Q (LGBTQ+) Society Freshers Publication 2020 - TCD

Cover art by Jamie Panagos

WHAT IS QUAB? The Quab is Q Soc’s magazine that is annually published during Freshers’ Week. It is a compilation made by the editorial team from our committee and it showcases art, poetry, and prose submitted by our members. It also includes reviews of queer media and think-pieces on queer issues.

quab n. (pl. quabs)

1. an unfledged bird

2. something immature or unfinished

LEAD EDITOR: JAMIE PANAGOS COPY EDITOR: SUNETRA DAS

SPECIAL THANKS THANKS TO TO ARTHUR ARTHUR COX COX FOR FOR BEING BEING THE THE OFFICIAL OFFICIAL SPECIAL SPONSOR OF OF Q Q SOC SOC -- TRINITY TRINITY LGBT LGBT FOR FOR 2020/21!

2020/21!

SPONSOR

CONTENTS CONTENTS From Your Auditor .................................................................................................. 2 From Your Inclusions Officer ................................................................................... 3 Qrossword ................................................................................................................ 4 Meet the Committee ................................................................................................. 5 And the Next ............................................................................................................ 9 Hydrogen Bonds ....................................................................................................... 9 Lobsther ................................................................................................................... 10 Bitesized Book Recommendation Blitz .................................................................... 11 Romeo and Julian .................................................................................................. 15 A Recipe for Lemon Meringues .............................................................................. 17 Elisa y Marcela: A Film Review ............................................................................. 18 Be Wary of the Impulse to Victim Blame .............................................................. 19 Word Search ........................................................................................................... 21 A Poem about a Café I Have Not Been To .............................................................. 22 Dear, ....................................................................................................................... 22 Pink Training ........................................................................................................ 23

FROM YOUR

AUDITOR Luca Hello and welcome to Q Soc! I’m Luca, this year’s Auditor, and I’m so excited to introduce you to the society! Q Soc is Ireland’s oldest LGBT student society, existing even before homosexuality was decriminalised. With our roots in the Sexual Liberation Movement of the 1970s, today we still fight for the rights of our community and all its members. As one of the most active societies on campus, there is something for everyone.

Things, however, will be very different this year: while I hope that, by the time January rolls around, you’ll be able to stop by our daily coffee hours and get some caffeine and chats between lectures, or join us for a big night out, the majority of our events will be online for the upcoming semester.

Nonetheless, Q Soc will always strive to be an inclusive and fun place for all students. Being new can be terrifying, and for some of you Q Soc may be the first time you get to be a part of the LGBTQ community. It was for me, and I can tell you from personal experience that getting involved was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Whether you’re a seasoned gay from the big shmoke or questioning your identity, we will be here to provide you with a welcoming environment where you feel free and safe to be yourself. Our committee has been working hard to make sure this will be a great year and I can’t wait to share it with you all. Enjoy Freshers’ Week, and I hope to see you soon (online and/or at a safe distance).

Stay safe and wear a mask!

FROM YOUR INCLUSIONS OFFICER Sarah Hey everybody!

one else, do not hesitate to contact me.

I’m Sarah, and I’m the Inclusions Officer for Q Soc this year. That means I’m here to help Q Soc be a friendly and welcoming environment for everyone! I’ll do everything I can to make sure everybody can feel comfortable at events and society spaces, whatever they may look like in the coming year. That means meeting up with you for a chat before an event, or just being a friendly face on the screen, if needed!

You can pop me an email at: qsocinclusions@csc.tcd.ie.

Another part of my job is making sure the society is as inclusive and enjoyable for everyone as possible, so if you ever spot something that you think needs improvement, or if something that we could change is bothering you or some

3

Please let me know if you think there’s anything that would help make you feel more welcome here, no matter how small!

Joining a new society or going to an event for the first time can be nerve-wracking: it’s especially scary for some people if they don’t know anybody but I can be the familiar face that you need if you want me to be!

Looking forward to meeting you all, Sarah <3

QROSSWORD

By Gilles Cooke

Across

Down

2. Shorthand synonym for nonbinary.

5. _____ was the first modern country to recognise legal relationships between gay couples in 1989.

6. The earliest known references to same-sex love between women, written between 625-570 BCE, are attributed to whom?

7. Portraying another gender for entertainment, often an exaggerated performance.

8. Words used to refer to people other than their name.

11. Discreet or indirect disrespect.

14. The gay pride flag is coloured red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and _____.

15. Meeting up to chat (also the subject of a famous song).

16. Dublin Gay Bar.

1. A method of preventing HIV infection by taking a pill everyday.

3. An opposite gender partner, intended to conceal a person’s LGBT identity.

4. Gossip.

5. A discreet way of saying if a person is gay is to ask if they are a friend of _____.

9. A trans person who is not “out” as trans, and is still perceived/known by other as cisgender.

10. Roy and Silo were a gay pair of _____ in the US Central Park Zoo. 12. Undergarments worn by transmasc people to hide breasts.

13. A scale of attraction to binary genders.

(Answers on the last page)

MEET THE C AUDITOR: Luca (he/him)

What is a fun fact about you?

I’m Italian. There’s inherent comedy in that.

What are some causes you are passionate about?

Gay rights (as Jennifer Lawrence once said)! POC rights! Human rights!

Boiling and salting your pasta water before you add the pasta rights!

What would your death row meal be?

Either Tom Yum Goong or Japanese Curry.

How would you describe your style?

Immaculate, always.

SECRETARY: Dave (they/them)

What is a fun fact about you?

As a child, I shared a nickname with a cockatoo.

What are some causes you are passionate about?

The Gays and The Girls™.

What would your death row meal be?

A dish with lots of melted cheese?

How would you describe your style?

Black with a hint of red.

TREASURER: Gilles (they/them)

What is a fun fact about you?

I am the youngest, and the only ever non binary person to earn a podium in class in the Leinster Trophy in 2018.

What are some causes you are passionate about?

Right now, it has to be climate change, however climate justice must be achieved in a manner which does justice by the greatest victims in the global south.

What would your death row meal be?

Just a nice, cool chicken-and-stuffing sandwich from the deli, with a smooth Lyon’s blend tea. Two sugars.

How would you describe your style?

Bedraggled chic. The golden rule is to never, ever, ever go out without suspenders. The rest will sort itself out from there.

COMMITTEE WEBMASTER: Adam (he/him)

What is a fun fact about you?

I have better spelling in Irish than in English somehow.

What are some causes you are passionate about?

Climate change and trans rights in Ireland.

What would your death row meal be?

Teriyaki Chicken.

How would you describe your style?

Style? I don’t know her. Haven’t got any style.

LIBRARIAN: Sunetra (she/they)

What is a fun fact about you?

I am like extremely good at UNO. What are some causes that you are passionate about?

Eating the rich and fighting Fascists. :) What would your death row meal be?

A big bowl of seafood chowder.

How would you describe your style?

A weird mix between light academia and grandmacore.

LIAISON OFFICER: Julie (she/her)

What is a fun fact about you?

I was once stranded in 3 ft of snow for about five hours on Christmas Eve in Frankfurt and had to stay in the only hotel for miles and eat pretzels out of a vending machine for dinner and breakfast. The fire alarm went off in the middle of the night and a man played Don’t Worry About a Thing by Bob Marley on his banjo (on repeat) until we could go back to our rooms.

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

Spreading the good word of our lord and saviour Margaret Atwood, equality, freedom of speech & eliminating censorship, eliminating period poverty, sexual health education, spitting on classism & intellectual snobbery and accessibility to education for all.

What would your death row meal be?

In the space of time I’ve spent thinking about this question I have stood at the fridge for 5 minutes, eaten half a tub of olives and made a restaurant reservation. There is no answer to this question. It is far too difficult. One of everything going, please.

How would you describe your style?

54 year old mother of three who has been dipped into a paint palette of primary colours. Funky pants!

meet the co

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER: Jamie (she/her) What is a fun fact about you?

I had a parakeet named Banana. Guess what color it was.

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

I want to be a beekeeper.

What would your death row meal be?

Beef stroganoff.

How would you describe your style?

Long sleeves, patterns, comfy, nice colors but not Out There. Bee earrings.

INCLUSIONS OFFICER: Sarah (she/her) What is a fun fact about you?

I teach guitar!

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

Sustainable development and protecting the ecosystems around us, dismantling white supremacy and the patriarchy, and building a world that prioritises everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety and happiness over profit.

What would your death row meal be?

Pancakes with berries and maple syrup along with a lemon tea.

How would you describe your style?

Fun colours, cosy and a little vintage. :)

AMENITIES OFFICER: John (he/him) What is a fun fact about you?

Got my identity stolen by a Minecraft Youtuber.

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

The freedom of people to be who they are, especially for those who struggle with internalised issues, and the acceptance of LGBTQ+ POC in their community.

What would your death row meal be?

A cake, ice cream and a brownie.

How would you describe your style?

My friend says Ryan Evansâ&#x20AC;Ś

ommittee...

ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBER: Francesca (she/her) What is a fun fact about you?

I was on an Irish language TV quiz show when I was 11.

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

The environment, human rights, equality and trying to stay in bed as long as possible.

What would your death row meal be?

Poke bowl and matcha lemonade mango bubble tea.

How would you describe your style?

My own twist on vintage but I have been in leggings and a hoodie for most of lockdown.

ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBER: Daire (he/they) What is a fun fact about you?

I have a Scooby Doo movie DVD collection. Right now it consists of 30 movies hehe.

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

LGBTQ rights of course, but aside from that mainly climate change, BLM and animal rights.

What would your death row meal be?

Pink wafer biscuits.

How would you describe your style?

Either very colourful or all black. Always gay.

ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBER: Alex (they/ them) What is a fun fact about you?

TikTok made me like earrings and frogs.

What are some causes that you are passionate about?

Animal Rights, Habitat Preservation, Intersectional Feminism, and Body Neutrality.

What would your death row meal be?

Spinach Lasagna.

How would you describe your style?

The cross section between gay and indie grunge.

AND THE NEXT

By Penel Norman

My gods look down on my struggle and laugh.

They say, little one you know better than to trust in us, stop punching the dirt for lack of target.

And I twitch my arms stomp my feet bite my flesh And breathe.

I breathe ‘cause my mouth’s full of fear and doubt that needs to be released by living.

I breathe to spite them, and they laugh ‘cause they love me.

My gods know I won’t slay on the ground ‘cause I was made chasing the sky.

They gave me that gift And I hold it tight.

HYDROGEN BONDS BONDS HYDROGEN

By Penel Norman

Every drop of water belongs with the ocean.

If a drop is taken by whatever means it will return.

the horizon and see my skin turn blue.

I am not complete when separated. I wish

I plunge and spread my limbs in union with the kelp.

swimming out stretching forward yet being guided towards (when I move my body is hidden, I effortlessly float.)

They all support each other sun and silt and sand in motion built over rock and ramp alike, each impossible to keep without the aid of all.

Though it may take thousands of years endless cycles of time, (I hope) I will find your faces poking out of water

Sitting at the DART I reject the cold mechanical light (offered by electric signs with radiating teeth) wanting to merge with

with me.

LOBSTHER

By Penel Norman

People always forget that the lobster is green. when it boils the astaxanthin is revealed, giving the food its iconic red.

Grammy gave me a plastic bib as a kid when she served our Christmas dinner.

On it, a scarlet decapod would crawl with its hand drawn legs given black limb borders (to show you where to pull the meat out.)

I was told its poop was simply dirt, I was told its fear was simply nothing.

I didn’t care, playing with the toys Grammy bought me.

The difference between the male and female lobster is most notable in their tails, the females’ being curved and soft, the males’ being straight and strong.

That’s what a cookbook from 1951 told me.

It had a picture too, with bold, white lines.

You are not supposed to keep your caught female, pregnant lobster.

Loaded with eggs, she is meant to be marked and thrown back

into the opaque sea.

She is not to be seen, let alone eaten.

She who cannot be cooked without committing genocide, will remain green but underwater.

Some lobsters, I read as a child at the aquarium, are blue, black, white or even yellow.

One over 100 years old sat under a rock bored and sad to be viewed with bound claws.

I asked “Why don’t we save it?

Get the car and our big pot so we can make a jailbreak; it can live in my room or the bathtub!”

Grammy laughed, ‘If we did that the other children couldn’t look at the lobster.

That’s not nice, is it?’

When I stopped eating lobster I was considered very strange.

I do not care, I choose to retreat towards my cave and enjoy the gift of unusual colours.

BITESIZED BOOK BOOK BITESIZED

RECOMMENDATION BLITZ

By Julie Dory

Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman

It is one you have all mostly likely already heard of, a good place to start!

But we can’t discuss this book without addressing the elephant in the room which is the controversy surrounding Elio (17) and Oliver’s (24) love affair.

It has been a source of many a debate among avid bookworms, critics, and occasional readers. However, I URGE you (strongly!) to give this book a shot and make your own independent judgment. A lot of people who I hold in high regard in terms of literary recommendations will disagree with me

(sorry pals, but I have got to do what I have got to do) but I am of the opinion that this is one of the finest written pieces of queer literature I have come across so far (as a standalone!

I do not think much of the sequel at all). Aciman’s description of the summer Italian Riviera villa life conjures up the most serene atmosphere, explored through the contrasting eyes of love that ventures into unknown and emotionally cautious territory.

Insightful characters, exquisite vibes.

Hood by Emma Donoghue

You may have heard of Emma Donoghue following the success of her 2010 novel ‘Room’ (or indeed its film adaptation!). Donoghue is a self-identifying lesbian and her novel Hood is a beautiful, unglamorous portrayal of the hidden grief that the LGBTQ+ community were faced with in 1990s Ireland. Set in 1992 - right before the legalisation

of homosexuality in Ireland - this story follows Penelope O’Grady and her partner Cara Wall from their shared time in a Dublin convent school in the 1970s right up until after Cara’s death.

Hood explores the complicated nature of our relationship with the dead and the amplifications of grief when it is experienced hidden away in the closet.

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

This completely underrated young adult novel speaks volumes in terms of representation that I think is very necessary. Not only is it one of the few books I have read that has focused on the relationship between a child and a queer parent, but it also does so without the parent’s sexuality being central to the plot, character development or the growth of this father-son relationship.

It was refreshing to see this representation, sans unrealistic romanticising

or bizarre fetishisation. Protagonist Sal’s father is not diminished to being extraordinary because of his sexual orientation, but rather because of his profound wisdom, patience, and kind heart. Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s sagacity comes to a head through elements of found family in this fantastic tale of love, loss, and personal growth. A favourite quote? “Solo te haces menos.

It’s not other people who make you feel like you’re alone. You do it to yourself.”

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid A completely compulsive work of fiction that is easy to read without lack of stimulation or intrigue. If you are a fan of unexpected endings, let me tell you; you are in for a treat! Evelyn Hugo is an Old Hollywood star who, at the age of 79, decides to defy her lifelong mystique and give one final compre-

hensive interview with young journalist Monique Grant. At first seeming slightly shallow but progressively captivating, the story of Evelyn Hugo and her seven husbands is undeniably human and deals fantastically with the issue of bi-erasure and queer life in Old Hollywood and the 20th century.

The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith You may have heard of The Price of Salt before under a different name following its film adaptation. Does the name Carol ring a bell? It has been a frightfully long time since I have read The Price of Salt, but what sticks with me the most is the surge of emotion (and wanting to throw the book as soon as it ended as a result). This story is set in the 1900s and follows young stage designer Therese Belivet and an older,

married Carol Aird as they fall in love and road trip it across the States only to be followed by a hired private investigator who later blackmails Carol into choosing between staying with Therese and keeping custody of her daughter as she tries to divorce her husband. A rarity of a novel, this story of two women falling in love does not end in tragedy or death. It is gorgeous. Please, give it a go (and do watch the film, too)!

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Color Purple is set predominantly in the U.S.A.’s rural South (in Georgia) and is written in the format of letters from the protagonist, Celie, to God, and then from Celie to her long lost sister, Nettie, and finally from Nettie to Celie. This book captures so beautifully and authentically the voice of Black African American women as they are confronted with racism, their reflections on white privilege, colonisation, the cognisant realisation of their race as well as sexual abuse, sexism, misogyny, and sexual-

ity. “She say, Miss Celie, You better hush. God might hear you. / Let ‘im hear me, I say. If he ever listened to poor colored* women the world would be a different place, I can tell you.” *This book was written in 1982 by Black American writer Alice Walker from the perspective of a Black woman. The word ‘colo(u)red’ is no longer acceptable or in use without horrific connotation or offense. I would like to make it clear that this is a direct quote and I, as the writer of this recommendation, am not using this word.

Eileen Gray: A House Under the Sun by Charlotte Malterre Barthes & Zosia Dzierżawska

I have been fascinated by the life of architect Eileen Gray for quite some years now. Unfortunately, however, many of the sources covering her life and works can be quite costly – upward of twenty euros, going to forty or sixty (in other words, not very compatible with student life)! Published in 2019, this gorgeously illustrated biographical graphic novel does not

omit Gray’s queer identity and focuses on her erasure from the architectural scene. My favourite part? It features miniature biographies of figures who had an influence in Gray’s life and a bibliography for further reading (if that is something you would enjoy)!

“A house is not a machine to live in!

It’s an extension of the inhabitant – their release, their emanation.”

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a book that will stay with me for a very (very) long time. Poignant and devastating, Yanagihara weaves the complex intricacies and inner workings of friendship and found family in the lifelong wake of severe trauma.

This book is a big one at a hefty 720 pages, but please do not let the page count deter you. These 720 pages follow the lives of Malcolm, Willem, Jude and JB from their time in a Massa-

chusetts college right through to their successes and hardships in New York City. Tested by difference, jealousy, and pride, their one binding factor is a broken and scarred Jude. A Little Life deals with heavy and traumatic subject matter and could be emotionally taxing for some people. There are quite a few lists of trigger warnings that you can find on the Internet if you feel that you may need one before heading into this stunning piece of work.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Quickly becoming a young classic on the scene of queer young adult literature (in my humble opinion), the book that tells the story of two loners Ari and Dante is not so much plot driven, but rather an exploration of teenage melancholy and the extent to which friendship can be a mirror of the self to incite self-growth. The second (and only other that I’ve read) book by Alire Sáenz that I am recommending

on this list, this is another shining example of the absolutely stunning writing that can capture such dramatic mood and tone. Like others on this list, I have little memory of the actual happenings in this book, but I recall and still carry the distinct feeling that I walked away from this story with… And for me at least, that is the true telling of a fantastic work of art.

Bloom by Kevin Panetta A graphic novel set in a family bakery, this one is for all of you out there who want something warming and wholesome. Ari is desperate to move away to the big city to be a part of the spotlight with his band. However, with funds running low, his parents want him to stay behind and continue the family work in the bakery. All

is dreary and all hope is lost… Until, while looking for someone to be his replacement in the bakery, he meets Hector. Sharing their love and passion for baking and family, their relationship progresses, and Ari rediscovers his family values and realises who he is truly supposed to be surrounded by and what he is supposed to do.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue & The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

This historical young adult fiction duo really hits all the spots in terms of adventure, character dynamics and humour. These are incredibly easy to read or listen to in audiobook format (I did a mixture of both) and are perfect for when you want something that doesn’t require too much brain power without sacrificing the content quality of a great plot or characters! The Gentleman’s Guide follows a mischievous

Monty as he flirts his way through his European Grand Tour. In the midst of peril, his friendship with Percy blossoms into something more than “just friends”. The Lady’s Guide on the other hand follows Monty’s sister, Felicity, in her ambitions to pursue a medical education and avoid a seemingly inevitable marriage with a Scottish suitor as an ace young woman in 1700s Europe.

The Truly Devious trilogy (Truly Devious #1, The Vanishing Stair #2, The Hand on the Wall #3) by Maureen Johnson Founded and situated in remote Vermont by wealthy tycoon and puzzle fanatic Albert Ellingham in the 1930s, Ellingham Academy is an elite high school for innovators, thinkers, and artists alike where each student is admitted to a specialised curriculum and timetable centring around their passion. Soon after its opening, however, Albert’s wife and daughter disappear in what appears to have been a ransom case. Cut to modern

day Ellingham Academy post Albert’s death and Stevie Bell is a student entering her first year with a passion for crime and the ambitious goal to solve the Truly Devious case of the Ellingham disappearances. Fast paced with a diverse range of characters, if you are a fan of mystery but have no time for overly complicated plots or gore, this trilogy is worth a shot and might be the one for you!

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Do you ever find yourself drowning in dull and difficult prose or dragging yourself through a book that just seems to go on forever? Although it is no piece of highbrow literature or comparable to other works that I have recommended on this list, I am here to tell you that it is OKAY to read something quick and easy, something to cleanse the palate if you will! Not insanely memorable, but not awful ei-

ther and really quite pleasant. I dedicated Autoboyography to my slot of contemporary nighttime audiobook and was happy to follow Tanner and Sebastian’s love story in an almost entirely Mormon area in Provo, Utah.

This book places heavy emphasis on coming to terms with sexuality in an unaccepting household and community where ‘coming out’ is certainly not seen through rose-tinted lenses.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

Sick and tired of unnecessary romances and the friends-to-lovers trope? A direct quote, “I think the world’s had enough of those, to be honest.” This one just might be for you! Although I cannot say that it blew my mind, Radio Silence centres itself around the friendship of Aled Last and Francis

Janvier. Rooted in strength and creativity, this friendship is pushed to its limit when the trust between Aled and Francis is shattered. “You probably think Aled Last and I are going to fall in love because he is a boy and I am a girl. I just wanted to say. We don’t.”

ROMEO and and JULIAN

By Gilles Cooke

It is a curiosity, the nature of LGBT film. In particular, what they focus on, and the themes they often choose to explore. While I was thankfully able to continue working over the summer after the first phase of the lockdown had been rolled back, there remained a not-inconsiderable chasm in my schedule, which to my eternal shame was not entirely consumed by attempting to develop useful and marketable skills.

To put it another way, I watched a load of LGBT films.

And I found a trend in some of the recurring plot threads across the films either centring or featuring LGBT characters; angst and uncertainty at the possibility friends and family finding out, either an incredibly uncomfortable moment of “coming out”, or an outing that is done by a third party as a means to blackmail or ostracise, experience of mocking and abuse from the community around them, and a general emphasising of the unpleasantness and pain that comes with many LGBT experiences.

“happy,” non-hetero ending where the leads did not end the story with trauma (Breakfast on Pluto). But Breakfast on Pluto doesn’t get remembered. What were the other ones? Capote and Brokeback Mountain.

Of course, media that examines injustice is not without need, and films that attempt to tackle specific issues and challenges that LGBT people face are not invalid. Pride, in spite of featuring extensive displays of homophobia, is one of my favourite films. Films that shock, films that can put into cinematic language some uncomfortable truths in a more hard hitting and accessible way are as important as any body of textual theory bound in leather and canvas, but if consumable, sweet love stories were of no value, then they would never have been made in the first place.

So why does this matter? Ultimately, there is no way around the fact that life deals us all a great deal of awful hands, and certainly there ought not be any shortage of documentation of this fact, however consider the separation beBrokeback Mountain, First Girl I Loved, Boys tween “regular” cinema and “LGBT” cinema.

Don’t Cry, Philadelphia, Dallas Buyers Club, Until extremely recently, the latter was a genre Handsome Devil, Normal (2003), 3 Generations, unto itself, with less of a breadth of scope. You They/Them and, perhaps the original piece to could have a gay film, or one that had a distinct address this theme, the German film Different genre that you could settle into with unique from the Others, all take their time to relitigate characters you could relate to. and ruminate on these negative elements of the LGBT experience of being outsiders, of be- While it is argued that we do not need this more ing targets, and of being the subjects of abuse. casual fare, I disagree. So much of modern adult In 2005 alone, I noted three distinct LGBT ti- media likes to pretend hopelessness and pessitles that got a major release, a high amount for mism and cynicism are inherently profound, what remains a distinct category, and yet only rather than the same depressing nonsense that one of them had what we might think of as a you can find self-righteous nihilist spouting on

Reddit. Society acts like we are supposed to outgrow hope and romance and a love for soft fiction somewhere about the age of twenty. However, particularly in the context of the world around us, I am uncertain that I would want all of my fiction to offer painful reminders of real life suffering permanently, with no option to change the channel unless I want to take a story featuring characters who I cannot relate to in a fundamental respect. Certainly, some of it, but that does not describe the current state of media.

Again, this is not for some sort of personal hatred for moody film. Slow, introspective films that put up an uncomfortable mirror are good, but not when they are the only option, without alternative. I have watched How To Survive A Plague dozens of times. But sometimes, I want to relax, and see fun characters do fun gay things, free by virtue of fiction from what we in this social context need to worry about. We’re humans, not projects who are to be deathly serious at all times and never see a glimpse of joy.

We know perfectly fine the various injustices in the world that despise our existence, and being reminded of it, having it be repeated again and again any time we feature in any media, is not always helpful. People, I would hope, are allowed to dream, to fantasise of such a world where the stakes are not whether they shall be thrown out of home. That is, after all, the point of fiction.

And all they want to hear is the noble suffering, the inspiring hell that they imagine LGBT lives to be. And certainly, there are unique pains and challenges grappled with that are unique, and some that are not. However, to focus exclusively on this does a deliberate lie by omission, that our lives are wracked with pain and misery from start to finish. In truth, it can be filled with some of the most powerful and colourful joy, with moments of such blissful euphoria and comfort that perhaps a screen, perhaps an image, perhaps an entire four hour feature documentary couldn’t capture it. It can feel so magnificent that any screen that hoped to contain it would find it bursting out at the seams. To tell only those stories involving LGBT experiences that regard the misery and the suffering is not painting an honest picture; rather, it only reaffirms a pattern of the media telling us that we can’t be happy.

What might be misunderstood in this is that when LGBT folk get frustrated about grim stories about LGBT characters, is that I am not saying “nothing bad can ever happen to LGBT characters”, rather that “there’s an oversaturation of LGBT pain without need or purpose in media.” Misfortune is the root of all comedy, however there is a space between the rote recounting of fraught and genuinely painful experiences, and the chuckleworthy awkwardness of misunderstandings, such as an oblivious neighbour asking a trans man why he needs to go to the hospital to get a cup of tea, or how, due to criminal legislation using binary, gendered language describing how “he or she shall face a penalty”, some non-binary people are perfectly allowed to commit crimes. I do sometimes wonder how appropriate it even is to be invested into anything fictional when you’re an adult, especially in this world. But by the end of the day, everyone craves something that brings them joy.

Perhaps in some dour evening where I’m feeling particularly shitty about myself what I want are corny gay romcoms following the predictable tropes for tired, chuckling consumption.

Eleanor & Rose, a soppy romcom styled after the nineties and with a Ska-punk soundtrack.

Mad Maxine and her comrades scouring the wasteland for the last warehouse full of Estradiol. Let gay fiction be as varied as it can be.

Because, at present, the vast swathe of LGBT cinema does not fit this description. More and Just a nice film about LGBT people getting to more we are seeing examples that fit less into be genuinely and authentically happy, that’s all this trope, such as recent animated series like I ask.

Steven Universe and the She-Ra reboot, as more LGBT people enter the industry to write and direct stories drawn from their own experiences, however, prior to this point, the bulk of media has been made by cishet people for cishet people.

a RECIPE for

LEMON

MERINGUES

By Hannah-Kate Ní Shioradáin I know who I am. Make no mistake.

I wouldn’t trade an ounce of me for a slice of chocolate cake.

But I would sell my soul For your meringues, cracked or whole And to lie with you while they melt On my tongue and I’ll loosen my belt As you reach your hand into my pants And to your bra I advance And as I reach the clasp, You let out a gasp!

Someone has unlocked the door And in come your kids and that bore Steve, your ex-husband, Not expecting the sight before him Two women and a meringue Strewn across the sofa, about to bang Everyone’s mouth is agape Perhaps they were expecting cake The kids run off screaming But Steve is beaming His favourite fantasy Playing out on his old settee.

“Oh now this explains it all”, he said “Years of misery and separate beds” Joanne sighed and rolled her eyes “Sure, it wasn’t the cheating or the lies?”

“But Joanne you were never keen I see now you like to flick the bean” And Joanne said “Steve, you’re an arsehole.”

As the argument ensued I retrieved my belt and shoes And as I was about to leave I took something with me.

I reached the gate And I shouted back “I’ll return the plate” And so I dashed and dined With the meringues, now mine A recipe for lemon meringues; the zest of life.

ELISA yy

MARCELA A FILM FILM REVIEW REVIEW A

By Francesca Moran

Black and white, artsy, foreign language, gay; if you are like me and like any of these things then you will love Netflix’s Elisa y Marcela.

Directed by Isabel Coixet, this biopic tells the story of Spain’s first same-sex marriage between the two titular characters.

The film is set from the late 1800’s through to the early 1900s, depicting the progression of the relationship of the two main characters, portrayed through stunning cinematography.

The couple endure a lot of challenges throughout their lives but contrary to how most LGBTQ+ films end, this one has quite a pleasant ending.

The film is quiet and intimate and with scenes shot in black and white, it has a definitely artsy feel. There are a few plot holes in the story which are not explained in the film, which may have been due to editing or issues with run time. However, as it is a historical film, some elements of the story were unknown, so you can forgive the filmmakers for leaving it to

speculation rather than invent something that was not true.

This film undoubtedly made me emotional, with the final black screen depicting that this was indeed a true story and that same-sex marriage was made legal in Spain only in 2005. Another nice touch was in the credits, with the inclusion of pictures of real-life lesbian weddings while the credits rolled. It was heart-warming to see just how far we as a society have come, that people can marry who they love without always having to resort to lying about their gender and having to live in secret.

However, as the film points out in the end, homosexuality is still illegal in 72 countries, in 14 of which it is punishable with 14 years of imprisonment, and in 13 countries it is punishable by death. This is a stark reminder that, while we have come far, there is still much to be done.

BE of WARY of the the IMPULSE IMPULSE to to

VICTIM BLAME BLAME VICTIM

By Gilles Cooke

The difference from a liberational and equality understanding of LGBT activism would appear initially to be somewhat semantic. Conflicts of the ‘00’s and ‘10’s such as marriage equality, or contemporary conflicts such as the MSM blood ban do serve as examples of a clear crossover in these two doctrines, however it is as often a concept which obscures what LGBT activism is for.

“Equality”, as a metric to measure liberation, is a concept linked abstractly to positive social progress, but what anterior ideas are bundled into the concept of equality? For example, it is all too easy to obfuscate a question regarding a settled issue like marriage on the grounds of equality, with a cynical trick statement, “But you are equal, you have as much a right to marry the same gender as I do, which is none! Each of us is equally free to marry someone of the opposite gender!” Another example example, there is no more a right for a cis person to easily access HRT and facilities to transition than a trans person, however that does not mean that many trans people do not have a unique need for it so that they can live authentically. Just because there is “equality” does not mean there is justice.

poses of equality, but due to the fact that members of the community would frequently be unable to join their partners in ambulances, or, in instances of tragedy, be unable to inherit a partners assets after they died. It was not just so they could enjoy the lifestyle of the prototypical conventional family model.

This misconception has resulted in the idea that the height of all that LGBT activism aims at the integration of the community into the normal functions of the existing way things are gone about, that assimilation into cishet systems, even systems which are otherwise oppressive to disabled people, poor people, and ethnic minorities, is the apex of all of what is fought for, even in spite of large amounts of these groups also falling within the LGBT community.

Fundamentally, there is a difference between the various purported “end goals” of these two views, wherein the assimilationist envisions a mere ‘lack of conflict’, contrasting the liberationist, which understands that there must be a deeper resolution in there being societal justice anterior to an absence of tension, doing justice by vulnerable lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, asexuals, and other members of the community, running the whole gamThis same rhetorical grift can be extended as ut of people who society has dealt injustices. far as you like, however it is, for one purpose, only obfuscation, and obfuscation that is hardly Much of the assimilationist view holds heternew in form. Over one hundred years ago, Ana- onormative dynamics in relationships, cisnortole France stated, with no shortage of flourish, mative forms of presentation, as ideal and aspithat “The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rational, that our dynamics, our ways of loving the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridg- and our ways of living should exist entirely es, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.” downstream from heterosexual and cisgender Even looking at marriage, as an example, norms, adjusted only to accommodate differ was focused on not just for aesthetic pur- ent partners than the historical norm. It is the

voice that reassures the cishet world “We’re to yourself or others in marginalised communijust like you, don’t worry.” ties.

While this does have a logic, we did not earn the rights we have by asking nicely. Pride, as is often repeated, was a riot, but there is another issue with this logic of trying to butter up and court favour with the traditional purveyors of “acceptable” behaviour.

This can lead to competitiveness within the community, as members attempt to trod on those below others to try and appeal to the cisgender and heterosexual norm, feverishly trying to impress cishet society and display a front of “Look at me! I’m one of the good ones! I’m not like those nasty gross ones, I’m one of the good ones, why can’t they be like me! I’m just as willing as you to kick down at the ones who are still not socially accepted!”, kicking the ladder out behind them in a sort of performative cruelty to show that, if they are allowed into the fold of power, they will not rock the boat significantly.

It leads to pointing at unconforming members of the community and declaring that they, in their nonconformity, are to blame for further injustices, as they have failed to properly integrate, the victim blaming a fellow victim for the actions of another.

It is a conditional acceptance, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and asexuals, only accepted if they are heteronormative in their behaviour and presentation, transgender and nonbinary people only accepted if there are cisnormative in their behaviour and presentation.

This creates an environment where heteronormative social integration without fuss or tension is seen as the aspirational goal, where members of our community are judged against their ability to live and present in a way that is seen by outsiders as acceptable, with all the stipulations that acceptability, in a world organised and structured around cisgender heterosexual people, entails, rather than being able to live as we authentically would, without such an outside, judgemental, discriminating gaze. The right to live comfortably is contingent on your existence not bothering the normative establishment. It is a disregarding of any individuality or personality at the alter of fitting in, becoming a replica of hand-me-down heteronormative traits, even if those traits one adopts to fit in are themselves toxic or harmful

It is in this sense that the fight must be for liberation, rather than acceptance, as acceptance would only ever likely on the dictated terms of the norm setters, the heteronormative gatekeepers who are the final arbiters of what “polite society” would accept, and, inevitably, portions of the community that are more vulnerable will be left behind. For example, trans people who do not have the means to transition, or do not want to pursue cisnormative standards, can be left behind by members of their own communities. Coming out as LGBT is supposed to mean you are finally able to live as your true self, not that you begin trying to perform the idealised concept of “one of the good ones” that may bear no relation to who you are as a person. This sort of cultural assimilation could involve, rather than genuine justice being delivered on behalf of the entire community, the community being brought into the fold of the oppressor class.

Can anyone look me in the face and claim that it is empowering for LGBT people to take up the levers of societal injustice, to have their turn as the garda dispersing marginalised gatherings, as landlords tossing out vulnerable people from their home, particularly in light of the reality that it is often LGBT people that will be dealt injustices at their hand?

It is a view of a world in which we can share with the “historic” establishment the right to oppress, the right to exploit, and the right to leverage property against the needs of others.

It views these as aspirational endeavours, that having the power to engage in this behaviour shows “how far we’ve come”, that we can have a gay landlord, a transgender police officer, or, as the meme goes, a queer drone pilot.

LGBT liberation means justice for all within the community, not just for the abled, the white, and the wealthy. Those facing injustice along multiple axes are every bit as lesbian, gay, bisexual, ace, or trans, and are no less deserving of a life that is vindicated and fulfilled.

WORD SEARCH

TRASDUL Transition

DÉGHNEASACH Bisexual

ÉIGHNÉASACH Asexual

NEAMHDÉNÁRTHA Non-Binary

DIOSFÓRIA Dysphoria

LÉIRIÚ Presentation

FEARTRAS

Trans Man

IDIRGHNÉAS Intersex

FAOICHOIM Closeted

TRASNACHAS Intersectionality

AERACH Gay

DRAIG Drag

BEANTHRAS

Trans Woman

BRÚ Binding

LEISPIACH Lesbian

GRÁ Love

GAN-ROMANS Aromantic

HOMAFÓIBE Homophobia

TRANSCHINEÁLTACH

GNÉASCHLAONADH Sexual Orientation

Transgender

A POEM POEM ABOUT ABOUT A

A CAFÉ A CAFÉ HAVE NOT NOT BEEN BEEN TO TO II HAVE

By Gilles Cooke

A cry, crossing my communiques, A brow, scrutinising the news, A café, now resigned to the past tense, A loss, recalled in morose threads and sounds of inevitability, As Dublin marched along.

It was always so full, I am assured, A calm, insulated place with good turnover, Accepting, open late for all comers out of the blaring lights show uptown, Alas, if not for Covid, It’s not my fault.

Trickling through a grapevine, muttered, nostalgic stories, “It was where I first used He/Him pronouns”, a friend notes, with a sadness, A refuge between bleak and brutalist, Questions are raised as to whether it was ever run explicitly for us, But as with many of these things, it was more of a vibe.

And it’s what I always asked for, A hanging spot for rejects, welcoming all but the bottle, The man behind the counter never asking questions, I remember making plans unfulfilled, An independent LGBT night space that wasn’t a raucous nightclub? It was too good to be true.

So what might come next? It is Dublin, don’t forget.

Rents may make a Windsor blush, but surely that goes somewhere, Perhaps a Wetherspoons, likely hotels.

Dublin is no city for the small, the independent, the vulnerable, the outsiders.

Of course, it was hardly my fault, My haunt though it might have not been, I walked past it, each time thinking “That looks like my sort of place”, Unexhausting, safe, free, But free is no business model for Dublin.

DEAR,

By John Anrei M. Sy

I write this collection of words to convey The feelings in the past I buried deep, Perhaps a memory, a dream, I say; As I awake from this murmured sleep.

Difficult as it is, I shall admit.

Friendship turned to affection. I could not help.

Troublesome, even worrisome, unfit In this seasonal fatigue, I gulp

My pride – asunder. The river runs blue, Under the clear skies, washing it all away.

The broken pieces, I lay bare to you.

With this, with all my heart, I wish you stay.

Then I awake from this hurried sleep, With all my heart, with all my dreams to keep.

PINK TRAINING

By John Anrei M. Sy

A weekend of debauchery awaits me I thought as I packed my bags rearing to go.

I arrived early, a few hours free And the sun gave a weak afternoon glow.

I wait, and wait patiently.

Silent performances left people speechless But encores and applause shook the halls As people flaunted like peacocks heedless; And voices left cascading like waterfalls.

I wait, and wait blissfully.

I cheered on, and showed more than I should And the trip was long, the music lulled me to sleep.

The frigid air of the West swept us cold, As we arrived, on our skin, excitement creeped.

I wait, and wait desperately

The night went on and a sight was nowhere And I looked and searched for him.

I found myself in a hallowed gay fair With blinding lights – a happy whim.

I wait, and wait longingly.

We dropped off our belongings, cut off the ties, The shackles that repressed and bound us, And gathered in the room where roars and cries Muddled, a cacophony that showed our trust As we wait, and wait faithfully Between each of us for the start of it all.

There he sat giggling, wearing the rainbow While I addressed the situation’s call, Thinking back about the view from the bus – the afterglow.

I wait, and wait wistfully.

The night and day following stretched for longer And lonelier, while I busied myself With searching for who I am. Wildly sombre I recalled the night. Too much to find oneself.

I wait, and wait frantically.

We left on Sunday after closing remarks With lunch to take home. I found him.

I went to introduce who I am, as I discovered, And suddenly he stole it from me in broad daylight in front of everybody.

It was a brief but everlasting memory.

I wait, and wait patiently.

I wonder if there’s more to come.

Across 2. ENBY 5. DENMARK 6. SAPPHO 7. DRAG 8. PRONOUNS 11. SHADE 14. VIOLET 15. KIKI 16. STREET66

Down 1. PREP 3. BEARD 4. TEA 5. DOROTHY 9. STEALTH 10. PENGUINS 12. BINDER 13.KINSEY

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