SOCIETY 04/2025 C E A R T A S
by Cornelia Hauch Skovmand
by Lavie Olupona
by Cookeyed
Being Born With A Vagina Does Not Mean You Get To Be A Girl
by Freddie Phipps
Taylor
UCC Global Justice Society is nothing if not wholly vibrant, electric and inspiring. Ideas, concerns and passions that may start small are seized upon and brought through the exhilarating process of brainstorming, team collaboration and actualisation. The Global Justice Society is dedicated to vibrantly expressing, developing and meeting our members' and community's needs and passions.
Last year, on our journey of renewal, we cultivated a colourful, passionate, and compassionate community; one that has not only deepened its roots but grown new branches.
This zine delves into the power and resilience of our members who are committed to shining a light on global justice issues, both as individuals and as a united collective. We encouraged our members to explore different mediums of self-expression, from poetry and imagery to spoken word and interview discussions.
Gratitude and pride cannot begin to encapsulate how wonderful it has been to be immersed amongst such an engaged, passionate, and hard-working community of unique individuals. This zine is not only the tip of the iceberg for the work we have done as a society, but also a glimpse of what is to come as our community grows; and for that, we wait with eager anticipation.
I’m Just a I’m Just a
I'mjustagirl
Idon'tbrushoutmycurls
Youmightcatchmeinpearls
Undermyarmthere'shair
Idon'tlikethatit'sthere
ButwhydoIcare
Whenitisjusthair
Gilletteintheirbag
I'minthepalmoftheirhand
Whatacleverbrand
Stoptellingmybodytochange
Idon'twanttoshave
CauseIhatethatyoumademethinkthatIhadto
YoumademefeellikeIwantedto
Youprofitoffofmadeupfemininity
You profit off of made up femininity
ByLavieOlupona
Donotaskformetobesilent, Ishallkeeprisingandforthat,keepfighting.
Formyvoiceechoesandbeamswiththewordsof myancestors,andofme,
Theirvoiceandmywords,etchingintomysoul, allowingittobefree.
Ihavecarriedtheirlineandstories,carvedlikethe inkystampoftattooonmyskin,flowingthroughmy veinsspreadoutasbranches,likealiving, breathingthing.
Wehavepavedpathsovergrownbythe burdensomesproutingofweedsofhatred,
Likeapoisonspreadingthroughoutthisflowerbed. urwordsblossom,letthembloomandflourish.
cavernousstarsthatburn merwithourwishes. bove,guidingtheway.
By Cookeyed.
The power to change is like a fickle light expressed through this long tunnel of humanity through time, life, labour and realities. However, we should understand that we are on the shoulders of giants who did drive change, dreamers, believers, disrupters and changers by making the 1% hurt
Its so easy to trust that everything is going to be all right, but driving human social change is one thing the 1% does not have The line is not going to go up forever and what happens when the 1% leave us behind? Will they go into their vaults or get even more consumed with destroying labour with AI? Do we struggle or do we work together to find deeper meaning in our power?
The Irish state was created on Socialism, and the fighting Irish stereotype exists for a reason, yet we are so far from that now even if it was only just over a hundred years ago For example, George Boole's youngest daughter, Ethel Voynich, was a writer and revolutionary whose influence is wider than you think. (Massive influence on both China's and Russia's armies at the turn of the century). We have power we always did.
The stupid fact is that the United States of America and Ireland were great when unions & their governments were strong in the 60s In many sense, we are more slaves now than we were back then. The fact is that the 1% are scared of Luigi, they are scared that we will find our power and that we will end up overturning the 1% What they are doing is distracting us, like they have been for the past 60 years
The power of the 99% is ending empires, fighting kings, and dealing with Nazis. Our power is standing for the weak. We stand for our power and thus we are no longer asleep
So do not lose hope!
If the 99% stand we will get engaged and we will drive change.
(I will leave you with this song to rally you - *bows*)
BellaCiao,unknowncreator
OnemorningIwokeup
Obellaciao,bellaciao,bellaciaociao ciao
OnemorningIwokeup
AndIfoundtheinvader
Ohpartisan,carrymeaway, Obellaciao,bellaciao,bellaciaociao ciao
Ohpartisan,carrymeaway, ForIfeelI'mdying
AndifIdieasapartisan
Obellaciao,bellaciao,bellaciaociao ciao
AndifIdieasapartisan Youhavetoburyme
Butburymeupinthemountain Obellaciao,bellaciao,bellaciaociao ciao
Butburymeupinthemountain Undertheshadowofabeautiful flower
Andthepeoplewhowillpassby Obellaciao,bellaciao,bellaciaociao ciao
Andthepeoplewhowillpassby Willsaytome:"whatabeautiful flower"
Thisistheflowerofthepartisan Obellaciao,bellaciao,bellaciaociao ciao
Thisistheflowerofthepartisan Whodiedforfreedom.
-astorynarrated bysociety, illustratedbyme,a non-girlvagina owner.
When I was born, I came into this world with a vagina I was a picture perfect baby, atinietinydotwitha headfullofhair
So naturally it was presumed right away that I would take a career as a girl, and later progress on to being a woman
I took my role as a girl very seriously in the beginning I had the Baby Born doll, the play kitchen, and all of the mostbeautifuldresses IknewyoungwhatIwassupposed todo
When I was 4, I was introduced to a cousin and his friends and I wasexpectedtodo somethingIhadneverreallydonebefore "Playsocceron thegreenwiththelads"
The "lads" would all run to the grass, kicking and screamingasiftheywereastablehorseputoutintothe fields for the first time. They would run and shout, chasing each other and chasing a ball, just like a dog playing fetch They would jump and fall and tackle and slide They would return home completely destroyed The absolutehorror
I never liked to get dirty, for fear I would ruin my lovely little dress If I did, I would beagoodlittlegirland
cry until I was all cleaned up again Little did I know something awaited me on my path in life… something that would turn my whole entire worldupsidedown…TheTracksuitPants
The years went by and by As much as the world would reinforce the idea that I was better suited to the model of a boy, the vagina between my legs never ceased to confuse me…
"Try these" they said… and, well, I did And when I did, I ran and I kicked and I screamed and I shouted and I chased and I jumped and I fell and I tackled andIslidandIgotcompletelydestroyed But the absolute horror was still to come… "Tom Boy" they said. It wasn't long before I realised my tracksuit ticket to freedom and comfort came at a price
I had to step back from being a girl, I was a "Tom Boy" now For those who don't know, this is essentiallywhereyouareaboy,sanspenis
At that age, I didn't choose the Tom Boy life, the TomBoylifechoseme Ihadtosacrificeallthetitles that only girls can have - pretty, beautiful, bossy, bitchy, bubbly. In exchange I got to have some boy titles, not all cos I'm sans penis but I got some, such as funny, sharp, and strong Later, I got an extra titledformymanlyways-dyke
Freddie Phipps
"It would suit you but you'd never wear it" they said as they threw out a dress. Suddenly I heard a gentle voice whispering from within my tracksuit pants, "challenge accepted" she said, for she secretly longed for the opportunity to feel the breeze o nly a woman or a Scottish man could know
I rose to the challenge, I donned the dress and as quickly as I realised to be treated like a girl, you have to walk, talk, act and dress like one… I also realised that taking off the dress on s tage turns you from a girl to a sort of goddess in a matter of seconds Something I never dreamed I'd get to be
During the days I was a boy, during the nights I was a g oddess I could have the best of both worlds, I could be funny and sexy I could be anything I wanted I could break the mould Blow the roof right off Nothing could stop me now Nothing or no one could tell me what I am or who I am anymore
Or so I thought
Girl, boy, it never really mattered I have a vagina The world has forever had ownership o ver me and my identity and my body Nothing will remind you of a ll of that like a man taking you against your will, as if he owns you.
