the EU the stark contrast between two different aspects of the festival will be highlighted. On the one hand, what a fantastic street party the parade is. On the other hand, the hatred and resistance that the Gay Pride parade continues to be met with from rock-throwing hooligans and narrow-minded politicians around Europe.

Christofer Fjellner, MEP cordially invites you to the photo exhibition

27 Pictures of Pride

opening 15th July 2008 at 6:00 p.m.

Bar Space, 3rd Floor, ASP Building
European Parliament, 60 Rue Wiertz, 1047 Brussels

Please confirm your participation at the opening by 8th July by e-mail to: christofer.fjellner-assistant3@europarl.europa.eu

The exhibition will run from 15th to 18th July 2008.

“Tutela della persona e orientamento sessuale. Strumenti, tecniche e strategie contro la discriminazione”

Bologna, 13 giugno 2008 , h. 14:00

Facoltà di Giurisprudenza – Via Zamboni 22

Patrocinato dalla Regione Emilia-Romagna e dalla Facoltà di Giurisprudenza dell’Università di Bologna e attributivo di 5 crediti formativi per avvocati e patrocinatori, il convegno organizzato dalCentro Europeo Studi sulla Discriminazione e Avvocatura per il diritti LGBT – Rete Lenford, ospiterà le riflessioni di costituzionalisti (Andrea Morrone e Diletta Tega), esperti di diritti umani (Robert Wintemute), giuslavoristi (Laura Calafà), magistrati (Maria Acierno), e organismi di parità (significativa la presenza dell’ Ufficio nazionale antidiscriminazioni razziali e dell’ Ombudsman svedese contro la discriminazione basata sull’orientamento sessuale).

Esso costituirà l’occasione per continuare a riflettere sulle coordinate teoriche della discriminazione basata sull’orientamento sessuale, le sue manifestazioni concrete, le strategie di contrasto sulla base della normativa esistente. Costituirà inoltre momento di scambio di buone pratiche e di aggiornamento sulle novità giurisprudenziali e legislative, in particolare per quanto concerne le recenti proposte di legge contro l’istigazione a discriminare e la violenza omofoba.

Programmadell’iniziativa: volantino allegato

Registrazione: gratuita per il pubblico, 40€ per gli avvocati che intendano ottenere i crediti formativi.

Informazioni e iscrizioni: www.cesd.eu

ANSO

Association of Nordic LGBTQ Student Organizations

calls for participants:

 

 

 

Beyond Norms

- On Equality in Higher Education

 

Study session

European Youth Centre, Budapest,

20th – 26th of April 2008

 

 

Deadline for applications: 9th of March 2008

 

ANSO, Association of Nordic Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Student (LGBTQ) Organizations would like to invite you to a study session calledBeyond Norms - On Equality in Higher Education, with the aim of fighting heteronormativity in higher education. It will be held in Budapest20th – 26th of April.

This study session is a part of ANSO’s long term goal, to raise awareness of the consequences of heteronormativity in higher education. This is ANSO’s first activity outside the Nordic Region, but hopefully not the last.

By fighting heteronormativity we believe that we are fighting the very roots of homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. A heteronormative higher education has quality problems and passes on stereotypes and prejudices. Examples of how it shows are:

· Teacher students will not be equipped to handle homophobic bullying in their future classes

· Problems with scientific credibility; LGBTQ blind studies will reinforce the idea that there are no LGBTQ persons, families or children

· Students and teachers might be discriminated against

· LGBTQ students are made invisible

· Literature might suggest that LGBTQ persons are sick and the teaching staff does not oppose it

Come take part in a ground breaking discussion on equal rights at universities and how you can support them!

Objectives

The objectives of our study session are the following:

1. Introduce the concept of heteronormativity

2. Understanding consequences of heteronormativity in general and in higher education in particular

3. Identifying strategies to counteract heteronormativity, both on a personal level and on a structural level.

4. To understand different structures of student policy making, on local and European level

5. To enable participants to identify problems and develop concrete actions for their contexts.

6. Introduce an intersectional approach to equality work

7. Create new alliances

Target group

The participants should come from either of the following (interconnected) groups:

1) European LGBTQ student activists or LGBTQ activists interested in student issues

2) European Student Union activists, equality officers etc.

When choosing participants we will try to ensure balance between the two groups. No prior experience in working with the concepts of queer and heteronormativity or experience with student politics is required, but everyone should be willing to keep an open mind, learn new things and be able to act as multipliers on a local level. We will try to cater to different level of experiences, but we expect participants to either have some experience of student politics OR work within LGBTQ organizations. Heteronormativity is going to be a new issue for many, from both groups, and we will be exploring the concept in depths.

Participants should be able to work and communicate in English.

Priority will be given to participants who will be able to act as multipliers within their local student union or LGBTQ (student) organization.

Practical Information

Provided that the cheapest means of travel have been used, travel costs will be 100% reimbursed. A 45€ participation fee will be deducted from your travel reimbursement.

The study session takes place in Council of Europe’s European Youth Centre in Budapest.

Application

Please send in your application before the 9th of March to studysession2008@anso.dk. Participants will be selected by the prep team on the 10th of March and you will be notified the following week.

Your prep team,

Ásta Ósk, Pär, Monika, Linda E and Linda V