EILE Magazine February 2016 Vol. 3 Issue 9

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EILE

Magazine V3 Issue 9 – Feb. 2016

Kamila Dydyna’s new film

The Betrayal Gareth Russell on

King James I

The amazing photography of

Bonnie RzM

Kate Brown Lesbian SingerSongwriter

Inside:

Fashion | Film | Music |Health | News

EILE Magazine | Who’s Who

Contributors

Mark Anthony Mark is a UCD English graduate who writes his own menswear fashion blog, and is a freelance writer. Mark has also produced several fashion shows, all in aid of worthwhile causes M. Butler M. Butler is a writer and editor, with a keen interest in human rights, and has studied philosophy and psychology David Culhane David is a world-traveller and animal-lover, with an interest in all things spiritual and thought-provoking Scott De Buitléir Scott is founder and Editor-at-Large of EILE Magazine. He is also a writer and broadcaster, originally from Dublin but now based in Nottingham Lisa Reynolds Originally from Co. Meath, Lisa is a fashion industry student, now living in Bray, Co Wicklow, with a great interest in media and celebrity Brian Rochford Brian has studied health, exercise, and nutrition, with a special interest in controlling pain in rheumatism and arthritis Bonnie Rodriguez Freelance photographer, writer and fashion blogger, Bonnie Rodriquez, aka Bonnie RzM, from Venezuela, is a postgraduate of the New York Film Academy, and is interested in human rights, animal welfare, art and culture Gareth Russell Gareth Russell is a native of Belfast and studied History at the University of Oxford. His first novel, “Popular,” about the life of young people in modern-day Belfast was published in 2011. Gareth has also written non-fiction books on the history of the British monarchy Frances Winston Frances Winston is EILE’s resident film buff, and has contributed to many other publications such as The Irish Independent and Irish Tatler

EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine | Welcome

Highlights February 2016 Bonnie RzM - P. 24 Bonnie RzM is a photographer from Venezuela, working in fashion and publishing from her Miami studio

Kamila Dydyna - P. 10 Kamila Dydyna tells us about her latest film, The Betrayal, which is about domestic abuse within marriage and questioning sexual identity

Gareth Russell - P. 36 Gareth Russell writes this month on the British monarch, King James I, and his long-standing love affair with Lord Buckingham

Music - Kate Brown - P. 6 Kate is a singer-songwriter from the US, who also happens to be gay. She now calls Pasadena home, where she lives with her wife and two children. Her latest single is “Bring Me Down Dixie’

Fashion/Celebrity - P. 16, P. 22 This month, Mark Anthony writes about London Fashion Week, while Lisa Reynolds takes a look at the Bowie album, The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Volume 3, Issue 9 Editor-at-Large: Scott De Buitléir Editor: MKB Contributors: Mark Anthony, M. Butler, David Culhane, Scott De Buitléir, MKB, Lisa Reynolds, Brian Rochford, Bonnie Rodriguez, Gareth Russell, Frances Winston Photographers: Bonnie RzM, Rafal Kostrzewa, Nancy Walters NB: All images in this publication are either under Creative Commons licence, or used with permission. Image credits, where necessary, are printed on the corresponding page(s) or photo(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 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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…plus film reviews, news and much more!

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EILE Magazine | Editor’s Letter

A Note of Thanks To The Former Irish Government Contents 6-

Kate Brown

10 -

Kamila Dydyna

15 -

Photographer Wntd

16 -

LFW with Mark

20 -

Jan Pleitner Art

22 -

Ziggy Stardust

24 -

Bonnie RzM

28 -

Spiritual Musing

32 -

LGBT Presid Medals

36 -

King James I

42 -

The Immune System

44 -

Frances on Film

From page 50 on World LGBT News, Views, Entertainment etc

Scott De Buitléir writes on what has been achieved in Ireland for LGBT people in the last five years with the 31st Dáil Regardless of which way you voted in Ireland on 26 February (or not at all, as you might’ve chosen) credit needs to be given for how LGBT rights in Ireland have progressed during the five years of the 31st Dáil Éireann.

Many in the Labour Party fought hard in support of the Marriage Equality referendum, and regularly made a strong case for LGBT rights and other social issues. The government and its actions were never perfect over the last five years, but it can’t be denied that social progress has been made in Ireland from an LGBT perspective.

As so many LGBT rights have been progressed, many LGBT people and allies have probably voted for the politicians who supported them for marriage equality and gender recognition; a ‘thank you‘ vote, if you will.

Such tactics don’t only apply to government (or now former government) parties like Fine Gael and Labour, but if LGBT rights have now been achieved in Ireland, then it may be that the pink vote’s power has now been spent. If that is the case, and the LGBT voter blends into the rest of the electorate, where next for social liberalism? Is it now ticked off the political ‘to do’ list?

Personally, I’d argue that there are many other social issues in Ireland which need championing, not least of which are women’s rights. However, just as not every LGBT voter supported a Labour/Fine Gael government, neither will they all support such issues as repealing the Eighth Amendment.

The question must be asked, however; where will the now-equal LGBT citizen stand on other issues of equality in Ireland? Are we going to see a mé féin attitude come through, that now with equality achieved, we turn our backs on others in need?

What I do know is that while many may not have been happy with the last five years of government from Leinster House, we should not be too quick to forget how far we have come for LGBT equality and social justice.

Scott De Buitléir Founder / Editor-at-Large EILE Magazine

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Jan Pleitner Exhibition, ‘Water For The Tribe’ at the Kerlin Gallery, Anne’s Lane, South Anne’s Street, Dublin 2 until 10 March 2016 (see page 20) http://www.kerlingallery.com/

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Kate Brown EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine looks in on Kate Brown, lesbian singer-songwriter from Iowa in the US, and finds out about her latest single “Bring Me Down DIxie” Writing in a genre described as ‘Explosive Folk Rock with a Honky Tonk Flair’ realistic narratives and a charismatic command of the stage are essential facets in the vivid artistry of singer-songwriter, Kate Brown. Writing lyrics and music, touring, acting and now raising a new kind of family—all of these touchstones crystallise into compelling country-rock

Photos: Nancy Walters

songs and shape-shifting performances. And whether the audience is rapt and attentive or well-oiled and rowdy, Kate charms them with self-deprecating monologues, sheer intensity and her audacious authenticity.

A small town girl from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Kate grew up with supportive parents that she characterizes as “Old hippies in an upstanding Midwest Catholic way -- really accepting and free.”

Kate Brown says her parents are “Old hippies in an upstanding Midwest Catholic way -- really accepting and free.”

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Her mom had played in a folk duo back in the day, and while rummaging in the attic, Kate uncovered her dusty 12-string guitar, and a six-string that belonged to her greatgrandmother. After what she recalls as a wellreceived living room performance of “Annie’s Song” by John Denver, Kate had discovered her calling.

Buying her own guitar on layaway from a store in nearby Burlington, she was on her way.

Eventually dropping out of college, she performed in coffeehouses, peddled homemade CD’s, and slept in truck stops, as she traversed the country as a singer-songwriter.

For much of her creative life Kate balanced music and acting.

“I felt like I had to choose. I didn’t have time to do both,” she remembers. Music won out.

“At the end of my life, I want to look back on a body of work to say ‘I did this,’ as opposed to struggling and going to auditions.”

Kate’s song “Bring Me Down Dixie,” shines a spotlight on a saloon singer who despite the tribulations will not abandon life in the spotlight, no matter how meager.

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While this is certainly not Kate’s story, she inhabits this character with grit and grace.

“Acting and songs are connected by the thread of storytelling,” says Kate.

“Songs are not just a bunch of nice words and a hooky chorus.”

It was at a 10-week intensive course at The School at Steppenwolf in Chicago that she met fellow actor and drummer, Tony Sancho, the musical partner who forms a fundamental bond with Kate in her endeavors.

Their onstage connection is intuitive as Kate observes: “We really trust each other. We’re both performers first and musicians second.

He’s a great sideman, very funny, without having to take center stage -- he just rolls along.”

From Iowa, Illinois and Maryland to Washington, Oregon and California, Kate has lived in a variety of locales. She now resides in the Golden State city of South Pasadena with her wife and their two young children.

“It is so interesting to be part of a queer family.

It gives me a deeper motivation to tell my story – our story -- and to be a positive force in a

“At the end of my life, I want to look back on a body of work to say ‘I did this,’ as opposed to struggling and going to auditions” changing world,” she says.

Challenging, expressive and committed - with prairie-nurtured poetics, new family values and a formidable cast of vivid characters, Kate’s songs resonate with her audience.

With her penchant for telling it like it is, and the courage to be part of a new type of family, Kate Brown is an artist to be reckoned with. - M.Butler Album Art for Bring Me Down Dixie

(Left) Tony Sancho with Kate Brown Photo Nancy Walters

The Kate Brown Band are: Kate Brown, Tony Sancho, Michael Patzia, Phillip Kim

“We really trust each other.

We’re both performers first and musicians second”

The Kate Brown Band at Griffin’s of Kinsale in South Pasadena, California

You can download the latest single, Bring Me Down Dixie on itunes at: https://itunes.apple. com/us/album/bringme-down-dixie/id107004 5789?i=1070045790 or shortlink http://apple.co/ 1WRhXMD EILE Magazine

Kamila Dydyna (left) as Nel Kane and Miriam Devitt as Alice Walsh in The Betrayal. Photo: Rafal Kostrzewa

Irish LGBT Film ‘The Betrayal’ Kamila Dydynas’ latest film throws a spotlight on the issues of sexual identity, domestic violence and revenge porn in the context of a marriage break-up A new female-driven short film from writer / director Kamila Dydyna, called The Betrayal, is venturing into 10 EILE Magazine

psychological and emotional territory not normally seen in Irish film.

The LGBT drama / thriller, from the pen of Polish-

born Dydyna, touches on adult themes such as sexual identity, domestic violence, and revenge porn within the context of a marriage breakup. The lead character Nel’s questioning of her romantic feelings for her best friend,

Alice, seems timely, as Ireland slowly unshackles itself from its own prescribed gender norms.

Kamila is proud of her cast and crew: “Miriam Devitt, Mark McAuley and myself, jointly bring experience of working on productions like Vikings, Soulsmith, and are professional actors trained in top acting schools like Trinity College and The Gaiety School of Acting, National Theatre School of Ireland”, and the film is co-directed by Natasha Waugh from Fight Back Films, with cinematography by Gosia Zur (Monged), costume design by Gwen Jeffares-Hourie.

The main cast features Mark McAuley (Vikings, Saol) and Miriam Devitt (Running Commentary, Food Fight). Kamila Dydyna, a graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting, whose award-winning directorial debut, Testimony , last year showed a child’s eye view of an emotional court case, takes on the challenging lead role of Nel in her new film. She doesn’t shy from facing some of the darker truths of society on screen. A male partner’s jealous and violent reactions in an unravelling relationship are the catalyst of The Betrayal’s plotline in which a new romantic possibility leads to danger.

Kamila says about the domestic violence aspect of the film: “I grew up watching my parents’ violent relationship and still know way too many people affected by it. Hearing of homophobic attacks on my own friends – from their religious leaders down to their parents – breaks my heart but also fuels my passion for storytelling. Writing / directing and acting in stories featuring gender-based violence is my way of trying to understand it, and ultimately inspire people to prevent it”.

Kamila and Miriam as Nel and Alice Photo: Rafal Kostrzewa

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Photo: RAFAL KOSTRZEWA

Left to right: Actor Mar Puller), Gosia Zur (Cine Jeffares-Hourie (Costum “In The Betrayal, Nel’s first reaction to an act of aggression from her husband is of course shock, but it’s also mixed with paralysing guilt and shame. There’s still such shame involved in telling anyone. It bothers me so much that it’s the victims that are ashamed, not the perps. I wanted to explore all of that and a lot more in the film. Even though in the world of The Betrayal nothing’s black and white, excusing such violent behaviour, especially as a society with collective responsibility for how men are allowed act towards women, allows gender violence be the norm.”

Far from your average short film, Kamila Dydyna and production company Driftwood Doll Films (Eilís Abbott and Michael O’Dwyer) have assembled a mostly female team to bring the thirty-page script to its full potential. Each member of the crew come with their own experiences of being a woman in an imbalanced industry, where it’s common to be one out of ten on film sets and in production meetings, and are quite amused to 12 EILE Magazine

Kamila and Mark McAuley who plays Mark Kane in The Betrayal

rk McAuley, Meg O’Kelly (Gaffer), JJ Sullivan (1st AC/ Focus ematographer), Drew Maitland (Assistant Director) and Gwen me & Set Designer)

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have it the other way round for once.

The film is co-directed by Natasha Waugh from Fight Back Films, with cinematography by Gosia Zur (Monged), costume design by Gwen Jeffares-Hourie. The Betrayal also features the title track from Conor Walsh’s debut EP “The Front,” named one of the best Irish songs of 2015 by Nialler9.

A crowdfunding campaign for The Betrayal, on Indiegogo, has only a short time left, and there are, of course, perks attached when you contribute, from an advance copy of the film, to a piece of graphic art.

For more visit the Indiegogo campaign at: https://www.indiegogo.com/ projects/the-betrayal-excitingthriller-on-sexual-identity#/

The Betrayal crew moments after they wrapped shooting the last scene

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Netflix is looking for Europe’s finest “Grammasters” Photographers get paid to travel through Europe and visit fascinating TV locations What sounds like one of the best jobs in the world will become true for three talented photographers with a passion for entertainment. Netflix is hiring three “Grammasters” to take over their Instagram accounts for two weeks and travel through Europe. The selected three will receive a salary of 2,000 USD per week, have the opportunity to see spectacular TV and film locations, visit premieres of Netflix Original shows, meet and greet talents at the set and beyond. All travel arrangements will be handled

by Netflix.

SENSE8, MARSEILLE, THE CROWN and SUBURRA are on the planned agenda.

As a first glimpse into the “Grammasters” schedule, locations and film sets of Netflix Originals like

More information on the activity is on http://grammasters.netflix.com/

The “Grammasters” program had already been conducted successfully in the US with tens of thousand applicants and three lucky photographers who finally got the job.

As an inspiration, a summary of their experience can be found on YouTube .

To participate and win this dream job, applicants from Europe and Middle East are called to tag their favourite three photos with #grammasters3.

Deadline is 6 March, the selected “Grammasters” will start their job in April.

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Mark Anthony shows us some wonderful fashion, from the minds of some of the best designers, at the spectacle that is

London Fashion Week People from all walks of life gathered in London for the past couple of days at London Fashion Week.

As expected, many people in the front rows were the epitome of glamorous, while others went a little more out there.

When it came to the shows, the designers were no different.

With so many weirdly wonderful creations, LFW was nothing short of entertaining.

London Fashion week has built up a reputation of invention and creativity over the years, and with 83 designers showcasing their Autumn/Winter collections, and models lurking in every corner - there was certainly nowhere to hide.

Vivienne Westwood called for a green future through her presentation of the human race on the catwalk. There are no surprises there that the designer was once again using fashion as a political statement.

Over the past couple of days LFW has proven that it is not immune to foreign themes. You can see this through the 16 EILE Magazine

increasing amount of social ideas being showcased by many designers.

Some designers have even challenged their customer base to throw away those staple pieces and get yourself out there.

Some even daring you to be retro.

This year I have followed all the menswear fashion weeks in London, Paris, Milan and New York and as a male fashion blogger, that’s to be expected.

I don’t enjoy women’s fashion as much as I would men’s. However, you could see the expectations were high throughout London Fashion Week. It was very exciting to see so much young talent and fresh ideas and how daring some were with their innovations.

Central S Martins

St

Alexander McQueen

House of Holland

Central St Martins

Vivienne Westwood

Sibling

Sibling

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“London Fashion week has built up a reputation of invention and creativity over the years, and with 83 designers showcasing their Autumn/Winter collections...there was certainly nowhere to hide�

Margaret Howell

JW Anderson Paul Smith

Alexander McQueen

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Vivienne Westwood

London College of Fashion

“Vivienne Westwood called for a green future through her presentation of the human race on the catwalk�

- Mark Anthony

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JAN PLEITNER Water for the Tribe Until 10 March 2016 Kerlin Gallery Kerlin Gallery is pleased to present Water for the Tribe, an exhibition of new painting

by Jan Pleitner.

It will be his first solo exhibition with Kerlin Gallery.

Deeply influenced by science fiction (in fact, the title for this exhibition references Frank Herbert’s Dune), the fast movement of Pleitner’s jolting lines reflect both his dynamic, durational approach to painting, often completing works in single, marathon sessions, but also the speed at which the world operates on a more minute level: the speed at which sound or light can travel, for instance, or the speed at which signals are sent and received by the brain.

In a sense, Pleitner’s chaotic lines evoke the frantic pace at which we are capable of processing information.

But on another level, his rich, luminous colours also hint towards something more 20 EILE Magazine

mysterious, giving a physical manifestation to the invisible forces that continuously surround our existence, or lending a highly saturated colour palette to the unchartered abyss of the subconscious mind.

Jan Pleitner’s paintings are striking and expressive; an intense exploration of colour and energy. Characterised by bold lines and deep pigments that bleed into one another, the artist takes a highly tactile approach to painting, scraping through layers of paint as readily as he builds them up. Scratches, lines and patches of colour jostle for our attention sending the eye zig-zagging across the rich, mercurial surfaces.

In a recent artist interview, Pleitner articulated that his painting ‘is not about an anti- image, its more about the discovery of an unknown image’. Though wholly abstract, his painting does not imagine new worlds so much as illuminate what is hidden in the one we inhabit.

Born in Oldenburg, Pleitner is currently based in Düsseldorf, having graduated with an MA from the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 2010. Selected solo exhibitions include Nanzuka Underground, Tokyo (2015), Natalia Hug, Cologne; Ancient & Modern, London (both 2014); Förderpreis der Öffentlichen Versicherungen Oldenburg, Germany (2013) and Projekt Skagen 12, Denmark (2012).

Pleitner’s work has previously been exhibited at Kerlin Gallery as part of the group exhibition Deep One Perfect Morning (2014).

Kerlin Gallery Anne’s Lane, South Anne Street, Dublin 2 GALLERY HOURS: Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:45 PM Saturday, 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM visit: http://www.kerlingallery. com/

Jan Pleitner Untitled 2015 oil on canvas 200 x 300 cm / 78.7 x 118.1 in

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The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Lisa Reynolds looks at David Bowie’s Legendary fifth studio album On 10 January this year, music lost one of its most talented, innovative, and inspirational artists, when David Bowie passed away.

The English rock star released twenty-six studio albums in his long and prestigious career, and his music transcends generations.

Let’s take a look at the late star’s 1972 album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which was Bowie’s fifth studio album.

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Recorded in Trident Studios in London, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott, with Bowie on vocals, Mick Ronson on electric guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass, and Mick Woodmansey on drums.

With a running time of 38:37, the album has a wonderful narrative quality, telling the story of Bowie’s alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, who is ultimately brought down by the fans he influenced, but done in a very sci-fi influenced way. At the time, Bowie was tiring of his alter ego, and wanted to reinvent himself.

The album opens with the poetic, storytelling-esque Five Years, before moving onto the next track, Soul

Love, which has slow and stunning instrumentals, which complement Bowie’s vocal perfectly. Track three is the textured and expansive Moonage Daydream, which flows from various instrumentals with ease.

As the album progresses, the very catchy and much-loved Starman appears, before It Ain’t Easy with Ron Davies, a tight and unified number, which closes out the first side of the album.

The second side opens with Lady Stardust, with its relaxed instrumentals complementing Bowie’s storytelling vocal beautifully, followed by track seven, Star, with its upbeat rock ‘n’ roll instrumental sequence. The punk style number of Hang On to Yourself

follows, with a throwback to 50s and 60s style rock.

David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust

Ziggy Stardust, with its incredible instrumental arrangement and Bowie’s dynamic vocal follows, before the thundering Suffragette City, and the closing track on the album, Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide, a beautifully emotive song.

An album with wonderful lyrical content and perfect vocals, instrumentals and arrangements.

Rest in peace David Bowie. A visionary for many generations.

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Bonnie Rodriguez aka Bonnie RzM Miami-based fashion photographer, Bonnie Rodriguez, or Bonnie RzM as she is known among friends and clients in the industry, has recently launched a new blog, which is quickly becoming the go-to site for models, artists, writers and others in the fashion industry.

Known for her work with celebrities, such as Donnell Rawlings, Katy Tiz, and Nicole Richie, Bonnie has built a name for herself for her amazing eye for detail, as well as her ability for spotting cutting-edge trends.

Known largely for her peerless portraiture and album cover work, Bonnie has become known as a trusted partner to magazines, record labels and other world-class brands, and has made a name for herself due to her unprecedented level of attention to detail and client satisfaction.

Previously, she has worked with celebrities such as Gabriela Vergara, Nelson Bustamante, Eduardo Orozco, Katy Tiz and more. Her work has also been featured in galleries around Miami, New York, Venezuela and California.

Today, she is considered by many as an authority on getting models or subjects ready for any photo shoot, which is also the focus of her new blog.

Shootinheels.com is loaded with celebrity interviews, tips and articles on getting ready for a shoot, as well as ways for models to feel as comfortable as possible on set.

The blog also features a trends section, showcasing collages of ‘best of the week’ fashion photos from around the net. Additionally, the blog features articles on BonnieRzM’s own journey as a fashion photographer.

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Photographer Bonnie Rodriguez

Bonnie’s studio in downtown Miami that has recently become known as a hotspot for fashion bloggers, new models and others seeking to build their company image through powerful visuals.

The downtown space offers the ideal environment for clothing lines to launch new seasonal campaigns, and Bonnie offers a membership service for clients with heavy photography needs, ideal for bloggers or other new media entities.

“The goal with our studio is to offer clients access to high-end photography during an age when high impact visuals are needed almost constantly,” Rodriguez

“The goal with our studio is to offer clients access to high-end photography during an age when high impact visuals are needed almost constantly” EILE Magazine 25

says. “To book publishers, clothing brands, or anyone needing excellent photography, using human models is essential in today’s publishing scene, and we are very proud to meet the needs of every client who walks through our door.”

Bonnie is originally from Venezuela but now lives in Miami, Florida, which is where she calls home.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Photography from the New York Film Academy, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Venezuela.

You can stay up to date with her latest thoughts, tips and news on the fashion scene by following her at her blog http://www.shootinheels.com/. or by contacting her at 917-­930-­9464 or bonnie@bonnierzmphoto.com

Bonnie Rodriguez

To learn more about BonnieRzM studio, visit their website at http://www. bonnierzmstudio.com/ @BonnieRzM

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All Photos: Bonnie RzM

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Spiritual Musings David Culhane muses on getting the balance right in our daily lives

“I came into this world, not chiefly to make this a good place to live in, but to live in it, be it good or bad”.

D.H. Thoreau.

To live is to open ourselves to possibility, to rule out nothing. There is no way we can spare ourselves, or those we love, the pains of living, because they are inseparable from the joys.

How grandiose are we when we think we can save the world.

All we can do - and it’s quite a lot - is to live the best we can, achieving a balance amid the forces that pull on us: pleasure, responsibility, power, love. If we can live so that we can respond to all of them, rule out none of them and yet enslave ourselves to none, we will have the best the world has to give.

One quality all great people seem to share is humor - the capacity to see our struggles and triumphs with detachment. Not that our life is unimportant,but that it’s only a part of the huge web of life on this planet.

If we can keep our life in balance, we won’t get puffed up by any little triumph, or squashed by a defeat. We’ll keep on with our lives, confident that we’re doing our best.

Let me not forget - my chief business in life is living.

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“All we can do.....is to live the best we can, achieving a balance amid the forces that pull on us: pleasure, responsibility, power, love�

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Béar Féile 2016 Ireland’s Biggest Bear event March 31 to April 3 Featuring: Paul M, Kylie goes Gaga, Lady Diamond Sitges , Mr Bear Ireland with Panti , DJ’s Aggie, El Styra, Nano Corky Reg Packs on sale now €30

Paul M Panti Bliss

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For more information on BĂŠar FĂŠile 2016, or the Dublin Bears group and their events, visit: www.dublinbears.ie Twitter: @dubbears EILE Magazine 31

LGBTQ RECIPIENTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM In the United States, the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom is bestowed by the President as the highest civilian honour in the country, and is bestowed by an Act of Congress.

It recognizes those individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors�.

Formally established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy as a revision to an award previously given for wartime service, it is now presented annually to a select group of 32 EILE Magazine

individuals who have made historic and notable contributions to their professions, their country, their culture, and the world at large.

As of December 2015, there have been 577 recipients of the award.

We have identified 17 LGBTQ individuals throughout history who have received the award. As is to be expected, all are household names in the United States and many are also well known around the world. In general, the majority of these individuals emanate from the entertainment, arts, and political activist professions, with several from the scientific community. It is noteworthy that their publicly-known sexual orientation did not preclude them from this esteemed award.

No doubt, the presentation of such awards often reflects the biases and politics of the presenter themselves - ie. the President. Nevertheless,

the awarding of this group of individuals does present a recognition of particular achievement and public acceptance. All of these individuals can be considered icons of the LGBTQ community, and indeed there are many allies of the community who have also been presented with the award.

Some past LGBT recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom are: Alvin Ailey, dance Rachel Carson, environmentalist Aaron Copland, composer Vladimir Horowitz, pianist Jasper Johns, painter Barbara Jordan, politics Billie Jean King, sports

To view the full list of recipients go to: www.queerbio.com

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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 35

The Apotheosis of James I: The Triumph and Tragedy of the King who funded the most famous translation of the Bible

By Gareth Russell For centuries, James I’s private life was the object of feverish denial, or decorous silence, from the majority of historians. The King, who was the first to rule over a unified British monarchy, had funded the great English-language translation of the Bible. It was also perfectly clear to anyone who cared to look that he had been actively bisexual, and, if going solely by his emotional attachments, homosexual.

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It was not until the last few decades that James’s sexuality began to be openly discussed.

It took the publication of Lady Antonia Fraser’s biography of him, and then of Leanda de Lisle’s book After Elizabeth, a study of the years surrounding James’s rise to power in England, for it to be stated as a matter of near-incontrovertible fact.

De Lisle’s book also provided a thoughtful and convincing theory that the brilliant, but manic, King may have had ADHD. The discovery of more of James’s love letters to the handsome Duke of Buckingham, and of a secret panel connecting their rooms at one of the royal hunting lodges, settled the issue of his sexuality for all but the most zealous of naysayers, who are determined to deny that a King, whose name lines nearly every Protestant pew in the English-speaking world, had been sexually and romantically involved with members of his own gender.

Given Christianity’s torturously-evolving relationship with sexualities, that attitude is perhaps unsurprising. It does, however, detract from the fascinating, multi-faceted nature of James’s life, reign, and impact.

In histories of the monarchy, he is often overshadowed by his almost-legendary predecessor, Elizabeth I, his glamorously tragic mother Mary, Queen of Scots, and his controversial son, Charles I, who lost the civil war, was beheaded, regarded as a martyr-king in the Anglican Communion, and demonized as a tyrant in liberal histories of Britain.

Known as James I in England and Ireland, after he succeeded to their thrones upon Elizabeth’s death in 1603, James had already been King James VI in Scotland since 1567.

He did not have an easy start in life. As parental dysfunction goes, James had parents who made Jason and Medea’s mythological marriage look

The Young King James Image: BBC History Website

George, Duke of Buckingham, the King’s lover Image WikiArt

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James’s mother, Mary, Queen of Scots (left)

the all-powerful Presbyterian Kirk, the church’s governing body, and the aristocrats who supported it, the so-called “Lords of the Congregation.”

like the front cover of House and Garden. When he was still a baby, his father, Lord Darnley, was found dead amidst the smoking ruins of a house on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Who authorised Lord Darnley’s assassination is probably one of the most famous unsolved murder mysteries in British history, but at the time, suspicion fixed on James’s mother, the ethereally beautiful, and scandal-prone, Mary, Queen of Scots.

The public outcry could not have come at a worse time for her. Mary was already unpopular with many of her subjects. Most of them had embraced a new homegrown form of Protestantism, Presbyterianism, which meant that many of them resented their young Queen for her French education and her Catholic faith.

Shortly after James’s first 38 EILE Magazine

James himself was phenomenally bright, and his intellect was augmented by a superb if rigorous education, but he had precious few opportunities to use his talents. Even his personal life was subject to the whims of his Presbyterian minders. birthday, Mary was overthrown As a young teenager, he fell in a Presbyterian-led coup and violently in love with one of his French cousins, the handsome fled to neighbouring England. and sophisticated Duke of Nineteen years later, she Lennox, but the Presbyterian was executed for her alleged lords around him inevitably complicity in a plot which disapproved. They lured young aimed to depose and murder James to Ruthven Castle, her Protestant cousin, Queen where they kidnapped him Elizabeth I. and then banished Lennox back home to France. Lennox Robbed of both his parents, died there eighteen months little James VI found himself later, allegedly of heartbreak. king before he could walk A devastated James wrote a or talk. With Mary’s flight, poem in his memory, called the Scottish monarchy was An Ode to a Phoenix, in which pitched into a period of he allegorised Lennox as a prolonged instability, with beautiful bird, killed by the coups, rebellions and counterenvy of others. coups shaping the young King’s life. That environment Six years later, James did helps explains James’s adult his duty and married Anna, obsession with defending the daughter of the King of the Divine Right of Kings.

Denmark and Norway (then As a child, he had seen the ruled by the same monarchy). consequences of a monarchy Anna of Denmark was a that had been reduced to vivacious, self-possessed and a plaything of ambitious fun-loving blonde, who found politicians. life in Edinburgh almost as difficult as her husband did.

Everywhere he went, James’s personal skills were limited by

Presbyterians have never

exactly been famous for being flash with their cash, and the Lutheran-raised Anna, accustomed to the splendours of Copenhagen, resented the fact that her allowance as queen was so restrictive.

Despite James’s teen obsession with the late Duke of Lennox, as an adult he fathered seven children with his Danish wife - Henry-Frederick, Elizabeth, Margaret, Charles, Robert, Mary, and Sophia.

Anna was heartily disliked by the Presbyterian nobles, but historians who followed their lead in dismissing James’s wife as a blonde airhead have severely misrepresented her.

Anna of Denmark may have been self-indulgent and wildly extravagant, but she was also ruthless, clever and tenacious in the defence of her own rights and privileges.

