We live in a society in which our children are being told what roles they should take up as adults in a multitude of subtle ways. The characteristics that are seen to be appropriate for boys and for girls are highlighted by dolls and frills in the 'girl's toys' while engineering, cars and dinosaurs are for boys. This kind of explicit segregation is outdated, unnecessary and damaging. If it were any other two labels (e.g. black and white) the inherent prejudice would be immediately apparent and would not be allowed by the law of modern society. I want my daughter and nieces to have the freedom to access whichever toys they are naturally interested in without having to hear them say 'that's not for me, that's only for boys.'

1) 2017 is the 50th Anniversary of the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 which partly decriminalised sexual acts between two men in private and aged over 21. 2) As a cultural centre, the queer museum would be a vital space in which to counteract the effects of homophobia, transphobia, racism and religious intolerance, especially important with the rise of right leaning political parties throughout Europe and America and attacks upon the LGBTQI+ community. 3) Some of the demands of the Gay Liberation Front from the 1970s have yet to be met, including the demand that ‘sex education in schools stop being exclusively heterosexual.’ Schools must provide sex and gender education that addresses the needs of LGBTQI+ students, queer histories must find a permanent home, and the LGBTQI+ community must have a place to organize: anything less is a betrayal to the courage of the pioneering queer activists of the 1960s and beyond.

Edward Colston was Deputy Governor of Royal African Company (RAC) - the dominant slaving organisation in the British Empire. Between 1672 and 1698, the RAC transported around 100,000 enslaved Africans to plantations in the West Indies and America. This included women and children as young as six – each enslaved person was branded with the company’s initials on their chest. More than 20,000 enslaved Africans were killed during the crossings. Their bodies were thrown overboard. Colston, RAC and Merchant Venturers became millionaires from this so-called 'business'. However, Bristol is full of resistance. Since 1920, Bristolians have rallied, boycotted and demanded that Bristol's institutions stop honouring Colston through statues, buildings and ceremonies. The Hall is 150 years old this year - now is the time. Use the 150th year celebrations to finally rename the Hall. Massive Attack boycott the Hall, as do other musicians and artists but the Hall's management continues to turn a blind eye to calls for progress. People of colour have been ignored and excluded even though they make up 16% of Bristol's population. We demand that our institutions reflect our communities and become accessible to all Bristolians. Enough is enough. We are proud of our city - Bristol is a modern, inclusive, multicultural place. We want to be proud of our main music venue. Share your thoughts on social media using #CounteringColston and Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CounteringColston/ Sign and share this petition and partake in the Colston Hall Consultation (until 24th Feb). More info on our website: https://counteringcolston.wordpress.com/colston-hall/

Breitbart News Network has been a cheerleader for Trumps presidential campaign and continues to promote his far right agenda - applauding the #Muslimban, slurring opponents of the ban and supporting French National Front leader Le Pen's plan to bring the ban to Europe. After we started this petition Newman University pulled their ads from #MuslimBan cheerleader Breitbart Media. Stating 'our values of social justice and the common good are extremely important to us'. Ordnance Survey and UK Migration Lawyers should not be paying for adverts in racist far right publications. We call on them to pull their ads from Breitbart immediately.

Since his Inauguration, President Trump has created significant division and prejudice regarding human rights, asylum and refugee seeking people. His ban on muslims has created significant unrest and his hate speech is not befitting of a World Leader. Therefore, we call upon the Prime Minister and UK Parliament to request a cancellation of the offer for a State Visit that may threaten the UK and create divisive actions.

Currently, in the UK everyone has to pass their maths and English language GCSE, regardless of any disabilities that may prevent them from doing so. Since 2013, all 16 to 18-year-old students who do not already have a grade C in English or maths have to continue studying the subjects. Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has said: “Inspection evidence shows that, for some students, having to retake their GCSE can be demotivating and that attendance at these lessons is lower.” My mother works in the field of special education and says it is upsetting and unfair to those with learning difficulties who just can't pass. It is obvious that some people are more able than others, and judging everyone by the same standards is unfair and wrong. I know of a 19-year-old resitting his GCSE maths and English for the fourth time this summer, and planning to continue trying for another two years. He is perfectly eloquent, has a job, and plans to join the army. The only thing holding him back is his dyslexia and dyscalculia (number and letter blindness) that means he can't read the test papers and is stopping him continuing with his life. We plan to ask the government to allow people with a diagnosed learning difficulty to stop repeating their GCSE Mathematics and English after they have completed full-time education (at 18) if they and a specialist learning support member both agree they do not wish to continue. The government should then be more flexible with other qualifications and job prospects.

