Latest news with #inclusivity
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'I'm autistic and my orchestra helps me be myself'
A French horn player has said that being part of an orchestra that includes disabled and neurodivergent musicians has helped her to be Spray, 25, plays for and is assistant music leader for the Birmingham National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO) is set to perform with the orchestra in an inclusive concert experience at Birmingham Town Hall on 8 June."As an autistic musician, NOYO has given me opportunities within the music sector… I'm in an ensemble where I belong and I can be myself," she said. "I started playing the French horn when I was 12, and I love making music and playing with other musicians."NOYO sees 11 to 25-year-old disabled and non-disabled musicians rehearse and perform event on Sunday is set to have a relaxed atmosphere designed to welcome neurodivergent and disabled audiences. There will be a seating area with bean bags and a "chill out" area outside the venue's concert hall for anyone who needs a bit of quiet during the will also be British Sign Language (BSL) ensemble will perform six pieces of music, using a mix of electronic and acoustic instruments."Our concert is called 'No more barriers, just great music', because NOYO is breaking down the barriers, so as musicians we can just focus on our love for the music," said Ms Spray."Our first piece of the concert, which is called Barriers, by Oliver Cross, has a really lovely horn solo which I enjoy playing." 'Everyone is welcome' "What I love about NOYO is the diversity, and all musicians share the love of music and you can really hear that at our concerts," she said."NOYO is proving that with a few adjustments, ensembles can be inclusive."It's really important to me that the audience members can see themselves represented on the stage, and I love that about our relaxed performances."The Birmingham Town Hall performance on 8 June begins at 15:00 BST. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
CTV News
15 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Barrie celebrates Pride March
Barrie celebrated the eve of Pride Month with their annual Pride March in the downtown core Saturday afternoon.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Periods aren't only for women, says Britain's biggest toiletries supplier
Periods are ' not inherently feminine ', according to Britain's biggest toiletry supplier. Bunzl, the major distribution company, said 'not all people who menstruate are women' in a campaign designed to stop the stigma of talking about periods. As a result, it has now been accused of denying biological reality and 'pandering to trans activists'. Bunzl's inclusive language guide was released to promote eco-friendly sanitary products by provider Grace and Green. It suggests common terms such as 'sanitary', 'hygiene' and 'feminine products' should be replaced with the term 'period products' to avoid offence. It also advises against only referring women or girls, because 'non-binary people, transgender men and intersex people may also menstruate', and suggests providing period products and disposal bins in gender-neutral locations and all public lavatories. 'Most of all, be respectful of everyone's different experiences of their period,' it adds. 'We can all empathise with the struggles that come with bleeding, even if they are different for each of us.' Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at the Sex Matters charity, called the language 'offensive' and accused the guide authors of 'erasing women and girls from the female-only experience of menstruation'. 'The only way that Grace and Green's products could truly be 'gender-neutral' is if its product designers had considered male anatomy when designing sanitary pads and tampons, which is clearly not the case,' she said. 'Coy phrases like 'feminine products' or 'feminine hygiene' may be a bit old-fashioned, but suppliers like Grace & Green and retailers like Boots and Aldi openly admit that their motivation to replace them with 'period products' isn't a desire to be more frank about women's biological reality – it's about denying that biological reality altogether. 'This type of nonsense is blatant pandering to trans activists, who demand that everyone else plays along with the farcical idea that men who imagine themselves to be female can have periods, and that women who imagine themselves to be male are 'men who menstruate'.' Supermarkets have changed policy A number of high street giants have changed their policy on the products in recent years. In 2022, Aldi followed Asda by replacing its 'feminine hygiene' signage with 'period products'. Richard Shuttleworth, Aldi's then diversity and inclusion director, said at the time: 'We are pleased to have renamed the category both in-store and online to better reflect how shoppers feel about period products.' Earlier the same year, Boots carried out the same rebrand. A spokesman for Grace and Green told The Telegraph they stand by the statement 'Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women'. They continued: 'This is a simple recognition of biological and lived realities. Some women don't menstruate – for example due to menopause, contraception, pregnancy or medical conditions – and some people who are not women, including trans men, non-binary, and intersex individuals, do. 'Denying this erases entire communities and contributes to the marginalisation of people who already face significant barriers to healthcare, dignity, and access to essential products. 'Acknowledging this diversity is not about erasing women – it's about expanding understanding.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Watch parents confront trans school athlete AB Hernandez's mother after their daughters were crushed in TWO track events
