CAGS – Croydon Area Gay SocietyCAGS campaigns
CAGS started as a group within the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) and had a mix of campaigning and social events right from the start
Today, with many of the original aims of CHE achieved, at least in this country, we're predominantly a social group, but we do still campaign on both local and national issues from time to time.
General Election 2010
CAGS, in conjunction with CHE, organised a campaign of
writing to General Election candidates in Croydon and
surrounding areas, to ask their views about matters of concern
to LGBT people.
More
details ...
See also our Press Release.
In advance of the meeting, we had allocated one of our regular Brief Encounter meetings to a "Hustings session", with representatives of the main political parties.
No Homophobia in the Legal Profession!
In
July 2009, a local solicitor, David Moore, of Streeter Marshall,
protested that the Law Society was urging law firms to support
Pride. His e-mail, leaked to the press, complained that the society
was being "hijacked by the gays", and most people wanted to bring up
their children "as nature intended". CAGS members staged a protest
outside the Streeter Marshall office and handed in a letter of
complaint. Subsequently Mr Moore stated that his firm was not
homophobic, and he would have expressed himself differently had he
thought the e-mail would be leaked.
Gay Police Association
In 2006 we sent a letter of support to the Gay Police Association, who were under some pressure having advertised the marked rise in incidents against gay people where the main motivation was religious.
Rap Lyrics
In the early years of this century there was growing concern about rap artists whose lyrics advocate the beating, burning and murder of gay people. In 2003 we wrote to Croydon Police, and via them to the Metropolitan Police Force, asking that the Met should warn those who sell and distribute these lyrics that they may face prosecution for incitement to murder or conspiracy to incitement if they continue. Read our letter on this.
(In the event, a major international campaign, coordinated largely by Outrage! mounted successful protests and the venues where the offending artists were playing. This resulted in being able to negotiate with the distributors of their music to cease promoting the specific songs which promoted the killing of gay people. Although this campaign was successful it is maintained through constant vigilance and immediate action on the occasions when the agreement is broken. We understand that legislation is being actively proposed to make it an offence to incite the murder of gay people, in the same way that other social groups are protected.)
Civil Partnership Bill
IN 2003/4 we campaigned very extensively on Civil Partnerships, particularly demonstrating that Christians have a long tradition of blessing same-sex partnerships, and many wish to preserve this as a traditional part of the Christian teaching and their right to do so should be respected. We sent hundreds of letters to members of the House of Lords, on several different aspects of the Bill.
Read CAGS' submission on the Department of Trade and Industry's consultation document on Civil Partnerships.
Equality in Goods and Services
In June 2005 CAGS sent its submission to the DTI on the forthcoming Regulations on Equality in Goods and Services.
Police parading in Pride
CAGS signed up to an initiative from SLAGO, to write to thank chief constables for allowing police officers to march in the Pride parade, in uniform. In the event several Christian organisations signed up to this, so CAGS was not quoted directly.
France and Civil Partnerships
On 14th December 2008 we wrote to our MEPs to urge them to sign Written Declaration number 0076/2008.
France did not accept civil partnerships, so couples who moved to France or worked there found unexpectedly that they had lost the rights and security of civil partnership, and were nonetheless not eligible to dissolve their civil partnership in order to enter a "PACS" under French law. The Written Declaration addressed the problem of countries in Europe not recognising such relationships.
Early Day Motion
In August 2006 we urged our MPs to sign the Early Day Motion protesting about the execution of minors and the persecution of gays in Iraq.
Commission on Equality and Human Rights
In July 2006 CAGS sent its submission to the DTI on the proposals for the forthcoming Commissions on Equality and Human Rights.
Gender Recognition Bill
Our submission on the Gender Recognition Bill (allowing transsexuals to have their acquired sex recognised in law and recorded on their birth certificates) addressed the point that a married person wishing to have their acquired sex legally recognised will have to annul their marriage. We considered this was unacceptable to the many people whose partners have stood by them through extremely difficult times — not to mention those who took their marriage vows seriously and fully intend that they should last for life.
Equal Employment Regulations
We made a submission to the Government in January 2003 on the Equal Employment Regulations. After the Consultation process was over, Downing Street had further consultations with certain bishops and clergy. This resulted in changes to the wording of the clauses that prevented people being sacked (or employed) by religious bodies, on the ground of sexual orientation. We made urgent representations to the scrutiny committee, which ultimately recommended that these changes be rejected by Parliament. However, ministers clarified the meaning of these clauses before both houses of parliament, establishing that the exceptions were every bit as narrow as they had been. This has however not prevented vulnerable people being sacked, and the attempt of the trade union Amicus to get a court judgement to recognise this explicitly has resulted in no further clarification.