This is important because it is an outdated and ignorant approach to modern day work life. I left my role within a very large law firm as I was unable to continue working for a company who said that I cannot be taken seriously and would never have a successful career if I did not wear makeup or wear a specific nail colour. This archaic approach made me feel very uncomfortable and disheartened that as a woman, my looks were considered far more important and influential than my abilities to fulfill a role. Dress length, make-up, nail colours, heels are all things that don't define your ability to do a job, so they should not be made part of a company policy. I'd love Intelligent Office to take a stand on this and show the way for other companies on these sexist policies

Stand Up to Trump statement The election of Donald Trump is deeply disturbing and a stark warning to us all. Every right-wing figure and organisation is rejoicing at the prospect of President Trump. The shameful list stretches from Marine le Pen and the Front National in France, Gert Wilders in Holland, Norbert Hofer in Austria, right wing leaders in Poland and Hungary to most of the Republican Party and the Ku Klux Klan. In Britain Nigel Farage and UKIP are at the head of the Trump bandwagon supported by sections of the Tory Party. Racism – whether Islamophobia, or antis emitism, relentless scapegoating of migrants and refugees, the disregard for black lives or shockingly, blatant belief in white supremacy – is growing significantly. Racial attacks and other hate crimes are worryingly on the rise. In addition, Trump’s election is encouraging and legitimising a backlash against women’s and LGBT+ rights - hard won over the past half century – not to mention the possibly devastating impact on climate change. Against the background of a discredited neoliberal ideology which has devastated lives and communities and whole countries globally, these developments have already encouraged some to vote for Brexit and translated into electoral success for the right in the US. This could very possibly now be repeated in France with the election of Le Pen in France next spring and the further growth of UKIP in the UK. The parallels with the 1930s, while not exact, are too disturbing for comfort. But the outcome is far from settled. It entirely depends on how millions of us – at home and abroad - react. We and our values of respect and cooperation, represent the views of millions. We now need to turn that huge reservoir of support into a resounding internationalist answer to the divisive politics of despair of Trump, Farage and their Tory outriders. Time is short. We cannot allow racism to seep deeper into society and whatever our other differences, we must unite together to meet this serious threat. We the undersigned therefore urgently call for anti-racists, trade unionists, community and campaign activists, and above all everybody of goodwill, to join the growing opposition to Trump and what he stands for. In particular, please help us build for two vitally important demonstrations initiated by Stand up to Racism: The ‘Stand up to Trump’ mobilisation on Presidential Inauguration day, US Embassy Grosvenor Square Friday 20 January 2017 Stand up to Trump, Stand up to Racism, No to Islamophobia and Antisemitism, Refugees are welcome, Black Lives Matter National Demonstrations 18 March in London and Glasgow, supported by the TUC Signed by: Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Home Secretary Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary Clive Lewis MP, Shadow Business Secretary Talha Ahmad, Muslim Council of Britain Rabbi Lee Wax Dr Shazad Amin Muslim Engagement and Development CEO Dr Siema Iqbal, Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) Bruce Kent Len McCluskey, General Secretary Unite Dave Ward, General Secretary CWU Tony Kearns, Deputy General Secretary, CWU Kevin Courtney, General Secretary, NUT Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, PCS Mick Whelan, General Secretary ASLEF Manuel Cortes, General Secretary TSSA Sally Hunt, General Secretary UCU Ian Lawrence, General Secretary NAPO Ronnie Draper, General Secretary BFAWU Ian Hodson, President BFAWU Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, Shadow Attorney General Lord (John) Monks, former General Secretary TUC Lord (Bill) Morris, former General Secretary TGWU Baroness (Angela) Smith, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Weyman Bennett, Stand Up to Racism Sabby Dhalu, Stand Up To Racism Grainne McGuire, Comedian Shakira Martin, NUS Vice President FE Mohammed Kozbar, Muslim Association of Britain Steve Hart, Unite Against Fascism Hugh Lanning, Unite Against Fascism Lindsey German, Convenor Stop the War Kate Hudson, General Secretary CND Dave Anderson MP Tracy Brabin MP Ben Bradshaw MP Ruth Cadbury MP Nic Dakin MP Wayne David MP Bill Esterson MP Paul Flynn MP Kate Green MP Carolyn Harris MP George Howarth MP Stephen Kinnock MP David Lammy MP Holly Lynch MP Rachael Maskell MP Madeleine Moon MP Ian Murray MP Lisa Nandy MP Kate Osamor MP Jess Phillips MP Steve Reed MP Virendra Sharma MP Wes Streeting MP Chuka Umunna MP Valerie Vaz MP Catherine West MP Daniel Zeichner MP Baroness (Tessa) Blackstone Baroness (May) Blood Baroness (Jean) Corston Lord (Quentin) Davies Lord (Derek) Foster Lord (George) Foulkes Baroness (Joyce) Gould Lord (Peter) Hain Lord (Alan) Haworth Baroness (Bev) Hughes Lord (Bob) Hughes Lord (Frank) Judd Baroness (Alicia) Kennedy Baroness (Glenys) Kinnock Lord (Neil) Kinnock Baroness (Doreen) Lawrence Lord (Chris) Lennie Baroness (Helen) Liddell Lord (David) Lipsey Baroness (Ruth) Lister Lord (Ken) Morgan Lord (Tom) Pendry Baroness (Dawn) Primarolo Lord (Tom) Sawyer Lord (David) Triesman Baroness (Janet) Whitaker Lord (Larry) Whitty Micheline Ngongo, Councillor Islington Claudia Webbe, Councillor Islington Suzanne Jeffery, Chair Campaign Against Climate Change

The Real Housewives of ISIS is an extremely distasteful and offensive show. It is Islamophobic by how it depicts Muslim women, regardless of them being related to ISIS. The show stigmatises women and symbolises acts of everyday sexism suffered by women across the UK. Satire is created to fight against oppression – not feed into sexist and Islamophobic rhetoric. Muslim hate crimes are mostly carried out against women – this show will further fuel hate in Britain towards women in hijab and niqab.

In a recent article by GScene Magasine, it was advised that Brighton based HIV charity The Sussex Beacon faces the prospect of closing services, including its ten bed inpatient unit, following a reduction in funding it receives from the NHS. The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care to people living with HIV through inpatient and outpatient services. It helps hundreds of people living with HIV each year and was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission in September. Changes to local commissioning arrangements have led to a reduction in funding from some statutory funders. The Sussex Beacon has already lost funding with further cuts likely to follow in the near future. The charity costs over £2 million a year to run and the Charity Trustees say they cannot continue to absorb these cuts. While many people living with HIV are now able to live long and healthy lives, there are still many who need specialist services. Last year The Sussex Beacon’s inpatient unit had 233 admissions and was full for the majority of the year. It provided over 2,000 bed nights, relieving pressure on both health and social care services in Sussex. Please use #SaveTheSussexBeacon when sharing to help build momentum and to let the Sussex Beacon staff see what you are doing to help

Kinship carers are family members (aunts, uncles and grandparents etc) that take care of children whose parents, can no longer take care of their children. This may be due to the parents having drug or alcohol dependencies, being abusive or otherwise unable to cope with parenting. Kinship carers are often the preferred choice by social services when they need to re-home a child because it maintains the children's connections with their families. However kinship careers and the children they look after receive very little or none of the support given to those in foster homes or care. Kinship carers alter their own lives to care for family members children and this is a sacrifice that needs acknowledgement. I know first hand the struggles associated with kinship care and many families including my own are left with little or no support. We are driven by love for the children and a huge commitment to improve an often poor early life. due to legislation children that are not "looked after" by local authority are not able to easily access support services and this needs to change. Our children have suffered the same emotional heartache and turmoil as any other child in care. They need to be counted and acknowledged too.

Many families struggle feeding their children at school. Weather this is through pack lunch or canteen money.