EILE Magazine – April 2015 (Vol.2, Issue 11)

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Magazine V2 Issue 11 – April 2015

12th IDGTF

Festival Picks

Vótáil Tá!

Equality goes Bilingual

Trevor Martin on

Gay Icons Patrick McKee

Jef Joslin Living the Dream!

Renua Reasoning

Inside:

Film | Music | Opinion | Interviews | Events

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 Nick Bassett Originally from Bournemouth, but now based in Auckland, Nick is EILE’s resident music reviewer and creator of the brilliant daily music blog, Chart Shaker.

M. Butler M. Butler is a writer and editor, with a keen interest in human rights, and has studied philosophy and psychology.

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.

Scott De Buitléir Scott is the creator of EILE Magazine and is a writer and broadcaster from Dublin. He also hosts The Cosmo, RTÉ’s LGBT radio show, every Wednesday at 10pm.

Alan Lambert Alan is a writer, reviewer and columnist based in Dublin, with an interest in politics and the Arts.

Trevor Martin Trevor was born in Northern Ireland and now lives in San Francisco. He has a degree in Performance Arts from Middlesex University and spent a year studying Psychology at Leicester University.

Lisa Reynolds Originally from County Meath, Lisa is a fashion industry student living in Bray, County Wicklow.

Rick Watts Based in Los Angeles, Rick is an LGBT activist and contributor to the NewsWrap segment of LGBT radio show, This Way Out. He is also a board member of TWO‘s production company, Overnight Productions.

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 April 2015 Jef Joslin – P.16

Volume 2, Issue 11

Singer/Songwriter & producer tells us to ‘Come Out West’

Editor-in-Chief: Scott De Buitléir Features Editor: MKB

Gay Icons – P.12 Why do many gay men idolise female film stars & singers?

TáComhionannas – P.26 We chat with Traolach Ó Buachalla, the founder of YesEquality’s Irish-language wing

Contributors: Mark Anthony, Nick Bassett, MKB, Andy Cast, Alan Lambert, Trevor Martin, Lisa Reynolds, Frances Winston, Rick Watts 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.

Web: http://eile.ie

Patrick McKee – Pgs. 48-52 The openly gay Kilkenny politician on leaving Fianna Fáil for the new Renua Ireland

Film & Music Reviews – P.64

Contact: hello@eile.ie Twitter: @EileMagazine Facebook: http://fb.com/eilemagazine Note: All opinions expressed in this issue are the writers’ own.

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Frances Winston looks at this month’s cinema releases, while Nick Bassett listens to some must-have new sounds (BZ &VSPQFBO 5PVSJTN "TTPDJBUJPO

…and much more!

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EILE Magazine | Editor’s Letter

Contents 6-

Rick Elliot

10 -

OutCry

12 -

Gay Icons

16 -

Jef Joslin

20 -

Menswear

24 -

Review: Placebo

26 -

TáComhionannas

30 -

Patrick McKee

32 -

IDGTF 2015

42 -

California Dispatch

46 -

Film Reviews

50 -

Music Reviews

56 -

Homophobia

58 -

Vote With Us

60 - An Age Old Tale 68 -

Indiana

70 -

Miscellaneous

Every Voice is a Delicate Vote Welcome to the (slightly delayed*) April edition of EILE Magazine!

This month sees the ever-important Marriage Equality Referendum campaign in Ireland being stepped up a couple of notches, both on the Yes and No sides. Those who support equal marriage had their spirits boosted by the beautiful Joe Caslin mural which appeared overnight in Dublin, as well as President Mary McAleese’s inspiring words on NewsTalk radio in favour of the referendum.

However, the well-known journalist, Una Mullally, tweeted recently about how strong and agressive some people were against marriage equality, while she was canvassing for a Yes vote around Croke Park in north Dublin. Her experience highlighted the fact that no area or community can be taken for granted, and that everyone needs to have that conversation with friends, family, colleagues and others to explain why a Yes vote is so important.

To put it bluntly: We are in an amazing situation to positively influence the future of this country, but we are also in danger of letting complancy get the better of us. Let’s get out there, talk to whoever we can, and change this country for the better.

Scott De Buitléir Founder / Editor-in-Chief

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(*thanks to technical issues, apologies for the wait!)

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Rick Elliot

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... a Rebel with a Country Music Cause....

Embarking on his journey of preserving the Outlaw Country crusade, Rick Elliot spent much of 2014 touring his upbeat country sound starting with the wild west of California.

journey as he prepares to release his unparalleled sound, starting with his single, “West of the Rockies”.

Armed with a fifth of whiskey and a deep mature voice far beyond his years, Rick stuns audiences from the very start.

Country music speaks of many things that I have gone through in my life, and has always helped me to gain a higher understanding of what good values and morals really are. It is music with a message.

His numerous musical heroes and inspiration are derived from many of the country greats, including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings.

EILE Magazine asked Rick about his music and his heroes: How did you fall in love with country music?

You’re being compared to country greats, such as Willie Nelson. Who inspired you while you perfected your musical skills?

Well, Willie Nelson certainly played a huge role in my growth as a musician and a songwriter. I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to some of the best local musicians as well. I used to work for the #1 guitar store in San Diego County and have learned from some amazing musicians.

Speaking of Nelson,

Attraction to the piano as a child was the initial inspiration for Rick Elliot in his journey as an emerging musician.

His curiosity developed into a desire and he quickly advanced into a young child prodigy. Rick fell in love with country music at a young age.

As he entered his teens his passion for music deepened as he experimented with songwriting.

Lyrically, his tracks are a reflection of his everyday life, incorporating themes of love, loss and a little whiskey. As a multi-instrumentalist Rick has also leant his piano, and guitar skills to all the tracks on his upcoming releases of 2015.

2015 marks a monumental moment in Rick Elliot’s EILE Magazine

you’ve performed with his son, Lukas. What was that like?

Lukas is amazing! He is the best blues/rock guitar player since Roy Buchanon.

I worked with Lukas’s producer, John Avila, on all my tracks, and it was an honor.

What musical plans do you have coming up?

I have 2 more singles to release for an E.P that we plan to release later this year. Stay Tuned!

Rick Elliot has shared the stage with The Marshall Tucker Band as well as his idol’s son, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. To keep up with music or catch him on tour, be sure to check out Rick Elliot on Facebook.com/RickElliotMusic.

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OUTCRY at Corporation Sheffield

Photo: Jo Rawson

OutCry Lisa Reynolds writes about Leicesterbased band OutCry, fronted by James Byron

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“OutCry originally formed at Leicester college in 2006, it started with just a group of shy, outcast teenagers in a room with some guitars and a book of old lyrics. The early years were spent finding the right people and the right name and after a 2 year hiatus OutCry was reborn in 2014” Describing theimselves, the band state that they are “Classic Rock with modern sensibilities, dripping in eyeliner and dressed to kill.”

And this statement is backed up by their self-titled debut

Photo: Jo Rawson

EP, with the merging of both modern and classic rock sounds fusing together, to form a record which exudes rhythmic intensity by drawing on influences such as Placebo, Guns N’ Roses, Hole and Nirvana.

Comprising of four stunningly crafted tracks, this record shows the strength and power in vocalist James Byron’s voice, as it soars over the complementing and strong instrumentals from his bandmates, Scott Cadenhead (Guitar), Rick James (Bass) and Alex Brookes (Drums).

James Byron first came to public attention performing for The Voice UK, just over a year ago.

combination of light and shade in Byron’s seductive vocals, which are perfectly mirrored by the tempo of the instrumentals - musical marriage made in heaven.

The band, which formed in 2006, but went on hiatus for two years before reforming last year, have created an EP that is sure to have you headbanging or playing air guitar, rather than causing an outcry, with tracks which are catchy, original, and have hooks which stay in your head ages after, with highlights being the opening punkinfused Daybreak, and the powerful classic rock of Rock ‘n’ Rock Tragedy.

But there is that perfect

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Why Do Gay Men Adopt

Female Stars as Their Icons?

by Trevor Martin An acquaintance here in San Francisco informed me that some female stars are not merely icons: They are veritable patron saints!

When a little boy who is destined to grow up straight has a poster of his favorite sports star, superhero, or astronaut on his bedroom wall, we may conclude that he admires and identifies with him, and perhaps even wants to be his icon in some way.

But what about me? Did I want to be my female heroines?

I have pondered this phenomenon since I first realized I am gay. As a young child of 10, I would shut myself away during the weekends, curtains closed in the living room, and watch the triple bill of films on Saturday-afternoon BBC TV: Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford.

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The judo expert Emma Peel, portrayed amazingly by the inimitable Diana Rigg, in the UK-produced spy spoof, The Avengers; I definitely wanted to be Emma Peel when I was 9 years old. Samantha from Bewitched was a favorite, though I secretly admired her delightfully meddling, and wicked mother, Endora, the most!

In adulthood, we discover that other gay men had adopted these women in exactly the same way in childhood. Why do we, as individuals, gravitate to women, even the same women, before we are part of a gay scene, and before we are swept up in any collective gay groupthink?

The most noted and revered of gay men’s icons are inevitably quirky or uncommonly beautiful and always talented.

They portray a vulnerability that is often wrapped up in strength in the face of adversity. Lurking behind the glitz, they may have troubled personal lives -- perhaps their lives are tainted by emotional turbulence -- and sometimes a subtle sense of pathos filters

out from just behind the eyes.

Women who have been iconized by gay men are often hysterically funny too. The tragic element alongside highcamp humor are common denominators: the heightened or exaggerated characters they play, or the personae they choose to project, portraying a life at high frequency, top volume. We also gravitate to the characters the actresses play so brilliantly, such as Bette Davis in roles where she is often feisty and strident, but also misunderstood and deeply vulnerable in the final analysis.

While pondering our icons, I decided to reach out to two university professors, who have written about gender and sexuality issues with regard to gay culture.

Heather Love, a professor of English at Pennsylvania University, received her B.A. from Harvard and her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Her research interests include gender studies and queer theory.

Professor Love cautioned

Marilyn Monroe

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me against overanalyzing the issue. When I asked her about her take on “camp” and the female icon, she said:

what gay men do -- “it is part of being a gay man” -- but I was left with more questions than answers.

Esther Newton writes, “Camp humor is a system of laughing at one’s incongruous position instead of crying,” and I think that is pretty apt. The charge of camp is a result of social exclusion -- both the suffering and the insight that come from being an outsider.

She continued:

Is there more to it?

I am a bit wary of “pscyhologizing,” [which is] one step away from “pathologizing” the camp impulse in gay men.... [O]ne can analyze this attraction [to female icons] in terms of what these figures represent: a highly stylized femininity and toughness combined with abjection, a kind of overexposed and highly theatrical situation of longing and self-making.

Professor Love went on to say that she feels that gay men gravitated to, for example, Joan Crawford because that is

Is it “pathologizing” to embrace the fact that we are different and delve deeply into why? As gays assimilate into the mainstream, it is often unpopular to champion our own individual and collective quirkiness. Do we lose something in the process of acceptance? I question the notion that gay men gravitate to female stars and pedestalize them simply because a lot of people like them: In order to be inducted into the gay men’s hall of iconic fame, women need certain qualities over and above being female, for sure, but it is evident that being female is the one prerequisite.

Is it a joy of gender-bending, a phenomenon that is perhaps a distant second cousin of transgenderism, as evidenced by the historical popularity of drag artists and drag performance in the gay subculture? Are gay people in the twilight zone of gender more than we acknowledge, or is there a simpler explanation?

Professor Love rounded off our chat by saying:

Olivia Newton John 14 EILE Magazine

I guess I just think that the real difficulty here could be more social than psychic.

Being a woman is a social identity as well as a psychic one; a lot is wrapped up in that

identification, including simply not being in a position of social dominance. But you are right: It is a minefield!

I am wary of being too wary of analyzing the gay-icon phenomenon, because I think it has something to do with gender-bending and perhaps even wishful thinking on the part of gay men. I was nervous of my hypothesis, but why?

Professor Love says that gay men choose women because women are marginalized, so gay men identify.

But wait!

Marlon Brando and James Dean are lesbian icons. If part of the gay issue is to identify with those who are maligned or oppressed, then why do lesbians elevate Marlon Brando and James Dean to iconic status? Brando and Dean and the qualities they emanate hardly come off as oppressed. This would throw a curve ball to the notion that gay men iconize women because, historically, women have been marginalized.

David J. Leonard is an associate professor in the Department of Critical Culture, Gender, and Race Studies at Washington State University. I asked him why he thought gay men adopt females as icons, and he said: The women often said to be icons are most certainly women who don’t necessarily fit the script of femininity and sexual appeal within media

Jezebel (1938) was Davis’ second Academy Award-winning performance

culture. These women challenge and refuse to fit into this sort of commodity culture.

They enter into media culture through their own script, their own definition of self. I think these qualities are celebrated and admired, especially within communities that are also depicted and treated as outsiders, as undesirable, and not “normative.”

Icons transcend generations; icons come to represent a broader cultural movement or genre, but most important, as icons, their visibility crosses community and generation, [whereas] “popularity” is ephemeral and is specific to a moment.

I think there is a difference between a star who simply happens to have many gay male fans, and a star who is a bona fide gay patron saint, and I wanted to conclude with this: I fell in love with Olivia Newton-John when I was 11.

She is a star with many gay

fans -- I discovered on my 40th birthday, when I went to see her perform in Las Vegas, that she has a huge gay following -- but arguably, she’s not quite a gay icon. I have watched several interviews in which she is asked why she thinks she has such a loyal gay male following, and her reply is interesting: “I am not a threat.”

Trevor Martin is a Northern Irish writer based in California. You can read more of his writing at http://trevormartinwriter.com Or via Twitter: @Trevor_Martin_

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Most people would be satisfied with a full scholarship to play quarterback at a Division 1 University, but for Jef Joslin, this road seemed more like a detour than an open highway.

Growing up in the Appalachian mountains of Johnson City, TN, football looked like the most natural choice for those who knew Joslin. But he had other things in mind.

Only a semester in, he made the choice to give up his scholarship and transfer to Murfreesboro, TN to pursue a childhood dream of making music. Studying audio engineering and music production, he played the Nashville club scene and developed his lyrical sense and studio chops in the songwriting capital.

Jef Joslin

on living the dream 16 EILE Magazine

He taught himself to play guitar, bass, keys and drums heavily during those years, allowing him a full range of sounds in the studio and on the stage.

After 5 years in middle TN, he made the transition to Atlanta, GA and very quickly caught the attention of manager, Brian Richardson of B.o.B and Playboy Tre fame.

Richardson took him under his wing, putting him to work with Grand Hustle producers and writers and setting up live performances that included a six month residency at Atlanta’s Smiths Olde Bar and an opening slot for Janelle Monae, Wiz Khalifa and B.o.B at SXSW’s Atlantic Records showcase in Austin, TX in 2011.

Eventually, a lifelong dream of living on the west coast of California came knocking and Joslin answered swiftly. He packed everything he owned in his Toyota 4 Runner and made the long cross country haul to LA and landed in his new home January 1st of 2012.

Jef wasted no time. Within 7 months, he had made more headway than most who make the plunge into the entertainment headquarters.

Besides playing the LA and South Bay club scene, Joslin spent his time auditioning for NBC’s four famed coaches on The Voice, acting in a national Budweiser commercial featuring Jay-Z, and a lead EILE Magazine 17

role in Panasonic’s “GENESIS,” a short film showcasing their new GH3 camera.

album. He even designed the album artwork.

In November of 2012, he opened 222 Studios, “LA’s Most Laid Back Recording Studio,” and went to work on his first full length album, For Your Eyes Only, an amalgamation of epic, mega hook-driven pop songs drenched in Joslin’s signature soul sound, which he released in November 2013.

Somehow in the midst of all this he still finds time for one more dream. “I always wanted to be a Beach Boy: live by the beach on the west coast, play music, create art and surf…I’m doing all that and more now.

Anything from here is just icing on the cake.”

Now in Venice Beach, Joslin has truly narrowed in on his “California Soul” sound. On any given day you can find him serenading drifters along the Venice boardwalk and see people of all shapes and sizes dancing along to his mellow rhythm.

Playing songs from his latest release, Come Out West, a blend of Stevie Wonder’s Motown groove, dripping with Brian Wilson-esque harmonic arrangements, he has encapsulated the feel good, California sunshine music he always dreamed of making. To top it all off, Joslin produced, wrote, mixed and mastered the entire

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From one dream to the next, Joslin’s art explores the idea of life as an adventure, love, and the pursuit of meaningful relationships in hopes that it’ll inspire you to experience life the same way.

Find out more about Jef Joslin’s music by visiting www.jefjoslin.com

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From High Street To High Priced!

Mark Anthony looks at what drives the choice between high street stores and designer labels

I am constantly at war with myself.

As a former student struggling to make the leap into adult life, I am stereotypical; my diet is lacking in any sort of decency, I experience productive rushes at silly times of the night, and my level of disposable income is disappointingly small. What’s more, the little I do have is more often than not spent on wine – on this note I would like to point out that I am a country boy, so I only drink wine and only the good stuff, so it is expensive.

Who am I kidding, €4 in Lidl is the way to go. But being a chap with a keen interest in fashion, and striving to dress as the archetypal stylish gent would, this leaves an almost laughably

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small amount of money with which to purchase desirable new threads. Thus is the question raised: Should you wander down the high street or should you spend that little bit more?

As you are most likely an eager, fashionable person, who is intent on looking good, it would be fair to say that the dilemma of choosing a suitable shopping establishment is not one restricted to me alone. I would, in fact, go as far as to say that it is one of the most important considerations when constructing that perfect wardrobe, so it is imperative that you get it right.

I am also quite sure that given the adequate funding, we would all completely forgo the high street, and dash off to the nearest luxurious store – or in my case Penneys – but unfortunately, this is not the case, and thus the issue remains.

Price is undeniably the high street store’s greatest weapon.

If price is the biggest influence on our choice of shopping establishment, then for the majority, the result must be obvious – you go for high street. When you have very little money, it suddenly becomes a clear cut choice; you get more clothes for your money. As the majority of fashion consumers are typically the younger generation (an often cash strapped consumer base), making the most of your money is the key to any shopping success. And with stores in almost every major town and city, these companies offer great availability, flexible pricing and a huge amount of choice right on your doorstep.

In a world where individuality is the name of the game, variety certainly is the spice of life, and variety is something high street stores have in spades; from basic tees to knitwear, shoes to accessories, they offer almost everything. They mix up their styles, colours and material to

create unique lines that appeal directly to the target audience, reflecting the independent and experimental nature of fashion.

They focus much more on the current trends, and have a very strong connection to the catwalks and high fashion, meaning their collections have a very progressive nature, once again giving a younger generation that wants to play around with their style a lot to work with.

An interesting point to also consider is the actual layout of the store itself. Many high street brands focus on maximum stock, minimal design – all helping to allow variety – but the higher end

stores appear more interested in the architectural appearance of their shop floors, with a great deal of focus on placement and presentation, which begs the question – how much does it affect our attitude? Or how much should it affect our attitude?

Branding is also very much a player in this choice, and it is closely linked to the issues surrounding fashion snobbery or stereotyping. Whom or what we associate a particular brand with has a very big influence on whether we decide to invest in that brand. Putting aside the age old adages, it can be as simple as people who shop in Penneys etc., stereotyping those

that shop in higher end stores or vice versa, or because you don’t like the brand itself, the way it is run, or its company values.

In this instance my pet hate is the Abercrombie & Fitch family, but I am less concerned with the people than the actual company itself, which I find appalling, and the clothes it produces, mostly because of the overbearing logos. This can easily be avoided by sticking to brands like Topman, H&M and River Island, because they offer fairly anonymous clothing that shies away from any particular branding or logo – very important if you wish your outfit or wardrobe to remain

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neutral and timeless.

However, there are, of course, downsides to these high street shops, and they are nearly all directly linked to the things that make them an attractive choice. First and foremost there is the issue of quality. The saying ‘you get what you pay for’ certainly rings true. It would be naive to think that the brand name didn’t have an impact on the price of an item (just look at apple) but even so, the quality of your clothing is closely linked to the amount you spend. A cheap polo, from any of the high street names, will be made of cheaper material, using less refined production techniques, and subsequently won’t last as long as one from Fred Perry, for example.

Now, whether quality is of particular consequence is entirely up to you, but it is worth bearing in mind that a cheaper polo will look and feel remarkably different to a more expensive one; the fit won’t be as good, colours may fade quicker, they will be more prone to shrinkage (or lose their shape) and this could ultimately make a big difference to the overall look of an outfit.

High street brands are very popular, there is no getting away from that, and we can see from the reasons explained above why that might be, but this popularity does come with its problems. Certainly, they offer a great deal of variety, but because so many people use them, overlaps do occur. Because places like Topman and H&M are so focused on trends and selling the latest items, they create an environment where a lot of people will buy the same clothes.

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Everyone knows the Topman stereotype, and has probably raised their eyebrows at the number of people they see that dress in exactly the same way, a problem exacerbated by high street stores.

This is not to say that the higher end stores don’t suffer from a similar problem. Despite their price, or image differences, they will produce similar items to those available on the high street, but because of the slight differences in design and the improved quality, they will stand out. This focus on trends could also lead to a lack of high quality, timeless and classic items, because they are pushed out by the need for new designs and the next big thing.

It is clear then that there are strong arguments for either side of this issue. High street stores offer shoppers many great things; variety, low price, a strong affinity with trends and the catwalks, and the avoidance of branding, but they also suffer from problems stemming from exactly those things. In the end the choice is subjective, you must decide what you look for in your clothes, what you wish to achieve with them, and what would suit your style best.

Personally I feel that my style, or what I aspire to, is best served by investment in timeless and classic key items, so I tend to stick to higher end stores (hence why I spend more time wandering around rather than buying). I look for quality and cut, rather than quantity and choice, looking to create a capsule wardrobe that will provide stylish looks for years to come.

River Island 2014/2015 Autumn/Winter Fashion

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Review: Placebo At The Olympia Lisa Reynolds Reviews The Recent Placebo Gig At The Olympia in Dublin Placebo played the Olympia on Wednesday the 25th of February to rapturous applause from their Irish fans.

As huge fans ourselves, my sister and I were delighted to be at the gig. First up in the beautiful theatre was the support act, alternative Indie rock n’ roll/pop 5-piece Scottish band, The Mirror Trap, fronted by Gary Panther Moore on vocals, who will hopefully soon tour on their own.

Mirror Trap rocked out for seven songs before Placebo came on with the most incredible lighting effects.

Combined with the rock sound, the light flashed and bounced around the space, giving it a magical aura.

Brian Molko, who has recently released a book of lyrics entitled “Brian Molko: Selected”, has this incredible, unique voice, and it sounded stunning in the arena. He’s

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also even more beautiful in reality than on TV or in photos, which I didn’t think was possible! Matt Lunn was outstanding on drums in his first show with the band, giving it everything he had, and the very tall Stefan Olsdal on guitar was also incredible.

The instrumentals were amazing and very powerful throughout. The set included songs such as The Bitter End, For What It’s Worth, and Loud Like Love. There was also the revival of Special Needs which the band hadn’t played in a while, and a rousing version of Meds. Other songs included A Million Little Pieces, B3, Song To Say Goodbye and Space Monkey.

Dressed in a black shirt with a bit of chest showing, skinny jeans and black boots, Brian sang and played his guitar with gusto, and spoke about sex, the heritage of Dublin, noticing old fans in the front rows, and welcoming anyone there for their first Placebo show.

They had to play an encore of course, which was brilliant, beginning with Begin The End and seamlessly flowing into their hauntingly beautiful version of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill, and the energetic Post Blue, before ending on the pulsating Infrared.

Placebo came across as both talented and very likeable, as well as witty. Brian has a really warm smile and the band gel together as you would expect from a group who had been together over twenty years.

They have come through everything including breakups, and have sold over 12 million albums worldwide.

A brilliant night of amazing music and as we say in Ireland great craic!

Support Band: The Mirror Tr

rap

From left to right: Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, Steve Forrest, Bologna, November 2009 Photo: Alessandro Caniglia

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YesEquality as Gaeilge: ‘TáComhionannas’ Seolta go hOifigiúil Reáchtáladh an chéad chruinniú den fheachtas TáComhionannas i mBaile Átha Cliath i rith na seachtaine a sheasfaidh lámh le lámh leis an bhfeachtas Béarla YesEquality.

ceist ná buairt atá acu i dtaobh an reifrinn seo a fhreagairt.

A léiriú go mbaineann an cheist atá á cur sa reifreann seo le gach teaghlach sa tír.

Dúirt Traolach Ó Buachalla ar son TáComhionannas:

“D’fhreastail idir mhic léinn, mháithreacha agus aithreacha, iar-theachtaí dála, mhúinteoirí agus dhlíodóirí ar an gcéad chruinniú ach tá an lucht eagraithe ag iarraidh méadú a chur ar an Is í aidhm an fheachtais ná díriú ar phobal na Gaeilge agus líon daoine páirteach iad a spreagadh chun vótála in TáComhionannas ar son comhionannais phósta agus grúpaí a bheith sa reifreann i mí na Bealtaine gníomhach fud fad na 2015. tíre.”

Tá trí sprioc ag an bhfeachtas TáComhionannas: Ceist an chomhionannais phósta a phlé sna meáin agus ar shuíomhanna meán sóisialta.

Labhairt le daoine, agus pé

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“Níl cead ag Aire Sláinte na tíre seo pósadh. Níl cead ag Dónal Óg Cusack pósadh. Níl cead ag Valerie Mulcahy pósadh.”

“Ba mhaith linn a chinntiú go bhfuil glór phobal labhartha

na Gaeilge – atá ag troid ar son cearta sibhialta agus ar son comhionannais phósta – le cloisteáil. Tá baill an fheachtais sásta labhairt leis na meáin, dul ar raidió agus ar theilifís chun a scéalta féin a insint agus dul i mbun díospóireachta leo siúd i bhfabhar neamhionannais.”

Má tá tú ag iarraidh a bheith páirteach le TáComhionannas, is féidir cuairt a thabhairt dá leathanach Facebook nó iad a leanúint ar Twitter. (eile.ie 25/3/2015)

This article refers to the launch of the Irishlanguage wing of the YesEquality campaign, ‘TáComhionannas’. There follows an interview in Irish with the founder, Traolach Ó Buachalla.

(Ed.)

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Traolach Ó Buachalla ar T Is rud Éireannach é an Co Labhair Scott De Buitléir le Traolach Ó Buachalla, bunaitheoir an sciatháin Ghaeilge de ‘YesEquality’ maidir leis an taobh Gaelach den ngluaiseacht ar son an chomhionannais.

SDB: Cén fáth go raibh fonn ort grúpa, dírithe ar phobal na Gaeilge, a bhunú do YesEquality / TáComhionannas?

Teacht le chéile a bhí ann, meitheal d’fhéadfá a rá!

Cúpla duine go raibh an smaoineamh chéana acu ag an am chéana. Ó mo thaobh fhéin de, chonacthas dom go raibh forbairt ag teacht ar an bhfeachtas YesEquality agus nuair a deineadh é a láinséáil go hoifigiúil rith sé liom ná raibh Gaeilge le clos. Níor theastaigh uaim go mbeadh an feachtas náisiúnta seo, feachtas atá chomh tábhachtach domsa go pearsanta, feachtas riachtanach ó thaobh na tíre seo de gan a bheith ag diriú ar lucht labhartha na Gaeilge. Ní raibh aon dul as agam ach rud éigin a dhéanamh faoi, bhí an t-ádh liom nach agam fhéin amháin a bhí an smaoineamh

28 EILE Magazine

sin. Thánamar le chéile, is seo sin anois.

SDB: An bhfuil go leor cainte i measc phobal na Gaeilge maidir leis an reifreann, meastú?

N’fheadar chun na fírinne a rá, agus is rud é atá deacair a mheas. Níl aon dabht faoi ach go bhfuil díospóireacht sna meáin, litreacha agus ailt á fhoilsiú sna páipéir, tá an t-ábharsan ‘aer’. Ach n’fheadar an bhfuil an cómhrá atá ag teastáil ag tarlú. Ach ní féidir liomsa é sin a mheas ach an oiread. Mar an rud is tábhachtaí ná go mbeadh cómhráití pearsanta ag daoine lena chéile. Caithfidh gach duine againne, éinne againn a thuigeann cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an seans seo, labhairt lenár gcomharsana, lenár gcairde, lenár gclainn agus deimhin a dhéanamh de go dtuigeann siadsan cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an scéal seo. Is cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé go gcaithfidh gach duine a vóta ar an lá mór.

SDB: Tá coincheap ann go b’fhéidir go mbeadh

Gaeilgeoirí agus/nó lucht na Gaeltachta níos coimeádaí ná Éireannaigh eile - meastú go bhfuil cás níos deacra agat ná leo siúd a bhfuil cónaí orthu sna cathracha móra?

Níor ghéilleasa riamh go bhfuilfimíd níos coimeádaí.

Cinnte tá grá againn don dtraidisiún - ach sé an rud traidisiúnta sa tír seo ná bheith lách le daoine, a bheith cairtheanach, a bheith muinteara. Tá béim ar an dteaghlach- is ana-mheas againn ar an dteaghlach.

Tugann an reifreann seo an tseans dúinn an meas sin a léiriú- trí fáilte a chur roimh gach sórt clainne sa phobal seo.

Go bunúsach sin atá ann – comhionannas do gach duine in ár bpobal féin. Is rud traidisiúnta é sin, is rud poblachtánach é sin, is rud Éireannach é sin.

SDB: Tá thart ar mhíle duine ann a leanann an leathanach anois; an raibh tú ag súil lena

TáComhionannas: omhionannas leithéid?

Ní raibh aon tuairim agam gur mar seo a bheadh, is chun treise atá muid ag dul gach lá.

Tá troid romhainn, tá cabhair uainn, luaigh mé meitheal níos luaithe, sin atá sa bhfeachtas seo, is cuma Gaeilge nó Béarla, aerach nó ‘díreach’, tá orainn teacht le chéile is oibriú ar son cearta daonna, cearta sibhialta agus ar son an ghrá.

SDB: An bhfuil sibh ag eagrú ócáidí trí Ghaeilge ar son an reifrinn?

faoi conas mar a fheiceann muidne, muintir na hÉireann, sinn féin.

Táimid ar fáil freisin mar fhoinse cabhrach d’éinne ar mhaith leo a feachtas pearsanta féin a chur faoi shiúl, agus is é sin atá ag teastáil.

Déan teaghmháil linn ag tacomhionannas@gmail.com Nó ar an leathanach Facebook.

Traolach Ó Buachalla

Táimid le cruinniú mór a bheith againn go luath mar tá cúpla smaoineamh againn, cúpla ócáid b’fhéidir! Bí ag faire!

SDB: Céard é an plean daoibh don gcuid eile den bhfeachtas?

An rud is tábhachtaí dúinne ná go gcloisfidh pobal labhartha na Gaeilge, daoine le Gaeilge ag troid ar son an reifrinn seo. Go dtuigfidh daoine nach ábhar cathrach atá anseo, nó nach rud é nach mbaineann leo, baineann sé seo le gach aon duine sa stát seo. Is fúinne atá sé. Teachtaireacht láidir

EILE Magazine 29

Cllr Patrick McKee:

The Renua Road Ahead Scott De Buitléir chats to the Kilkenny politician about leaving Fianna Fáil, equal marriage and party politics Councillor Patrick McKee is in an uncertain, but undoubtedly exciting, place in his life right now.

At the end of last month, he made national news.

It wasn’t because he’s an openly gay politician, nor was it for publicly supporting the Yes vote in the Marriage Equality referendum. It was, in fact, not related to his sexuality at all - something of a sign of progress when it comes to Irish news and politics.

Instead, it was because an ‘up-and-coming’ Councillor of Kilkenny County Council, having been a member of Fianna Fáil until the end of March, announced that he was joining the newlylaunched political party, Renua Ireland.

To those who may not have known too much about 30 EILE Magazine

the local politician, the announcement may have come as a shock, however when his hopes of being nominated by Fianna Fáil as their candidate for the next Irish general election weren’t realised, one can see the move to Renua as an opportunity he couldn’t have missed.

“I had been very disillusioned for a long time with the established parties. As a member of Fianna fáil, I was elected to Kilkenny County Council last May, and since then it’s come clear to me that the ‘establishment’ parties – Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour – are not only failing to deliver the types of policies that are needed in terms of tackling our economy, and to provide for our more vulnerable in our society, but they’re simply incapable of delivering that type of change.”

“These parties are part of the problem,” McKee explains

to me. “I’ve taken a stand by stepping out of what is a comfortable position in Fianna Fáil, and contesting the by-election with a new party that is committed to building a fairer society. In particular, it’s committed to building an economy where entrepreneurs or innovators are supported, particularly [where] our young people can go out, create businesses and support employment.”

“I met Lucinda Creighton [Renua’s founder] a few weeks ago. We spoke at length, and I expressed interest in joining Renua, and the possibility of contesting the by-election.

We were on the same hymn sheet in terms of economic issues.”

The economic aspirations of both Patrick and his new teammates in Renua Ireland may be admirable, and indeed, may well earn him quite a few votes in the local by-election, which he understands is to be

Councillor Patrick Mc Kee

“I’ve taken a stand by stepping out of what is a comfortable position in Fianna Fáil, and contesting the by-election with a new party that is committed to building a fairer society”

announced for May 22.

That being said, the party’s founder, Lucinda Creighton, has only recently changed her mind on the issue of same-sex marriage, and announced that she would be voting Yes in the allimportant referendum.

express their views without fear of favour. […] It’s up to each individual to listen to the arguments and make up their own mind.”

