Britain world's worst on homeless
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Amidst all the mudslinging of the general election buildup, I found a welcome distraction in the BBC1 series 'Lost Boys and Fairies,' now on?iPlayer. Perfectly timed for Pride Month, it follows a gay couple navigating the adoption process.
What surprised me, without giving away any spoilers (!), was the show's unflinching portrayal of its flawed characters. It doesn't shy away from drug addiction, queer pain, shame, grief, and chemsex. But what's different here is that, unlike the usual ‘gay shame’ tropes, 'Lost Boys and Fairies' shows that despite their struggles and imperfections, these characters can still become loving parents.
The series has sparked some controversy, even within the queer community, with criticism about the representation of gay parents. But its honesty and prime-time scheduling offer a powerful message - that queer people, like their straight counterparts, have the resilience to overcome trauma and the capacity to provide nurturing homes for children. This narrative could help in opening more minds to the idea of gay couples adopting.
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Tories pledge to change legal definition of sex to biological only
Once again, trans people are under political fire Under the guise of ‘protecting women and girls’, they plan to make sex mean ‘biological sex’ in the Equality Act. This could see trans women barred from entering single-sex spaces such as toilets, female-only prisons and hospital wards, even if they have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
Are trans people actually a threat to women? Charlie Craggs, a Trans Activist, provides a much needed reality check:
Britain named?world’s worst on homelessness
Our friends at St Basils share their insights...
Are you surprised? As many people struggle with rising costs and stagnant wage growth, we are seeing this reflected particularly in housing where rent is simply becoming unaffordable for so many. Pressure on landlords with their own mortgage payments means they are passing costs onto their tenants.
For those depending on social housing, there simply aren’t enough homes to keep up with demand. In Birmingham, 23,000 are on a waiting list where the amount of available properties is around 3,000.?Demand is far outweighing supply.?
For St Basils, we see this impacting young people the most. We work across the West Midlands, but there is no doubt that the issues in Birmingham highlight an increasing problem across the UK. Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe, but if you are a young, single person without a support network then you won’t be able to afford to live here. Wages for young people just don’t cover the costs. ?
We must have a plan for young people to ensure they have the best possible chance at success. This is why we are part of the?#PlanForThe136k?campaign. Across the UK, 136,000 young people presented as homeless last year. And that’s the number we know about. The number is realistically far higher. We are asking any future government, whoever they are, to have a strategy to support them. It is imperative as a nation that we ensure young people have a safe, secure place to call home.
Lib Dem leader fears for disabled sons care
More political squabbling? Actually, no. Lib Dem leader, Ed Davey, gave a moving interview with ITV this week where he expressed his concern about his disabled son's care. His 16-year-old son cannot walk and has limited speech; he needs round the clock care. Davey also acted as carer for his mother when she was struggling with cancer. He now asks, who will look after my son when I am gone?
What is he calling for? Davey says the Lib Dems would provide free personal care to disabled people at home, as well as raising the pay of care workers. He claims this this will end the hospital crisis, as well as?help people live "independently and with dignity."
The crisis facing social care is very rarely spoken about at the top of politics and, regardless of feeling for the Liberal Democrat party, Davey brings a welcome contrast to transphobia and nuclear bomb talk.
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Who are they? 20 Stories High is an award-winning theatre company that believes “everybody’s got a story to tell and their own way of telling it.”
What's the job? The?Communications & Campaigns Coordinator?will bring new ideas, energy and creativity! You'll?be responsible for all of 20 Stories High’s?audience-facing operations, including marketing, press, social media, and?day-to-day communications.
Is it for you? Do you have some communications or marketing experience? Have you worked within digital content creation? This is a part time role with a relocation support payment if needed. Check it out!
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