THIS is the moment a crowd of furious high school parents berate the mother of a trans athlete after another dominant victory. Trans teen AB Hernandez from Jurupa Valley, California came first in women's long jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Masters Meet. 5 5 5 This meant that she qualified for the events in next weekend's state championships. She also finished fourth in the high jump, missing out on a championship place in that event by one spot. But a crowd of angry parents confronted her mother at the event to complain that a trans girl was competing against their daughters. The video, which has now gone viral on TikTok, shows the parents hounding Hernandez's mother for allowing her to compete. One of the parents can be heard yelling at her mother: "What a coward of a woman you are allowing that." Hernandez's story previously made headlines after another teenage girl that she beat to first place in a separate contest waited for her to descend from the podium before moving to pose in the top spot. In the TikTok, the parent can also be heard shouting: "Your mental illness is on your son, coward." But more than half of US states have implemented bans on trans youth athletes participating since 2020. In an Instagram post, Hernandez's mother said: "It takes immense bravery to show up, compete, and be visible in a world that often questions your very right to exist, let alone to participate." Hernandez's case was thrust into national attention after Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from California over her sporting participation. Her successes prompted the California Interscholastic Federation to change its rules to allow "biological female" student athletes who would have made the qualifying mark without a trans contestant in the race to compete in the finals. A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom's office called the proposed pilot "reasonable". California state law allows the participation of trans women and girls in women's sports. Trump posted on Truth Social: "Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to." His message refers to an Executive Order from February titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports". In an interview with Capital & Main, Hernandez said: "There's nothing I can do about people's actions, just focus on my own. "I'm still a child. You're an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person." She faced heckling and protesters in the crowd at a track meet earlier this month and was accompanied by campus security and Sheriff's Department deputies, CNN has reported. "Girls were just shocked that people would actually come to do that, and really bully a child," she said. "I've trained so hard. I mean, hours of conditioning every day, five days a week. "Every day since November, three hours after school. And then all of summer, no summer break for me." Her mother added that those who have "doxed, harassed and violated my daughter AB's privacy" have created a "hostile and unsafe environment for a minor". 5
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
‘New national consensus' must reject discrimination, says PN MP
Saifuddin Abdullah said there needs to be a new kind of politics based on the struggles of various races, as well as moderation and reducing extreme polarisation. PETALING JAYA : Perikatan Nasional's (PN) vision of a 'new national consensus' must include components that promote inclusivity and reject discrimination, says Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah. Saifuddin, a senior Bersatu leader and former foreign minister, said the proposal announced by PN deputy chairman Hamzah Zainudin was significant, as it sought to unite all levels of politics and civil society, regardless of race, religion, or region. Saifuddin Abdullah. He said any such framework must be grounded in religious values, historical and cultural experience, and the founding principles of the nation as outlined in the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara. 'To uphold inclusivity means enhancing the spirit of developmental partnership and consultation between the three key sectors of society – government, business, and civil society – in the decision-making process,' he said in a commentary published by Sinar Harian. 'There needs to be a new kind of politics based on a multiracial struggle, moderation, and centrism, while reducing extreme polarisation.' Saifuddin said the public sector must empower itself through commitment, expertise, and the use of technology, while the business community must strengthen its competitiveness to support Malaysia's growth as a trading nation. 'The government should facilitate the business sector by acting as a 'shareholder', not merely a 'tax collector'. 'Civil society must become more professional. The world of volunteerism has been enhanced with new approaches (such as the solidarity economy and social entrepreneurship),' the Bersatu Supreme Council member added. On the principle of rejecting discrimination, Saifuddin said no one should be left behind, marginalised, or be underserved. 'More specifically, there must be no discrimination against citizens based on religion, race, descent, birthplace, or gender.' Hamzah outlined his vision for a 'new national consensus' on May 22 at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. He said the initiative aimed to bridge Malaysia's political and social divides and chart a path towards a more prosperous future. His proposal centred on three core pillars: shared goals, shared prosperity, and compassionate governance.
