EP25: UK Black Pride (and London Pride) SUPER SHOW

This by-week:

Michelle covers all the Pride shenanigans London!

Shadow Women & Equalities Minister Dawn Butler tells us how the Government has failed trans people!

Billy Porter (Pose) tells us about Season 2 AND why he loves London!

Annie Wallace (Hollyoaks) talks Pride in London!

Lady Phyll explains why UK Black Pride is important!

We also talk to Callum Henderson (Pride in London), Diana James, Didi Rossi (Queer Strike!), Kenny Ethan Jones, Nate Ethan Watson, Tajah Hamilton (Stonewall) and Wazana Sinyangwe (Movement for Justice)

References

1. Lyla Johnston’s thread on the Terf National Theatre debacle!

https://twitter.com/lylajohnstonart/status/1147618062587355138

2. Queerstrike! (Help them free Chelsea Manning!)

https://www.facebook.com/Queer-Strike-337135763014298

3. Help Chelsea Manning!

Free Chelsea Manning! Again – and again! 

Chelsea Manning, the trans woman whistleblower who exposed the war crimes of the US and other governments (among which the infamous Collateral Murder video) is back in jail.

She was originally sentenced to

35 years in 2013. In 2014 she was nominated Grand Marshal of San Francisco Gay Pride. Obama commuted her sentence to seven years and she was set free on 17 May 2017 after over 100,000 people from around the world petitioned, and many took action demanding her release.

Now the US government wants revenge and to set an example.

Sat 6 July, 1-4pm join us at Eros, Piccadilly Circus, London, call on Pride to support Chelsea’s release and highlight Chelsea’s resistance, and
Sat 20 JulyFREE CHELSEA contingent on Trans Pride, in Brighton.

On 8 March 2019, Chelsea was jailed for 62 days (28 in solitary confinement) because she refused to testify against Wikileaks in front of a secret Grand Jury.

Wikileaks’ founder, Julian Assange, is now in jail in London.  Meanwhile the Grand Jury has issued 18 charges which if he is extradited to the US and found guilty could carry a sentence of up to 175 years.

After a week out of jail, Judge Anthony Trenga sent Chelsea back to jail on 16 May. This time he also sentenced her to pay $500 a day after 30 days and $1,000 after 60 days until she accepts to testify. She is challenging this.

Chelsea explained her refusal to testify:

(…) nothing will convince me to testify before this or any other grand jury for that matter. This experience so far only proves my long held belief that grand juries are simply outdated tools used by the federal government to harass and disrupt political opponents and activists in fishing expeditions,”

See Chelsea’s letter to the judge.

In addition to the injustice of being in jail, Chelsea still needs follow-up care following her gender confirmation surgery – not available in detention, putting her at risk of serious medical complications.

Chelsea has defended us – exposing the crimes done in our name by governments and military, speaking out against police killings of people of colour and in support of immigrant people, trans people and others in our communities – we must defend her!

WHAT WE CAN DO

We invite all anti-war, anti-Trump, LGBTQ, veterans’ organisations and individuals to organise events and actions including as part of Pride. We’ll publish your actions on our website. ● Write to the prosecutors [https://rightsanddissent.salsalabs.org/LeaveChelseaAlone/index.html] ● Give to Chelsea’s legal fund ● Write to Chelsea (details below)

QueerStrike@QueerStrike.netPayday@Paydaynet.org

www.facebook.com/Queer-Strike-337135763014298  www.RefusingToKill.net

4. Chelsea Manning’s Stonewall 50th Message!

https://medium.com/@xychelsea/chelseas-message-of-solidarity-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-stonewall-efa649c4ddf2

5. Mike Lebeau made this show possible! Give him a follow!

https://twitter.com/Mikey_Scamp

6. Annie Wallace’s Twitter! FOLLOW HER

twitter.com/anniewallace

7. Diana Jame’s Twitter! FOLLOW HER

twitter.com/dianalouisej

8. Kenny Ethan Jones! FOLLOW HIM

https://www.instagram.com/iamkej/

https://twitter.com/IamKEJ

9. Nate Ethan Watson! FOLLOW HIM

https://twitter.com/NateEthanWatson

https://www.instagram.com/nate.ethan.watson/

Stay tuned for his new single!

10. Movement for justice info

https://www.facebook.com/movementforjustice/

https://twitter.com/followMFJ

https://movementforjustice.co.uk/

11. Lady Phyll!

FOLLOW HER

https://twitter.com/MsLadyPhyll

12. UK Black Pride! SUPPORT THEM!

https://www.ukblackpride.org.uk/