So I decided the safety of my vagina trumped the title of a goddess Back in my box I went "
You can call me Boydyke Tom Boydyke " I said…
OvertheyearsIcan'thelpbutfeellikeI'vecometo bothhighlyrespectanddespisetheconceptof "beingagirl"
Likefairfuckstothewomenwhocanbebotheredto keepuptheexhaustingworkofbeingagirlbecauseitis exhaustingandthisworldwillnottreatyoulikeagirl simplyforhavingavagina Youhavetodothehairand themakeupandyouhavetohaveacertainbodyand youhavetoplayacertainrole Andit'snotjust exhausting,it'sexpensive Especiallybecauseintodays worldyoucan'tactuallybebornastheperfectprincess, youhavetogotopage3andbuythelipsandthe cheeksandthebumandtheboobsandallofthatwhich weusedtogrowourselveswenowhavetobuyandif wedarenottobuyintothisperfectlookweare witchesandhippies,outcastsunkeptandwildinour womanhood
AsmuchasIthinkholyfuck,it'samazingtheamount ofworkgirlsputintoachievethestandardssetby society,I'malsocryingoutforitalltostopbecause nobodyshouldhavetoworksohardtobetreatedwell, justtobetoldwe'retheonesaccountablewhenthe waywehavetolookputsusindanger
Sothoseouttherewhowishtobeseenandtreated "likeagirl"butcan'tbebotheredwiththelookorcan't affordtobuythelook,arenotbeingtreatedthesame asthosewhohavethetimeandmoneyandsometimes passiontokeepupwiththeKardashian's Andtheonesthatdoarevilifiedforitanyway.
Girlslikepink Boyslikeblue Girlsarepretty Boysarestrong Girlsdon'tgetmessy Boysdon'tcry Girlsgointhisbox Boysgo inthisone
Andpeoplewonderwhysomefolksdon'tidentifyasmaleor female?
If wearing make up and dresses makes me a girl? What does owning a vagina do? Does it just mean I'm an innie and not an outie?
Yano I think we should be looking at genitals like bellybuttons…
My personality and identity and beauty and the way in which society treats me should have absolutely nothing to do with whether I have an innie or an outie or both
Again… Your personality, and identity, and beauty, and the way in which society treats you, should have absolutely nothing to do with whether you have an innie or an outie or both
Being Born With A Vagina Does Not Mean You Get To Be A Girl - a story narrated by society, illustrated by me, a non-girl vagina owner
Domhnaill
Whathappenedtothecobbler’s children?
Ofthemanyandmanyhedid christen.
Towhatendsdidtheyhail MiserableallI’dsay
WhenhewasthrownupinGaol.
Rakesofillegitimatesonand daughters
Allstreamin’infromthebleedin’ rafters, Carvinguphisestate Grabbin’nothingtheyearned Yerlineage’sastate.
Theeldest,who’dhavethoughtit, hasdied
Andhewentoutinapureviolent tide.
Shootin’coppersinthestreet St.Provoshowin’himup RedandGreencan’tcompete.
Andtheyoungestalllostin hisrunnin’ Livinginhisfather’swords withoutthedoin’.
Topostureandprance, It’llsurelydo‘em Makeitallsonganddance.
Themid-child,asalways, forgotten
Retiredbookkeepinacityfoul rotten.
Andhisonlyrealspawn Stuckinshaggin’West Meath Putsanoakinhispalm.
Andnoneofthemareevenon thelookout
Andgodforbidthelords’ doorsarekeptlockout. There’shardlyredinyour custard, Causetheyshotthepooraul’ bastard Whenhecouldn’tevenstand.
Name Position
Freddie Phipps Co-Chair
Hannah Morrissey Co-Chair
Rachel Walsh Secretary
Sinead Marie Hogan PRO
Cormac D Aughton Webmaster
Louiza Evy Lena Bendz Events Officer
Shalini Sheyshkar Financial Officer
Daniela Bendikova Publications Officer
David Brennan Welfare and Accessibility Officer
Cornelia Hauch Skovmand Environmental Officer
Ben Campbell Campaigns Officer
Amy O Brien
Aamna Rahil Shaikh
1st Year Representative
Postgrad / Mature Student Representative
Rebecca Julia Bourke Ex-Officio
Gary Robinson
Joan Murphy-Leane
Mohammad Ahmed Naeem
Sarah Maugis
WewouldliketothankallofourmembersforallowingGlobalJusticetothrive thisyear!
Byengagingwithoureventsandoursocialmedia,youhavehelpedtocreatea communitythatissupportiveanddoesimmenseworkforjustice
ThethemeofOurPowerismeanttoreflectyourcontributionstowardsglobal justiceandfreedom
Weappreciateyouandwillcontinuetoprovideasafespaceforyoutoengage withglobaljusticeissues
Withloveandnewfoundpower, PublicationsOfficer, DanielaBendikova (OnbehalfoftheGlobalJusticeCommitteeof2024/2025)
Designed and edited by Daniela Bendikova & Hannah Morrissey
