Welcome 2008/9 Academic Year: Introduction to the Blog

Hello to those students viewing the blog for the first time. This will support LAW326 throughout the year with news, comment and rich media. Above the Law & Sexuality banner, in the top left, you will see the search box. You can search the blog for any particular issue - e.g "marriage". On the left hand side of the blog you will see the posts in chronological order (newest at the top). You can comment on any post (and are encouraged to do so) just by clicking the '0 comments' link at the bottom of each post. All comments are moderated to prevent spam and defamatory remarks but beyond that will be uncensored.

On the right hand side of the blog you will note a poll that will change through the course, a Flickr link which will show you photographs from previous field trips, a twitter link which will be sued when I'm at conferences, a blog archive where you can view all previous posts, a Pink News RSS feed that is updated as the site is. A series of links can also be found here - please note some of the material is of a mature nature. If any of the links are broken or there is a link you want adding let me know.

In the blog archive you will find various videos and materials that will support the course and field trips.

Finally, when you feel the need for a little break you will find Pacman at the bottom of the screen on the right.

The blog is updated regularly and you are urged to check back frequently and contribute via the comments section.

Workshops

Workshops start in week 11 (Thursday 9 October) at 10am in RV312a. The Manchester field trip will take place Thursday 13 November-Friday 14 November and San Francisco will take place in the February Reading Week (14-22 Feb). Both are subject to sufficient numbers wanting to go. I should have cost details for both trips in the first workshop but Manchester should be around £60 and San Francisco around £800.

Holiday Turmoil

As the holiday season came to an end the UK reeled from the collapse of XL. Whilst the mainstream media focused on the families stranded abroad Pink News has reported how the fallout has affected gay travel companies. Both Throb Holidays and Respect Holidays have stopped trading. Respect in particular was a well known company that regularly featured int eh gay media. It's collapse is obviously sad for those affected but it will be interesting to see what develops and whether there continues to be a demand for "gay holidays" and whether those holidays become more focused - i.e catering to the leather and fetish markets such as Basement Studios in Gran Canaria- a popular gay destination that was well catered by Throb and Respect.

Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World

Rick & Steve, originally shown on the US gay network, LOGO, came to the UK this week via the E4 channel. I wasn't sure what to expect but I've fallen completely in love with the show already. It's fresh, witty and has scarily life-like story lines! BBC2 used to show Queer Duck years ago but I can't think of anything else. In fact, there really isn't much gay themed TV these days. The official Rick & Steve website can be viewed here. The show goes out Wednesdays at 10.30pm on E4 and the opening credits can be viewed below:

Postgraduate Law Study

Thinking about postgraduate law study? Sunderland now offers four LLM programmes. Both the LLM (General) and LLM Human Rights offer an opportunity to study, gender, sexuality and law as part of their programmes.  You can find out more details of the Human Rights LLM programme here and the General here.  We also offer LLM's in International Public and Private Law and Criminal Law and Procedure.  You can also view a short video about law at Sunderland below: