The Kaleidoscope Trust

The Kaleidoscope Trust
The Kaleidoscope Trust logo
Formation 13 September 2011 (2011-09-13)[1]
Legal status Non-profit organisation
Purpose LGBT rights
Headquarters London, E8
United Kingdom
Region served
Worldwide
Director
 Lance Price
Website The Kaleidoscope Trust

The Kaleidoscope Trust is a nonprofit organisation that campaigns for human rights of LGBT people in countries where they are discriminated.[2] John Bercow MP is President of the Trust, and Sir Stephen Wall is the current Chair of the Trust Board.[3][4]

History

The Kaleidoscope Trust was founded in 2011, and launched with a reception held by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP. Kaleidoscope has received support from Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, and Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband. Elton John and George Michael were also supporters.[5][6][1]

Founders of the Kaleidoscope Trust include Bisi Alimi, who became the first man to come out as gay on Nigerian television in 2004. He was subsequently abused, and fled the country in 2007.[7] LGBT issues were still problematic in Africa in 2014, and the Trust maintains a presence, for example in Kenya.[8]

Activities

The organisation works with existing groups campaigning for LGBT groups in other countries by using international lobbying in order to better enable groups to achieve their aims.[9] It is based in the UK, which places it ideally for campaigning for LGBT rights across all the commonwealth countries,[2] where (as at 2017) 36 of 52 states criminalise homosexual activity.[10]

In November 2011, the Trust worked towards ending Russian laws intended to stop the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships". This followed a proposed anti-propaganda Bill in St Petersburg. The Trust launched a campaign to prevent the Bill in St Petersberg from coming into effect, and for existing laws in Ryazan and Arkhangelsk to be overturned by legal challenges at the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Committee.[11]

In March 2012, the Trust was announced as the Official Charity Partner for World Pride 2012.[12]

In September 2013, Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation was established as an independent organisation working in the Asia Pacific in partnership with Kaleidoscope Trust.[13]

In 2012, the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Louis Susman, received a flag at the US embassy in London on behalf of the then US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. The flag was presented in recognition of her work promoting the human rights of LGBT people. The work consists of an American flag with the full text of Clinton's speech on gay rights to the United Nations sewn into it, and was designed by American artist Sam Gassman.[14] In June 2016, the flag featured in the background of a photograph when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited to sign a book of condolences for the victims of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 Jessica Geen, Speaker Launches New Gay Rights Group Kaleidoscope, Pink News, 14 September 2011
  2. 1 2 About The Kaleidoscope Trust Accessed 11 September 2017
  3. ↑ Kaleidoscope's team (about us) kaleidoscopetrust.com, Accessed 11 September 2017
  4. ↑ Francis Batt, 9th March 2018: Elton John and David Furnish message to gay rights conference at Cumberland Lodge 'Sir Stephen Wall... chairman at the Kaleidoscope Trust', at windsorobserver.co.uk, accessed 30 March 2018
  5. ↑ Jessica Geen, David Cameron Backs new International Gay Rights Charity, Pink News, 12 September 2011
  6. ↑ Oliver Wright, Elton John Tells World Leaders: Stop Anti-Gay Discrimination, The Independent, 12 September 2011
  7. ↑ Persecuted for Being Gay, The Guardian, 13 September 2011
  8. ↑ Will Binyavanga Wainaina change attitudes to gay Africans? '...Mr Oluoch, ...works for the Kaleidoscope Trust rights group in Kenya...'24 January 2014 at bbc.co.uk, accessed 30 March 2018
  9. ↑ Saeed Kamali Dehghan, Africa and Middle East in spotlight as group launched to tackle homophobia, The Guardian, 12 September 2011
  10. ↑ Numbers of states quoted from The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN) at commonwealthequality.org Accessed 11 September 2017
  11. ↑ Kaleidoscope: act now to support the campaign against Russian anti-gay laws, kaleidoscopetrust.com, 28 November 2011
  12. ↑ Kaleidoscope Trust selected as charity partner for World Pride 2012, kaleidoscopetrust.com, 8 March 2012
  13. ↑ Kaleidoscope Australia: Advancing the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people in the Asia Pacific region kaleidoscopeaustralia.com Accessed 30 March 2018
  14. ↑ LGBT tribute to Hillary Clinton on the Fourth of July, 3 July 2012, kaleidoscopetrust.com Accessed 21 August 2017
  15. ↑ Josh Duboff, 14 June 2016, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Heartfelt Message for Orlando Victims- The Duke and Duchess visit the U.S. Embassy in London. Accessed 21 August 2017
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