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Magazine V2 Issue 12 – May 2015
Holding Hands for Equality
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin on equality and the marriage referendum
Mr Bear Ireland Mike Standen
Harry Hay
California Dispatch
Inside:
weareTheBigBang
Fashion | Film | Music | IDGTF | Travel | Interviews
EILE Magazine | Who’s Who
Contributors Mark Anthony Mark is a UCD English graduate who writes his own menswear fashion blog. He has also produced several fashion shows in the past, all in aid of worthwhile causes. More of his work can be found on markmystyle.com Jon Beaupré Jon is professor of TV, Film & Media Studies at California State University, Los Angeles and a contributor to This Way Out. M. Butler M. Butler is a writer and editor, with a keen interest in human rights, and has studied philosophy and psychology. Rob Buchanan Rob is a writer and blogger based in Blanchardstown in north Dublin, writing about LGBT culture and literature. Andy Cast Andy is an executive coach, mediator and bereavement counsellor. He lives in Southampton with his partner Paul and their two cats, Daisy and Spike. Stephen Donnan Stephen is EILE’s Northern Ireland correspondent, based in Belfast. He is a writer, political activist, and founder of the cross-border marriage equality organisation, LoveProudly. Scott De Buitléir Scott is founder and Editor-in-Chief of EILE Magazine. He is also a writer and broadcaster, based between Dublin and Nottingham. Alan Lambert Alan is a writer, reviewer and columnist based in Dublin, with an interest in politics and the Arts. Lisa Reynolds Originally from County Meath, Lisa is a fashion industry student living in Bray, County Wicklow. Frances Winston Frances Winston is EILE’s resident film buff, and has contributed to many publications such as The Irish Independent and Irish Tatler.
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EILE Magazine | Welcome
Highlights May 2015 weareTheBigBang – P.6
Volume 2, Issue 12
The Los Angeles-based band on their new single, Smoke
Editor-in-Chief: Scott De Buitléir Features Editor: MKB
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin – P.12 The Minister for Equality chats to Scott De Buitléir about referenda, 1916 and more
Holding Hands – P.16 Andy Cast launches a new campaign in association with EILE, explaining how you can get involved
Contributors: Mark Anthony, Jon Beaupré, MKB, Rob Buchanan, Andy Cast, Stephen Donnan, Alan Lambert, Lisa Reynolds, Frances Winston Photographers: Neil Ward, Brian Hanlon NB: All images in this publication are either under Creative Commons licence, or used with permission. Image credits, where necessary, are printed on the correspinding page(s). Any queries can be made to hello@eile.ie Special Thanks to MKB for all her hard work, dedication and support.
Mr Bear Ireland – P.32
Web: http://eile.ie
Dublin Scouser Mike Standen chats to EILE about his new title and the bear community in Ireland
Contact: hello@eile.ie Twitter: @EILEMagazine Facebook: http://fb.com/eilemagazine
IDGTF 2015 – P.50 We take a look at the 12th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival
…and much more!
Note: All opinions expressed in this issue are the writers’ own.
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EILE Magazine | Editor’s Letter
Contents 6-
weareTheBigBand
12 -
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
16 -
Holding Hands
20 -
Peacekeepers
24 -
Harvey Milk
28 -
Menswear
32 -
Mr Bear Ireland 2015
38 -
Opinion: Rob Buchanan
40 - Opinion: Andy Cast 42 -
California Dispatch
50 -
IDGTF 2015
62 -
Film Reviews
66 -
Miscellaneous
Time To Stand Up And Be Counted Welcome to the May 2015 issue of EILE Magazine! The Irish Marriage Equality Referendum is undoubtedly the single biggest landmark occasion for the LGBT community in Ireland, and its rights movement. To think how far the Irish have come – from decriminalisation in 1993 to (hopefully) equal marriage in 2015 is a journey that’s hard to fully comprehend, yet we are drawing ever closer to LGBT equality in Ireland. That being said, we’re not there just yet, and complacency cannot be allowed as a reason to lose this referendum. All the opinion polls to date have had Yes voters in the overwhelming majority, but the opinion polls ahead of the UK’s general election, for instance, show that the result could easily be different, if enough people don’t get out to vote. Those who make the effort to turn out on May 22 will vote because they believe strongly in this issue, which is why presuming that the result is a ‘sure thing’ is something to guard against. In this issue of EILE Magazine, we take a final look at the referendum, with news, commentary and interviews from home and abroad. Our interview with Minister for Equality, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, explains how he has been inspired by the Yes campaign as he travels the country to promote equality in Ireland. Our columnist, Andy Cast, launches a new anti-homophobia campaign called ‘Holding Hands for Equality’, and explains how you can get involved wherever you are. We also have our regular column from our Los Angeles bureau, with an article on activist Harry Hay, and another of our writers remembering Harvey Milk . Of course, we also have more entertaining articles, reviews, and also some news features which we covered over the last few weeks on eile.ie. With all of that in mind, we hope you really enjoy this issue of EILE, but, most importantly, DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!
Scott De Buitléir Founder / Editor-in-Chief
EILE Magazine EILE Magazine
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Smokin’ Hot - weareTheBigBang
Soul infused indie-pop band, weareTheBigBang, have released a sensational new single, “Smoke” sending you straight to the dance floor to get down. weareTheBigBang’s modern approach to classic rock/soul has quickly made them one of the hottest new
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bands in the Los Angeles scene. “Smoke” is the band’s first single and title track off their upcoming EP, to be released in June. The single is currently available for FREE download on the band’s website. Produced by Darryl Swann (Macy Gray,
Black Eyed Peas, Mos Def), “Smoke” is one of the band’s most danceable and captivating songs yet. The vocal pairing of Elaine Faye and Cheyenne Jolene create a sound reminiscent of artists like Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones. Blending a patchwork of influences from indie rock, funk and eighties pop, “Smoke” displays the groups genre-bending abilities. The song opens with Kyle Rector’s pounding
drum beat that carries the entire song, while Luis Munoz, known for shredding maniacally live, plays guitar licks that brings the song to life. Combined with Oliver Lee’s funky keyboard work and Enrique Hinojosa’s solid bass playing, weareTheBigBang creates a sonic landscape of indie pop that maintains a fresh and unique sound. When Faye and Jolene sing, “you can’t see it, I can’t believe it, we’re burning in flames, here
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we go!” it becomes clear that the rising smoke is the red flag at the end of a relationship. “Smoke” may be a kiss-off, yet few break-up jams groove as hard as this one. “We’ve truly invested our heart and soul into this project,” says Faye. “We’re really excited to finally be able to share it with all of our family, friends, and fans.” The new single is now available for download on the band’s website. weareTheBigBang formed while the six band members were finishing their last year at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Taking the scene by storm, the band has made quite a name for themselves, already performing at Make Music Pasadena Fest, KIIS FM’s Wango Tango Music Festival, major festivals like Bonnaroo, Coachella, SXSW and over 25 colleges nationwide. The band has opened for acts such as Allen Stone, Lianne La Havas, Nikka Costa, Lights, Vintage Trouble, The Arkells, Honey Honey and The Daylights. They have also been featured on VH1’s Mob Wives, Single Ladies, Love and Hip Hop, MTV’s EILE Magazine
Teen Wolf, and Snooki and Jwoww, TNT’s Boston’s Finest, Lifetime’s Dance Moms and Bring It, the CW morning news, and many more. “Smoke” brings an addictive taste of indiesoul, dance music that we can anticipate more of on their upcoming EP! Be sure to download the single and keep up with weareTheBigBang at: www.WeAreTheBigBang. com!
weareTheBigBang are: Luis Munoz- Electric Guitar Oliver LeeKeys Kyle Rector- Percussion Enrique Hinojosa- Bass Cheyenne Jolene- Vox and Tambo Elaine Faye- Vox and Rhythm Guitar Genre: Alternative Soul Hometown: Los Angeles http://www.wearethebigbang.com/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ wearethebigbang EILE Magazine
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Holi Festival Of Colours 2015 On the 27th of June the much anticipated Holi Festival of Colours is coming to Dublin for the first time! The ticket sale is open already.. Those who don’t want to miss it should hurry, as the tickets are very sought-after and sold out rapidly. The colourful open-air party will take place at the Iveagh Grounds: the green grass is perfect for dancing barefoot and the hourly countdowns will turn this location into a sea of colour. Top acts from the electronic music scene create a relaxed atmosphere. Esquire, Mr. Belt & Wezol, Al Gibbs and many more are just a few of the acts we have on stage. MC Sola Plexus will be the host for the show. This year the tour has a new motto: “Feel Your Colour”. Apart from the familiar countdowns, guests can expect a wide variety of new elements. A newly designed stage, an exciting show and extensive decoration will guarantee a unique festival experience. Those who want to be a part of this can still get the few remaining tickets at www. holifestival.com. Ticket prices start at 34,99 Euro and a ticket with 5 bags of coloured powder costs 42,99 Euro. Those that want to have the official fan shirt as well can do this for 47,99 Euro.
1st time in Dublin on the 27th of June 2015 at the Iveagh Grounds! Get your tickets at: www.holifestival.com/ie/en EILE Magazine 11
Photo: Neil Ward
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Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality and Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Aodhán Ó Riordáin in conversation with Scott De Buitléir on Equality, 1916 and the upcoming Marriage Equality Referendum
When I chat to Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, I’m surprised that, in spite of being on the road for weeks, this government minister is far from jaded by his recent canvassing and advocacy for a Yes vote for the Marriage Equality Referendum. In fact, not only is the Minister for Equality feeling invigorated by the Yes campaign, but also inspired. I speak to him on Wednesday night last, 6th May, shortly after he had been knocking on doors around Artane in north Dublin for a Yes vote. Aodhán tells me that the public’s reaction to the referendum is “quite remarkable”, as
he compares it to past elections, where many might not have even known that elections were taking place on a certain date. With this referendum, however, things seem to be very different. “…Since February, people have known that a referendum is coming up”, explains Aodhán, “they’ve known about the issue and they’re quite firm in their point of view.” “Tonight, we were in Artane, which would’ve been an older area, but still, the positive reaction towards the Referendum is quite palpable”. Aodhán’s overall experience from canvassing is a positive one, although many across Ireland’s political spectrum, not just those in the Labour Party, have warned that those who are in favour of marriage equality cannot
allow themselves to be complacent on May 22. That being said, Aodhán takes solace in seeing that the public are more engaged with this particular issue than with previous referenda or elections. “There are people who want to talk about it” he explains, “[be] engaged in it and even yesterday, to see the queues of people outside Dublin City Council to get registered to vote is something quite inspiring”. For Aodhán to call this Yes campaign “the most inspiring and most invigorating campaign I’ve ever been involved in” shows the level of interest and potential for change that grips the country right now. “I have to say that,” Aodhán continues, “because we’ve had public meetings up and down the country; every single public meeting has been packed, and there’s just EILE Magazine 13
something happening in Ireland”. Timing is key though, and Aodhán is grateful that while Ireland is by no means out of the economic woods just yet, the country has returned to enough health to allow people to look at social issues as well as financial.
furthest things from their mind. But now, the situation is different, as we’re in an era of economic recovery”.
Aodhán also mentions the centenary of Ireland’s 1916 rebellion – an often used milestone in the country’s road to independence – as an opportunity to fulfil “I think if we had done this the Irish Proclamation a number of years ago”, of Independence’s Aodhán says, “I don’t think reference to treating it would’ve been the right all of Ireland’s children time for it. We had a byequally. The point is election in Meath, and the more than valid, as Labour Party was heavily equality is the keyword criticised for having a photo opportunity based around marriage equality […] by other political parties and the media for being completely out of touch. There was a time when people couldn’t see a way out of the economic struggle, because unemployment was still very high, emigration was still very high, and the issue of austerity was still very much in people’s minds. To come to a door and talk about marriage equality, for many people, would’ve been one of the
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of the Yes campaign, and linking it to the core principles of the founding of the Irish Republic gives the Yes campaign even more strength. “Regardless of the result, I don’t think we’re ever going to go back [to] where we were. I think something special is happening, and I think we have a glimpse now of what the country could potentially be.”
“Regardless of the result, I don’t think we’re ever going to go back [to] where we were. I think something special is happening, and I think we have a glimpse now of what the country could potentially be”
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Holding hands for equality
Andy Cast writes on how you can help fight homophobia with this simple gesture Recent studies have found that heterosexual people are more accepting of homosexual people if they know someone who is gay. Not altogether surprising really is it? The old saying goes ‘familiarity breeds contempt’, when actually it couldn’t be further from the truth. When we get to know something it becomes everyday and commonplace. It ceases to become 16 EILE Magazine
scary or threatening because we are familiar with it, we know what it will do and understand its implications.
gay people are like dogs (although there are some very cute puppies out there) but you get my general drift.
The same can be said for other types of experiences, both positive Consider, for example, and negative. We tend to the first time you meet become acclimatised the a strange dog. At first more we are subjected you are probably wary to certain behaviours. of it because you don’t This is why there are so know if it will bite you many arguments against or lick you. But the more allowing children to you see it, the more you watch violent films, for begin to understand how fear they will begin to it behaves. You see it see violence as a normal interacting with others without hurting them, and thing. Police can become you feel more comfortable unsympathetic to victims because they see so much in going up to it to pet crime it becomes the it. Now I’m not for one norm. moment suggesting that
As a society, we expect so much more than we ever had before because the bar is raised by awareness of what we could have. I think back to my childhood (which isn’t all that long ago thank you very much) and I remember being pretty satisfied with a camping trip in the UK as my family holiday. These days a lot of children experience and expect a holiday abroad each year, and feel aggrieved if they don’t get one – because it has become a normal occurrence and what they are used to. Therefore it makes perfect sense that when straight people see same sex couples frequently it becomes a normal accepted part of life for them. They see us for what we are – the same as them. We hurt the same, we laugh the same, we die the same and we love the same – with just one small gender oriented difference. That’s what makes the fight for equality so galling for me. It sometimes feels like we are being treated as a different species when we are just the same and deserve the same rights. One of my friends recently posted on Facebook about seeing a gay couple holding
hands in the middle of town –DURING THE DAY (Shock, horror!!) His immediate thought was “Aww how sweet” and his second thought was to look around to see who was watching and what they might be thinking. How can we live in a society which makes us feel so uncomfortable or fearful for two people expressing their love for one another by holding hands?
to hold hands with my wife in public without a second thought. Now please don’t think for one minute that I am a fan of inappropriate public displays of affection. Maybe I’m a prude, but I really don’t need to see anyone with their tongue down someone else’s throat, regardless of their genders. When you’re expressing that much lust you’re probably best to do it in private.
The Irish drag artist, Panti Bliss, has become quite famous for her soliloquys about gay rights and equal marriage. In one of her videos she talks about feeling jealous when she sees a straight couple holding hands, because she doesn’t feel able to do so. I can relate to this. My internalised homophobia and fear of what might happen if people see me holding hands with another man is quite crippling. I would give anything to be able to feel comfortable holding hands with my partner in the street. It saddens me to feel that I can’t.
From childhood we are brought up holding hands with our parents – it shows we are cared about and looked after. Holding hands is a loving, caring gesture and a personal symbol of connection. The fact I don’t feel able to hold hands with my male partner is upsetting and, as Panti says, a sign I am being oppressed. I accept it is mostly selfoppression, but also oppression inflicted on me by the society I have been raised in.
Regular readers will know I didn’t come out until I was 34 and, before I accepted my sexuality, I did what many closeted men do and got myself into a marriage with a woman in an effort to be “normal”. I used
I don’t think I would be subject to a homophobic attack if I did it, but I’m sure I would be stared at. Again, not because people would necessarily have a problem with it. People would stare and look back at us because it is an unusual thing to see. We are naturally curious about things we don’t often see, and EILE Magazine 17
we can’t help but take a second look or stare for just a moment longer while we process what we are seeing. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for us to have a society where a man can walk hand in hand with another man and a woman can walk hand in hand with another woman without anyone taking a second glance. We need to make everyone feel comfortable about seeing same sex handholding, and for that to happen we need to make it a commonplace, everyday occurrence, a familiar sight rather than something that is out of the ordinary. On May 17th it’s the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Wouldn’t it be great to flood Twitter and Facebook and every social media site on that day with pictures of couples holding hands – be they straight, gay lesbian, trans, young or old.
So here is my call to action – hold hands in public as much as you can, stand proud and take a selfie – or even better, get a stranger to take a photo for you. Post it on as many social media sites as you can with the hashtag - #holdinghands. We will only make this world a better place if we make an effort.
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LGBT-Inclusive Sci-Fi Show ‘Peacekeepers’ Needs Crowdfunding SCOTT DE BUITLÉIR chats to Charlie Reeves about his new web series When Charlie Reeves created a web series, he was looking for strong LGBTQ characters that were missing from most of the sci-fi films and TV he loved as a kid. Sci-fi for him was an early escape from a difficult childhood, where he bounced between divorced parents in California and Illinois, and after a brief stint in foster care was returned to an abusive mother. So Reeves wrote characters who thrived despite abuse.
“I was raised by Star
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Wars and Harry Potter and X-Men, stories with a strong escapist thread,” Reeves said. “Those stories became my family. The Weasleys, the relationship between Luke and Darth Vader, Professor X and his students. Sci-fi wasn’t just a way out, these stories were blueprints to teach me how to build my own strength and my own voice.”
He and co-creator Maria Makenna shot a pilot for a series they call Peacekeepers. It tells the story of young personal assistants who receive texts about the future that give them minutes to avert deadly tragedies around New York City. The plot revolves around Alana (Makenna), who works for a Peacekeeper. She’s trying to save the world even as she
Charlie Reeves (Writer/Director)
Jacques Mitchell plays Michael
struggles with the bitter memories of an abusive father. The 15-minute pilot, available to watch on
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Maria Makenna as Alana
peacekeepersnyc.com, was nominated for a Webby Award for Best Drama Series of the Year and Indiewire’s Project of the Year; it was a finalist for a Shorty Award for Best Web Show of the Year, and has been programmed at 13 film festivals to date. The pilot attracted more than 25,000 followers on Twitter, and fans were drawn to Alana, a strong main character with the feminist appeal of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a story with a bit of Sherlock’s mischievous tone and the thrills of Doctor Who.
This month Reeves is on Indiegogo, at bit.ly/peacekeepers, to raise the $42,000 he and Makenna need to complete the remaining five episodes of their first season. Reeves graduated from NYU with a degree in screenwriting, and is currently the script supervisor’s assistant on the HBO series The Knick. He’s worked production on several high-profile New York shows, including Law & Order, Gotham, and Smash. Last year he co-wrote and story edited the first season of the groundbreaking, critically acclaimed webseries Whatever This Is, and produced The Snob’s
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Tom Heleringer plays Connor
Dictionary for Vanity Fair Online and Judging Jewell for ESPN’s 30-for-30 Short Film series. He currently lives in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Makenna’s New York theatre credits include A Piece of My Heart and Eclipsed, where she helped produce feminist theatre pieces with more roles for women. She’s currently in London in the masters acting program at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. You can visit them Peacekeepers on facebook here: https://www.facebook. com/peacekeepersnyc You can also listen to Charlie Reeves interview with Scott De Buitléir on Soundcloud at the link below:
https://soundcloud.com/vernonmedia/ peacekeepers
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“All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.” - Harvey Milk
Remembering Harvey Milk Lisa Reynolds on the iconic Harvey Milk, whose birthday, 22nd May, is shared by Ireland’s marriage equality referendum this year On the 22nd of this month, there is set to be one of the most important days in Irish political history, as gay and bisexual people and their straight allies go out in force to make Ireland a 24 EILE Magazine
more equal, and better, place by voting yes in the Marriage Equality Referendum. It seems very fitting that one of the greatest gay activists in history, Harvey Milk, was born
on the 22nd of May back in 1930. Let’s take a look at the incredible work he did, and the life of this inspirational man, as this momentous date arrives. Born in Woodmere, New York, into a small, middle-class, Jewish
family, Harvey Bernard Milk had one brother called Robert. Their parents were William and Minerva Milk, who had a department store called Milk’s, where both Harvey and Robert worked when they were younger. The young Harvey also enjoyed playing football, and singing in the opera at Bay Shore High School. In 1951, he graduated from the New York State College for Teachers, and from there enlisted in the U.S. Navy. While there, he served as a diving instructor at a San Diego base during the Korean War. After he was discharged from the navy in 1955, Milk moved to New York City, where he worked in a variety of jobs, including as a public school teacher, as a production associate for many successful Broadway musicals, and as a Wall Street investment banker. During this time, he became friends with gay radicals whom he met in Greenwich Village. By 1972, Milk began to get bored with his New York life, and decided to move to San Francisco with his boyfriend, Scott Smith, whom he met at a New York Subway, and together they opened a camera shop called
Castro Camera in the heart of the city’s gay community on Castro Street. The couple’s apartment was above their camera shop. Smith was born in Key West in Florida on the 21st of October, 1948, before growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, and was also known for his gay rights activism as time went on. He was involved in assembling and looking after Milk’s public office campaigns from 1974-1977, and was an instrumental influence after Milk was elected in 1977 to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Smith also put Milk at the forefront of the Coors Beer boycott after helping to organise it, which was one of the very public displays of power by the gay community. Smith also sadly died young, at the age of 46, on the 4th February 1995, of pneumonia stemming from AIDS. Despite knowing he was gay since his high school days, Milk had, for most of his life, kept his sexuality under wraps, even as the emerging gay rights movement began. But following his meetings with the aforementioned gay radicals in Greenwich Village, Milk’s political psyche, and response to fight for the justice that
gay people deserved, kicked in and when it did it really did as history shows.
While living in Castro Street, this determination got even stronger, and was the place where Harvey Milk, the gay rights activist, was shaped. In 1973, he announced his candidacy to be part of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He lost in the election, but tried again for the same seat two years later, where he narrowly lost. By this stage, however, he had amassed a lot of respect as a spokesman and leader in the gay community, and had many influential political connections, including San Francisco Mayor, George Moscone. By 1977, Milk had gained the victory he fought long and hard for, by securing a seat on the San Francisco CityCounty Board, and was inaugurated on January 9th 1978, creating history by becoming San Francisco’s first openly gay officer, as well as one of the first gay people to be elected to office in the United States. Facing opposition from people such as Anita Bryant and John Briggs, Harvey
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showed huge strength of character throughout his political career in the face of adversity, and successfully campaigned to defeat Proposition 6, or the “Briggs Initiative” by John Briggs, which was calling for gay and lesbian teachers to be banned in public schools in California.
White believed that Milk, and Moscone, who was an early supporter of gay rights, and had abolished San Francisco’s anti-sodomy laws, and appointed many gays and lesbians to many highprofile positions in San Francisco, were driving forces in making his city go “downhill”.
Milk was a very compassionate person. As well as gay rights being part of his platform, he also brought in changes to child care, housing, and a civilian police review board, proving that his kindness and compassion extended far beyond rights for himself and the gay community.
White wasn’t very happy, but no one could guess at the horror which was about to happen.
It was in direct contrast to conservative supervisor, Dan White, who was disturbed by what he saw, because of his prejudice, as a breakdown in traditional values, and an increasing tolerance of homosexuality. White had been elected to the San Francisco City-County Board in 1977, and was in opposition to Milk on a regular basis on policy issues. He resigned in 1978, but then asked Moscone for his job back, which Moscone, encouraged by Milk, and others, to place someone liberal in White’s former spot, declined.
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White went into City Hall with a loaded .38 revolver on the 27th of November, 1978, where he first went to Mayor Moscone’s office. They started to argue, and went into a private room, where they couldn’t be heard. Moscone once again declined to give White back his position, and White shot Moscone, twice in the chest and twice in the head. He then made his way down the corridor, and shot Milk twice in the chest, once in the back and twice in the head. Soon after the murders, he turned himself in at a police station. Well aware of the danger his life was in, Milk had recorded his will on a tape recorder the year before his death. Following the murders, more than 10,000 people marched down Castro Street in remembrance of Harvey
Milk and Mayor Moscone, holding candles and holding a photograph of both victims high. Shockingly, the jury at White’s trial convicted White of voluntary manslaughter instead of murder, and White served only six years in prison. In response to the verdict, peaceful demonstrations by Castro’s gay community outside City Hall became violent, with over 5,000 policemen responding by going into nightclubs with truncheons and assaulting customers. 124 people were injured in what went down in history as “The White Night Riots.” In 1985, White committed suicide. There have been many celebrations of Harvey Milk’s life since his untimely death, such as the 1984 Rob Epsteindirected documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, and the 2008 film Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, and written by Dustin Lance Black, starring Sean Penn, for which the actor won his second Academy Award for his portrayal of the legendary activist, Harvey Milk. There have also been a musical theatre production, an opera, a children’s picture book, and a French-language historical novel for young-adult readers,
about Milk, bringing his important message to a whole new generation of people. Milk was also on Time Magazine’s “Time 100 Heroes and Icons of the 20th Century”, The Advocate placed Milk third in their “40 Heroes” of the 20th century issue, and there are many locations named after him in the City of San Francisco, such as Harvey Milk Plaza, where a large Gay Pride flag is flying.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, made May 22nd “Harvey Milk Day” and placed Milk in the California Hall of Fame.
The San Francisco Gay Democratic Club is now called the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club, and was previously called the Harvey Milk Memorial Gay Democratic Club, while in New York, the Harvey Milk High School is a program helping at-risk young people, which operates out of the Hetrick Martin Institute, and focuses on helping gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.
In addition, in 2012 Milk was inducted into the Legacy Walk, which celebrates LGBT history and people, and last year, the United States Postal Service issued the Harvey Milk postage stamp of Milk, with a photo taken in front of Castro Camera. He was the first openly LGBT political official to be featured, and it was unveiled on the 22nd of May.
President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, which was accepted on his behalf by his nephew, Stuart, and soon after Stuart cofounded the Harvey Milk Foundation with Anne Kronenberg and with the support of Desmond Tutu, who is now a member of the Foundation’s Advisory Board. That year, California governor,
Harvey Milk has been a feature in three exhibitions by the GLBT Historical Society since 2003, where the estate of Scott Smith donated Milk’s belongings after his death, which included his Harvey Milk Supervisor T-shirt.
There is also a Harvey Milk statue in San Francisco City Hall, and a Memorial Plaque at 575 Castro Street, where his camera shop, apartment and campaign headquarters were. The plaque ends with the Harvey Milk quote: “You gotta give ‘em hope” taken from the longer quote:
And you...Gotta give ‘em hope.” His quote is quite poignant as we approach this important vote in Irish history. We are all living in hope that on the 22nd of this month, equality will prevail over ignorance, and that love will prevail over hate. I like to think that Harvey Milk is looking down from his heavenly home with Scott Smith, and that they are watching this momentous day arrive. Harvey Milk and Scott Smith, rest in peace, and thank you for all the amazing work you both did towards equality, and in making the world a better place by being in it. Hopefully on the 22nd May, we can, as Irish citizens, push that equality on further.
We can only vote yes and hope.
Harvey Milk
“I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you...And you... EILE Magazine 27
je ne sais quoi!
Mark Anthony on how to emulate the French fussfree style that is effortless yet sophisticated!
Women cottoned on to it a while ago, and it’s high time we men did the same: the French have a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to matters of style – a unique and instantly recognisable way of dressing that the entire world tries to emulate. It’s an aesthetic based on principles of pared-back sophistication, a fuss-free approach to style that is difficult to decode. Interestingly, in all its effortless elegance, the archetypal French male’s wardrobe can be surprisingly small, limited to versatile items in a reduced palette of navy, black, white, grey and a couple of other colours at most – all indisputably classic pieces worn over and over again with confidence. The other secret to French style is the appropriation of utilitarian garments, derived from military and workwear uniforms, which they put together nonchalantly, not even worrying if the occasion requires something dressier.
Left: Reiss Right: Mango
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The pea coat (left) is a global classic, worn by the European and American Navy since the early 1700s. However, the navy (it is originally navy blue, although you can now find it in many different colours) wool coat has been a staple on the streets of Paris since it was elevated to high fashion by lauded French designer Yves Saint Laurent in the 1960s. These days, you can find good pea coats on the high street (GAP does some worthwhile versions, for example) or splurge on high-end versions from the likes of Sandro, Balmain or Saint Laurent, which are beautifully fabricated. If you want something truly authentic, heritage brands like Saint James and Armor-Lux should be your go-to – both produce some superb takes on the French Navy original.
Widely known as a granddad or band collar shirt (below) the classic collarless workwear piece is typically made from jersey, cotton or linen and comes in a slightly relaxed fit. Wear it with slim, slightly cropped/turned up jeans or chinos during the day and slip it underneath a blazer at night to nail that sense of relaxed refinement which the French pull off so well.
Left: Reiss Right: Mango
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Jeans (right) may be an American invention, but in Paris – where it’s the simple, unfussy pieces that make it to high fashion – they’re even worn in the evening, often combined with a T-shirt and blazer. Local brands like A.P.C., the epitome of low-key luxe, are built upon the principle of extreme simplicity applied to jeans. Like true devotees, Parisians rarely wash their denim, letting their jeans gradually mould to their shape and evolve into a truly personal wardrobe staple. There are very few restrictions to where they can be worn, with some Frenchmen even known to switch out the trousers of a dinner suit in place of quality denim.
The breton top (right) born in 1858 as part of the Act of France, a navy and white striped knitted shirt was the uniform of the French Navy in Brittany. In 1889, Tricots Saint James (a brand you can still purchase today) began producing the shirt commercially in wool and cotton, and it was soon adopted by local workers due to its practicality. From utility wear to fashion item; iconic male ambassadors of the Breton top have included Pablo Picasso, Andy 30 EILE Magazine
Left: Tom Ford Right: Avva
Left: Debenhams Right: Gucci Cruise
Warhol, James Dean and Jean-Paul Gaultier, who has continued to masterfully reinvent the piece in his collections since the 1980s. Now, it is considered a timeless essential that should be part of any styleconscious gent’s capsule wardrobe.
Scarves, Foulards, Cravats (right) are key to a classic look that Frenchmen pull off just as well as Englishmen, albeit more casually. You’ll want to take your cues from Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s French Riviera romantic thriller To Catch a Thief (1955), in which hero/anti-hero John Robie dresses for the surroundings in resort wear smartly accessorised with scarves tied closely around the n e c k . A l t e r n a t i v e l y, you could wear a long lightweight scarf draped across your shoulders, a large diamond-shaped foulard tied at the back or even a gavroche (45 x 45cm) twisted and knotted tightly. To ensure you pull it off like the French, stick to patterns and colours that don’t match/clash with the rest
of your look. Head to Hermès for the best investment in this department or find inexpensive alternatives on the high street and in vintage stores. Et voilà: a few timeless style tricks straight from France that anyone can benefit from. Whether you see yourself trying them or not, what do you think – très chic or terrible?In the meantime, neatly summarising this brief overview of French style, here’s a quote from tastemaker Jean Cocteau:
“Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.”
Left: Bagozza Right: The Kooples
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Mr Bear Ireland 2015 Scott De Buitléir catches up with the new bear-faced icon Mike Standen is charming, and instantly puts you at ease within a couple of seconds. Originally from The Wirral in northwestern England, Mike moved to Dublin for a new position with the firm he worked for. The self-proclaimed Scouse made the Irish capital his home, and more recently, became the new Mr Bear Ireland at Béar Féile 2015. “It’s a little bit of fun”, Mike comments on the Mr Bear Ireland competition, “but it’s something that helps the bear community represent itself to the [wider LGBT] community, but also to itself in a lot of ways. The bear community has been very good to me, so I wanted to get involved because of that”. Being Mr Bear Ireland will take the Scouse Dubliner
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to different Pride events in Ireland and abroad, as well as attending other bear social events. The title gives Mike a chance to promote Ireland’s bear community at home and abroad, which he says is something he’s looking forward to doing: “I’d like to take the bear community to a little bit more [exposure]”, Mike explains. “The Béar Féile is part of Dublin Bears, and Dublin Bears do a lot for the community, both charitable and on a community basis. I think they’d like to reach out a little bit more. There are other bear groups around the island of Ireland, and they’d like to reach out to others in the UK as well”. Mike is already off to a strong start, however. With a ‘Meet Mr Bear Ireland’ event in Dublin in early May, Mike becomes the new face of the bear community in Ireland, already well-accustomed to having the craic in the
Fair City. It also helps Mike’s mission that Béar Féile is already quite popular internationally.
“Béar Féile has a strong following”, says Mike, “we already attract people from places abroad like the U.S. […] I’ll be going to a few Pride events, to other bear festivals in Europe and more, to promote Ireland, Dublin and the Dublin Bears”. With his charm and ease, we’re sure Mike will attract a lot more attention for the Irish Bear community! To find out more about the Dublin Bears and Mr Bear Ireland, visit www.dublinbears.ie Photos: Brian Hanlon
Mike Standen Mr Bear Ireland 2015
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Proud to represent the bear community in Ireland, Mike Standen is crowned Mr Bear Ireland 2015
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Gay European Tourism Association and Sign Up launch Europe’s first LGBT language courses
Learning Spanish has just got easier as GETA has partnered with Seville based language school, Sign Up, to create Europe’s first ever language courses specifically planned for LGBT students.
apartments and be introduced to Seville’s LGBT community and lifestyle as well as the city’s Gay Pride parade. They will also get to visit local tourist hot spots, including the Roman city of Italica, the Arabic town of Vejer and the White village of Carmona.
The two and four week language courses combine Spanish lessons with an unforgettable gay experience in one of Spain’s most gay friendly cities. Classes are open to all ages and focus on socialising, travelling and the culture of Spain, all taught by a gay teacher.
Seville was founded by the Romans, conquered by Muslims, and is now the capital of the Spanish region of Andalusia. In the 16th century Seville became the main port for trade with the Americas and Christopher Columbus is buried at the Cathedral of Seville.
Students will stay in LGBT friendly
“I visited Seville to speak at an event which explored ways in which
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it could welcome more LGBT travellers, and fell in love with the city” said Carlos Kytka, Executive Director of GETA. “This initiative is a great way for people to see this beautiful city, discover the gay life and learn how to speak Spanish. I hope it will be a model for more LGBT educational tourism throughout Europe”. Mario Ruiz Legido, Commercial Director of Sign Up Language Institute, said “we wanted to create a very special language and cultural experience in Seville – different from the more mainstream programmes that other schools offer. Seville has great qualities as an LGBT destination: it is
a gorgeous and safe city with cultural sites on every corner; Sevillanos are famous for their liveliness and joy for life and there is a very open and active gay scene. The
programme so far has been an instant success and we are certain it is going to be extended to other European cities�. Two week courses
start from 1,315 Euros, including all courses, accommodation and visit programmes. Details are on www. gayspanishcourses.wix. com/seville.
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Opinion: Apathy And Spite Could Lose The Referendum Rob Buchanan
warns against LGBT voters’ complacency, and other voters’ annoyance at the Government, in the upcoming marriage equality referendum Listening to politicians like Mary Lou McDonald on Newstalk with Pat Kenny highlighted one of my greatest fears. Voters’ unexpected motivations in the referendum can be a time bomb. McDonald expressed concerns that some people might actually vote No for no other reason than to give the current government “a bloody nose”. The idea that shortsighted malcontents would deny civil rights to their fellow-citizens, due to some misplaced adolescent spite, is contemptible, but possible. It is a tactic which, although not being encouraged by mainstream Anti-Water Charge or Anti-Austerity groups etc., has been employed before.
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In my mind, this danger is second only to the selfdestructive complacency of some LGBT voters and their allies. This risk is of course rooted in apathy, resulting in not getting off their asses on referendum day and ticking the box, because they believe that one vote doesn’t matter.
The divorce referendum was so close, and this current one also potentially so tight, that absolutely everyone and their grannies can and will make a difference. While both of the above motivations for not voting Yes superficially seem wildly different, the end result is the same. A tiny minority, due to their dogmatic diligence and fanaticism, will have won the No vote, and condemned the vast majority of Irish LGBT people to inequality for another generation at least. And we`ll have no one else to blame but ourselves.
It’s disturbing to think about the negative outcome, but I’m glad politicians are making these points now, rather than when it’s too late. We need to be on our guard against the mercurial behaviour of the Irish voter, and do what is within our power to remedy it. We have had a bizarre and uniquely turbulent history of referendum voting on this island. Some have been blighted by lack of clear education of voters on the topic being decided. Others have been tarnished by dodgy EU dealings, which left the whole nation feeling hoodwinked. All have been marred by poor turnouts. This is very atypical of democratic nations with comparable populations. I’ve done some canvassing myself, and it wasn’t the No people or the door slammers who scared me. It was the sizeable volume of reasonably educated people who bizarrely either think that Civil Partnership is already Marriage, or
who genuinely don’t know what all the fuss is about. They`ve never met an out LGBT person, so our plight is as remote and vaguely interesting as a thirtysecond charity ad for endangered rhinos on TV. This time around, we need to bridge the Referendum gap between the national and the parochial. This is done both in our campaigning and our recruitment, to get our loved ones and colleagues to the ballot box on voting day. Each of us in our actions is an ambassador for marriage equality, even if we are not debating
it at the water cooler in work, or the common room in college, because our visiblity as a person, and equal, who happens to be gay, is often enough to change the apathy of a stranger.
the loved ones of LGBT people.
But all of that aside, were the referendum to be held in the morning, it could be won easily, if only we could get half the Yes voters off their (A)sses We must not expend our to the (B)allot boxes. If energy on the tiny hard we lose this chance to core No voters. They are change history, it will attempting to amplify their not be because of the No voices with outrageous voters. There simply isn’t and inflammatory sound enough of them. It will be bites. Far better that our own fault , our own we conserve and direct complacency. So everyone our energy into focused must act like you are the attempts to educate the 1% which will change the undecided voters, with the nation, because the truth simple facts of our own is, you are. lives as LGBT people, or EILE Magazine 39
Chocolate Milkshake Seeking The Perfect Match Andy Cast ponders on our quest for a perfect partner Many years ago I wrote an article about ‘The search for Chocolate milkshake’. Basically, two of my single friends and I had debated our desire to find the perfect partner and when was it right to ‘settle’. I used the analogy of a chocolate milkshake - whilst a strawberry milkshake is nice, my favourite flavour is chocolate and I’d rather go without a milkshake at all than settle for strawberry, or any other flavour, if I couldn’t have chocolate. Apply that to my choice of partner and if I couldn’t find the chocolatey equivalent in a man, I could have been single a very long time. But people do settle don’t they? It is said there is someone out there for everyone, and that your soul mate is just waiting to be found.
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But what if fate doesn’t come through for you? What if that soul mate has already settled and isn’t looking for you in the same way you’re looking for them? How much are you prepared to knock off your list of requirements and, if you do ‘dumb down’, will you truly be happy? This issue is even more relevant in the Gay World, where we seem to be even more judgy and critical of everybody let alone potential long term partners. Why is it we are so picky? Is there something psychological in this? Would Freud or some other psychiatrist have us on their couch as a collective community, asking questions about our childhood influences - an overdemanding high achieving father, perhaps, who always expected his little angel to have the best in life so planted that seed of demanding perfection at an early age. Or maybe a successful older sibling - someone to live up to at any cost, compete
with and be better than in order to seek the acceptance and love of your parents. Deep stuff, but close to the truth? Of course, I don’t think every gay person has daddy issues or the need to be better than their brother or sister. But what if our symbolic parent figure is society — critical of us to the point of it being a criminal act for such a long time here and still one in far too many countries of the world. What if those successful siblings are our straight brothers and sisters, the ones we are always trying to be as good as, but always told we aren’t, forcing us to have to fight to get what they get as a matter of course. Or it could simply be that the gay community are just a bit more discerning in their tastes. We demand perfection even though we are far from it ourselves. Perhaps fate has put you
with your soul mate, but is telling you your expectations are a little out there, so just get real and deal with it! Perhaps the David Beckham look a like, with a million in the bank, who treats you like a goddess, waiting on you hand and foot, is an ask too far. After all, if he did exist, how likely is it that you would match up to his list? A cosmic levelling field? I’m left wondering if we do settle really. Oh I’m sure there are some that do, but when most of us fall in love we tend to accept our partner’s faults. No-one can love unconditionally forever, but we do learn to love someone in spite of the little things that annoy us, because for every fault they have, you can be sure you have at least one to match which annoys them in return. Except for me of course. Because I’m perfect and have no faults whatsoever. Isn’t that right Paul? Of course, there is the temptation to try and change our partner to make them fit our perfect image. I do think that training works well in most cases of our working lives, but when it comes to personal
relationships the best we can hope for is a meeting of minds. Collaboration and cooperation. An understanding of what each other finds impossible to live with and then the hope (trust?) that those things will be hidden away. But they are just hidden, biding their time to be rediscovered in an argument, usually as ammunition or to invoke a response. We push at boundaries to see how far we can get, much like we do when we are growing up and eventually we find a comfortableness with each other. A mutual understanding of what each other wants, through a shared mellowing of time and desire.
or disagreement may be desirable, in reality I do think we would be bored. Well I certainly would be. I need to be challenged, tested, pushed to my limits whilst being supported, believed in and, most importantly, loved. Over time our list of requirements changes, but this isn’t settling. This is just the normal process of developing and growing up. Back when I wrote my original article, I wasn’t sure I would ever find my chocolate milkshake, but I said I would keep looking until I did - little did I know that he was there all along.
That understanding seems to be far more elusive in our world, mainly because we are set up to fail at every turn. It’s so much harder to form a soul mate type of relationship in a world where infidelity and causal hook ups are commonplace and seen as reasonable. Relationships aren’t meant to be easy or perfect. Whilst the thought of a perfect union with no arguing
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California Dispatch
Californ
Radical Fae
Hay (upper left) with members of the Mattachine Society in a rare group photograph. With Hay are (l-r) Konrad Stevens, Dale Jennings, Rudi Gernreich, Stan Witt, Bob Hull, Chuck Rowland (in glasses), Paul Bernard. Photo by James Gruber, about 1951.
Jon Beaupré writes about Harry Hay, a Los Angeles
gay activist who was the force behind the Mattachine Society, and was protesting long before the Stonewall Riots The ‘Stonewall Riots’ in June of 1969 are generally referred to as the great turning point of the nascent homophile movement. The truth is more complicated however. Taking nothing away from the protesters in New York, many queer leaders in Los Angeles felt “Well, finally New York is catching up with us!” There are and were remarkable 42 EILE Magazine
LGBT leaders working tirelessly in New York, but Los Angeles already had at least a decade of organizing, protesting, and confrontations with authorities over homo-rights. Of all the early Gay leaders in Los Angeles, perhaps none came to be as revered, admired, and held in esteem and affection as Harry Hay, the force behind the first official, formal Gay organization, the Mattachine Society,
founded in 1950. Hay was born in Sussex, England. By age five, the family had moved to California, where Hay graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1929. During summer vacations on his cousin’s ranch in Nevada, Hay developed his earliest social conscience, oddly enough through conversations with the ranch hands who
California Dispatch
nia Dispatch:
erie: the Inimitable, Inevitable Harry Hay were members of the Industrial Workers of the World. While he would later spend long hours in union halls and on protest lines, it was the cowboys on a remote ranch who taught the young Hay about Marxism.
Harry Hay, April 1996, Anza-Borrego Desert, Radical Faeries Campout
At age 14, he got a job on a cargo ship in San Francisco. Hay was introduced by a sailor to the notion of gay men as a ‘secret brotherhood.’ Hay later turned this idea into a nationalist identity, arguing that homosexuals constitute a ‘cultural minority.’ Hollywood of the early 1930s was a great place for a creative and talented Gay man to be working. The studio system tacitly accepted Lesbians and Gay men and even in some venues, encouraged them After attending Stanford University, Hay found employment in ‘the industry’ doing everything from singing for the composer John Cage to performing in theatrical companies, working as an extra, as well as writing and vocal coaching. During this period, Hay met the actor Will Geer, whom TV fans around the world remember as Grandpa on The Waltons, which originally aired from 1972 – 1981. Hay described Geer as his political mentor, but they also carried on a personal relationship for a number of years. Hay has been associated romantically with a number of men, most notably fashion designer Rudi Guernreich, poet/ film maker James Broughton, architect William Alexander, and for the last three decades of his life the inventor John EILE Magazine 43
Burnside. But it was Geer who introduced Harry Hay to the Communist Party USA.
to remain behind the scenes, protecting his career as a fashion designer.
In order to remain in good standing with the CPUSA, Hay married Anna Platky in 1938, after being convinced that his homosexuality was a decadent bourgeois affectation. The couple moved to New York City, where they split their time between unreliable employment and activism within the city’s Communist Party branch. While the couple later adopted two daughters, it was obvious that the marriage did nothing to quell Hay’s same-sex attractions.
Hay named the group Mattachine as a reference to a medieval French society of unmarried, masked men who performed satirical plays critical of authority. Ironically he only remained a member of the group he started for two years, leaving over organization and management disagreements.
The couple returned to Los Angeles in 1942, and Hay supported his family by working a remarkable range of blue collar jobs. Finally the tensions in Hay’s double-life led to divorce in 1951. By this point, Hay was not only a recognized figure in leftist circles in general, he was beginning to form the ideas that would lead to the LesBiGay liberation movement. While Guernreich enthusiastically supported Hay’s efforts in founding the Mattachine Society, the designer preferred 44 EILE Magazine
But Hay remained involved in an astonishing array of progressive causes, from apartheid in South Africa, protesting U.S. involvement in the Viet Nam war, conservation and the environment, the death penalty, civil rights of native Americans, and a nearly endless list of progressive efforts. In the late 1970s, Hay and Broughton, along with activists Don Kilhefner and Mitch Walker, founded the Radical Faeries, an extension of Hays’ interest in both native spiritualism and the growing pagan movement. While there was a playful campiness in using the old English word ‘faerie’ – ‘fairy’ being a common epithet for Gay men - there was nothing frivolous about
the group’s intention to tap a spiritual dimension in the lives of Gay men, a dimension that rejected most contemporary conceptions of what a spiritual organization should be. Hay was a born dissident, not only against a social order he found unjust and repressive, but even among the Gay organizations with which he was associated. He was a professional rabble-rouser, taking to task not only the AIDS activist group ACT UP, but U.S. LGBT leadership in general, which he found too assimilationist. He felt the protesters at Stonewall were “…just playing catch up” to the decade or more of work he had led on the west coast. While he is not alone in this insight, Hay’s greatest contribution, it could be argued, was that he not only fought for LGBT rights, he saw those battles as the moral equivalent of all other great civil rights movements. The fights were not about begging society for acceptance. Like matters of race, gender, environment, immigration status, and political representation, it was up to society, he felt, to make room for not just the upper crust queers who could
Quality LGBT News and Features – Produced from Los Angeles Available via podcast on our website (thiswayout.org) or on iTunes, and on 200+ Radio Stations Worldwide!
thiswayout.org | Twitter: @TWORadio Overnight Productions (Inc.)/”This Way Out” Post Office Box 1065 Los Angeles, CA 90078 U.S.A. EILE Magazine 45
survive on their trust funds, but especially for the the drag queens, leather daddies, bull-dykes, lipstick Lesbians, hustlers, and impoverished LGBT kids outside big metropolitan areas. He considered these ‘outlaws’ to be the invisible ‘faeries’ who had always been there, but who had something important to contribute to society. Hay was a divisive force in the organizations he helped found and nurture; but no one could doubt his dedication to the dignity of LGBT people. In a mid-1990s interview, I found Hay to be a mischievous imp, hell-bent on making a more tolerant and accepting society. While he could be stubborn and cantankerous, he was always the radical faerie, with a steely charm and a twinkle in his eye that could simply melt any resistance. Of all the photos that exist of Hay, my favorite is the one that accompanies the lengthy Wikipedia entry on his life and work. In the photo, at a 1996 Radical Faery event, Hay is dressed in his signature cowboy hat, western shirt, and tennis shoes. He is also wearing a floor-length flowered skirt. To call Harry Hay colorful would be condescending. Through the effort of sheer will, he made himself into an original soul of the LGBT movement. Jon Beaupré is professor of TV, Film & Media Studies at California State Univ., Los Angles and a contributor to This Way Out Twitter: @jnbeaupre
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Thriftworks Friday, May 22nd Mr. Bugsly Presents & Something Different bring you a night of forward thinking music and art! Thriftworks w/ Flamingosis, Housing Corp & Nick AM @ CAMEO GALLERY 93 North 6th Street Brooklyn, NY 11211 21+ // 11 PM EILE Magazine 49
‘It’s for YOU!’ 12th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Continues The programme for the 12th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, the biggest festival of its kind in the world, was launched on Tuesday, 24th March.
celebration of diversity. “We are delighted to once again host the world’s biggest and most diverse LGBT Theatre Festival from May Bank Holiday for two weeks”, said Brian Merriman, who founded the event in 2004, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Wilde in Dublin.
“This is our twelfth year staging new and diverse theatre and welcoming artists and audiences regardless of their sexual For two weeks, the Festival will identity. We include offer a unique opportunity to everyone! We want you to see LGBT culture on city centre enjoy our theatre because it stages – 10 performances each is good theatre”. night – presented by theatre companies from Ireland, UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Iceland and Russia.
This year, audiences will be transported to Putin’s Russia, fictional Leitrim and to rural Wexford, and even have a chance to visit Gay Heaven. From the mythical story of Icarus to a Tuesday at Tescos, from history’s Joan of Arc to 1950s sci-fi serials, and from a re-imagined Noel Coward to an Angela Lansbury tribute, this varied programme of music, dramas, comedy and dance is a 50 EILE Magazine
This not a festival just for the LGBT community, it is for everyone who enjoys theatre and celebrates identity. “This Festival is for you, about you, your family, friends and communities. We are all part of the arts, part of Dublin and part of a new inclusive Ireland. We are staging this diverse programme to dialogue with and to appeal to everyone, regardless of their sexual identity,” said Brian Merriman. “This is a live theatrical celebration of all the stories
that make up Ireland and link us to our international communities. In launching this wonderful diverse programme of accessible theatre, we are confident that once again we have programmed great and unique theatre! Our talented and resourceful companies from Ireland and abroad are most welcome. They make great sacrifices to celebrate gay theatre in Dublin. They love the opportunity we provide.”
“The audience continue to engage in what we present. Our performers are first class with alumni performing on the West End and in film, TV and theatre worldwide. Festival 2015 presents a great value programme of love, laughter, politics, history, music and dance. It is for everyone to enjoy, but especially you!”
The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival will run from 4th to 17th May, 2015. For more information visit www.gaytheatre.ie
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Ten Foot Pole Theatre returns to IDGTF with FIRST DAY BACK Rob Salerno’s new solo show explores bullying, suicide, and high school homophobia in a chillingly immersive environment. Ten Foot Pole Theatre is proud to return to the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, after its sell-out smash hit at the 2011 festival, BIG IN GERMANY. FIRST DAY BACK is Canadian writer/ performer Rob Salerno’s searing and heartfelt one-man show about high school, bullying, suicide, and compassion. You will enter a high school the day after a gay ninth-grader, Ollie, killed himself, following years of bullying and abuse. There’s an eerie hush in the halls, as Ollie’s friends and tormentors gather to figure out who’s responsible. As you take your seats in the art room, be prepared to have your prejudices shaken to their core. We are very proud to have this show make its debut at the prestigious International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival in May 2015, a juried festival programmed from more than 200 international 52 EILE Magazine
submissions, before beginning its run at the acclaimed Storefront Theatre in Toronto in June. We are extremely excited to premiere this powerful and relevant show in Dublin, smack in the middle of a nationwide debate on LGBT rights. The show is presented in an immersive environment, written and performed by Rob Salerno, and under the direction of awardwinning Canadian playwright and actor, Steven Gallagher.
hit shows with Ten Foot Pole Theatre, including Balls, Fucking Stephen Harper, Raw, and Big In Germany, which have collectively been performed at more than thirty festivals around the world. Director Steven Gallagher is known for his hit plays, Stealing Sam, and Craplicker, and as the director of the recent hit show sensation, Myth of the Ostrich.
We are also pleased to share that Ten Foot Pole Theatre has been invited to present another of Rob Salerno’s plays at IDGTF, RAW, as a free public “What I really want is reading, starring local for audience members to Dublin actors Graham examine the role they play Norton and Mairtín Pól in perpetuating bullying Koob. RAW is a darkly and intolerance in all comic drama about HIV its forms, and to probe and sexual ethics in the the sorts of solutions we 21st century, and was typically offer teenagers developed at the Banff who are struggling,” Playwrights Colony. writer-performer Rob Salerno says. “By seating First Day Back shows the audience in the at 7 pm each evening ‘classroom’ among the from 11th to 16th May, other ‘students’, the with a matinée at audience gets implicated 2.30 pm on Saturday. in the action and cannot Venue: OUTHOUSE, hide behind the fourth Capel Street, Dublin 1. wall.” Dubbed a “theatrical rabble-rouser” by The Globe and Mail, Salerno is best known for his award-winning, and frequently controversial,
Book online at: www. gaytheatre.ie The free play reading takes place at The Mercantile (28 Dame St) on Sunday, 10 May.
First Day Back
“What I really want is for audience members to examine the role they play in perpetuating bullying and intolerance in all its forms, and to probe the sorts of solutions we typically offer teenagers who are struggling�
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St. Joan Rides Into Dublin @ International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Three women are Joan, trying to save history from itself. An allfemale company explores this hot terrain in a highly physical, darkly funny and entrancing work of theatre, delving into the heady themes of National identity, race and women as victims and makers of history.
Broadway Baby: “Go and see this play – it is challenging, erudite and above all, captivating.” Joan, Black Jewish Londoner, is portrayed by three performers, Samantha Pearl, Juliet Dante and Rachel Halper, in an intense, visceral physical production. They take on the dream of going back in time to stop history’s atrocities. Can they overturn its course? Can they save a life?
Pascal Theatre Company, ManyTracks Inc., and Add2 Productions are an allJoan the saint was the women international symbol of the Left and collaborative between is now the icon of the three producers from French far Right. But the UK, USA and would Joan the girl Liechtenstein. St Joan fighter, with the voices of is its first venture to God in her head, really take on highly political boot out the foreigners subjects and explore today? St Joan by them in a highly British/French author dramatic, kinetic, Julia Pascal takes on and emotionally engaging takes apart notions like form of theatre. National identity, purity St Joan is topical, of Race and the place of historically explosive women. and intensely visual in
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its performance. St Joan is theatre not afraid of complex subjects in a style driven by passion, emotion and humor. 11th - 16th May - 9pm The Players Theatre, Dublin, €15 (€13 Concessions),www. gaytheatre.ie or Tel: +353 85 129 8158 Pascal Theatre Company, ManyTracks Inc. & Add2 Productions present St Joan. Written by Julia Pascal, Directed by Katrin Hilbe and Designed by Kati Hind. “Macabre, probing, surreal. – One to catch.” - Jewish News.
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Acting Out Presents ‘The Equals’ @ Dublin Gay Theatre Festival 2015 The EQUALS is a new comedy with songs, produced by Acting Out, Dublin’s LGBT community drama group for the upcoming Dublin Gay theatre Festival. The EQUALS of the title are a newly formed amateur drama group in Leitrim, which in the play is being run by a new political force, the Lesbian alliance. They are just your everyday mix of power hungry lesbians, closeted priests, sheep mad farmers, displaced Dubliners, deluded directors, and put upon personal assistants. So when they try to win the biggest gay drama competition in the world, with a frighteningly bad musical, how could they not succeed? Acting Out was founded by Howard Lodge in 2008, and is the resident drama group of the Outhouse based in Capel Street. Their mission is to present stories about LGBT lives to the both the LGBT community they are drawn from, as well as the wider community. These stories have been largely absent from the stage over the last few centuries, and our work is part of increasing the visibility of LGBT lives, whilst presenting entertaining, challenging, and enlightening pieces of theatre.
Howard Lodge says, “It just shows what a community theatre group can achieve. We are delighted to be asked back to the theatre festival a second time. In fact our show last year, another comedy called, ‘Tits Up!’ was one of the best selling shows.” The EQUALS is written by another member of the group who said, “ I wanted to write a comedy with songs set in rural Ireland. I’m not musical at all, but I twisted the arms of Mark Power and Ian Faulkner to write the score and they have done a fantastic job and have written some very catchy tunes.” The EQUALS is on at the Teacher’s Club on Parnell Square East in the Main Hall from May 11th -16th at 7.30pm with a special low priced matinée on Saturday 16th at 15.45pm. Howard said, ‘ We think people from all walks of life will enjoy the show which is very funny, but also pokes fun at a wide range of targets including the LGBT community, who we’ve found are great at laughing at themselves’
Venue: Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square East Tickers available from www.gaytheatre.ie EILE Magazine 59
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Information and support for women who need someone to talk to
DLL – Phone: (01) 872 9911 (Callback facility available) EILE Magazine 61
Mr Holmes - The Man Behind The Myth Academy Award nominee Ian McKellen takes on the iconic role of Detective Sherlock Holmes, one of the British literature’s most revered characters in the forthcoming film, MR HOLMES. Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Bill Condon (Gods & Monsters) and starring Academy Award nominee Laura Linney (The Savages), Frances de la Tour (Harry Potter) and newcomer Milo
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Parker, MR HOLMES is adapted from Mitch Cullin’s 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind.
In 1947, the world famous sleuth has retired to a remote Sussex farmhouse, living in relative anonymity with only his housekeeper Mrs Munro and her young son Roger for company. Cantankerous, demanding and frustrated with the mis-representation of him in Watson’s best-selling novels, he diverts his attention to an unsolved case.
As the mystery deepens, Sherlock tries desperately to recall the events of 30 years ago that ultimately led to his retirement. Mr. Holmes will be in cinemas across Ireland from June 19th.
Photo: Jo Rawson
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Directed by: Joss Whedon
All the cast give excellent Opening with a performances which spectacular actionis to be expected, as Starring: Robert sequence, this movie lays many of them have Downey Jr., Chris its cards on the table from had several outings as Hemsworth, Mark the off, and you just know these characters at this Ruffalo, Chris Evans, that you are going to be in stage. Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson, for a roller-coaster ride. Hemsworth provide much Jeremy Renner, Don After raiding a Hydra (the of the wry wit, while the Cheadle, Aaron Taylor- bad guys) outpost the team underlying love story Johnson, Elizabeth retrieve Loki’s sceptre, between Ruffalo’s Banner Olsen, Paul Bettany, and uber genius Tony and Johansson’s Black Cobie Smulders, Stark (Downey Jr) and Widow is as tender as Anthony Mackie, Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) anything you would find Hayley Atwell, Idris discover an artificial in a Nicholas Sparks (The intelligence contained notebook) novel. Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, within it. Hoping to utilise James Spader, Samuel it for good, their creation Marvel have this summer L. Jackson quickly turns on them blockbuster thing down to a tee, and this will Boasting quite possibly the in the form of Ultron (voiced by Spader) and manage to satiate diemost ridiculously goodhard fans, while no doubt looking cast since, well the they spend the rest of the movie trying to undo welcoming more people last Avengers movie, this the damage he has done into the Marvelverse. sequel to 2012’s Avengers and restore order to the This is everything a Assemble sees all the old world. Their cause isn’t blockbuster should be team back together, and a – thrilling, funny and few new additions gracing helped by plenty of infighting, as they turn on engaging. The action the screen. each other thanks to the never detracts from the characters, and the effects If you’re not familiar with mind manipulation of the Scarlet Witch (Olsen). are there to enhance Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, the story rather than Captain America et al at Yes the plot may sound simply show off. A joyous this stage you have most silly, but bear in mind cinematic experience, this likely been stranded on a this is a comic book movie spectacular will probably desert island for the past - it’s not War and Peace demand more than one few years, as to say we and nor is it trying to be. watch. have been bombarded by What it is is action packed information and teasers In Cinemas Now! about them and this movie with plenty of humour, spectacular set pieces and is an understatement. It well-rounded characters is often the case that a (Review: Frances that you really care about. movie, even a gazillion Winston) You’ll run the gamut dollar blockbuster of emotions and find like this (I may have exaggerated budgets) finds yourself frustrated with some of the outcomes, it impossible to live up to but ultimately you leave such hype, but thankfully Avengers not only lives up the cinema buoyed and wanting more. to its pre-publicity but it supersedes expectations. EILE Magazine 65
New Book Gives Insight into Same-Sex Marriage ahead of Marriage Equality Referendum In a recent interview with Pink News, Archbishop Justin Welby acknowledged that the Church had to accept same-sex marriage, and the fact it is now law in England and Wales, but Welby himself voted against the Same-Sex Marriage Act in the House of Lords in 2013. Indeed, even after having been passed into law on 29 March 2014, when the balloon went up and Messrs. Peter McGraith and David Cabreza made Britain’s first same-sex marriage at Islington Town Hall, London, many leaders of the Church of England and beyond remain strongly opposed. So much so that Canon Jeremy Pemberton, who married his long-term partner in April, was told to stop leading services and then barred from a post as an NHS chaplain. In this important and timely book, Alan Wilson argues that allowing gay people to marry is a moral purpose. Indeed, there is a burgeoning movement within the 66 EILE Magazine
Church broadly in favour of same-sex marriage, not to mention leaders of the Church already in gay partnerships, who wish for their religion to fully ratify and acknowledge their relationships. Wilson says: ‘I asked myself “what does God want for gay people?”. After re-revisiting the Bible, and more importantly getting to know gay people of all types and varying backgrounds, he decided the answer was that God wants for them the same as everyone else – flourishing faith, hope and love, involvement and inclusion. Meanwhile, from a scientific perspective, More Perfect Union? asserts that homosexuality is part of a wide range of human sexual longing and expression, not an anomaly, a sickness, nor merely a lifestyle choice. The vast majority of people Wilson encountered on his journey toward being in favour of same-sex marriage were not antigay, they were ‘just trying to love their neighbour
as themselves’, even if, in some cases, their heads lagged behind their hearts on the issue of gay marriage.
The ultimate aim of this book is to help Christians everywhere unite head and heart in a fully positive response to gay people marrying, and to enable them to wholeheartedly rejoice in such union, in doing so shaking off the hangover of years of stereotyping, fear and discrimination about gay people. ‘An extraordinarily valuable contribution to the quest for an open and honest conversation around an issue that the Church can no longer sweep under the ecclesiastical carpet.’ – Steve Chalke ‘The joy of this book is a bishop telling the truth, not least about the way the gay issue has been handled in recent history, and the awful dishonesties in which we are now entrammelled as a result.’ – Jeffrey John
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Review of DCU Debate on the Marriage Referendum Alan Lambert gives us a run-down on the recent (9th April) marriage referendum debate held at Dublin City University (DCU). Speakers were Sen. Katherine Zappone, John Lyons TD,Sen. Ronan Mullen and Keith Mills.
It’s just after 7pm as Senator Ronan Mullen enters a packed DCU auditorium; he’s greeted with friendly smiles, handshakes and air kisses from team mate Keith Mills, and opponents Senator Katherine Zappone & John Lyons TD, as the room is brought to silence for the DCU School of Law and Governments debate on the Marriage Referendum. Moderated by Newstalk’s Shane Coleman, the debate comes after but not, as we subsequently discovered, as a result of Senator Zappones 68 EILE Magazine
open letter requesting a respectful debate with Senator Mullen on the referendum, which explains why he is in the second chair for the negative team. Setting out her stall on the affirmative side, Senator Katherine Zappone introduces the topic by regaling us with a tale of a family dinner attended with her new wife, Ann Louise Gilligan, and the joy her sister felt knowing
that the Senator was finally able to openly show her love and commitment to her wife. She also said that an affirmative result in the referendum is a show that we do value our families and voting yes will protect families. The Senator pointed out that a willingness to marry is a willingness of a couple to bind themselves in both law and love, and gives a blissful feeling of wellbeing that oppression
has been lifted. Senator Zappone wrapped up by discussing the topics of equality and freedom, pointing out that the negative side will say that Civil Partnership is better for LGBT couples, however civil partners are not considered to be a family. Civil Partners with children are not a considered to be a family, instead it’s a shared household. Voting No means children of LGBT parents will not be protected and if the negative side are so keen on the rights of children then must be considered. To present the negative side was Keith Mills of Mothers and Fathers Matter. Mr Mills started out on a humorous note pointing out that he wasn’t as seasoned a debater as the rest of the panel, as the last time he debated was in school and on the topic of music. While he did come across as nervous in this section of the debate, nerves which had abated by the Q&A section, he too started with a personal tale of growing up in rural 1970’s Ireland when it was illegal to be ga,y and some closeted people felt the need to marry someone of the opposite sex while others, including himself, chose to stay single.
Today is a different story, he said, we shouldn’t vote Yes to pity the poor gay people as Ireland is now a wonderful place to be gay, an ICTU representative in the audience later pointed out that Mr Mills was clearly not a teacher, nurse or doctor working in a religious organisation. Mr Mills then tackled the subject of Civil Partnership (CP), he pointed out that it was the accepted route in Germany and Australia, and while there was a debate about gay adoption rights in Portugal (adoption by gay people has been allowed in limited circumstances since 2013 but is not open to all gay couples), it was felt that CP is good enough for us. Noting that the number of differences between marriage and CP is now less than 100 since the introduction of the Children and Family Relationships Bill – bizarrely Mr Mills used this as a positive, despite the fact that the group he was representing were adamantly opposed to the enactment of this Bill. The key difference discussed was the difference between ending the relationship. Marriage, Mr Mills
pointed out, ends in a four year process called divorce, while dissolution of a CP takes 12 months. Personally I found it strange that while the affirmative side are looking for a means of showing their love, the negative side is talking about how easy it will be to move on from your broken down relationship. Mr Mills’ second talking point was on the topic of children, pointing out that no matter how good men are as fathers, they can’t replace mothers. He referred to Ireland’s move towards Gender Balancing in corporations and political parties, so denying the gender balance in families is wrong. Given that the Census indicates that over half a million people live in one-parent families in Ireland, it is unclear how the No side intends to address the lack of Gender Balance in those families. Finally Mr Mills raised the topic of the language of the referendum question regarding marriage being allowed “without distinction”. He stated that to say there is no distinction between samesex relationships and opposite sex relationships is wrong, and that one size fits all is also wrong.
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He said that this would be a significant part of the debate in the coming weeks and alluded to the fact that we should watch this space. An audience member asked if the Yes side had any concerns regarding the wording of the referendum, both agreed they had none, although Deputy Lyons did state that he was concerned about Mr Mills’ meaning on the “without distinction” part of the debate. Mr Mills replied that he just meant that the debate over the next few weeks will be an interesting one. Whether he had misspoken earlier due to his nerves, or was trying to play his cards close to his chest, remains to be seen. Of the four speakers, Deputy John Lyons came across as the most passionate. He opened his rebuttal by referencing civil rights movements and reaffirming some of Mr Mills’ points, while being gay or lesbian didn’t mean you had to sit at the back of the bus, it was deemed to be a mental disorder. And it is now 30 years since the five people who killed Declan Flynn in Fairview Park received suspended manslaughter sentences 70 EILE Magazine
after they admitted they were part of the team “to get rid of the qu**rs from Fairview Park”. Judge Sean Gannon responding by saying, “This could never be regarded as murder”.
society a better place for everyone.
As one of the most vocal opponents for the No campaign, great things were expected from Senator Ronan Mullen and his desire to secure Deputy Lyons went on the common good. to say that the families However, after asking that children learned people to keep an open about in Ann and Barry mind and reassuring the books are far different audience that it was okay from the realities of to change their minds, life. While the negative the first three minutes side speaks of the ideals of his rebuttal were an that don’t exist, the acknowledgment that affirmative are focussed he hadn’t responded on reflecting the realities to Senator Zappones of life. request for a debate’ and bemoaning the fact that The Deputy continued none of the Executive that now is different, had responded to his now is better than then, request for a debate, however now there is losing the audience’s still injustice. The only attention to the point thing that happens when that the lady beside same-sex people are me put her head down allowed to get married on the table in front is that same-sex people of her, while waiting get married. Studies for the Senator to start have found that in discussing the topic at countries where samehand. sex marriage has been legalised that marriage Eventually Senator and divorce rates Mullen said that he amongst heterosexual doesn’t mind how you couples has remained vote. If your view of the same and birth rates marriage is only about in families with married adults, then it’s hard and unmarried parents to vote against the also haven’t changed. referendum. If it’s more than that, if you believe Society will improve that children have an by the removal of equal right to a mother boundaries, as love and father’ then you knows no boundaries, have to vote No. denying same-sex equality denies society Senator Mullen pointed and voting Yes will make out that Social Science
doesn’t prove either side’s point in this debate, although a lecturer on Social Science in DCU stated that all evidence pointed to the fact that there was no distinction between children brought up in a loving family environment, regardless of the make up of that family – a point Senator Mullen emphatically disagreed with. The Senator continued his point about the importance of Mothers by reciting the Seamus Heaney poem, When All The Others Were Away at Mass, before jokingly saying that as an unmarried man of 44, perhaps he shouldn’t dwell too much on the relationship between a mother and her son. He went on to say that redefining marriage will redefine families, a point which had been rebutted in advance by Senator Zappone, who predicted the points that the opposition would make, in saying that marriage had already been redefined twice in the 70’s and the 90’s in referendums on privacy in marriage and later in the divorce referendum and neither of these had redefined the family. Senator Mullen concluded with quotes from Hillary Clinton and Leo Varadkar in support of traditional
families, positions that they themselves no longer support. The same ICTU representative who commented to Mr Mills responded to this by noting that the Senator had told people at the start of his monologue that people were entitled to change their minds. Questions from the audience ranged from the Bisexual and Transgender people who appear to have been neglected in the debate (Senator Zappone agreed that more consideration should be given to this remark) to what does the No side believe should be done with children currently being raised by Civil Partners (Nothing, they can stay where they are). There was a minor debate on the improved adoption process between Councillor Roderic O’Gorman and Senator Mullen where under the new process a child will be placed with whoever can look after the best interests of the child. Senator Mullen disagreed with this assessment, however a review of the language does appear to support Councillor O’Gorman’s assertion.
by Taoiseach Enda Kenny recently, to which almost the entire audience responded in sync with an emphatic Yes. It was clear, based on the questions asked, that there was little or no support for the negative side, so the winner of the debate was a foregone conclusion, but what was lacked in the monologues was almost made up for in the Q&A section as the negative side held their own during the barrage of questions and conceded on a number of points when they were clearly wrong. The final word went to Professor Brian McGrath, President of DCU, who stated that the University’s role was to develop minds and critical thinking, clear evidence of which was available tonight in this well run, well organised debate. Professor McGrath wrapped up by encouraging all students to go out to vote. (eile.ie 11 April 2015)
A personal highlight of the evening was Mr Mills asking if teachers should be compelled to teach about same-sex relationships as suggested EILE Magazine 71
Public Forum Hears Both Sides of Marriage Equality Referendum Debate Tara Flynn knows all about discrimination. The author and comedienne is married to an African American, and has, together with her husband, experienced racism first-hand during their time together. She tells us this only to elucidate that any type of discrimination means that someone is being treated unequally. In this case, the equality being sought is on behalf of the LGBT community in Ireland, as they too deserve to be able to marry the person they love, just as straight people and inter-racial couples can. After Colm O’Gorman 72 EILE Magazine
tells her that her legs are alright (you had to be there) Tara went on to say that she wanted to be proud of Ireland, and she urged people to vote Yes in the marriage equality referendum. Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, was next to speak, stating: “I want my children to grow up in an Ireland where they are guaranteed equality before the law”. Colm told the audience that Art. 41 of the Constitution talks about the family as a married couple, with or without children, in answer to a point about two men in a marriage, who would not be able to have children together. He said that a commitment to human rights is at the core of his beliefs, and so he can understand people who say they would vote No because of their deeply held religious beliefs.
Colm then told us that Amnesty has supported marriage equality since 2007, and that the principle of nondiscrimination means you cannot treat people differently, if there is no valid objective reason to do so. However, he said, people who wish to vote No on religious grounds should realise that, in some countries, Christians are discriminated against, on the basis of that country’s own religious beliefs, and in some of these countries, women still aren’t allowed to drive.
Colm also made the point that families are circles of support, rarely only about two individuals, and that marriage is also about who makes the lunches for the kids going to school, and who goes through the trauma of school exams with them.
From Left To Right: Tara Flynn, Sean Kenny TD, Colm O’Gorman (Amnesty) and Aodhán Ó Riordáin TD. Photo: M. Butler
Some of the No voters expressed their views, or their reasons for voting No, and these included what they saw as religious grounds, or the misunderstood adoption laws in this country. One man felt that equality was a myth, as we all have different clothes, pay, etc. Another man, a No supporter, didn’t seem to understand that regardless of whether or not marriage equality is passed in the referendum, LGBT people could already adopt singly here in Ireland. The issue for the LGBT community was previously that, if the adopter had a partner, either through Civil Partnership or Marriage in another jurisdiction,
that partner wasn’t given the same status as parent until the recent Children & Family Relationships Bill. One girl told us that when she was canvassing for a Yes vote, a lady who answered the door told her that she was 62 years married, was very happy, and so was voting No! The canvasser only realised afterwards that she could have asked the lady if a gay person should not also have the right to be 62 years married and very happy. An older man told a really heart-breaking story about friends of his, where the father in the family, who had always called his daughter
“Princess”, rejected her when, at 20, she told the parents she was gay. Some days later, the daughter committed suicide, leaving a note which included the message “Tell my Daddy that his Princess loves him”. Mike Jennings (IFUT) stood up and said that he will be voting Yes. Himself and his wife have been married for 30 years, yet his brother-in-law, who is gay and with his partner for 40 years, cannot get married in this country, and that really bothers him. He also said that it’s not about the child’s right to have a mother and a father, as, to be born, everyone must have had a mother and a father, but he asked if the No side EILE Magazine 73
then mean that a widow should be told to give up her children if the father dies, for instance. Colm O’Gorman answered some of the above points throughout the meeting, and pointed out that, in relation to adoption, not every child can live with its biological parents. He also felt that this was our opportunity to see that we “cherish all the children of the nation equally”, as gay children deserve the right to grow up and get married if they wish, just as straight people can. Colm stated that it’s “not about being a gay parent, but a parent” and that when his head hits the pillow for the last time “it’s the quality of how I loved” that will be important. Aodhán Ó Riordáin TD had the final word, and asked: “What is inequality?”. The reality that he has seen is that many groups suffer inequality in this country, and if you’re not lucky enough to be white, male, educated, etc., you’re likely to have suffered some type of discrimination here. However, he felt that LGBT inequality was different. He asked: “What if the people you live with reject you?”. He made the point that things are changing here for the better, as when he was 16, you couldn’t stand up and talk about gay rights. He also said that this was a very important referendum, and that in years to come, your grandchildren may ask you “How did you vote in 2015?” Seán Kenny, TD, who chaired the meeting, then thanked everyone for coming. The Yes Equality/Labour Party forum was held in Clontarf Castle in Dublin, yesterday evening, 20th April. – M. Butler
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US: Fortune 500 Cummins Inc. Tells Anti-Gay Dieseltec To Stop Using Their Logo On hearing that Michigan car repair shop, Dieseltec, had stated that they would not repair a gay person’s car, Fortune 500 company Cummins, who supply engine and parts, have stated that their company values diversity, and have asked Dieseltec to stop using the Cummins logo. In reply to Robert Huyck, who had posted about it on facebook, Cummins replied: “Hi, Robert – Thank you for reaching out to us.
We are not affiliated with the company in question and we are in the process of notifying them to stop using the Cummins logo. At Cummins, diversity is a core value. We strive to ensure all individuals are treated with dignity and respect throughout the company and in the communities where we are located. Cummins understands diversity creates stronger and more competitive work environments. Additionally, welcoming and inclusive communities help attract and retain top talent. Cummins has a long history of standing up for what is right, even
in the face of adversity. Our leaders championed civil rights in the 1960’s, took a stand against apartheid in the 1980’s, and in 2000 began offering domestic partner benefits to our employees, despite opposition in our community. We have also opposed efforts that were against marriage equality in Indiana, Minnesota and at the federal level. And this year, we opposed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Indiana. These measures run counter to our values and undermine our ideals of respecting diversity and demanding that we treat each other with mutual respect”. MKB (eile.ie 18 April 2015)
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NI: Deputy First Minister Backs Calls For Marriage Referendum In Northern Ireland
Momentum is building behind calls for a referendum on the contentious issue of same sex marriage in Northern Ireland following a fourth defeat for the matter in the NI Assembly in three years. In a televised debate on Tuesday night, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin backed calls for a referendum to settle the matter once and for all. A ‘Change.org’ petition started by Christopher Torbitt demanding a referendum on the issue has already gathered 11,000+ supporters however there have been varied responses to the proposal from within NI’s LGBT community and its allies.
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Some have strenuously supported the proposal, including Conservative Party candidate for South Belfast Ben Manton (https://twitter.com/TheScoopQUB/ status/593114995300442113). SDLP MP Mark Durkan also backed the calls from the Deputy First Minister, saying he would have “no objection” to holding such a referendum. Others have not been as forthcoming. Rainbow Project Director, John O’Doherty, spoke to EILE Magazine yesterday on this issue: “A referendum would have no legal standing in the UK and would be nothing more than an organised poll. It can only serve as a distraction from the unlawful and discriminatory position of NI towards legally married couples in NI. As the assembly has time and time refused to
Stormont, Northern Ireland - seat of the NI Assembly
address this discrimination the only recourse can be through the courts.”
Nigel Dodds, current Deputy Leader of the DUP, responded Georgia Granger, Equalities to Mr McGuinness’ desire for a Officer for the Green Party referendum by asking that the in Northern Ireland tweeted matter be kept within the Assembly, on the issue this morning despite the DUP using the Petition (https://twitter.com/zcgeorgie/ of Concern mechanism to effectively status/593383746063233024) as has block every attempt to bring the Naomi Long, Deputy Leader of the matter forwards. It is unlikely that a Alliance Party in Northern Ireland referendum will be held, as, unlike . (https://twitter.com/naomi_long/ in the Republic of Ireland, there status/593313902773071872). is no constitutional definition of marriage in Northern Ireland, and it Former Welfare Officer for NUSwould require legislation to change USI, Sarah Wright, expressed it. her opposition to the idea of a referendum on the basis that – by Stephen Donnan those who aren’t affected by the issue shouldn’t decide its outcome (https://twitter.com/ihiccupalot/ status/593379348188667904) EILE Magazine 77
Same-Sex Marriage Motion Rejected by Small Margin at NI Assembly The Northern Ireland Assembly has rejected a Sinn Féin backed proposal to legislate for samesex marriage in the province by 49 votes to 47. This is the fourth time since 2012 that the Assembly has voted on the issue, however, this is the closest vote yet, despite the DUP using the Petition of Concern mechanism to block the measure. Caitríona Ruane, the Sinn Féin MLA who proposed the motion, opened the debate in the Assembly yesterday afternoon by saying: “This is an equality issue. I can marry my husband. I can show the
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world that I have married him and that I love him, but my gay and lesbian friends who have been in relationships […] cannot do the same, and that is not fair.” Chris Hazzard MLA, also of Sinn Féin, told the Chamber that his party would continue to bring the matter before the House “until we are blue in the face and until it is successful”. The DUP, as predicted, opposed the measure as they have done in previous sessions, with Peter Weir MLA claiming that the motion “…is clearly an attack on the symbolism and institution of marriage and is an attempt to redefine marriage”. Chris Lyttle, Alliance Party MLA for East Belfast, commented that “The Alliance Party believes that stateprovided services should be available to all citizens. Civil marriage is a stateprovided service.”
The SDLP had 5 MLAs missing from their ranks for various reasons yesterday, however Colum Eastwood gave a passionate defence of equal marriage and the upcoming referendum in the Republic in his speech by saying: “There is no reason whatsoever why the North of Ireland should be the only place in these islands that does not have marriage available to same-sex couples. That is the position that we will be in very shortly, because I believe strongly that people in the South will vote yes in the marriage equality referendum, and I hope that they do.” Other MLAs that were in support of the motion included the UUP’s Danny Kinahan, who was the only Ulster Unionist to speak and vote Yes. Mr Kinahan spoke of his time in the British armed forces, and criticised the gay blood ban currently in place in Northern Ireland:
Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont
“When on active service, you do not care about the religion, colour or sexuality of the man beside you, and, when injured, you most certainly never ask who donated the blood that saved your life.” This comes at a time when the dynamics for LGBT people in Ireland, both North & South, is changing. Public opinion in Northern Ireland is warming to same-sex marriage with 59% in favour and 29% against according to the NI
Life and Times Survey conducted late 2013. With recent legislative changes in adoption law for same-sex couples in the Republic of Ireland, and the marriage equality referendum on May 22nd, the issue of LGBT equality is very much at the forefront of public opinion. Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International NI criticised the decision of MLAs to block the motion, citing discrimination towards the LGBT community. “Politicians in Northern Ireland who block civil marriage rights for same-sex couples are like latter-day King Canutes, trying in vain to hold back the tide of equality.” 49 MLAs voted against
the Sinn Féin motion with 47 in favour and 3 abstentions. Vote breakdown below: DUP: No SINN FÉIN: Yes UUP: No, except Danny Kinahan SDLP: Nine voted Yes, five absent ALLIANCE: Five voted Yes, three abstained GREENS: Yes UKIP: No TUV: No NI21: Yes John McCallister (Ind U): Yes Claire Sugden (Ind U): Yes – Report: Stephen Donnan | @SteveDonnan Editing: Scott De Buitléir | @scottdebuitleir (eile.ie 28 April 2015)
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Call to “Dismantle Architecture of Homophobia” in Northern Ireland After Jim Wells’ Comments The Church of Ireland group Changing Attitude Ireland has called on politicians in Northern Ireland to extend civil marriage to same sex couples as an important step to “dismantle the architecture of homophobia”. Yesterday, the Northern Ireland Assembly again voted on a motion in support of same sex marriage, and rejected the proposal for the fourth time. CAI spokesperson Canon Charles Kenny stated that “it is time for conservative Christians in Northern Ireland to cease personal attacks on same sex Olivia Newton John 80 EILE Magazine
couples”. Canon Charles Kenny was responding to negative comments about same sex couples by the Democratic Unionist Party’s Jim Wells MLA and Ian Paisley Junior MP. Canon Kenny said that “he was disappointed that a fellow Christian, Ian Paisley Junior, continues to maintain that same sex relationships are “immoral, offensive and obnoxious” . Mr. Wells has since stepped down as Minister of Health for Northern Ireland. Canon Kenny continued: “Mr Paisley’s view is increasingly out of step with moderate Christians who had come to understand that
same sex relationships can be as loving and committed as heterosexual relationships”. Canon Kenny referred to the statement earlier this month (11th April) by the Church of Ireland bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory Michael Burrows who referred to “gay rights as “the great justice issue of our time” and that “The call for same sex marriage is a logical and timely development in the march of law reform and equality”.
Changing Attitude Ireland is working for the full inclusion of LGBT persons within our churches in Ireland. (eile.ie 28 April 2015)
NI: New LGBT Westminster Policy Audit Published Ruth McCarthy
Stephen Donnan writes Ruth about an online McCarthy guide for LGBT voters in Northern Ireland which details LGBT policy of the various political parties ahead of the NI elections With many LGBT people asking questions of their Westminster candidates ahead of the election on May 7th, it can be difficult to wade through the various manifestos, election pledges and promises in order to suss out the issues that are important to our community and if elected, how those candidates will vote to protect what we have and fight for equal rights. Most opinion polls are predicting that no one party will have an outright majority in the House of Commons so the influence and number of Northern
Irish MPs could prove to be substantial. To that end Ruth McCarthy, Festival Director of Outburst Queer Arts, has put together an online guide for LGBT voters that details the various party policy positions on matters of gay rights. The publication is rather comprehensive with every party fielding candidates having their own dedicated section in the piece. The one drawback, however, is that several parties such as the TUV and DUP did not respond to Ruth or her team and as such she has had to rely on publicly available information to fill in the blanks. The questions cover a range of issues such as equal marriage, the blood ban, Conscience Clause, homophobic bullying and
asking if the party has any openly LGBT Westminster candidates. The guide is a useful resource for anyone who is LGBT and unsure who to vote for; each section has an independent fact check that details recent voting records on issues of LGBT equality alongside the party’s policy position. It must be said that the document is professionally presented and available on mobile devices through Issuu – I highly recommend it for any LGBT voters or allies who would like a better insight into how their vote does matter on May 7th. LINK TO DOCUMENT – http://issuu.com/ ruthellenmccarthy/docs/ lgbtq_election_2015_ 6e053d3ba3aa06 (eile.ie 22 April 2015)
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NLI Announces Marriage Equality Referendum Web Archiving Project Intrinsic cultural value of digital materials to be recognised and preserved for future generations The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has announced (23.04.15) that it is archiving websites related to the upcoming Marriage Equality Referendum. The NLI has been carrying out selective and thematic web archiving since 2011, aimed at ensuring a permanent record is kept of websites of cultural and historical importance. Commenting, Joanna Finegan, Assistant Keeper at the NLI’s Digital Library, said: “Referendum campaigns and elections can, in hindsight, prove to be seminal moments in history. Yet, since so much information is now shared online, it has become difficult to ensure permanent records are kept of referendum and election materials. Relevant websites can quite literally disappear in the aftermath of a vote. 82 EILE Magazine
“Here in the NLI, our holdings constitute the most comprehensive collection of Irish documentary material in the world. In order to offer a broad representation of our history and heritage, it is crucial that our collections include not just hard-copy printed materials, but digital collections as well.” The process of identifying and selecting websites to be included in the NLI’s Marriage Equality Referendum 2015 collection is currently underway. The collection will include sites documenting both sides of the debate; official sites like that of the Referendum Commission; commentary sites and political party websites. These sites are selected in order to provide as complete a picture as possible of how the referendum has been documented in the online space, for future research and to complement the NLI’s existing newspaper and ephemera collections. According to Joanna Finegan: “The purpose of web archiving is to
preserve the records of today, a sample of our world, for future generations. As our daily lives increasingly occur in the digital space, we must preserve and ensure permanent access to material that originated online to have a record of human society in the 21st Century.” NLI’s Web Archiving Process Once the web site identification and selection process has been completed, the NLI contacts the website owners directly to let them know of our interest in archiving their website. Working with its webarchiving partner, the Internet Memory Foundation, the NLI arranges the technical details around collecting a snapshot of the relevant website. “With limited full-time technical resources and restricted budgets, our web-archiving projects would not be possible without collaborating with partners like the Internet Memory Foundation, an international nonprofit that supports the
The National Library of Ireland
preservation of internet content for heritage and cultural purposes,” said Joanna Finegan. Unlike other National Libraries of a similar size we are not yet in a position to carry out full domain .ie crawls at regular intervals, but with the right resources in place, this is something we hope to get involved with in the future. In the short term, however, in addition to the referendum webarchiving project, the NLI will be creating an archive collection around the 100-year commemoration of the 1916 Rising next year. Previous websites archived by the NLI have included: · Proposal to Abolish Seanad Éireann,
Referendum 2013: The live website of the organisation that campaigned for a ‘No’ vote in this referendum, Democracy Matters, no longer exists (http://www. democracymatters.ie/). The site was archived by the NLI twice in October 2013, before and after the referendum. · Tall Ships Races, Dublin 2012: Dublin was the final port of call for the 2012 Tall Ships Race. To coincide with this, a four-day quayside festival took place from 23rd to 26th August 2012, and was the largest event to take place in Ireland that year. The live website for the event (http://www. dublintallships.ie/) no longer exists; however, the site was archived by the NLI in September 2012
and twice in October 2012. · General Election 2011, New Vision: New Vision was an alliance of independent candidates formed to contest the 2011 General Election and committed to voting en bloc on four key issues. The live website, http:// newvision.ie/wordpress/, no longer exists. The site was archived by the NLI in February and March 2011. In addition to once-off archiving, the NLI also takes regular snapshots of particular sites to capture how the content evolves over time. For more information, visit www.nli.ie.
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Referendum Is Unique Chance to Tackle Bullying and Rejection of LGBT Youth Homophobic bullying is one of the most pervasive forms of bullying in Irish schools, and the marriage equality referendum presents a unique chance to combat it. That’s according to Michael Barron, Founding Director of BeLonG To, who yesterday (27.04.15) spoke at a BeLonG To YES coalition seminar, which also heard from other leading children’s rights and youth experts. BeLonG To YES is the largest coalition of children’s and youth organisations supporting a YES vote in the referendum, including the ISPCC, Barnardos, Foróige, Youth Work Ireland, the Migrant Rights Centre, Headstrong, Yes Equality, the Children’s Rights Alliance, Pavee Point, EPIC and the
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National Youth Council of Ireland, as well as BeLonG To. Speaking at the event, Michael Barron said: “The Marriage Equality referendum needs to pass – high stakes are at play here for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) young people. BeLonG To’s 12 years’ experience of working with LGBT young people has shown that discrimination contributes significantly to poor mental health, and that many LGBT young people feel excluded, isolated and undervalued. “In-depth national research ‘Supporting LGBT Lives’, supported by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention and carried out by the Children’s Research Centre at Trinity College, has established that 58 per cent of LGBT young people have endured homophobic abuse,
25 per cent have been threatened with physical violence and 34 per cent have heard homophobic comments from their teachers. “A ‘no’ vote would be a devastating outcome. It would reconfirm to young LGBT people that their all too common experiences of homophobic bullying and rejection are acceptable in Ireland. We would be telling them that their love does not have the same value as everybody else’s, and it would send a hugely damaging message to young people who are already isolated and discriminated against. We need to do everything we can to ensure a YES vote for this generation and future generations of young people – they need and deserve this from us.” Marriage Equality: a Children’s Rights Issue A number of other
children’s rights and youth experts spoke at the event, including Senator Jillian van Turnhout; Dr Hilary Tierney, Lecturer in Applied Social Studies, NUI Maynooth; and Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance. Senator Jillian van Turnhout said: “Many of the groups advocating for a YES vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum also advocated for a YES vote in the Children’s Referendum. Children rights organisations advocating a YES vote also campaign tirelessly, not just at referendum time, on real and significant threats to children’s welfare and well-being such as child poverty, homelessness, the housing crisis, children at risk and children’s health. I join the call for a YES vote to send a clear message out to all children in Ireland that they are equal and live in a fair society.” Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, Tanya Ward, said: “All children should be able to develop their potential in all situations and at all times. To do so, it is crucial that they
experience no harm because of their sexual identity. It is clear that marriage equality in no way undermines the rights of children. In fact voting YES will send a positive message to all LGBT children that they matter, they are not alone and that when they decide to commit for life,
form the BeLonG To YES coalition, shows that we are all keenly aware of the encouraging message a YES vote would send to LGBT young people and the positive impact it would have on their lives.”
their relationship will be respected.
coming weeks, aimed at highlighting how a YES vote will impact positively on children’s and families’ lives. For further information, visit http:// www.belongto.org
“The fact that Ireland’s leading youth and children’s organisations have come together to
The BeLonG To YES campaign will be holding a series of events over the
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90% of 18 to 35 year olds would vote “yes”, but only 55% likely to actually vote in upcoming referendum With the Marriage Equality Referendum fast approaching, The Youth Lab, an insights division of Thinkhouse, the youth communication agency, asked 1,000 Irish 1835 year olds how they feel about the referendum.
of those surveyed said that they would vote “yes”. However of those 90%,only one in two (55%) said they would likely exercise their right to vote on May 22nd. When asked ‘How many referendums are taking place on May 22nd?’ one in five of those surveyed assume we are only voting on one referendum, not two.
When it comes to seeking information on The ‘Youth + Marriage the referendum, 18 to Equality Report’ gives insights into perceptions 35 year olds rank social media (77%) highest as and attitudes regarding the pending referendum a source, followed by family and friends at on May 22nd. The 60% and thirdly word report was conducted of mouth with 53%. On by The Youth Lab using whether they felt there independent research is enough information from a sample of 1,000 young people across the available, 64% agreed that there is. island of Ireland. In the build up to May 22nd, when asked which way they would vote, nine in ten (90%)
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Amongst those surveyed, 81% claim to be a registered voter, with 1 in 4 saying they are interested in Irish
politics. Over half (53%) claim to have voted in the last general election, with one in every two (51%) saying that they voted in the last Presidential election. When asked “Which political party would you give first preference vote to if an election were called tomorrow?” 42% sat on the fence undecided, and 21% claim they would ‘vote for an independent.’ The Youth Lab also asked how strongly they agreed or disagreed with following statements: 66% agreed with the statement - “Marriage Equality Referendum will impact the rights of same sex couples as parents. Almost all (94%) agreed with this statement “Marriage Equality supports a fair and equal Ireland where all people are treated the same”. “Marriage Equality
Referendum is about constitutional marriage equality” - 88% agree with this statement. Only 6% agreed with this statement “Marriage Equality Referendum has an impact on existing marriage between a man and a woman”. “Marriage Equality Referendum has an impact on any future marriage between a man and a woman” 7% agree with this statement. Less than half (40%) agreed with “Marriage Equality Referendum will have an effect on children”. 32% of young Irish people(18-35) said they ‘feel they can have
an affect on what the government does’, but 3 in 4 say they ‘feel the government does not care about their opinions.’ Jane McDaid, Founder of Thinkhouse, commented on the findings:
heightens, I’d expect 1835 year olds to become more motivated to ensure their vote is counted on May 22nd. Hopefully it’s just a case of leaving it to the last minute..”
With offices in London and Dublin, Thinkhouse is an “This referendum is independent agency very much about young that specialises in people. It’s about connecting with 18-35 shaping and building an year olds. Ireland for the future. We expected passionate Download a full copy views on the subject of The Youth Lab’s of marriage equality ‘Youth + Marriage and our survey shows Equality Report’ here: how strongly 18-35year www.thinkhouse.ie/ olds lean towards youthreport a YES vote. Despite that, there’s a lack of intent to take to the polls. As the campaign
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Former President Mary McAleese Supports Yes Vote In Marriage Referendum
The Yes Equality Referendum Campaign has welcomed the statement of former President Mary McAleese that she and her husband, Senator Martin McAleese are supporting a Yes vote for civil marriage equality on May 22 next. Speaking from Notre Dame in the United States, the former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese said the marriage equality referendum is a
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“human rights issue.” Mrs McAleese added:
“It is a debate about children, people have been saying it’s about children – and we believe it to be about Ireland’s gay children and about their future and about the kind of future we want for Ireland. We want, in the words of the proclamation: ‘The children of a nation to be cherished equally’. “The adult children, the children yet unborn, the gay children yet unborn – we want them to be born
into a world where if they fall in love with someone they can express that love fully,” she added. “I’m hoping very much, my husband and I are both hoping very much, that it will be passed,” she said. “We believe it to be a human rights issue. We’ve been watching with great interest the debate as it’s been evolving in Ireland and the concerns that people have in and around it. “We’ve been thinking about it for a very long time, a very, very long time, and contemplating it for a long time.
Mary McAleese and her husband Martin McAleese said that they believe that everyone should be able to “love someone for life” and have that love recognised “at the highest level of Irish society”. Welcoming the statement, Grainne Healy, CoDirector of Yes Equality said:
“Just like many other fair minded Irish people, Mary McAleese, our former President, has come on a journey of support to say Yes to marriage equality. She and her husband Martin have put a great deal of thought into supporting a Yes vote, and
“The adult children, the children yet unborn, the gay children yet unborn – we want them to be born into a world where if they fall in love with someone they can express that love fully”
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Minister for Education Launched Stand Up! Week Against Homophobic Bullying Jan O’Sullivan, TD, Minister for Education & Skills, joined schools across Ireland in Stand Up Awareness Week, BeLonG To’s annual campaign against Homophobic & Transphobic Bullying Tuesday, 21st April, saw the launch of the 6th annual Stand Up! week, organised by BeLonG To, Ireland’s national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people. For the week of 20th – 24th April 2015, BeLonG To distributed Stand Up! packs to all secondlevel schools and youth services in the country. BeLonG To’s Stand Up! campaign was identified as one of the key actions
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schools can take under the Government’s National Action Plan on Bullying. Funded by the Department of Education and Skills, the National Office for Suicide Prevention (HSE) and theDepartment of Children and Youth Affairs, the campaign calls on young people across Ireland to support their LGBT friends.
packs also include lesson plans, posters and educational DVDs. Speaking prior to the launch, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, Minister for Education and Skills said:
‘‘Stand Up! Awareness Week is a vital initiative in building the positive school climates that In 2010, the first year of will prevent bullying Stand Up!, BeLonG To in Irish schools. I distributed 700 Stand Up! urge all post-primary educational packs. This schools to participate number has increased in Stand Up! My every year. In 2015, in Department greatly the 6th annual Stand Up! campaign, 3,033 packs values our working were distributed, largely relationship with to second-level schools. BeLonG To and we look forward to Stand Up! educational continuing to work packs include with them.’’ information on homophobic and transphobic bullying for teachers and youth workers, especially regarding the mental health difficulties caused by such bullying. The
David Carroll, Executive Director of BeLonG To, said: “With an intense spotlight on LGBT issues in Ireland at the moment, it is vital to
Minister For Education Jan O’Sullivan
remember that at the end of the day it is often LGBT young people who suffer the most because of homophobia. Young people are coming out in greater numbers, and at a younger age than ever before, so the Stand Up! campaign is needed more than ever”.
and transphobia has been inspiring. Feedback from these sessions clearly showed that after our training, teachers feel more confident about participating in Stand Up and tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying”.
Dr O’Brien continued, Dr. Carol-Anne O’Brien, “Stand Up! tackles BeLonG To’s Director bullying by bringing of Advocacy said, “We a positive message of are especially delighted friendship to all students with this year’s new across Ireland. We hope developments in Stand that it also tells LGBT Up. On foot of evaluating young people that they Stand Up in 2014, we have are not alone, and they introduced a Stand Up do not have to suffer or Training Blitz. In March witness homophobic or 2015 we trained 200 transphobic bullying in teachers and 134 youth their schools.” workers across Ireland. Most of the workshops In its first year Stand took place at Teachers’ Up! Awareness Week Education Centres, and won the support of the the enthusiasm and National Association of commitment of teachers Principals and Deputy for tackling homophobia Principals (NAPD),
and in each following year has won support from more and more education partners. The endorsers now include the Joint Managerial Body, the ASTI and TUI, the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, the National Parents Council of Ireland – Post Primary, the Association of Community & Comprehensive Schools, the Education and Training Board Ireland and Educate Together. For more information on Stand Up! Awareness against Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying, please visit www. belongto.org.
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US: Faith Leaders Sign Letter Urging Lawmakers to Reject Anti-LGBT Bills On 29th April, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization in the US, announced that 17 national religious leaders, from California to the nation’s capital, added their names to a historic statement calling for an end to “religious refusal” bills that allow discrimination against LGBT people.
freedoms are already guaranteed and protected in the U.S. Constitution, and assert that laws should forbid people from using their religious beliefs to discriminate against or deny service to anyone.
“Today, leaders from different faith traditions – and from across the country – join in condemning legislation that uses religion to divide people into ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ – bills that can only lead to discrimination,” said Jeff Krehely, Vice President and Chief Foundation Officer at HRC. “By speaking in a unified voice, these leaders are setting an example of inclusion, and sounding the alarm on how these discriminatory bills are harmful to all of society, not just those of us in the LGBT community.”
As religious leaders from bountiful and diverse faith communities, we are concerned with the recent flood of statelevel religious refusal bills that have potentially harmful and unintended consequences for the people we serve.
In the letter, the leaders note that religious
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The full text of the letter and list of leaders who have signed it is below: “National Faith Letter of Concern
As people of faith who have embraced God’s free will as a gift to us all, we have great respect for the religious freedom of all Americans.
convictions. This intentional means of living in community with others is how we best demonstrate that we are all God’s children. It is part of what makes this country great, and it is this core tenet of our faiths that resists any action that seeks to limit the freedom of others. We know that there is a difference between worship space and public space. When providing services to the public, our religious freedom does not allow us to pick and choose whom we will serve. Our hands and our hearts must be open to all. We do not believe it necessary for the state to pass religious refusal bills for the following reasons:
Our freedom of religion is already guaranteed and protected by the United States Constitution. As faith leaders, we hold Legislation that sacred the long-established purports to protect people First Amendment right of of faith could unleash a persons to worship based wave of costly lawsuits that on their own beliefs and will add undue burdens
on the courts, businesses, and taxpayers who are members of our communities of faith. State-level religious refusals could cause harm in unintended but practical ways: a paramedic could refuse to provide life-saving services to a person who selfidentifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). a police officer could refuse to protect synagogues and mosques. a school counselor could refuse to offer guidance to a teenager who is LGBT, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim or Sikh. a public servant—like a probate judge—could refuse services to interracial, interfaith, divorced and same gender loving couples. We are a pluralistic nation by choice, one of the most religiously diverse and devout in the world. Every day, we take intentional steps forward on our journey towards “a more perfect union.” We are called to respect the fundamental dignity and worth of all God’s children. While we may have different views on a variety of social and political issues, we unite ourselves in the condemnation of discrimination and in firm support of equal protections as guaranteed by the Constitution. We the undersigned strongly encourage our elected officials not to support these unnecessary bills that cast wide the net for exclusion and division. Furthermore, we call on all legislatures to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to their civil rights laws and to explicitly forbid discrimination or denial of services to anyone. Elected officials have a duty and responsibility to us as citizens to preserve the freedom of religion already afforded to us through the United States Constitution. To do otherwise is, in our view, wrong”. The huge list of signatories included: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II Senior Pastor, Greenleaf Christian Church Greensboro, NC Rabbi Denise Eger President Central Conference of American Rabbis, New York, NY The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson Bishop of New Hampshire Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C. Rev. Ann Pittman Teaching Elder Transylvania Presbytery, Lexington, KY Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III Senior Pastor Friendship West Baptist Church, Dallas, TX
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TCD Seminar on Marriage Equality: The Religious Case for a Yes Vote Yesterday, Saturday 11th April, at 11 am, Faith in Marriage Equality and Linda Horgan, Professor of Ecumenics at Trinity College, hosted a half day seminar to argue the case for marriage equality. The seminar was on Marriage Equality: The Religious Case for a Yes Vote, and was held at the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin. At the conference, faith leaders and groups highlighted support for a Yes vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum on May 22nd. The speakers included: Professor Linda Hogan, Professor of Ecumenics at Trinity College Dublin, The Rev Canon Ginnie Kennerley, Doctorate in Ministry from Princeton
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Theological Seminary, Professor Kris McDanielMiccio, Professor of law at the Sturm College of Law, University of Denver and Visiting Professor at Trinity College Law School and the Long Room Hub, Bishop Michael Burrows,bishop of Cashel Ferns and Ossory since 2006, prior to that, Dean of Cork and, in the early 90s, Church of Ireland chaplain to TCD, and Dr Richard O’Leary, who obtained his D.Phil in 1998 from Oxford University for his study of Catholic-Protestant intermarriage. He has held academic appointments at the ESRI, Oxford and Queen’s University Belfast. He is Chairperson of Changing Attitude Ireland and a co-founder of Faith in Marriage Equality. The seminar was chaired by The Rev Dr Celia G. Kenny (Church of Scotland) a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Edinburgh University and the University of Cardiff, who is also a researcher, writer and editor in the field of
Law and Religion. . Speaking before the seminar, Professor Hogan said: “Theologically speaking, there are no impediments to gay and lesbian people marrying in a civil ceremony. People of faith can exercise their freedom of conscience to vote yes to lesbian and gay people marrying in a civil ceremony.
“This debate is being framed as religious people being no voters, with everyone else voting yes. This couldn’t be further from the truth. People of all faiths support sharing the freedom to marry with gay and lesbian couples. The Christian tradition affirms the fundamental equality and dignity of all people, whether we are heterosexual or gay. Faith leaders should not marginalise or exclude
From Left to Right: Rabbi Kris McDaniel-Miccio, Prof. Linda Hogan, Dr Richard O’Leary, Bishop Michael Burrows, Canon Ginnie Kennerley Photo: Tommy Clancy
people who are gay rather they should promote equality and inclusion.”
“The call for same sex marriage is a logical and timely Professor Hogan, a development in the theological ethicist, march of law reform also stated during the seminar that there was and equality; this is “no doubt that compulsory not something which heterosexuality has is being proposed shaped western culture to because of the raucous a profound degree and we demands of a few; are only beginning to see the contours of a different rather it stems from understanding of sexuality a long tradition of starting to emerge”. using law to explore the implications Bishop Burrows, who of equality and was looking at marriage fairness”. equality through the lens of Anglican moral theology and liturgy, stated:
said that the inability to procreate should not be taken to diminish in any way the quality of the marriage bond, and that: …we are in the position to be (or not) the first European democracy to introduce same sex marriage by way of referendum. If we do so, it will not simply be because of some whim or fashion or improper pressure – it will be in the context of a long saga of law reform in pursuit of equality…. – MKB
Bishop Burrows also
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Amnesty: FAMILY IN “NO” POSTER SAYS YES TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY
The mother and father whose family has been used in a poster for the ‘No’ side of the upcoming referendum on marriage equality have asked Amnesty International Ireland to release the following statement on their behalf. Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland said:
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“Earlier this week, the comedian Adam Hills posted on social media, saying that he knew the family in the Mothers & Fathers Matters poster, and that they were surprised and upset at the use of their image. They are upset that an image of their family is being used to promote a message that they profoundly disagree with”. The family, who are expecting their second child in June, do not want to be the poster family for the No side in this referendum. They want to ensure that when people look at those
posters on lamp posts all around the country, and feel angry or upset because of how it judges them or members of their family, that the real family on the poster values them, values their relationships and ALL families. They want them to know, that they would vote ‘Yes’.”
Statement from ‘the couple in the No poster’ The background: in 2014, as a young family, we did a photo shoot with a photographer friend to get some nice
shots for the family album. No money was exchanged – we got nice photos for free, they got nice images for their portfolio. As part of this agreement, we agreed to let them upload them to a stock photo album. We knew that these were available for purchase and we gave permission. Perhaps, naïvely, we imagined that on the off chance that any was ever selected, it might be for a small magazine or website. To confirm, we have not received any money for the photo – then or now, and nor do we expect any. We were surprised and upset to see that the photo was being used as part of a campaign with which we do not agree. We completely support same-sex marriage, and we believe that same-sex couples’ should of course be able to adopt, as we believe that they are equally able to provide children with muchneeded love and care. To suggest otherwise is offensive to us, and to many others.
No one can convince us that life-long unions of so many loving same-sex couples here in the UK and in Ireland, are inferior to heterosexual unions, and it is important to us that our many gay friends know that we feel this way. Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality has no place in the 21st century. If we were residents of Ireland, not the UK, we would vote Yes for marriage equality. In a free society, everyone has the right to express their opinion and campaign for what they feel is right. We are not lawyers and therefore cannot comment on whether the use of the photo violates any terms and conditions regarding use of stock photos of children for political use, though we are interested to know more about this. We are unhappy that the image of us was used for a political campaign as legally this seems a bit of a grey area, and we would have expected that for a big campaign
like this, Mothers & Fathers Matter might have sought out images of people who represent their views. We are aware of the offer from Mothers & Fathers Matter for dialogue and are deciding whether to pursue this. We look forward to raising our son (in the picture) and our second child (due in June) to be open-minded and unafraid of change, and to respect all colours, creeds and sexualities etc. Above all we hope that children in Ireland, will be guaranteed the equality that our children enjoy, and will be able to grow up in a society which guarantees them full equality before the law, no matter who they love when they eventually go on to form adult, loving, committed relationships. Finally, the poster uses a stock image to present a particular view of a family. Well, we are the real family in that photograph. So for the record, here is what we think. This family believes that every child deserves to be loved and cherished. This family believes that everyone has a right to marry the person they love regardless of their gender. This family believes that EVERY family matters. And this family would vote Yes.
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Yes Equality Bus Launched To Take Yes Message Nationwide Yes Equality took to the road yesterday (Wednesday 22 April 2015) with the launch of their nationwide bus tour that will cover 66 locations in 26 counties over 27 days. The Yes Equality bus was unveiled yesterday at Dublin’s City Hall by a team of Yes Equality campaigners and canvassers. The well-wishers included mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers who queued to get on the bus, symbolising the significance of the tour, which carries their hopes and dreams for equality for all their children with the delivery of a Yes vote. The Yes Equality bus is bringing the case for a Yes vote to town squares across the country. National and local celebrities will be joining the tour at different locations. 98 EILE Magazine
Speaking at today’s launch, Yes Equality spokesperson Grainne Healy said:
“The cornerstone of our campaign is to engage in conversations with the voting public about the importance of voting Yes for marriage equality. With a month to go before polling day, the Yes Equality bus will take these conversations to every county. Working with local Yes Equality groups, of which there are 45 all across Ireland, we look forward to making the case for a Yes vote to the men and women of Ireland. A vital part of the tour is to address any questions the public may have in advance of the referendum on 22 May.”
Archdeacon Changes His Mind To Call For Yes Vote In Marriage Equality Referendum At an event organised by Changing Attitude Ireland (CAI), the Church of Ireland proLGBT group, yesterday, the lunchtime public talk was given by well-known Church of Ireland clergyman, Archdeacon Gordon Linney, who spoke on the topic ‘Why I changed my mind on same sex marriage’. Archdeacon Linney (the former Archdeacon of Dublin) described how he has moved from supporting civil partnership only to calling for a Yes vote to civil marriage for same sex couples in Ireland’s referendum on May 22nd. He told the packed room, which included three Church of Ireland Bishops, that: “We are being given an opportunity on May 22nd finally to show the gay community that we value them for who they are, that we welcome them as they are fully into society and so give them the recognition they are entitled to and that those who are in stable relationships and wish to marry should be allowed to do so”. He added that: “marriage is a civil contract. No church will be forced to solemnise any union it does not approve of”. The event was organised by the Changing Attitude Ireland, the Church of Ireland pro-LGBT group. You can visit their website at: http://changingattitudeireland.org/
From Left: Archdeacon Gordon Linney (Former Archdeacon of Dublin) , Canon Ginnie Kennerly & Dr Richard O’Leary (both of Changing Attitude Ireland) EILE Magazine 99
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny
Taoiseach Joins Irish Business Leaders to Call For a Yes Vote An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, T.D. joined Twitter Ireland’s Managing Director, Stephen McIntyre and tech industry leaders to support marriage equality and set out its positive impact for employees and businesses in Ireland. Over 150 people from the Tech Industry and wider business community attended the GLEN organised event at Dublin’s Digital Exchange. “As a government, we have worked hard to restore Ireland’s international reputation as a great place to do business. Ireland’s welcoming reputation should extend to being an open, tolerant and compassionate home 100 EILE Magazine
for our gay and lesbian workers. Civil marriage equality will further promote Ireland as a leading place to work and do business,” said An Taoiseach.
added Ann O’Dea, CEO Silicon Republic.
Speaking at the event Stephen McIntyre, Managing Director, Twitter Ireland said:
“We welcome the unequivocal support of An Taoiseach and leading voices of Irish business from Twitter to Ibec and the Irish Congress for Trade Unions for marriage equality as being good for employees, good for business and good for Ireland”.
“Twitter is supporting a Yes vote because of our company’s commitment to inclusion and the strong business case for marriage equality. We encourage other companies to do likewise.” “Innovation is critical to the success of the Tech industry, an industry which is so vital to the Irish economy. The Tech Industry understands the strong link between innovation and diversity and has long supported marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples,”
Commenting on the event Kieran Rose, Cochairperson of GLEN stated:
Also speaking at the event were Chris Horn, Co-founder and former chair and CEO of IONA Technologies; partner, Atlantic Bridge Capital and John Hamill, CEO & Cofounder, Vennetics. (eile.ie 17 April 2015)
Global LGBT Forum Humankind’s strength is its diversity. Free expression of sexuality and gender increasingly defines the societies in which we want to live in the 21st century. But progress is uneven. In 2011, the first UN Resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity was supported by over 40 countries. Yet in many others, governments still legitimize and sponsor violence against LGBT citizens through legal discrimination, condoned police violence and hate speech. The Salzburg Global LGBT Forum was formed in 2013 to establish a truly global space to reflect upon and advance the LGBT and Human Rights discussions around the world. Its signature is the international representation of leaders from diverse fields – including human rights, legal, artistic, and religious backgrounds. Founded and chaired by Dr. Klaus Mueller, the Salzburg Global LGBT Forum currently connects representatives from more than 35 countries. Upcoming Session in 2015: Salzburg Global LGBT Forum: LGBT Human Rights & Social Cohesion June 14 to 19, 2015 http://lgbt.salzburgglobal.org/ h/t Christoforos Pavlakis EILE Magazine 101
Great Yes Equality Dublin Bay North Campaign Launch! Alan Lambert writes about the Yes Equality Dublin
Bay North Campaign Launch in Clontarf Castle – a very positive affair! With issues such as water charges, overcrowding in hospitals and proposals from various unions to hold strike action it’s rare to get representatives from five political parties plus Independents to agree on an issue. However, that is what happened on Friday night when YesEquality Dublin Bay North (“DBN”) held its campaign launch for the upcoming referendum in the stunning Clontarf Castle.
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Independent Cllr Cian O’Callaghan and DBN Committee members opened the evening, and with speeches from Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, Minister for Equality Aodhán Ó’Ríordáin, Senator Averil Power, Independent TD, Finian McGrath, Sinn Féin Cllr Mícheál MacDonncha and David Leahy from the Green Party, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a Dáil debate. However, every speech was positive, there was no political spin, and the only repetitive message was not to be complacent and assume that because the Yes side
is in the majority that you don’t need to get out and vote. Senator Power talked about the power of talking to people, while Minister Ó’Ríordáin reminded us that according to the Irish Constitution, “All citizens in Ireland shall be held equal before the law” and a Yes vote will ensure this happens. Former Fianna Fail TD, Pat Carey, spoke next about his experience of coming out in February and re-iterating that we need to talk to the soft Yesses and No voters because they can be convinced. Tiernan Brady of GLEN spoke of the historic nature of this vote,
From L to R: Cllr Mícheál MacDonncha (SF), Cllr Ciarán O’Moore (SF), Cllr Daire Ní Laoi (SF), Senator Averil Power (FF), Minister for Equality Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Lab), Donna Cooney (Green), Finian McGrath TD (Ind), Cllr Cian O’Callaghan (Ind) Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton (FG) and David Leahy (Green) Photo: David O’Shea
that it’s something that children will learn about in history books in years to come.
after that statement), one can marry and the other cannot. That’s inequality!”
The final and most powerful speech came from Sabina Brennan. Unlike the previous speakers, Sabina is not affiliated with a political party or an LGBT group. Sabina is a mother, she has two sons, one straight and one gay. Her passion for obtaining equality for her boys shone through as only a parent’s can.
Sabina then proudly introduced her son Gavin, who sang a beautiful rendition of Rude by Magic with a marriage equality twist. Check him out on YouTube – Username Gav4Sax.
“I have two sons, I love them both equally. Both are Irish citizens, both are Northsiders (possibly the biggest cheer of the night came
We were then treated to comedy from John Moynes who told us about the causes he likes to support and the dress code in Vladimir Putin’s office, followed by BeRnzy Mac who belted out a few tunes, Saorla Duggan wrapped
up the entertainment for the evening with some familiar songs. With approximately 200 people from all generations and backgrounds in attendance, including a man who dropped in from the wedding upstairs to voice his support for the campaign, the night was a resounding success and gave a real boost to everyone about to hit the campaign trail. (eile.ie 14 April 2015)
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Labour’s Burton And White Launch #MakeItHappen Campaign For Yes Vote Labour calls on yes voters to carry out series of straightforward tasks to deliver a Yes vote and post them on #MakeItHappen
Leader of The Labour Party, Joan Burton TD, and Labour Party Director of Elections for the Marriage Equality referendum, Alex White, yesterday (4th) launched The Labour Party’s #MakeItHappen campaign, aimed at encouraging supporters of the referendum, to take practical steps to get more people to vote Yes. The #MakeItHappen campaign will be rolledout over the course of the next three weeks and will profile senior members of The Labour Party and supporters carrying out simple tasks that will help win the referendum.
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The party is asking its members and supporters to post photos and videos of them performing these tasks on #MakeItHappen to build a strong presence and momentum towards 22nd May. The first activity of the #MakeItHappen campaign is to talk to older people and to persuade them of the need to vote Yes. Joan Burton and Alex White took four over 70s for coffee in Coppa Cafe in central Dublin yesterday afternoon and explained to them the need for older people to vote Yes. The Party Leader commented, “The Labour Party is playing a full and active part in the ground war to secure a YES vote in the coming weeks. Our members are doing this do this by persuading friends and family on an individual basis.
“Today we are urging them to make a special effort with older people. Some of them may have had to travel a journey in terms of marriage equality as it has only moved into the public and political mainstream relatively recently. We must respect that we all travel at different speeds and sometimes people need a bit of help along the way. They may have legitimate questions and concerns. That is OK. The important thing is to talk to them about it, and say that they or anyone else have nothing to fear from extending the right to marry to gay and lesbian people. “By doing something relatively straightforward like bringing an older relative, friend, or neighbour to coffee to talk about the upcoming referendum, supporters
of a Yes vote could potentially help sway someone from No or doubtful, to Yes.” Alex White added, “Over the next three weeks we will be rolling out a series of simple activities that Yes supporters can do to bring more people to our side. These will largely concentrate on the core work of political campaigns: knocking on doors, campaigning at shopping centres, sending emails, bringing people to the polling station. “But, this time, we want people to post evidence of their work online at #MakeItHappen, to build a real sense that we are going to deliver a positive result. I am urging as many people as possible to get behind our campaign and ensure that we have the right outcome to this important referendum.”
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