The fact that Renua, as a whole, are staying firmly on the fence on such a massive issue could either gain them Renua are unlike the other respect or go against them, major Irish political parties, but Patrick argues that it’s because the new party does “a far healthier decision” not express support for a than having a diktat coming Yes vote with a single voice. from the leader of a party or its hierarchy, forcing people “The thing about Renua is to vote one way or another. that there is difference of For the record, McKee opinion on social issues”, “absolutley, undoubtedly” McKee explained, “but we’re believes that is what is willing to acknowledge taking place within the that and to accept that, to ‘establishment’ parties. allow members of the party

Whether or not Patrick McKee will remain in public office after the upcoming Kilkenny-Carlow byelection remains to be seen, but joining Renua Ireland definitely seems to have renewed his own faith and enthusiasm for achieving change through politics.

He reassures me that he will be fiercely campaigning for a Yes vote in the upcoming Marriage Equality Referendum, voting the same way as his new leader will. Regardless of his party affiliation, though, it seems that Patrick McKee’s political star is only set to shine stronger.

EILE Magazine 31

‘It’s for YOU!’ 12th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Launch 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 32 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

EILE Magazine 33

BIRD: One-Man Show At The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival As part of the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, and the only South African play represented this year, the one-man show, “Bird”, explores the notion of ‘the self’ before, during and after a relationship.

“People travel through life in search of love and happiness like flocks of migrating birds.

They fly and fly until they meet the love of their life. Together, they fly some more, discovering new worlds, experiencing new horizons, they laugh and play and grow”.

the role his love has played. He realises that the purpose of meeting his love was to help him find his true self. This makes the narrator think of flocks of birds that migrate yearly in response to seasonal changes or variations in food supply. He identifies with the idea of migrating, and so restores hope by creating a desire for a new life. He stands up to jump and fly further. He moves on. He migrates.

Through his relationship (and break-up) with the mysterious figure, the narrator of “Bird” goes on a journey of self-discovery, seeking his own identity within a world that fears lonesomeness.

Bird, written by Marnitz Van Deventer and directed by Gerrit Schoonhoven, plays at

Even though the theme is simple, the story is told in a metaphorical way: a bird that must migrate.

Outhouse, Capel Street, Dublin, from 4 - 9 May, 2015, at 7.45, as part of the IDGTF.

In short; a narrator meets a figure with magical abilities, which fascinates him - and so he falls in love. The figure (which has now become his “love”) introduces him to a new world where he can accept himself and claim his individuality. His love also gradually transforms him into a bird and teaches him to fly. Being part of a flock of birds makes the narrator feel worthy and loved, until he is captured by a net.

The Interational Dublin Gay Theatre Festival runs from 4-17 May 2015. For more information visit http:// www.gaytheatre.ie/

This is also the end of their bird-like fairytale.

The narrator hopes to be rescued soon, but as time goes by, rethinks their relationship and

34 EILE Magazine

“People travel through life in search of love and happiness like flocks of migrating birds. They fly and fly until they meet the love of their life.

Together, they fly some more, discovering new worlds, experiencing new horizons, they laugh and play and grow�.

EILE Magazine 35

Stateside Comedy to Uplift Spirits This Summer at The 12th Annual International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Ever been stuck in a confined space with someone who just pushed your buttons?!

“I should’ve taken the stairs.” That’s exactly what Jack thinks when he finds himself stuck for an hour in an elevator with drag entertainer, Simone, for company. The two instantly hate each other. Yet unlikely circumstances make for unlikely allies.

Just what can two strangers get up to in a confined space?!? Drugs? Yoga?

Music? Dance? One thing is for sure, these two really push each other’s buttons.

With summer on the horizon, an exciting Stateside stage comedy is set to uplift spirits.

91 Central presents Going Up: a fun, fresh American comedy brought to you by high-flying NYC playwright, Penny Jackson, and famed London-based director, Mark Pollard. This award-winning duo previously collaborated in last year’s IDGTF with Bitten – a short play set in an Irish bar in Queens, recently a finalist for the Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama.

This transatlantic treat was inspired by the experiences of people trapped in a high-rise elevator during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

36 EILE Magazine

Not one to shy away from writing about contemporary life, Jackson shines a spotlight on divorce, drug abuse, workplace discrimination against LGBT teachers as well as marriage equality.

For eight shows only, Going Up exclusively runs from May 4th–9th @ Teachers’ Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1 as part of the 12th annual International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.

Tickets are €15 / €13 (concession) / €10 (matinée) and available online from Ticketsolve or in-person from the IDGTF box office @ Grattan Café, 6A Quay Lower, Dublin 1.

Pure comedy on so many levels.

For more info, visit Going Up on Facebook and Twitter.

EILE Magazine 37

Archbishop Eamon Martin criticised by Faith group for claiming Christians ‘suffer persecution’ for marriage views Faith in Marriage Equality (FiME) spokesman, Dr Richard O’Leary, has told EILE that he respectfully disagrees with the claim by the Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland, that Christians ‘suffer persecution’ for their views on marriage.

The Archbishop made the claim during a service on Holy Thursday.

Dr Richard O’Leary of Faith in Marriage Equality responded that “to make such a claim, especially on the eve of Good Friday, does a disservice to Christians who are genuinely persecuted in other parts of the world”.

38 EILE Magazine

He added:

“I was also saddened that my fellow Christian, the Archbishop, showed no awareness of the painful history of criminalisation under the civil law and discrimination by the Church suffered by gay people in Ireland.”

Dr O’Leary noted that “although Archbishop Eamon Martin’s comments were made during the period of the Irish referendum on same-sex marriage, not all Christians including the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton, agree with his conservative, exclusive view against marriage equality”.

Faith in Marriage Equality is supported by the Catholic groups; – ‘We

are Church Ireland’ and ‘Gay Catholic Voice Ireland’ and the Church of Ireland group ‘Changing Attitude Ireland’ You can visit the FiME website at http://www.fime.ie/

Information and support for women who need someone to talk to

DLL – Phone: (01) 872 9911 (Callback facility available) EILE Magazine 39

OutHouse Presents Record Store Gay 2015 OUTHOUSE LGBT Community Resource Centre and Little Gem Records are delighted to announce the 4th annual Record Store Gay festival featuring some of Dublin’s finest artists and musicians.

On Saturday April 18th from 1pm – 6pm Outhouse will host a live music festival, pop up record shop and art exhibition featuring some of the best independent artists from Ireland and abroad.

Limited edition Record Store Gay prints by artists including Lili Scratchy, Shark At Heart, Ickis Mirolo, Ruan Van Vliet, KAGE and many more will be for sale.

The Record Store Gay compilation will be released on the day and features such artists as Hi Fashion, Kate’s Party, I Heart The Monster Hero, Florence Olivier, Katherine Lynch & Switzerland, Patrick Kelleher, Gross Net, The Late David Turpin, Brian Conniffe, Gar Cox, Fierce Mild, Feather Beds, GODHATESDISCO, Laura Ann Brady and many more.

The pop up music festival will continue later at PantiBar from 6pm – 10:30 on Capel St. where the bands will continue to perform before the Panitshow begins at 10.30pm.

All of these bands will be performing live on the day and for free.

100% of proceeds will go towards the YES EQUALITY campaign and performers are supporting a YES VOTE for the Marriage Equality Referendum on the 22nd May 2015.

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EILE Magazine 41

California Dispatch

Californ

DRIVING W

Rick Watts reminds us that hard-won gains are at risk if good people neglect them or fail to protect them Riding as a passenger with me recently, a friend suddenly warned “Republican on your right!”

Of course he was half-joking; simply pointing out that there was a car coming up in the right lane that he was fearful I’d missed—which indeed I had, but for his warning, since I’d not looked over my shoulder as I should have done before attempting my lane change.

42 EILE Magazine

You see (no pun intended), I am blind—well, partly blind.

While my left eye is good enough for me to drive, my right one has been largely useless for a few years now.

And it has left me needing to be a little more careful of persons or vehicles approaching from the right.

In a very real but different sense, the same might be said of LGBT persons living in the liberal democracies of the world; including (I am happy to write) most areas of the United States of America. For,

as of earlier this year, even the conservative southern state of Alabama now permits samesex couples the same right to marry that heterosexual couples accept as so much of a birthright that even death-row prison inmates are permitted to wed.

Yes, the remarkable advances in LGBT equality in Europe and the USA in recent years have rightly given us all much to be grateful for—and hopeful about. But in a very real way those very advances can create their own blind spots for us,

California Dispatch

nia Dispatch:

WITH A BLINDSPOT ON THE RIGHT

“

For lesbians (and women in general) misogyny and lack of gender parity in pay still limits too many lives

to regard these advances as inevitable and irreversible—a conclusion that’s not just wrong, but downright dangerous, as history tells us.

History reminds us that the past can repeat itself—or at least echo past travesties and organized societal or statesanctioned injustices.

For persons of color, the economic and social legacy of discredited race laws, and lack of needed immigration reform, still echoes through to the current generation, manifesting in lack of

opportunity. For lesbians (and women in general) misogyny and lack of gender parity in pay still limits too many lives.

For LGBT youth in less-thanaccepting areas or families, too many of them are harassed and homeless. For them the picture is still bleak. And for our transgender sisters and brothers—even here in the “good ol’ US of A”—hatemotivated violence, or threat thereof, still exists on a scale that, if it were projected to the American population as a whole, would work out to some

”

areas of remaining injustice we fail to see, or from which we avert our eyes now that (at least for white, male, moneyed gays living in western countries) “we’ve got ours.”

If looking at only these advances (important as they are) the phrase that comes to mind is “you’ve come a long way, baby!” And indeed we have. But it’s also tempting EILE Magazine 43

California Dispatch Weimar-period 1920s Germany was a time and place of liberal experimentation—and libertine experience; of nascent gay culture and cabaret; when LGBT persons there enjoyed openness theretofore unprecedented in modern history. But in 1932, German voters, disenchanted by political bickering and seeming impotence in a rapidly worsening economic depression, and whipsawed by violence from the left and right, bought into Nazi Party propaganda.

ELEVEN THOUSAND DEATHS per year!

Does anyone doubt that, if four times as many Americans were killed last year simply because they are “openly” American, every person in this country, from the most ardent lefty to the most conservative “tea-party” Republican, would be marching in the streets; rightly demanding of their elected representatives and law enforcement that they hold accountable the perpetrators and purveyors of the hate that motivated those crimes?

Even with the advances in justice we so rightly welcome, we would do well to remind ourselves that those gains can just as easily be reversed, if we “fail to look over our right shoulder” at those who would take our rights away if given the chance.

The liberty, equality, and brotherhood, that distilled the hopes and dreams of the French Revolution; principles which are best protected by democracy, are nonetheless perpetually

44 EILE Magazine

at risk from neglect by good people ignoring our obligation to safeguard them with our participating in them, all while exercising a healthy dose of humility and regard for others’ opinions.

Each one of us — simply by virtue of being human — is subject to screwing up; to giving in to prejudices, or ignoring them where we see them. But as humans, perhaps our salvation is in this line from “South Pacific”: “You’ve got to be taught to hate.”

Thomas Jefferson perhaps said it best: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” So remember to check your blindspots.

Based in Los Angeles, Rick Watts is an LGBT activist and contributor to the NewsWrap segment of LGBT radio show, This Way Out. He is also a board member of TWO‘s production company, Overnight Productions.

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

Cinderella

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Directed by: Kenneth Brannagh Starring: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Helena Bonham Carter Loosely drawing from the much-loved 1950 animated musical, this live action version of the classic fairytale sees Lily James step out of the shadow of Downton Abbey to don the famous glass slippers that nab her a prince.

Directed by Kenneth Brannagh, who knows more than a thing or two about the classics, this is a very traditional take on the tale. In case you don’t know the story (and if not why not) Cinderella is a beautiful young girl who has a happy childhood.

However, when her mother dies, and her father marries Lady Tremaine (Blanchett) a family friend with two daughters, Ella’s blissful life is thrown into disarray. When her father later passes away, and she is left in the care of her stepmother, things will never be the same, as she is forced to cook, clean and generally look after her step family.

Seeking solace in the woods, she meets a handsome apprentice called Kit (Madden) not realising that he is actually the Prince. When the Palace announces that every maiden in the land is invited a ball to find a bride for the Prince, she is thrilled at the prospects of seeing her friend again.

However, her stepmother bans her from attending, and

all hope is lost, until she is visited by her Fairy Godmother (Bonham Carter) who transforms an array of objects and animals into finery fit for a Princess allowing her to attend the ball.

But the magic only lasts until midnight, and when Cinderella and Kit get caught up in getting to know each other,the clock begins to chime, forcing her to flee while losing a shoe in the process. However Kit hasn’t given up on her, and searches the kingdom for the woman who fits the shoe. The pair are eventually reunited and they live happily ever after.

Cinderella has set the bar pretty high for girls for centuries, and pretty much trademarked the idea that there is a Prince Charming waiting to sweep you off your feet, and this movie does nothing to dispel that myth.

In recent years, Disney have been commended for giving us Princesses with more moxy, but Cinders here is old school. James simpers her way through the part, and is sweetness and light for the duration. Despite this she shows a lot more depth than she ever has as Lady Rose in Downton, and she is suitably ethereal and stunning to bring the fairytale princess to life.

The always reliable Blanchet is wonderful as the wicked stepmother, and revels in her malevolence. It is easy to go the wrong side of panto villain in a role like this, but she keeps it well balanced and resists the temptation to go OTT. Meanwhile Bonham Carter revels in her role as Fairy

Godmother, bringing plenty of humour and warmth to the part. As for Madden, he is suitably stoic and handsome as the lovestruck Prince.

This film looks simply stunning, and there are some breathtaking sequences, such as the infamous ballroom scene (James dress is apparently made up of two miles of fabric, and it really shows in the movement when she dances).

However, the one thing it lacks is darkness. Traditional Disney animations usually tend to have rather murky undertones, and indeed the fairy tales they are adapted from are actually very dark but there is none of that here. Instead it is frothy and fluffy and gorgeous throughout.

Other than that, this is very engaging and a nice addendum to the animated classic. Little girls will want to be Lily James, and her ballgown is probably set to be THE Halloween costume de jour for the under 10s this year. As an extra special treat the short Frozen Fever is showing before this movie, bringing all the beloved Frozen characters back to the screen, which will go down well with fans.

Not just for kids, this is a beautiful piece of escapism and fantasy, wrapped up in the familiarity of a well loved childhood tale. It would have been nice to have a Cinders with a bit more backbone, but that aside this is a beautiful piece of cinema that should entertain and enthral all ages.

In Cinemas Now! EILE Magazine 47

48 EILE Magazine

Directed by: Ari Sandal Starring: Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca A. Santos, Skyler Samuels, Allison Janney, Ken Jeong, Nick Eversman This isn’t an homage to Homer Simpson’s favourite beer, but rather an acronym for “Designated Ugly Fat Friend”. Although this is set in a high school in the grand Hollywood tradition, both Whitman and Amell are actually 26, although they would (just about) pass for the 17-year-olds they are supposed to be playing.

Whitman plays Bianca, who is friends with the hugely popular Jess and Casey (Samuels and Santos). When she attends a party, and her neighbour and childhood friend, handsome football star Wesley (Amell) inadvertently tells her she is the DUFF, she is horrified. Hurt, mortified and seeing all hopes of getting together with her crush, Toby

(Eversman) slipping away, she unfriends Jess and Casey, and makes a deal with Wes that she will tutor him for exams, if he will coach her in how not to be the DUFF.

Madison, who dreams of getting her own reality show, and scarily you will realise that we all know people like that.

Alison Janney is fabulous as Bianca’s mother, but sadly underused, as is Unfortunately, his exKen Jeong, who plays girlfriend Madison one of Bianca’s teachers.

(Thorne) looms large, The focus here is very and revels in humiliating much on the kids, which Bianca at every is as it should be, since it opportunity. Despite this, is a teen rom-com. she manages to score a date with Toby, but all This film is entertaining does not go to plan, and enough. It’s no Easy she soon realises that A, and Whitman is no maybe what she wants Emma Stone, but the may lie closer to home. chemistry with the leads makes it watchable on This is your standard the whole. You can see a ugly duckling story, that lot of the plot coming a has been done since the mile away, and the script dawn of cinema. Yes, it is standard fare, but it is features contemporary inoffensive, and at just references and modern over an hour and a half, technology, but it is it doesn’t outstay its exactly the same film welcome. you have seen a million times. That’s not to This won’t set the world say that it doesn’t have on fire, and is unlikely merits. Whitman has to become a teen classic, a wry wit that works but it will engage you well for the cynical in its whimsy and leave Bianca, while Amell has you entertained, and somewhat more depth will have you sizing up than you expect from groups of friends to your standard teen rom- figure out the DUFF for com beefcake. weeks afterwards.

