h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is a repost of something I posted in the 'What News Story Has Caught Your Attention Today' thread. I rarely look at Pink News as I find the advertising intrusive and depressingly gay clichéd but this was forwarded to me in my capacity as a regional LGBT rep for a major British union and I was astounded by the ignorance. I felt it proper to repost it in m2g2.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8064.html

'The Home Office does not think that Iranian asylum seekers who identify as gay or lesbian should automatically be assumed to be at risk if they are returned, according to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.'

'"With particular regard to Iran, current case law handed down by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal concludes that the evidence does not show a real risk of discovery of, or adverse action against gay and lesbian people who are discreet about their sexual orientation."'

Discreet about their sexual orientation? Hmm, so would it be OK to tell racially oppressed black people seeking asylum from a predominantly white country to buy a bunch of beige make up and be discreet about their race?

This is a subject quite close to my heart, especially after having heard personal testimony from Iranian and Jamaican lesbian and gay asylum seekers.

Blatant plug for an important, but little known, organisation:

http://www.uklgig.org.uk/

Don't click on the following link if you don't like the thought of seeing two young men being hanged for being gay. Jacqui Smith must have seen these pictures yet can sleep at night having said what she's said.

http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,2396,00.html#1_0