Thorne really shines as the bitchy wannabe,

In Cinemas Now!

EILE Magazine 49

Nick’s Picks Music Reviews by Nick Bassett Shipped directly from New Zealand, EILE’s music reviewer Nick Bassett (also of ChartShaker) has got the latest high-quality music from artists you should be listening to – right now. Click on any of the art work to take you straight to the sound!

Golden Coast – Take Me Away Gifting us with another infectious, synth-loaded pop gem are Californian duo Golden Coast, who are currently showing off their brand new single, Take You Away.

Packed with catchy-as-you-like hooks and a chorus that is guaranteed to add a swing to your hips and a bounce to your step, Take You Away is a summer-heralding bop which arrived online ahead of the LA-based band’s recent free showcase at No Vacancy.

The Knocks feat. Alex Newell - Collect My Love If you’ve not heard any of The Knocks’ recent material, you’ve seriously been missing out on some stellar party playlist opportunities. Luckily for you, the duo are releasing their latest EP, So Classic, this month, and here we have the third track from the collection to receive its official premiere.

Joining last year’s Powers-assisted tropicapop jam Classic and the moody end-of-night electrofunk number Dancing On My Own then is Collect My Love, a track that will have you dusting off your dancing shoes and heading straight to the centre of the club floor to bust some serious Studio 54-worthy moves.

Featuring vocals from Alex Newell, better known for his role as Unique on Fox’s TV hit Glee, and more recently as the guest singer on Clean Bandit’s latest offering Stronger, The Knocks’ discofuelled latest is an exhilarating, adrenaline pumper, that will have you reaching for that replay button as soon as it comes to its soaring climax.

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Mika - Talk About You Would you believe that it’s been nine years since Mika first exploded on to the scene with his first single, the still very cool Relax Take It Easy? Now the British singer is back with Talk About You – a catchy pop number with a repetitive chorus that’s reminiscent of his early chart successes.

Mika’s debut LP Life In Cartoon Motion has sold over 7 million copies since its release in 2007, when it launched a cascade of technicolored, tongue-in-cheek pop hits including the number one smash Grace Kelly and three further top ten follow ups Love Today, Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) and Happy Ending. The same year, Mika secured first place in the BBC’s Sound of 2007 and in 2008, he took home the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act. Released last month, Talk About You is Mika’s first single since Boum Boum Boum came out last June. It serves as the latest taster for his incoming fourth studio album No Place In Heaven – the follow up to 2012’s The Origin of Love – which will be distributed via Republic Records on 15 June and is available to preorder now.

Cheerleader - The Sunshine This lot first caught our attention a year ago with the brilliant Perfect Vision, which was then joined six months later by a debut EP called On Your Side. Fast forward another half a year and Cheerleader are back again, and continuing to press our buttons with their new single The Sunshine of Your Youth.

The Philadelphian five piece have previously proven themselves to be fond of recreating snapshots of hazy summer days gone by, with their picture perfect painted lyrics and Joe Haller’s sun-kissed vocals blending effortlessly against a backdrop of unintrusive guitars and drums and backing harmonies.

The Sunshine of Your Youth sees the band sticking with what they do so brilliantly, and further honing their craft by deftly sneaking in some fuzzy pop hooks that make it their most radio-friendly offering yet.

What’s more, it’s available to download now as an instant grat track with preorders of Cheerleader’s upcoming debut studio album of the same name, which is primed for release on 15 May.

EILE Magazine 51

Irish-Speaking Gay/Lesbian Car Fans Needed for TG4 Dating Show!

Are you a single driver in search of a co-pilot? Do you have a few words of Irish? If your answer is ‘yes’ to either of those questions, then you may be just who TG4 are looking for, for a brand new programme!

El Zorrero Films are looking for gay guys and girls to take part in a special episode of their new date-while-you-drive series, Pioc do Ride!

The guys at El Zorrero Films explained to EILE: “Is féidir linn a ghealladh duit 100% (ahem!) go gcasfar fear nó bean bhreá ort a dtitfidh tú i ngrá leo agus a bheidh éineacht leat go brách na breithe!”

[We can promise you 100% (ahem!) that you’ll meet a wonderful guy or girl, who you’ll fall in love with and who’ll be by your side happily ever after!]

Pre-production has already begun on the new series, which is somewhat similar to the likes of TG4’s once-iconic dating programme, ‘Paisean Faisean’. So, if you’re interested in finding that racy other half, regardless of the size of your motor (ooh-err, missus!) then get in touch with the team via piocdoride@gmail.com

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EILE Magazine 53

Get Up & Go

Get Up & Go, starring Peter Coonan and Killian Scott, will be released in Irish cinemas on Friday, 1st of May. The official poster for the film, designed by Annie Atkins (part of the Oscar-winning production design team on Wes Anderson’s The Grand BudapestHotel), was also revealed.

Along with Coonan (Love/ Hate, The Guarantee) and Scott (Love/Hate, Calvary) Get Up & Go stars Gemma-Leah Devereux (Stitches, Dartmoor Killing), Sara Lloyd-Gregory (Doctors), Emma Eliza-Regan 54 EILE Magazine

(Love Eternal, Darkness On The Edge of Town), and Sarah McCall (Wide Open Spaces).

Written and directed by Brendan Grant, Get Up & Go sees the Love/Hate actors reunite for a slacker comedy which chronicles a hectic 24 hours in the life of wouldbe comedian Coilin (Scott) and frustrated musician Alex (Coonan).

When Alex’s girlfriend tells him she’s pregnant, he refuses to allow her to derail his longheld plan to escape to London.

Meanwhile the hapless Coilin is striking out on stage and off, as he attempts to get his faltering comedy career off the ground and win the heart of his dream girl. With time ticking down to Alex’s departure, the

mismatched pair will be forced to confront the reality of their childhood dreams of artistic greatness while their lifelong friendship is tested to the limit.

Set against a backdrop of famous Dublin locations, pubs, and clubs, Get Up & Go shows a youthful and vibrant side of the city, a world of schemers and dreamers, struggling artists and musicians, all striving to make it in postboom Ireland.

With a soundtrack that features some of Ireland’s foremost musicians including Adrian Crowley, The Villagers, and Jape, and cameos from many of the leading lights of Dublin’s alternative scene (David Kitt, Mik Pyro) Get Up & Go gives on-screen

Left: Killian Scott Right: Peter Coonan

expression to the hotbed of musical talent that exists in the capital. Peter Coonan, as wannabe rock star Alex, also gets to demonstrate his musical chops in the film.

Speaking about the announcement, director Brendan Grant said: “I’m delighted that cinema audiences across Ireland will get to enjoy the fruit of so many peoples’ hard work and talent this May, particularly in the city that inspired Get Up & Go and which is so central to the story. It was our aim to capture a particular moment in these characters’ lives with humour and honesty and we hope that people enjoy and respond to it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Brendan Grant is a graduate of the National Film and Television School [UK], where his graduation film London Fields Are Blue was critically acclaimed and screened at over twenty international festivals.

He directed the popular ‘Hollyoaks’ and ‘Totally Frank’ for Channel 4 and Endemol.

He was awarded the Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for short fiction in 2005, the DAAD filmmaker’s fellowship in Berlin and was a guest at the Cannes Cinefondation Residence in Paris.

In 2007 he directed Tonight Is Cancelled, an improvised and experimental mixture of documentary and fiction, which screened at the Galway

Film Fleadh and a number of international festivals. He co-wrote The Englishman with writer/director Ian Sellar as well as taking a writing credit on Alexandra McGuinness’ Lotus Eaters. Since then he has been working on a number of original screenplays including a long form TV comedy series.

Get Up & Go is a Fastnet Films (Kisses, Life’s A Breeze) production in association with Fragrant Films and Celofan Audiovisual with the participation of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board and The Film Agency for Wales.

Wildcard Distribution will be releasing Get Up & Go in Irish cinemas on Friday May 1st.

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Homophobia – Our Inconvenient Truth

By Andy Cast In 2014, I met new friends who introduced me to a world I have conveniently ignored – a world of homophobia.

These friends didn’t purposefully educate me, they just shared stories, via Facebook, from the gay press.

In many ways I wish they hadn’t. I was happy in my little world, believing that gay people today were so lucky.

Compared to my childhood, where I denied my gay self, the youth of today are lucky to have so many positive gay role models. But this perception was a bubble I was the lucky one to be living in. There are many places in the world where things are very different – the world of gay oppression and homophobia, which I have been forced to accept is real in the last 12 months.

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I bet you’re thinking ‘how on earth can this (relatively) intelligent gay man have completely missed how horrible a world this still is for LGBTI people, for 41 years of his life’. I do need you to cut me some slack.

My ‘origin’ story is one many gay men of my age will recognise – complete denial of my true sexuality, the guilt as I caved in to my pubescent sex drive and experimented with other boys, the need to fit in with the ‘normal’ people, inspiring a rushed proposal to the first girl who showed a real interest in me, the realisation many years later that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t be happy pretending to be something I wasn’t, the self-hate as I kept trying.

Even when I accepted I couldn’t live a double life, the man I loved was still doing it, meaning I spent years waiting for him to join me in my realisation. I’m not telling you this for sympathy, merely

to explain I’ve been too busy with my own issues to pay much attention to the general acceptance of gays in the world.

This year, my eyes were opened to the hatred, bigotry and fear which exist out there, to the continuing struggle many of my peers are facing on a daily basis. I’ve never been one to shout about gay rights, I’ve been lucky there are activists out there who are doing that on my behalf. I know I should be demanding equality – anyone who doesn’t automatically get treated equally should fight for it.

My education and awakening, as to how my kind are treated both on these shores, and others, has depressed and saddened me. It’s not all bad news – same sex marriage is now allowed in England and Scotland. But even the fact there was debate about it is a reminder that so many people think we should have less rights. Even the fight for gay rights reinforces the negative

messages. The amount of lobbying, debate and discussion about whether it’s right to allow equal marriage, or any other prohomosexuality issue, must have an impact on both straight and gays alike.

Many people think being gay is a choice. I find it laughable anyone would think I would choose to be different from the majority.

Why would I put myself through this? Why would I want to feel self conscious about holding my partner’s hand in public, or going to a family or public event as a same-sex couple? I hate the fact I can’t slow dance with my boyfriend. I hate it when I have to come out to every person I meet.

I hate it that I feel embarrassed or ashamed of being who I am.

What’s even worse about my eyes being opened is that I now see homophobic responses and actions in my colleagues, friends and family. Nothing like the physical or mental abuse some people experience, but there’s often a comment or unsaid subtext, which demonstrates they just don’t get it. On those occasions, it hurts and reinforces my desire to be anything but this.

And then I feel ashamed of those feelings – because I’m just as homophobic, never outwardly, and mostly just directed at myself. It ‘bothers’ me if I see an outwardly camp man. I cringe when I have to admit that my partner is male. I look around me at who is watching when my gay friends put their arms around me. I’m jealous when I see public displays of affection between a

couple – be they mixed or same sex – because I wish I could feel comfortable enough to do it.

Of course, we will have natural biases against gay people – anyone brought up in this country is bound to have been affected by society’s negative messages about homosexuality. Thankfully, this is changing, more so here than anywhere, and hopefully, in the future, children, both gay and straight, will grow up without these negative reinforcements.

I only came out in 2004 – when I was 32, so I’ve only been openly gay for 10 years. Will my confidence as a gay man develop and strengthen as time passes, and our society becomes more and more accepting? Let’s just say, watch this space!

“Even when I accepted I couldn’t live a double life, the man I loved was still doing it, meaning I spent years waiting for him to join me in my realisation”

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Scott De Buitléir chats to Eoin Wilson, co-founder of the popular videobased campaign for marriage equality

Eoin Wilson - one of the cofounders of Vote With Us

Interview with Eoin Wilson, CoFounder of Vote With Us “It was just after the Pantigate affair last year […]

Essentially a few of us wanted to just do something. So, we sat down and talked about what the best thing would be, and we came up with the idea of Vote With Us.” The ‘we’ that Eoin Wilson 58 EILE Magazine

refers to is that of his two friends, Dónal Mulligan and Ewan Kelly, and himself.

The socially responsible and innovative trio’s idea encourages people to create a video with a simple but effective format; say your name, that you’ll be voting Yes in the upcoming marriage equality referendum, and why.

Eoin notes that once people heard of the idea, they jumped forward enthusiastically to get

involved – the proof of which now lies in the scores of videos already featured on votewithus.org. Still, though, Eoin admits that such a community-based campaign wouldn’t have worked without a little help from their friends.

“This was a first for us. We were relying a lot on our friends who had the expertise.

They gave their time, their energy, they gave their ideas which was really fantastic. So, we’ve been really supported the whole way through this.

“We really wanted to give a forum to people to voice their heartfelt, genuine, rational and emotional beliefs for voting yes in May. That’s what Vote With Us is for”

The response that people have had to it has been fantastic.

Eoin also notes that while the support from his friends has helped them, some experiences were learning curves also. The team tried to film a few participants at the launch of a film festival, but because the background noise was too loud, the videos were unusable. Still, Eoin explains that it taught the team about what was needed to make the right video. “…[What] hit home was that debate at a national level can really be held hostage by the same commentators, time and time again […] We knew there was a depth of feeling out there that had to be tapped into. We really wanted to give a forum to people to voice their heartfelt, genuine, rational and emotional beliefs for voting yes in May. That’s what Vote With Us is for.”

It’s for that very reason that the campaign has become instantly popular, both at home and with the Irish diaspora, even those who cannot come home to vote. Eoin

recalls one of the first videos the team received since their launch on March 2: An Irish woman living in Copenhagen, pleading with her compatriots back home to make the right move.

“It was just a very heartfelt message,” Eoin explains, “pleading to the Irish people to vote, so she can bring her Canadian partner home to Ireland and live as a married couple. It was really quite touching. She obviously just saw the campaign and instantly a lightbulb went off for her, and we were really thrilled with it.”

To check out the uploaded videos, or to find out more about uploading your own to the conversation, visit www.votewithus.org.

EILE Magazine 59

An Age Old Tale Alan Lambert Opponents of Marriage Equality will argue that allowing gays and lesbians to marry is not only against God, but it is unnatural, will lead to diseases, oh and don’t forget, won’t somebody please think of the children!

I’d like to say that this is new territory in the on-going battle for equality, but this isn’t the first time those exact same arguments have been used.

In 1924, the people of Virginia voted to approved legislation that said marriage is between one man and one woman, how is that different to the campaign for same-sex marriage? Because when they did it, they were voting to say that marriage was between one white man and one white woman.

Interracial marriages were defined as the “sins of a man in direct defiance to the will of God”, with religion clearly being used as justification 60 EILE Magazine

for racism. If interracial marriages were allowed, it was felt that it would be another stepping stone towards not just immorality, but also lawlessness that would be characteristic of the last days.

People frequently lamented that they had nothing against black people, but unchristian views might be forced upon God-fearing folk, and their children.

It was felt that agents of the Government were endeavouring to disturb God’s natural order, and people shouldn’t be led astray by their will. It was also felt that the right of segregation was clearly established in the bible, with quotes from Corinthians (6:14 – 18) and Deuteronomy (22:10) about yoking unequals together being used, which, while some theologians believe these passages are about people of two different religions or a believer and a non-believer marrying, at the time it was felt that it meant a distinction between the races.

to LGBT people, therefore opponents need to go and find comparisons to prove their point, frequently citing Jesus’s conversation with the Pharisees and the Apostles on the subject of divorce to drive their argument home.

Non-religious arguments against interracial relationships included that they were unnatural and unhealthy, that such an amalgamation was only ever productive of deplorable results.

It was also held that racial intermarriage shouldn’t be allowed because of the higher incidence of certain diseases among certain races. Sadly at the time, Senator Jim Walsh wasn’t around to propose testing certain people for certain diseases.

The children of interracial couples suffer the stigma of inferiority and rejection by members of both races, which brings to mind Patricia Casey’s misrepresentation of Similar to interracial marriage, the 2008 Uppsala University there is no reference to samestudy, saying that “children sex marriage in the bible, and do best when raised by their Jesus makes no reference married biological parents.”

Fortunately, Anna Sarkadi, the author of the study, saw Casey’s claims and wrote to the Irish Times to say: “Please note that no comparisons were made with gay or lesbian family constellations in the studies included in the review. Therefore, there is nothing whatsoever in our review that would justify the conclusion that same-sex parents cannot raise healthy children who do well.”

In fact, having compiled over 150 studies, the American Psychological Association found that “Not a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect to children of heterosexual parents.”

Interracial marriages were prohibited in most parts of the world until sixty years ago. In the end people realised that these marriages didn’t affect the their lives, and same-sex marriage is exactly the same.

Even the Bible (Galatians 3:28), in its closest endorsement of gay marriage, says:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ”

“Please note that no comparisons were made with gay or lesbian family constellations in the studies included in the review.

Therefore, there is nothing whatsoever in our review that would justify the conclusion that same-sex parents cannot raise healthy children who do well.”

EILE Magazine 61

GFEST 2015 Seeks Expressions Of Interest

London’s Gay Art Festival GFEST 2015 Seeks Expression of Interest from Artists, Filmmakers and Performers GFEST – Gaywise FESTival has announced the 2015 call for entries open to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) artists on its website: http:// www.gaywisefestival.org.uk 62 EILE Magazine

The festival accepts expression of interests from filmmakers, artists and performers in 3 main categories : Films (shorts and features), Visual Arts and Performances.

NIRANJAN KAMATKAR, director of GFEST said:

“This year we will work with venues that will actively promote the profile of LGBTQI artists. The festival

has been offering an excellent platform for LGBT films and artworks over the last 8 years now. GFEST 2015 presents an ideal opportunity for sponsors to show their commitment to LGBT equality and diversity.”

Recognised as London’s annual gay art fest in November, GFEST in the past

was supported by a number of London venues including the National Gallery, V&A and was launched in UK Parliament for over 3 years.

GFEST is internationally recognised as a high profile event by media and other festivals.

The festival provides a unique opportunity for young talent to network and showcase works alongside the established names. Last

year the festival presented new commissioned works by 3 visual artists and 2 performers. The organisers hope to present new commissioned works this year. The festival is organised by arts charity Wise Thoughts.

outstanding work of artists from the LGBT community and has helped many new and aspiring artists with their careers. Taking part in GFEST can help promote your work within the mainstream arts industry in London and wider afield.”

Visual artist and Wise Thoughts new trustee Dr Trevor Wood MBE said, “I am delighted to be associated with this year’s GFEST, a unique festival showcasing

For more information visit http://www.gaywisefestival. org.uk/

EILE Magazine 63

Mr Bear Ireland 2015

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Dublin Bears are delighted to present Mr Bear Ireland 2015, Michael John Standen Originally from The Wirral, near Liverpool, Mike humbly describes himself as “a blow-in” who has made his home in Dublin, “with the help of an open and friendly community”.

Working as a make-up artist, the new Mr Bear Ireland is also a member of the Emerald Warriors rugby team.

“We are proud to have Mike represent the Irish Bear Community and look forward to the year ahead”, said Tom O’Connor of the Dublin Bears community group.

Ireland’s Emerald Warriors Rugby Team EILE Magazine 65

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, Lesbian & Gay Couples in The Diaspora Call For A Yes Vote Lesbian and gay members of the Irish diaspora have called for a Yes vote in the marriage equality referendum.

Lesbian and gay people are currently free to marry in 19 countries and several other jurisdictions, including 37 states in the US. Irish writer, Emma Donoghue, lives in Canada with her partner, Chris, and two children. Emma recalled: “I left Ireland a quarter of a century ago, partly because I didn’t think I could stay and be myself. I’m thrilled that my homeland now has this opportunity to make itself a 66 EILE Magazine

beacon of justice by voting for marriage equality” Eoin Collins lives with his husband Josep in New York.

Eoin said: “We are a married couple in New York and would love to also be a married couple in Ireland. Passing the referendum would be a real Irish success story. We have come so far in a short time from decriminalisation to civil partnership and now a referendum on marriage. New York introduced marriage equality several years ago and it is now widely accepted and celebrated as all marriages are, it has taken from no one.

It has added to the sum of human happiness here and it has contributed hugely to New York’s reputation as an open, accepting city” Paul Madden lives in London with his husband Lloyd. Paul stated: “We love coming home to visit our family but it is hard to accept that as soon as we step [off] the plane we are no longer recognised as married.

Hopefully after May that will no longer be so and we can truly be full citizens” Kieran Rose, chair of GLEN, the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, said “As all of us celebrate St Patrick’s day together we are reminded of our great Irish family across the globe. Many of our lesbian and gay emigrants in the diaspora have found love and got married in their new homes.”

“Our lesbian and gay family members and friends who live abroad remind us that in many countries marriage equality has been legal for many years.

In those countries, marriage equality has meant that more people have been allowed to share in the status of marriage which has both strengthened marriage in those countries and made them stronger and fairer societies.”

(eile.ie 17/3/2015)

Irish writer Emma Donoghue with her partner, Chris Roulston.

[Image via GLEN]

EILE Magazine 67

Chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com - Marc Benioff

“We’ve made significant investments in Indiana.

We run major marketing events and conferences there. We’re a major source of income and revenue to the state of Indiana, but we simply cannot support this kind of legislation” 68 EILE Magazine

US: CEO Of Salesforce Cancels Events In Indiana Over Anti-LGBT Law Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com, a cloud computing company, has cancelled all Salesforce events in Indiana, because of a new anti-gay law which will allow businesses to discriminate against the LGBT community.The Bill, called The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, was signed into law by Mike Pence, Governor, in Indiana yesterday (26th March 2015).

Mr Benioff has clearly stated his reasons for withdrawing his business from the state: “We’ve made significant investments in Indiana. We run major marketing events and conferences there. We’re a major source of income and revenue to the state of Indiana, but we simply cannot support this kind of legislation”.

The Governor, Mike Pence, had stated that the law was brought in because religious freedom was “under attack” by government action.

deal with states that discriminate against either staff or customers who are gay, as he has 2,000 to 3,000 staff in Indiana. In an interview with Re/Code he stated:

“We can’t bring our customers or our employees into a situation where they might be discriminated against. We have a large number of employees and customers who would be impacted dramatically by this legislation…I’m really just advocating on their behalf”.

One of Benioff’s major events in Indiana, called Connections, which brought in about $8 million last year to Indianapolis, may now be moved to New York.

Benioff said that Governor Pence is trying to bring tech companies to the state, and to increase jobs in the technology industry, but that he doesn’t seem to understand that a”significant portion of the tech industry is gay”.

He feels that the tech industry is not going to support this kind of discrimination, and hopes that other CEO’s will follow his lead.

Californian Benioff, who sold his first application when he was still in highschool, is the author of the bestseller “Behind the Cloud”, and currently also serves on the board of Cisco.

MKB (eile.ie 27/3/2015)

However, Benioff is adamant that he will not

EILE Magazine 69

Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppleman

“I also hope that other companies will draw a similar line in the sand for equality on behalf of their employees and the greater public to persuade legislators to do the right thing and stop or rescind these harmful laws�

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Yelp CEO Writes An Open Letter to States Considering Imposing Discrimination Laws On Thursday last, 26th March, Yelp CEO, Jeremy Stoppleman, wrote an “Open Letter to States Considering Imposing Discrimination Laws”, after Indiana Governor, Mike Pence, signed an anti-gay law into effect. You can read the full text of Stoppleman’s letter below: “A little over one year ago I wrote an open letter to thenArizona Governor Jan Brewer requesting that she veto SB 1062, a bill that would have allowed businesses in the state to discriminate against consumers. Thankfully she did the right thing and vetoed that legislation, thus maintaining Arizona’s status as a hospitable place for Yelp’s employees to live and for our company to do business.

Since that time, however, legislators in other states have sought to pass, or have enacted, laws that would allow for businesses to discriminate

against consumers based on certain traits including sexual orientation. While Indiana is the most recent state to enact a law allowing for this kind of discrimination by businesses, unfortunately measures are being debated in other states across the country that would follow Indiana’s example.

These laws set a terrible precedent that will likely harm the broader economic health of the states where they have been adopted, the businesses currently operating in those states and, most importantly, the consumers who could be victimized under these laws.

actions. In the mean time, Yelp will make every effort to expand its corporate presence only in states that do not have these laws allowing for discrimination on the books.

Just as I said in my letter to Governor Brewer, it is unconscionable to imagine that Yelp would create, maintain, or expand a significant business presence in any state that encouraged discrimination by businesses against our employees, or consumers at large. I encourage states that are considering passing laws like the one rejected by Arizona or adopted by Indiana to reconsider and abandon these discriminatory actions. (We’re looking at you, Arkansas.)

CEO, Yelp”

I hope that in the future the legislatures in the nineteen states that have these laws on the books will reconsider their

I also hope that other companies will draw a similar line in the sand for equality on behalf of their employees and the greater public to persuade legislators to do the right thing and stop or rescind these harmful laws.

Sincerely, Jeremy Stoppelman

Mr. Stoppleman joins the ranks of other business executives, like Marc Benioff of Salesforce.com and Tim Cook of Apple, who have threatened to withdraw business from Indiana because of the discriminatory legislation.

You can visit the Yelp blog at http://officialblog.yelp. com/2015/03/an-openletter-to-states-consideringimposing-discrimination-laws. html MKB (eile.ie 28/March/2015)

EILE Magazine 71

‘Angie’s List’ CEO Cancels $40m Indiana Expansion Because of Anti-Gay Law Joining the ranks of those companies, like Salesforce. com and Yelp, who are withdrawing their business from Indiana due to the recent passage of an antigay law called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is Angie’s List. The Act was signed into law last Thursday (26th) by Indiana governor, Mike Pence.

Angie’s List (Nasdaq:ANGI) CEO, Bill Oesterle, yesterday (28th) announced that the company, which is based in Indianapolis, has pulled its proposed $40 million, 1000 job, campus expansion project on Indianapolis’ Near East Side from City-County Council consideration, as a result of the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. “We are putting the ‘Ford Building Project’ on hold 72 EILE Magazine

until we fully understand the implications of the freedom restoration act on our employees, both current and future,” said Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle. The company was expected to break ground on the project within days.

“Angie’s List is open to all and discriminates against none and we are hugely disappointed in what this bill represents,” said Oesterle.

The company, which was founded in 1995

by Angie Hicks and William S. Oesterle, will begin reviewing alternatives for the expansion of its headquarters immediately, and said that moving some parts of its operation out of Indiana is “on the table”.

Angie’s List helps facilitate transactions between more than three million consumers in the US and its collection of highly rated service providers in 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care.

MKB (eile.ie 29/3/2015)

Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle

US : Thousands March Against New AntiGay Law In Indiana

Around 2,000 people marched in Indiana on Saturday (28th) against the state’s new anti-gay law, called the Restoration of Religious Freedom Act, carrying signs that said: “No Hate In Our State”, and also carrying rainbow flags.

Ed Murray, the openly-gay mayor of Seattle, has said he will ban his employees from going to Indiana on official business, and stated: “None of our taxpayer dollars should go toward supporting this discriminatory law”.

The Seattle mayor joins the ranks of those willing to withhold their business from Indiana in protest over the anti-gay legislation.

CEO’s of Salesforce.com, Yelp, and Angie’s List have led the protests, with Apple’s Tim Cook also criticising the state.

However, a day after the passing of the discriminatory and divisive law in Indiana, Arkansas Senate also approved such a bill, with Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas governor, stating that he will sign the bill into law.

MKB (eile.ie 30/3/2015)

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US: San Francisco Metro Area Ranks Highest in LGBT Percentage Gallop poll has released figures for the fifty largest metro areas where LGBT people live. The highest percentage of adults who identify as LGBT exists in the San Franscisco metropolitan area, coming in at 6.2%.

According to Gallop’s Frank Newport and Gary J Gates: “The San Francisco metropolitan area has the highest percentage of the adult population who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) of any of the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, followed by Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas.

The top 10 includes metro areas from every region of the country except the Midwest. Given the long history of a visible and politically active LGBT community in San Francisco, the city’s ranking at the top of this list is not surprising.

Similar to San Francisco, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) like Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles in the West, and Boston in the Northeast, are known for their progressive social and political climates and active LGBT communities. Hartford is the capital of Connecticut, which has permitted same-sex couples to legally marry longer than every state except Massachusetts.”

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Gallup states that it may be surprising that Utah is among the top ten states for LGBT residents, but also notes that Utah has recently passed an anti-discrimination law for LGBT people, which prohibits discrimination against LGBT residents who are looking for accommodation or employment.

What may also be surprising to many is that California was among those areas with the lowest percentage of LGBT residents, coming in at 3.2%, Birmingham Alabama being the lowest with 2.6%.

The survey results were based on 374,000 interviews, between June 2012 and December 2014.

MKB (eile.ie 21/3/2015)

“The San Francisco metropolitan area has the highest percentage of the adult population who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) of any of the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, followed by Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas”

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National Research Strategy Must Benefit All Elements of Society – IRC “The new national strategy for research and innovation must reflect and benefit all elements of society”.

That’s according to the Irish Research Council (IRC), which yesterday (12.03.15) announced a partnership with The Wheel aimed at engaging community and voluntary organisations in academic research.

Under the partnership, the IRC is awarding almost €400,000 to support collaborative projects between community and voluntary groups and researchers.

Commenting yesterday, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, Director of the IRC, said: “The Government is developing a new national strategy for research, and it is important that this promotes and reflects research across all disciplines and sectors: “Research can add value to 76 EILE Magazine

all of society, benefiting all sectors, whether enterprise, government or civic, and ultimately benefits all citizens. We also need to ensure high-quality research is helping socially excluded and marginalised groups and contributing to social innovation.

“The partnership between the Irish Research Council and The Wheel is a new departure for the research sector. It provides a targeted research funding mechanism which includes community and voluntary groups. The research findings from these projects will not only benefit grassroots communities, and inspire the work of researchers, but will also inform national policymaking for civic society.”

The partnership between the Irish Research Council and The Wheel was officially launched by the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan TD.

Commenting at the launch, Minister O’Sullivan said: ““Effective engagement between higher education and the community and voluntary sector is a key objective of the National Strategy for Higher Education.

“This partnership between the Irish Research Council and The Wheel will facilitate researchers to exchange knowledge and spread their work beyond academia. At the same time, it will allow community and voluntary groups to access leading research expertise and to collaborate on cuttingedge research projects.

Ultimately, this will increase awareness of the benefit of research on society, and on our quality of life. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the projects funded under this initiative.”

Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive Officer of The Wheel, also spoke at the launch, stating:

“Projects receiving funding under this initiative are focused on very topical and important issues, such as mental health, social housing and homelessness, direct provision, homophobic and transphobic bullying, healthy ageing and children’s rights”.

“Typically, community and voluntary organisations work with limited resources and many do not have in-house capacity to conduct research.

At the same time, they are working at the coalface in tackling some of the most pressing societal issues”.

“This partnership will allow researchers and community and voluntary groups to benefit from their respective areas of expertise. It will also give researchers invaluable access to the grassroots networks and years of practice-based knowledge that has been developed in the community and voluntary sector.”

Under the new initiative, researchers from higher education institutions throughout Ireland are collaborating with community and voluntary organisations such as Trócaire, Pieta House, GLEN, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and the ISPCA. For more information, visit www.research.ie (eile.ie 13 Mar 2015)

Minister Jan O’Sullivan

“We also need to ensure high-quality research is helping socially excluded and marginalised groups and contributing to social innovation” - Dr Eucharia Meehan

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Polish Community in Ireland Support ‘Yes’ Vote in Marriage Equality Referendum Members of the Polish community in Ireland have published an open letter to the people of Ireland asking them to vote Yes in the upcoming marriage referendum.

The letter was formally announced with a presence of Senator Averil Power and Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality and Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

On May 22, 2015, the people of Ireland will be asked in a referendum whether lesbian and gay people should have the right to marry. This is the first time in history that a whole nation will decide if gay and lesbian people should have the same constitutional status that are available to everyone else.

“The 22nd of May will be a truly historic day for Ireland.

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I have the hope that the Irish people will extend to samesex couples the human right to marry the person they love.

I am also very happy to see Polish community being active in supporting equality. It is great that they want to take part in a discussion about a future of our country,” said Minister Ó Ríordáin.

“A Yes vote in this referendum will create a more equal and fair society in Ireland, it will also send a powerful message of hope to countries where LGBT rights are neglected,” – said Piotr Gawlik, Chair of Dialogue & Diversity, an initiator of publishing the letter.

“This referendum will also decide about future and civil right of Polish gays and lesbians who made Ireland their home. As a biggest national minority group we can’t stay silent. This is a matter of basic equality and human rights” – Mr Gawlik

continues.

According to Census Polish are the biggest national minority in Ireland. There are over 120,000 Poles living in Ireland and Polish is the second most spoken language.

“Many of us came here to find a better life. Ireland and Irish people welcomed us and embraced the diversity which we brought with us. We celebrate our achievements and successes, share happiness and find friendship and love here. We want to appeal to our Irish friends to stand up for equality” – says Anna Wolf, Director of Polish Theatre Ireland who also signed the letter.

The letter concludes with a direct appeal to Irish people “You have the power to decide if love wins this Spring. Please vote YES.” The letter has been signed by Dialogue & Diversity, Polish Theatre Ireland and Culture Affair. (eile.ie 31/3/2015)

Aodhán Ó RiordÁin & Averil Power

photo-by-wlodzimierz-zaworski EILE Magazine 79

Singer Elton John (right) with David Furnish, and sons Zachary and Elijah

Dolce & Gabbana: Victoria Beckham Rows In With Elton John 80 EILE Magazine

”..shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children” Elton John’s reaction to designers Dolce & Gabbana, who have not only labelled IVF children as ‘synthetic’, but who have also called Elton a fascist, has gained support from many celebrities, including Victoria Beckham.

Ms Beckham has tweeted in support of Elton, saying “Sending love to Elton David Zachary Elijah & all the beautiful IVF babies”.

Elton John was outraged at Dolce & Gabbana for their negative comments about gay adoption and calling IVF children “synthetic children”.

His angry response to them was: “How dare you refer

to my beautiful children as ‘synthetic’? And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children”, and calling for a boycott on the designers’ products (#BoycottDolceGabbana).

Elton’s two sons, Zachary and Elijah, were conceived through IVF and surrogacy, and have proud parents in Elton and his husband, David Furnish.

Gabbana replied to the call for a boycott by calling for a boycott against Elton John, and callling him a fascist.

Many other celebrities have voiced their support for children born through IVF, and for the parents, both gay and straight, who took this route to complete their famililes.

Now the gay designers, who were previously in a relationship together for 23

years, have tried to say that their comments were personal views, and that they were not judging other people’s decisions: “[It] was never our intention to judge other people’s choices. We do believe in freedom and love”.

Dolce stated that he grew up in a tradition family, made up of a mother, a father and children. He said he was “very well aware that there are other types of families and they are as legitimate as the one I’ve known”.

This all seems a bit weak in view of their previous statements, and is unlikely to undo the damage, both in terms of the hurt caused, and their own brand loyalty.

Ricky Martin said it well: “ur voices R 2powerful 2B spreading so much h8. Wake up, it’s 2015, luv yourselves guys”.

MKB (eile.ie 16/3/2015)

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Bishop Alan Wilson “people need have nothing to fear from allowing gay people to marry” The Anglican Bishop, the Right Revd Dr Alan Wilson, said in Dubin yesterday that “people need have nothing to fear from allowing gay people to marry”.

He was addressing a mixed audience of lay people and clergy at a signing in Books Upstairs of his new book, “More Perfect Union: Understanding Same-Sex Marriage” . The Bishop, who, since 2003, has been the Bishop of Buckingham in the Church of England added: “We don’t have a problem about gay people, the problem is the Church’s hypocrisy”.

Bishop Wilson talked about how: ‘I asked myself “what does God want for gay people?”. After rerevisiting the Bible, and more importantly getting to know gay people of all types and varying backgrounds, he decided the answer was that

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God wants for them the same as everyone else – flourishing faith, hope and love, involvement and inclusion.

Bishop Wilson described how the vast majority of people he encountered on his journey toward being in favour of same-sex marriage were not anti-gay, were ‘just trying to love their neighbour as themselves’, even if, in some cases, their heads lagged behind their hearts on the issue of marriage for same sex couples. The ultimate aim of his book is to help Christians unite head and heart in a fully positive response to gay people marrying.

He observed that “the debate on same sex marriage has been male-dominated and preoccupied by sex”. He said that “in my book I have tried to show that marriage is about the relationship, not the sex”. He told the audience that his pubishers had automatically put two men on the cover of his book, but that he requested instead the picture of two women at their wedding. He added “many of the arguments against equality for gay people felt like

the arguments against women driving in Saudi Arabia”.

He concluded by saying that he had a very positive response to his book and was delighted to be able to share it with an Irish readership.

The Bishop assured those present that “in England marriage has been available to same -sex couples for a year and the frogs have not come out of the water”.

The book signing was arranged by Faith in Marriage Equality, which is itself supported by the Catholic groups ‘We are Church Ireland’ and ‘Gay Catholic Voice Ireland’, and the Anglican Church of Ireland group ‘Changing Attitude Ireland’.

Faith In Marriage Equality (FIME) is a voluntary group of persons from a range of faith backgrounds, who have come together under the Charter of Faith in Marriage Equality. (eile.ie 12 Mar 2015)

Anglican Bishop, The Right Revd Dr Alan Wilson

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Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Tackles Homophobia in Sport Big names in Australian sport were cheered by the crowds as they helped shine a spotlight on homophobia at Saturday’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Over a dozen elite, professional athletes led this weekend’s parade, including Aussie Rules, Rugby, Cricket, Soccer and Olympic LGBTI athletes.

The Mardi Gras parade is one of the largest gay events in the world. Nearly 10,000 people took part in the parade watched by 100’s of thousands of people in person and many more through a national TV broadcast.

The first three floats of the parade were dedicated to highlighting: the success of elite gay athletes; the commitment by the major Australian professional sports to promote a more diverse and inclusive sporting 84 EILE Magazine

environment; and the international success of the Sydney Convicts, who last year won the Bingham Cup, the world cup of gay rugby.

“More than any other nation, Australians admire and are influenced by their sporting heroes. The example set by great sports men and women in denouncing homophobia is a powerful weapon against this irrational and vicious prejudice, as is their support for campaigns which aim to eradicate discrimination forever,” said Ignatius Jones, Mardi Gras’ senior parade creative. “This fight against discrimination in sport is part of the great civil rights struggle that Sydney’s Mardi Gras has led in Australia for 37 years. As long as even one gay or lesbian kid is afraid to play sport, one of Australia’s defining activities, for fear of being denounced as a dyke or a poof, Mardi Gras has a purpose. And as long as even one teenager is so desperate that they voluntarily end their lives because they are gay or lesbian, Mardi Gras is

relevant.”

The float, carrying the elite athletes showcased the logos of the five major sports that signed the joint, historic commitment organised

by Bingham Cup Sydney last April to eliminate homophobia: National Rugby League, Australian Football League, Australian Rugby Union, Football Federation of Australia and Cricket Australia. The elite straight ‘athlete allies’ on the float stood alongside well-known LGBTI athletes. It was the first time Olympic Gold Medallist Daniel Kowalski took part in the Mardi Gras parade.

He was joined by Matthew Mitcham (Olympic Diving) and Jai Wallace (Olympic Trampoline).

It was also the first time Alex Blackwell was in the parade. Blackwell is one of the most successful openly gay athletes in the world.

The Vice-Captain of Australia’s national female cricket team

(L-R) Sydney Swans’ Nick Smith, Heath Grundy and Mike Pyke, and Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham prior to boarding the Anti-Homophobia in Sport float at Mardi Gras Sydney. also captained her state team for 10 consecutive Australian national championships.

Blackwell was supported in the parade by fellow cricketers Elyse Villani and Greg Matthews.

I had role models who came out before me. I hope this float sends a message to all athletes that everyone should be welcome in sport regardless of their sexuality,” said Blackwell.

“It was very exciting to be part in the parade as a proud, gay Australian athlete and stand beside some wonderful straight allies. I think one of the best ways to combat discrimination is for LGBTI athletes and their allies to be visible. Coming out is a very personal choice, but I was able to summon the courage to come out myself because

Aussie Rules football (AFL), Australia’s most watched sport, had numerous highprofile LGBTI allies in the parade: Sydney Swans Mike Pyke, Nick Smith and Heath Grundy. Swans ruckman, Mike Pyke, said:

Equality right throughout the community and in sport is something we should all strive for. We think the Swans provide a really inclusive environment for fans at our games and we know we have significant support from the LGBTI community. This is just another way of getting the message across that professional sport encourages an inclusive environment.” (eile.ie 10 Mar 2015)

“Mardi Gras is a huge part of Sydney’s culture and we are excited to be part of it.

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World Rugby Signs Historic Agreement With International Gay Rugby World Rugby and International Gay Rugby (IGR) have signed an historic agreement to collaborate on the continued promotion of equality and inclusivity in rugby.

The agreement, signed at World Rugby House in Dublin this week, outlines a commitment between the two organisations to work together to educate and eliminate homophobia in rugby.

Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, World Rugby and IGR recognise and respect: the right of any player, official, and spectator to be

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involved with rugby without discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or identification the common goal of inclusion and the elimination of homophobia in rugby World Rugby and IGR will consult on issues of importance to members of the LGBT community and the game of rugby by: developing a positive and mutually beneficial relationship based on a sense of shared purpose working with regional associations and member unions to improve tolerance and acceptance of LGBT players at all levels within rugby union providing educational tools to World Rugby member unions to support in the elimination of homophobia in rugby supporting the promotion and development of IGR’s events World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Rugby is an inclusive sport which has at its heart character-building values of

passion, integrity, solidarity, respect and discipline.

The signing of this historic agreement underscores our commitment to those values and our strategic vision – a game for all, true to its values.

“We look forward to collaborating with International Gay Rugby to promote inclusivity, equality and friendship as rugby continues to reach out, engage and inspire more men, women and children than ever before.”

International Gay Rugby Chairman Jeff Wilson said: “This is a momentous occasion for LGBT athletes, supporters, officials and administrators and the people who support them in the game of rugby. World Rugby is a trail-blazer as a global governing body in committing to actively eliminate homophobia from any sport. We are committed to partnering with World Rugby to continue our work of making rugby the most

The Memorandum of Understanding outlines a commitment between the two organisations to work together to educate and eliminate homophobia in rugby. [Image: Dan Sheridan/INPHO via World Rugby]

inclusive and tolerant sport in the world.

“The bold step by World Rugby to commit to these shared purposes with IGR reflects the character-building values that are important to us all in the sport. Hopefully, other sporting governing bodies can look to World Rugby as a role model and follow suit.” (eile.ie 6 Mar 2015)

“We look forward to collaborating with International Gay Rugby to promote inclusivity, equality and friendship as rugby continues to reach out, engage and inspire more men, women and children than ever before.”

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Sydney Convicts Praise Australian Rugby for its Quick Action to address Homophobic Slur Australia’s first gay rugby union team, the Sydney Convicts, are praising the Australian Rugby Union for acting so quickly to investigate and resolve reports of homophobic slurs during a game between the NSW Waratahs and the ACT Brumbies last Sunday. The Convicts believe the fine was high enough to send a strong message to those who may consider using homophobic language.

The Convicts are the most successful gay rugby team in the world, having won the Bingham Cup, the world cup of gay rugby, four times, most recently in Sydney.

NSW Waratahs player Jacques Potgieter was given a $20,000 fine for using homophobic language against Brumbies David Pocock during the game. Audio from the game showed that ‘faggot was used twice against other players. Potgieter has since apologised to the “rugby

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community, fans and public” (see below).

Andrew Purchas, founder of the Sydney Convicts and President of last year’s Sydney Bingham Cup, played a lead role in coordinating an historic, joint commitment by all the major sports, including the Australian Rugby Union, to eliminate homophobia in sport in April 2014. One of the overriding objectives of the “inclusion policy” which the sports signed was the ‘eradication of homophobic actions, discrimination, abuse, or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation.’

Said Andrew Purchas, “We applaud the Australian Rugby Union and the Waratahs for acting so quickly to investigate and resolve this matter and reinforcing their commitment to eradicate homophobia in rugby and providing a positive environment for all. It is certainly disappointing that this event occurred at all and it highlights the ongoing need for all sports to be actively engaged in eliminating homophobia.”

Purchas continues, “It is only relatively recently that Australian sports have started to focus on elimination of homophobia. To achieve the change required it will be an ongoing process and it will require commitment from the top down and the grass roots up. We applaud David Pocock for speaking out when he heard these comments.

He is a great example for all athletes, coaches and officials. It is critical that people speak up when they hear homophobic comments and make it clear this kind of language is unacceptable.”

Robert McPherson, president of the Sydney Convicts, said “The homophobic slurs made

by NSW Waratahs player Jacques Potgieter are very disappointing and have no place on the sporting field.

We often find that people using this kind of language don’t fully understand the harmful effects it can have on those around them, particularly those struggling to accept their own sexuality.”

McPherson continued, “We

Jacques Potgeiter of the NSW Waratahs

David Pocock of the ACT Brumbies

would welcome Jacques to come down to meet the boys and hear their stories, which is why we will invite him to join us for a few of our training sessions. He would quickly recognise that being gay has no impact on a person’s ability to play rugby or their passion for the game.”

Over the years many people from the Australian Rugby Union have worked closely with Australia’s gay and inclusive rugby teams the Sydney Convicts, Melbourne Chargers and Brisbane Hustlers. The ARU has made a concerted ongoing effort to engage with and support the LGBTI community.

The Waratahs and NSW Rugby have been extremely

supportive and many players from these teams and others around Australia, including the Melbourne Rebels and Queensland Reds, have supported and participated in LGBTI events around the country.

of life and would never intentionally hurt or judge anyone, it’s not in my character.”

Potgieter appears to be contrite for the slur, as he wrote several hours ago:

http://www.rugby. com.au/News/ NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ ArticleID/14895/ JACQUES-POTGIETERISSUED-20-000-FINEFOR-HOMOPHOBICCOMMENTS.aspx )

jacquespotgieter7 6 hours ago “To all the rugby community, fans and public.

I sincerely apologise for the hurtful words spoken during the Brumbies encounter.

In the heat of the moment I regrettably uttered a word, with no intent to discriminate. I respect everyone from all walks

(You can read the Australian Rugby Union’s article about the incident below:

For more about the Sydney Convicts visit their website http://sydneyconvicts.org/ (eile.ie 23/3/2015)

EILE Magazine 89

ECHR decision on transgender sterilisation requirement ‘very positive’ Turkey violated trans man’s rights when national authorities refused access to gender reassignment surgery.

In a European Court of Human Rights Chamber judgment released yesterday (Tuesday 10 March 2015) the 7-judge panel confirmed that Turkey had breached the applicant’s rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by denying him gender reassignment surgery on the grounds that he had not already undergone sterilisation.

ILGA-Europe welcomes the Y.Y. v Turkey announcement.

In a very positive development, the Court took the view that respect for the applicant’s physical integrity precluded any obligation for him to undergo sterilisation treatment. The fact that the

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applicant in question has had his rights publically vindicated and received damages for the lengthy violation is encouraging. The Court’s acknowledgement of the rights of trans persons to physical and moral security is also to be warmly received.

However, ILGA-Europe notes that the Court did not take the opportunity to assess sterilisation as a requirement for legal gender recognition generally.

Having first applied for permission to undergo gender reassignment surgery in September 2005, Y.Y. was only granted this permission in March 2013. The intervening 7 year delay was caused by the provisions contained in Article 40 of Turkey’s Civil Code. One of the statutory requirements for gender assignment surgery is a diagnosis of permanent infertility. Despite having lived in his true gender and being confirmed as transsexual by psychiatric experts, Y.Y.’s application was rejected.

‘While [yesterday’s] judgment

did emphasis the need for a constant, dynamic approach when it comes to examining the appropriateness of legal gender recognition measures, the ECtHR did not go into detail on the suitability of sterilisation more generally’, said ILGA-Europe’s Senior Policy and Programmes Officer Sophie Aujean. ILGAEurope is very interested in the concurring judgment of Judges Keller and Spano.

‘Not only do they agree with the Article 8 violation, Keller and Spano believe that the Court could have also examined the question of whether the requirement of permanent sterility is compatible with Article 8 of the Convention. Given the abusive, intrusive nature of sterilisation procedures, a more in-depth examination of their suitability would have been applauded by many in the LGBTI community’ concluded Sophie Aujean. (eile.ie 12 Mar 2015)

Great YesEquality Event – RISE AND VOTE, May 1st!!

RISE AND VOTE is a non-profit fundraiser event supported by the YES EQUALITY campaign and members of Ireland’s vibrant alternative music scene.

RISE AND VOTE will be held in Dublin’s Voodoo Lounge on May 1st and will include six live acts followed by a set from Sabotage resident DJ Derek Carney.

Doors @ 7.00pm The bands performing at RISE AND VOTE will be Homecomings, Watch The Sky, Fangclub, Glassgears,Versive, and Val Normal.

Support from next door’s cafe/restaurant Three Young Mugs will come in the form of light bights on the night!

Tickets available @ http://www.eventbrite.ie/e/rise-and-vote-tickets16445271249 for €7 (limited) or €10 on door. Limited ticket availability, get yours and make history, before it’s too late!

Jump on board the event page on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1DIXd3i Stare at us on instagram: https://instagram.com/riseandvote/ Shout at us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiseVote #RISEANDVOTE

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Yes Equality Launch Asks Irish People To Support Yes Vote Yes Equality: The Campaign for Civil Marriage Equality, a new independent nationwide civil society group launched yesterday to coordinate and lead the campaign to win the Marriage Equality Referendum on May 22nd.

Hosted by Charlie Bird, the launch was attended by numerous well-known leaders from civil society, and a large representation from social justice organisations, civil society groups, political and faithbased groups, from across Ireland.

Grainne Healy, Yes Equality spokesperson said, “Today’s launch marks a historic moment for Irish society and its gay and lesbian citizens. We are asking Irish people to get involved, vote yes and share their freedom

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to marry. The referendum gives Irish people the chance to secure true equality for lesbian and gay people, who are our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. The campaign acknowledges Irish people as generous and decent – people who want to live in an inclusive equal society.’

Kieran Rose, Yes Equality spokesperson said: “The Marriage Equality Referendum offers the chance for lesbian and gay people to become equal citizens in the country they call home. We are confident that a majority of Irish citizens believe that everyone should be free to marry the person they love and will vote yes in this referendum. It is too important to leave to someone else to win, so we extend an invitation to all Irish people to join us in achieving our goal. We have been on a remarkable journey to equality, and this referendum gives us

the chance to give this significant freedom to all.

There has been massive spontaneous support across Ireland, and we are seeing Yes Equality groups appear in every county. These incredible developments are part of Ireland embracing all its citizens equally.”

Healy continued, “This is a people’s referendum in that it was called for by the people following 10,000 submissions to, and intense conversation during, the Constitutional Convention.

79% of that people’s forum called for Government to hold a referendum to allow for civil marriage equality.

We must now replicate what happened at the Constitutional Convention.

We must engage in deep and meaningful conversations between citizens. This alone will secure a yes, and it is everyone’s job to make sure this is exactly what happens.”

Rose concluded, “We cannot win this referendum on our

own; we are asking Irish people to get involved, show their commitment to equality and freedom, and join the campaign to win the referendum. Our greatest challenge is complacency. We need every person who wants the referendum to pass, to vote on the day. Irish people have with characteristic generosity and fairness, supported emancipation of lesbian and gay people over the last 20 years. We are appealing to the same values again. We trust and believe that the Irish people will answer the proposition with a Yes majority. Our success is dependent on Irish people coming together so that all Irish citizens can share the freedom to marry.�

More information on Yes Equality: The Campaign for Civil Marriage Equality, including an information leaflet for members of the public, is available from www. yesequality.ie. (eile.ie 10 Mar 2015)

“We trust and believe that the Irish people will answer the proposition with a Yes majority. Our success is dependent on Irish people coming together so that all Irish citizens can share the freedom to marry�

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BeLonG To Unveils Nationwide Coalition of Youth and Children’s Organisations Supporting a ‘Yes’ Vote in Marriage Equality Referendum Parents of LGBT young people have key role to play, says BeLonG To BeLonG To, the national organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people, together with a nationwide coalition of youth and children’s organisations, is calling on parents to help secure a ‘Yes’ vote in the marriage equality referendum on 22nd May. The ‘BeLonG To YES’ campaign was launched at an event at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin this morning (30.03.15), which was addressed by LGBT young people and their parents.

At the event, BeLonG To announced that leading youth and children’s organisations throughout Ireland have joined the BeLonG To YES coalition, including the ISPCC, 94 EILE Magazine

Barnardos, Foróige, Youth Work Ireland, the Migrant Rights Centre, the Children’s Rights Alliance, Pavee Point and EPIC. Commenting today, Michael Barron, Founding Director of BeLonG To, said: “The ‘BeLonG To YES’ campaign involves an unprecedented coalition of youth and children’s organisations coming together for LGBT equality. We will use our vast networks across Ireland to work for a ‘yes’ vote in the forthcoming referendum, and we will also collaborate closely with Yes Equality. Together, we are working for equality for all young people.

“In particular, ‘BeLonG To YES’ is aiming to engage parents in securing a ‘yes’ vote. We want to highlight the importance of this referendum for young people and future generations.”

Securing Equality for LGBT Young People

“Securing marriage equality is hugely important for LGBT young people, in particular,” said Mr. Barron. “Too many LGBT young people experience difficult times growing up and know they don’t enjoy equal rights. If marriage equality is not passed, we reconfirm to them that their all too common experiences of homophobic bullying and rejection are acceptable in Ireland. This would be a devastating outcome.

“Many LGBT young people don’t have a voice because they’re still too young to vote but the outcome of this referendum will deeply affect their lives. They really want their parents and older relatives to campaign for and vote ‘yes’.

“The organisations involved in ‘BeLonG To YES’ will work together over the coming weeks to encourage young people to talk to their parents about supporting the referendum, and then have their parents talk to

family, friends and colleagues to pass on that message. We must not forget that this is a nationwide referendum and reaching out to people in rural areas is paramount, because it is in these communities that this referendum will be won.

“Marriage equality affects not only today’s adults, but also today’s children and the children of the future. We are delighted, and we see it as very positive, that our ‘Yes’ campaign has the support of a large coalition of youth and children’s groups.

“We have seven weeks to do right by our young people and ensure Ireland becomes a country where no young person has to suffer because of their sexuality. Just imagine what will be possible for future generations of LGBT young people when their future begins with a resounding ‘yes’.”

A Mother’s Testimony Vera Kelly, who is involved in

running a monthly support group for parents of LGBT children, spoke at today’s launch.

Her son, Jamie, is gay.

“I am the mother of two adult children whom I love and respect very much,” she said. “From the time they were born, I have always treated them equally and, as my daughter has the right to marry, I don’t see why my son should not be afforded the same right just because he’s gay.

“We should all be treated equally and by voting ‘yes’ on 22nd May, it will help eliminate injustice towards the LGBT community.

All parents want what’s best for their children. Essentially, we just want them to be happy. I urge parents throughout Ireland to think about the happiness you will bring to LGBT young people if you vote ‘yes’ in May.” For more visit www. belongto.org

“We should all be treated equally and by voting ‘yes’ on 22nd May, it will help eliminate injustice towards the LGBT community.

All parents want what’s best for their children.

Essentially, we just want them to be happy. I urge parents throughout Ireland to think about the happiness you will bring to LGBT young people if you vote ‘yes’ in May.”

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B & A poll shows strong support for marriage for lesbian and gay couples A new poll conducted this week by Behaviour and Attitudes for the Sunday Times shows continuing and consistent support for civil marriage equality.

that all citizens should have the freedom to marry in Ireland regardless of sexual orientation. As we celebrate St Patrick’s day, our national holiday, these figures send of wonderful message of fairness and inclusion to lesbian and gay Irish people” said Tiernan Brady of Yes Equality.

“The Sunday Times Behaviour and Attitudes poll shows that a clear majority of the Irish people right across the country believe

The poll found that 73% of respondents said they would vote for the marriage equality amendment.

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“It is clear from this poll and other recent polls that Irish people firmly accept that lesbian and gay couples should be afforded the same respect, legal status and protections in the Constitution that are available to the rest of society”

continued Brady.

The referendum on the right to marry is to be held in May following on from the recommendation of the Constitutional Convention.

It is a people’s referendum, called by the people for the people.

“The figures are very positive but there is no room for complacency by all of those who support the amendment. This is a vote about members of our families, our friends, people in our communities and their equal citizenship and it is important that we do all we can to engage and persuade people about why marriage matters to all of Irish society including

lesbian and gay people” continued Brady.

The nationwide Campaign is supported by a wide range of civil society organisations including trade unions, women’s groups, parents groups, all political parties, youth and student organisations, professional associations, local family resource centres, employers, children’s rights groups and LGBT groups across the country. There are already 34 Yes Equality groups – they are in every county in Ireland.

in Irish society and how extending access to marriage to lesbian and gay people will strengthen that value. Sharing the freedom to marry is an opportunity to guarantee constitutional equality for all Irish people but specifically Ireland’s gay and lesbian” concluded Brady.

Visit http://www. yesequality.ie (eile.ie 16 Mar 2015)

“We will do all that we can to ensure that this is a positive campaign which focuses on the value of marriage to everyone

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‘Changing Attitude Ireland’ Criticises Bishop Ferran Glenfield’s Stance On Gay Marriage The conservative Church of Ireland Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, the Right Revd Ferran Glenfield, who is also known to be evangelical, has stated his opposition to marriage equality. The Bishop’s diocese takes in Cavan and neighbouring counties.

According to this Friday’s edition of the Church of Ireland Gazette, Bishop Glenfield has added his signature to a document called “Same-sex marriage Referendum May 2015: A Cross Denominational Response” circulated by evangelical Christian Paddy Monaghan.

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According the the Gazette, the document signed by Bishop Glenfield, and also by the Catholic Bishop of Elphin, the Most Revd Kevin Doran, claims that “freedom of conscience will be challenged by a ‘Yes’ vote.

Service providers such as caterers and photographers would be acting illegally if, on grounds of conscience, they were to decline services for same sex weddings”.

Bishop Glenfield’s view has been criticized by the Church of Ireland group, Changing Attitude Ireland, which is calling on people to vote ‘Yes’. It’s Chair, Dr Richard O’Leary told EILE magazine: “Bishop Glenfield should be mindful of how in the past the Catholic and Protestant churches opposed mixed marriages”.

Dr O’Leary added that he was “disappointed that Bishops should now be seeking to introduce the right of businesses to discriminate

against customers on the basis of sexual orientation”.

In a statement last month, the Church of Ireland stated that it’s official position on the referendum is that it “does not direct members on how to vote. The Church encourages people to vote according to their conscience”.

Last May, at the Cork LGBT Awareness Week, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork Dr Paul Colton announced that he was in favour of marriage equality by stating:”I certainly support civil samesex marriage”, and calling for “unqualified equality” for gay and lesbian couples.

Changing Attitude Ireland (CAI) along with the the Catholic Group ‘We are Church Ireland’ is part of the cross-denominational Yes campaign group Faith in Marriage Equality (FiME) launched on February 15. (eile.ie 18/3/2015)

Red C Poll Shows Irish People Favour Sharing Freedom To Marry Yes Equality: The Campaign for Civil Marriage Equality, a new independent nationwide civil society group established to coordinate and lead the campaign to win the Marriage Equality Referendum, welcomed yesterday’s (13th March) Red C poll, which demonstrates clear support for a Yes vote.

The poll shows that many Irish people believe in sharing their freedom to marry, with some yes voters expressing some concerns.

Campaign spokesperson, Brian Sheehan said: “We are confident that a majority of Irish citizens believe that everyone should be free to marry the person they love and will vote yes. We are acutely aware that some people have valid questions requiring responses. Yes Equality is a

Brian Sheehan of Yes Equality

family values campaign based in every county in Ireland. Our people are eager to answer any questions. We don’t want one person with a doubt walking into a polling booth on May 22nd.

The nationwide Campaign is supported by a wide range of civil society organisations including trade unions, women’s groups, parents groups, all political parties, youth and student organisations, professional associations, local family resource centres, employers, children’s rights groups and LGBT groups across the country.

granted. Sharing the freedom to marry is an opportunity to guarantee constitutional equality for all Irish people but specifically Ireland’s gay and lesbian citizens. This is a people’s referendum, called by the people for the people, hence support is currently high and we will be working across Ireland to maintain this support.”

Sheehan concluded:

Yes Equality: The Campaign for Civil Marriage Equality is an Independent nationwide civic society group launched on March 9th 2015 with the sole aim of winning the Marriage Equality Referendum. Yes Equality is an initiative of GLEN, Marriage Equality and the ICCL.

“We won’t win this referendum on our own, we need all Irish people to get involved.

Currently, of the 78% in favour, 60% of these are certain of their support.

This is reassuring but we are not taking any votes for

More information on Yes Equality: The Campaign for Civil Marriage Equality, including an information leaflet for members of the public, is available from www. yesequality.ie. (eile.ie 14 Mar 2015) EILE Magazine 99

US: Hundreds Rally against Georgia Anti-LGBT Bill

Hundreds of fairminded Georgians gathered on Tuesday afternoon (17th) at the State Capitol to stand in opposition to SB 129, a bill that targets LGBT people and also threatens to undermine all existing state civil rights law.

The bill would allow people to use their religion to challenge or opt out of various laws – including local laws in Atlanta and other

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cities – that protect LGBT people and other minorities from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The bill cleared the Senate two weeks ago and is now sitting in the House.

LGBT group Georgia Equality’s Executive Director, Jeff Graham stated: “It was incredible to see so many energetic people come out today and stand united in opposition to this discriminatory bill. We had a positive message today about the kind of future we want for Georgia. We envision a future where we’re both protecting religious freedom and protecting people from discrimination. That’s how our state will ultimately

prosper – not by passing unnecessary and divisive bills that single out people for harm.”

“Everyone who turned out to rally against this bill today sent a very powerful message to our representatives: we’re not going to let you pass a mean-spirited and unnecessary bill without putting up a fight,” said Brad DiFiore, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Board of Governors member and Atlanta Co-Chair, who spoke at today’s rally. “The eyes of the LGBT community and our allies nationwide are on Georgia right now. This isn’t just about Georgia – it’s about similarly deceptive bills in other states, where a small handful seek to thwart the growing tide of equality

with archaic and discriminatory legislation. We won’t stand for discrimination here in Georgia, and we won’t stand for it anywhere else in our country.”

The rally showcased the broad coalition opposing the legislation – participants included faith leaders, young conservatives, and small business owners. In addition to Georgia Equality and the Human Rights Campaign, today’s event also featured conservatives like David Bachman, president and owner of the Neck Candy Tie Co.; Macon Circuit District Attorney David Cooke; and Rev. Tim McDonald and Rabbi Joshua Heller, who represented the more than 200 faith voices who have spoken out against the legislation.

It was the latest high-profile show of opposition to the bill. In late February, Former Georgia Attorney General Mike Bowers, a lifelong conservative, called the legislation nothing more than an “unequivocal excuse to discriminate.” More recently, Elton John weighed in, calling the bill “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Georgia Unites Against Discrimination, a joint project of HRC and Georgia Equality, has been actively working to stop this bill since it was filed and continues to have grave concerns about its impact on LGBT Georgians, the Georgia economy, and other minorities groups. Rep. Sam Teasley has abandoned his companion bill to SB 129, to instead focus on getting the Senate-passed version through the House. The clock is ticking: the Georgia legislative session ends on April 2.

“Everyone who turned out to rally against this bill today sent a very powerful message to our representatives: we’re not going to let you pass a meanspirited and unnecessary bill without putting up a fight”

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. (eile.ie 19/3/2015)

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GLEN Welcomes IBEC Support of Marriage Equality GLEN strongly welcomes IBEC’s statement that supporting civil marriage equality is good for business, good for employees and good for Ireland.

Commenting on IBEC’s endorsement Kieran Rose, Co-chairperson of GLEN stated “IBEC is a leading voice of Irish business. Their statement today highlights the importance of civil marriage equality for Irish people, Irish business and creating employment opportunities.”

GLEN Diversity Champions programme works with companies employing 80,000 people.

These companies are committed to ensuring their workplaces are fully inclusive of their lesbian and gay employees.

“People are a company’s most important asset. Supporting the right of loving, committed couples to be civilly married, regardless of their sexual orientation will help Irish companies attract, nurture and retain the very best and brightest people,” continued Rose.

“Ireland has a strong reputation for openness, inclusion and diversity across the world. Every country neighbouring Ireland has civil marriage equality. Civil marriage equality will protect our reputation as a great place to do business, create employment and enhance our ability to attract diverse international talent,” added Rose. (eile.ie 26/3/2015) 102 EILE Magazine

NI: Judgment Reserved In Gareth Lee’s Cake Case

The case taken by Gareth Lee against Asher’s Bakery in Northern Ireland has concluded, but judgment has been reserved, and no date has been given for when we might expect the judgment to be announced.

The case, supported by the Equality Commission Northern Ireland, was taken when Asher’s Bakery refused to bake a cake for openly gay Gareth Lee, who had requested an image of

Sesame’s Street duo Bert and Ernie to be put on the cake.

The Equality Commission Northern Ireland said it is not their policy to speak about a case before it is concluded, and recently issued this statement: The Commission is supporting an individual taking a case before the County Court alleging discrimination under two anti-discrimination statutes – the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (NI) 2006 and the Fair Employment and Treatment Order (NI) 1998.

This case raises issues of public importance regarding the extent to which suppliers of goods and services can

refuse service on grounds of sexual orientation, religious belief and/or political opinion.

The Commission’s policy is not to discuss the details of any case we are supporting once proceedings have been issued. This is a matter for the Court to deal with now and we do not wish to prejudice the Court’s consideration of the issues or the outcome of its consideration by debating the details of the case in public.

Unionists have criticised the Equality Commission with regard to the costs of the case, which the ECNI say to date has cost over £8,000.

MKB (eile.ie 31/3/2015)

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IGLYO Calls For Intersectional Approach in Gender Equality Fight

IGLYO, the International LGBTQ Youth & Student Organisation, has called on governments and civil society actors to adopt intersectional approaches in the fight for gender equality, and in the drafting, creation and implementation of policies.

Yesterday (March 8) marked International Women’s Day, an opportunity for the international community to focus on women’s rights and gender equality. The day is a powerful reminder, according to IGLYO, that the world has made undeniable progress in the fight for gender equality, but despite the progress made, structural and social obstacles still persist strongly for

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realising the rights of women and girls worldwide.

IGLYO board member Mina Tolu highlights that “often in mainstream advocacy and policy-making women and girls are treated as homogenous groups, making our unique challenges as women from particularly vulnerable groups invisible and ignored.”

“IGLYO believes that in order to comprehensively address violence, discrimination and oppression women of all kinds experience, we must adopt an intersectional approach and policies that support all women and girls who might face and experience multiple oppressions in their daily lives.”

Intersectionality recognises that cultural, economical, social and political patterns of discrimination are not only

intertwined, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society. This means that certain groups of women may experience multiple oppressions, because they are enacted intersectionally. The international body explains that in short, all women struggle due to patriarchal system placed in the world, but a part of women are far more likely to face injustice due to the other forms of maltreatment.

Last year European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights published a report on Violence against Women that distinctly demonstrates the multi-layered discrimination that women may experience.

48% of non-heterosexual women had experienced violence while the number for was 21% for those identified as heterosexual. On the other hand 34% of women with a

form of disability had survived violence as opposed to 19% who had no disability. The research does not account for women who might belong to three or more intersections.

Although the figures are shocking no matter what group one investigates, it underlines the importance of intersectional tools for achieving gender equality.

Mina Tolu adds: “We at IGLYO stress the particular needs and challenges of young LBTQ (lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer) women, girls and individuals identifying as queer or feminine who are at an increased risk of being bullied, this causes dropouts and increases the chance of mental health problems often leading to suicidal thoughts. Furthermore these individuals are more exposed to violence and physical assault. Governments must gear policies that ensure the safety of young LBTQ individuals whose concerns are too often neglected in the national human rights strategies.”

Yesterday, women’s and human rights advocacy organisations celebrated the twentyyear old Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments 20 years ago that set the agenda for realising women’s rights. Nevertheless, the declaration, among all the other existing international treaties and agreements on eradicating gender inequality, disregard the intersectional approachthat is prerequisite for the full realisation of all women’s and girls’ human rights.

“,,,these individuals are more exposed to violence and physical assault.

Governments must gear policies that ensure the safety of young LBTQ individuals whose concerns are too often neglected in the national human rights strategies”

Mina Tolu concluded that “It is only when political intersectionality is established, that we can rest assured that governments are committed for realising the rights of all women and girls”. (eile.ie 9 Mar 2015)

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Faith In Marriage Equality React To Bishop Doran’s Comments About Gay Parents

Faith In Marriage Equality (FIME) one of the interfaith groups supporting equal marriage, have reacted to R.C. Bishop of Elphin, Kevin Doran’s remarks on NEWSTALK Breakfast yesterday that gay people are not parents.

Dr Richard O’Leary of FIME told EILE magazine: “Faith in Marriage Equality would like it to be known that “not all people of faith share Bishop Doran’s view that gay parents are not parents”.

Dr O’Leary added “Bishop Doran should not seek to marginalise gay parents but rather he should acknowledge that parenting is about the quality of the love that the parents provide”.

Dr O’Leary continued that he wished to remind the Bishop that “we are all equal under God,

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whether we are heterosexual or gay”.

Bishop Doran has said that extending marriage to same sex couples would undermine other marriages in Ireland.

Dr O’Leary rejected this assertion adding that that “the referendum is about civil marriage and not about religious marriage and that Bishop Doran should not seek to prevent access to civil marriage”.

You can visit the FIME website here: http:// www.fime.ie/ (eile.ie 10 Mar 2015)

Alan Lambert: Bishop Doran’s Words Show More than Ignorance Alan Lambert writes about Bishop Kevin Doran’s comments on Irish radio yesterday about gay people, parenting and disability Less than a month ago, the Bishop of Elphin, Kevin Doran, gave an address at the Sligo Park Hotel on the subject of Marriage, Family and Society.

The topic was broached on the place of homosexual people in the Church and in society, where the Bishop said that “Love demands that we respect the dignity of every human person without exception”, that the church teaches that “people who are homosexual must be treated with respect and condemns without reservation words or actions which are intended to injure, ridicule or undermine homosexual people.”

Yet today, three weeks after making the above statement, he has likened homosexuality to Down Syndrome and Spina

Bifida.

How is it possible that in such a short time the Church can condemn words or actions undermining homosexual people, and then say that we are not what God intended? Does the Church not realise that in referring to homosexuals in such a manner causes injury to anyone who hears those words, particularly those who are struggling to come to terms with their sexuality, just as Bishop Doran did many years ago?

And on the topic of parenting, when he said “(Homosexuals) are not parents, they may have children, but people who have children are not necessarily parents”, when the definition of a parent is someone who is or acts as a mother or father to someone, how is this not ridiculing homosexual people?

I’m at a loss to support any of the Bishop’s statements, I’m confounded as to how the Church can allow this man speak on its behalf, and I’m disconcerted that nobody has come out from the Church to

either clarify his comments or refute them.

It’s clear that I was deeply offended by this statement, but then I sat back and took the time to look at the groups of people he has compared homosexuals to, and realised that in my outrage I was being as judgmental as the Bishop.

Adults and children with Down Syndrome or Spina Bifida have more social understanding and empathy, than can be seen in most of the statements I’ve read from Bishop Doran. They are more socially inclusive than most people I know, and are more socially interactive too.

So perhaps we might be in groups that, in the Bishop’s opinion, weren’t what God intended, but being different doesn’t mean we are less in any way.

It’s just a shame that because each of these groups have differences, we are susceptible to statements like this, and the Bishop can only talk about us in a negative context. (eile.ie 10 Mar 2015)

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Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approves marriage amendment

A majority of the 171 presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have approved a change to the current description of marriage in the PC(USA)’s Constitution.

At its meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, Palisades Presbytery became the 86th presbytery to approve an amendment to the PC(USA)’s Book of Order.

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The new language reads: Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the wellbeing of the entire human family. Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and support each other for the rest of their lives. The sacrificial love that unites the couple sustains them as faithful and responsible members of the church and the wider community.

In civil law, marriage is a contract that recognizes the rights and obligations of the married couple in society.

In the Reformed tradition, marriage is also a covenant in

which God has an active part, and which the community of faith publicly witnesses and acknowledges.

The 221st General Assembly (2014) of the PC(USA) approved Amendment 14-F last summer, but required a majority of presbyteries to ratify the provision for it to become part of the church’s Constitution. (To learn more about how decisions are made, watch the video “Presbyterian Governance Comes to Life.”)

Voting began last fall in the wake of decades of discernment and marriage studies. Since then, pastors (“teaching elders” in Presbyspeak) and members of

congregations elected to serve as ruling elders have come together to pray, discuss, and try to discern the mind of Christ. In their efforts, they have looked to Scripture, the PC(USA) Book of Confessions, and the stories of everyday Presbyterians with whom they minister.

PC(USA) ministers already can perform same-sex marriages in states where such marriages are legal. By a vote of 371–238, the 221st General Assembly (2014) approved an authoritative interpretation permitting ministers and sessions in these states to use their own discernment in conducting same-sex marriages, effective June 2014.

The General Assembly also included in those changes clear language that no teaching elder or session can be forced to conduct a same-sex marriage ceremony if they do not believe it is appropriate. As of March 16, 42 presbyteries had voted against the amendment, demonstrating ongoing disagreement within the church.

The change to the wording on marriage will take effect June 21, 2015, one year after the adjournment of last summer’s assembly.

Additional resources are available at the Office of the General Assembly website and include a “frequently asked questions” document, liturgical resources, and a video podcast

by Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the General Assembly.

“These decisions have been welcomed by some and a disappointment to others,” Parsons said in a statement after the decisions of the 221st General Assembly (2014). “Let us pray that we can allow the Spirit to continue to create in us a common call to follow Christ while respecting each other’s convictions.” (eile.ie 18/3/2015)

“Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the wellbeing of the entire human family”

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Rabbi Denise L. Eger

HRC Religion Council Member First OpenlyLesbian Rabbi President of CCAR According to the HRC’s Michael Toumayan, Manager of the Religion and Faith Programme, for the first time in the 125year history of the Central Conference of American Rabbis – the rabbinical arm of the Reform Judaism movement– an openly LGBT person will serve as president of the organization.

Longtime leader in the LGBT community and founding member of the HRC Religion Council, Rabbi Denise Eger has been appointed to

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lead the oldest and largest rabbinic organization in North America.

“This could not have happened to a more worthy faith leader among our esteemed colleagues in Judaism,” said Rev. MacArthur Flournoy, HRC Foundation’s Director of Faith Partnerships and Mobilization, congratulating Eger.

Rabbi Eger is a founding member of the HRC Religion Council, a group of national spokespeople committed to equal rights for all Americans who provide a prophetic voice on the critical issues affecting the LGBT community from marriage, to adoption, to reclaiming the inclusive foundations of religion.

She is also only the second openly-LGBT rabbi to lead a rabbinical organization; in

2007, Rabbi Toba Spitzer, an openly lesbian rabbi, was appointed president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.

The Jewish Reform Movement has been at the forefront of religious progressivism in the United States, taking steps as early as 1977 towards LGBT inclusion, and continuing to promote a deeper understanding of what it means to be an LGBT person of faith, and distinguishing itself as one of the leading voices for LGBT Equality.

You can learn more about the Reform Judaism Movement and their faith stance on LGBT equality by visiting HRC’s Faith Positions resource page. (eile.ie 18/3/2015)

Prof. M.V. Lee Badgett

Amherst Professor: No Harm Will Come To Marriage If Extended To Lesbian & Gay People

Professor M.V. Lee Badgett, of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, provided evidence last night on the international perspective on marriage equality ahead of the May 22nd Marriage Equality Referendum.

The professor and author discussed research, which demonstrates that no harm will come to the institution of marriage as a result marriage equality being extended to same-sex couples. Professor Badgett is visiting Ireland and spoke at an event co-organised by Marriage Equality and the School of Applied language and Intercultural Studies at DCU, addressing guests

in The Oak Room of the Mansion House.

Professor Badgett commented: “Extending equal marriage rights to same-sex couples will have no harmful effects on the institution of marriage in Ireland.

Marriage is important to straight and gay couples for the same reasons; as a public declaration of love and commitment, and sometimes for practical reasons. We know that sharing the freedom to marry with lesbian and gay couples will result in increased social inclusion, better health and more visibility which is good for society and will be good for Ireland.”

Moninne Griffith, Director of Marriage Equality, said: “Where marriage equality exists around the world, it

only has positive effects for families and society. As it currently stands, same-sex couples cannot get married and do not have equal status under the Irish Constitution.

The referendum gives Irish people the chance to secure true equality for lesbians and gay people, who are our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters.”

Professor Badgett added: “The social debate and the lived experiences of gay men and lesbians who can finally marry their partners all suggest that the institution of marriage retains the power to shelter, shape and serve the lives of couples who marry. Opening up marriage to same-sex couples is just the latest step toward renewing marriage’s continuing relevance in the twenty-first century.” (eile.ie 20/3/2015)

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YesEquality: Conscience Clause a Licence to Discriminate

The “conscience clause” mooted by the Church Hierarchy, including the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, has been called a ‘licence to discriminate’ by campaigning group YesEquality.

A similar clause designed to enshrine discrimination into Irish law under the cloak of conscience clause was previously suggested by some when civil partnership legislation was discussed in

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the Dáil in 2010. The issue was discussed at length in the Dáil and Seanad and entirely dismissed.

Mark Kelly, YesEquality spokesperson said: “The human right to religious freedom is hugely important, but it does not include a licence to use religion to discriminate against others by denying them goods or services.

Everyone is entitled to their religious beliefs, but modern antidiscrimination laws make clear that they are not entitled to impose them on others.”

Tiernan Brady, also of YesEquality, added that strong anti-discrimination laws are in

place “to protect everyone” in Ireland: “Irish people intuitively understand how discrimination feels. Our laws are moving in a positive direction, towards the eradication of discrimination for all people in Ireland whether you’re young or old, married or unmarried, religious or unreligious, gay or straight.”

Yes Equality is an independent nationwide civil society organisation, created to coordinate and lead the campaign to win the Marriage Equality Referendum on May 22nd. There are over 40 Yes Equality groups in every county in Ireland.

More information is available on www.yesequality.ie.

LGBT Noise Announce March for Marriage Ahead of Referendum LGBT Noise has announced that the group are holding their annual March for Marriage on Sunday May 17, the Sunday before the nation goes to the polls on the Marriage Equality referendum.

those who are undecided about which way to vote on polling day. Mark your diaries, ring your family and friends, invite them to the event and most importantly BE THERE to march for equality on Sunday May 17th, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).”

The March will begin at 2 pm at Dublin’s City Hall, and will be the 7th annual march.

Last August 10,000 people took to the streets, with the upcoming referendum expected to increase numbers.

According to Noise organiser Darren O’Gorman:

Noise wants to energise supporters and convince people who are undecided with a positive, mass demonstration of support for equal marriage by people who believe in full equality for every Irish citizen, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We want this to be our biggest and last ever March. We need to send a powerful message to

“It has never been more important for the diversity of support for the extension of civil marriage rights to LGBT

people to be visible than in advance of this historic referendum. We hope that the March will give an opportunity to the overwhelming majority of people who are in support of a Yes vote to take to the streets”, O’Gorman continued.

In launching their Dublin March plans, Noise announced an outreach project ‘to bring March for Marriage to you’.

Throughout April and May the group seeks to show visible support throughout the country for a YES vote and give all people a chance to march in solidarity for equality.

Anyone who’s interested in organising a march in their area is asked to get touch by email at info@lgbtnoise. ie with one of the group’s organisers.

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Church group against conscience clause for businesses opposed to same-sex marriage The Church of Ireland group Changing Attitude Ireland (CAI) says it is opposed to a ‘conscience clause’, suggested by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, which would allow businesses to opt out of providing goods or services for same sex weddings.

Chairman of CAI, Dr Richard O’Leary, says: “I am concerned that conservative Christians are proposing a conscience clause which is really a discrimination clause.

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group except against the gay minority”.

“There is already appropriate protection, which we support, for priests and church venues who did not wish to facilitate samesex civil marriage ceremonies. However, to extend this to commercial providers would be to licence discrimination. The effect of this ‘conscience outbreak’ could only be to increase homophobia in Irish society”.

“Heterosexuals should not be indifferent to the fate of their gay fellow citizens. They could be next. What if a conservative Christian businessman doesn’t agree with heterosexual mixed

Catholic-Protestant marriage?

Should he be allowed to also opt out of providing goods or services for that wedding?”

Dr O’Leary concludes: “It would be helpful if other Church members would go on public record in disassociating themselves from this proposed discrimination clause”.

Changing Attitude Ireland is an all-Ireland Church of Ireland group with ecumenical friends, lay and ordained, heterosexual and gay working for the full inclusion of LGBT persons. Changing Attitude Ireland supports FAITH IN MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

Amnesty Launches Marriage Equality YES Campaign On Sunday, March 22nd, Amnesty launched its Marriage Equality YES Campaign, at 3 pm at the GPO, O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

Mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children were all welcome to say YES to the freedom to marry, YES to equality and fairness at Amnesty’s launch of their Marriage Equality campaign outside the GPO Dublin Sunday 22nd.

There were speeches, music, balloons and the promise to work together for an Ireland that cherishes all children equally.

Everyone was welcome!

There was also a YesEquality Pop Up Shop in the Outhouse Cafe (105 Capel St) from 1-3pm on Sunday selling T-Shirts and campaign merchandise. All money raised goes to the campaign.

You can have a peek at the colours still available at: https://yesequality.myshopify.com/

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Mothers Will Play Key Role in Securing Marriage Equality – BeLonG To BeLonG To, the national organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people, marked Mother’s Day 2015 by thanking mothers for their support for marriage equality.

Commenting on Friday 13th March, David Carroll, Executive Director of BeLonG To, said: “We work with hundreds of amazing mothers every year, who have provided so much love, understanding and support to their LGBT children.

We will officially launch our campaign to secure a ‘yes’ vote in the marriage equality referendum in the coming weeks, and mothers will play a key role in that.

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“In the lead-up to the referendum, we have been working with parents throughout Ireland around the campaign, and we are delighted with the response we have been receiving. Mothers of LGBT children are powerful advocates for a ‘yes’ vote. Like all parents, they want the best for their children: they want them to grow up, happy, secure and capable of accessing the same opportunities and chances in life as everyone else.

That’s what this referendum is all about: a ‘yes’ vote will send an unequivocal message to LGBT young people that they can enjoy equal rights and opportunities in this State.”

BeLonG To provides a number of services for parents of LGBT young people, including online information resources, meeting groups and workshops. The

organisation also works closely with LOOK (Loving Our Out Kids), a support group for parents of LGBT children.

“The way a parent reacts when their child comes out is crucial in terms of ensuring their child feels loved, supported and secure in the long-term, in relation to their sexual identity,” said David Carroll. “Many of the mothers we work with have not only provided loving support to their own children, but have also become powerful public champions for gay rights.

“This Mother’s Day, we want to thank these amazing women. By speaking to family members, friends, neighbours and colleagues about why they are supporting a ‘yes’ vote in the forthcoming referendum, mothers will play a huge role in ensuring a favourable outcome.” (eile.ie 15 Mar 2015)

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