In 1603, James received news that his elderly cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, had passed away in London. Since Elizabeth had never married, and died without children, he was now King James I of England and Ireland. He and the Queen travelled south to London, where they were crowned, and Anna was finally given free rein to spend as she liked in the magnificent palaces of the English royals. Dripping with jewels and spending like a maniac, it’s hard to believe that Anna of Denmark missed life in the shadow of the Kirk too much. The Scottish lairds would have been even further riled to know that, in London, Queen Anna openly expressed sympathy for the persecuted

Catholic minority, to the extent that there were rumours that she had secretly converted.

James, however, struggled with his new role as king of a united Britain. He had several key political aims. The first was to create a unified British state.

The second was to maintain the monarchy, rather than parliament, as the dominant political power in Britain. The third was to end England’s long-running war with Spain.

In the latter, he was certainly successful. With both Elizabeth I and her old adversary, Philip II, now dead, their successors, James and Philip III, were able to end the hostilities which had persisted since the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

However, in his aims to create Great Britain, James was thwarted. England, Scotland and Ireland may all have had the same king, but each of them had their own parliaments that met in London, Edinburgh and Dublin. They had their own customs, needs and laws, and they were all thus reluctant to unify under one parliamentary system. Even the subject of a British flag was unpopular, despite King James’s enthusiasm for it.

Perhaps his greatest failure as monarch was his attempts to ameliorate the power of Parliament. As far as James was concerned, kings and queens were closer to God than they were to rest of mankind.

To him, Parliament’s role was therefore simply to advise a monarch, who was under

absolutely no obligation to take that advice.

When Parliament attempted to force the King to do things that he didn’t want to do – such as introducing harsher measures against Catholics, or an end to the extravagance of the royal court – James would react with apoplectic fury. Where the late Queen Elizabeth had deftly manipulated Parliament by flattering them into voting her the money she needed, James I harangued them and demanded, not requested, their financial obedience.

By the time James died in 1625, relations between Parliament and the monarchy were at an all-time low, and James’s twenty four year-old son, Charles I, inherited an unenviable situation.

It would therefore be easy to write James I off as a political failure. However, whilst the British Isles could not be united legislatively until the next century, they had been united by the monarchy.

It would be this unity that eventually gave birth to the United Kingdom and, through it, the British Empire. He was also responsible for the mammoth cultural task of funding and overseeing the translation of the Bible into perfect English, thereby giving the world the hauntingly magnificent King James Bible.

He survived the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He had been clever enough to balance the very different religious requirements of his kingdoms: he had been raised in the EILE Magazine 39

Queen Elizabeth in her parliamentary robes

Calvinist-Presbyterian tradition in Scotland, but wisely did not attempt to impose the more liberal Anglican view of Christianity on them once he became Governor of the Church of England in 1603. He had admittedly done nothing to end the legal discrimination against Catholics or Puritans in England and Wales, but he had not caved in to populist demand that he start a kind of Protestant Inquisition against them, either.

He had fathered heirs with his wife. He and his Queen had been great patrons of the arts, music, architecture and literature: Shakespeare received more backing from James I than he ever did from Elizabeth I. He had controversially if successfully approved the expansion of British colonies in Ulster and America. And he had attempted to impose the new theory of monarchy, popularised by most 40 EILE Magazine

European philosophers in the seventeenth century: that royal power should be absolute, that regional characteristics must be subordinated to a centralised culture and government, and that only a unified state could be a strong one.

It is undeniable that James blundered and made many errors, but to dismiss his entire reign as a grotesque embarrassment is to misrepresent it. Whatever his failings, James I had arguably made the monarchy central to the slowly-emerging notion of being British. In doing so, he had successfully tied the Crown to a sense of national identity. The monarchy was, and arguably still is, far more central to the emotional identity of the British than parliament ever could be.

Of the man, it is difficult to penetrate the frantic energy and secretive heart of James I to know who he was as

James’s wife, Anna of Denmark

a person. He had many failings. His manners were appalling, especially when compared to Elizabeth I’s or his son Charles’s, which were exquisite. He could be eye-wateringly rude, ribald, and even mortifyingly vulgar. He was egomaniacal, pathologically dishonest, ruinously extravagant.

Yet, he was also clever, tolerant by the standards of his day, a lover of peace, averse to the cost and slaughter of war, and there is something achingly touching about the depths with which he loved, and the openness he showed with that love, especially as he grew older. Having previously had his love affairs crushed by politics and the demands of his society, the elder James was remarkably open about it. After all, who could stop him now?

Within the court, his passion for his male favourite was well-known. In 1617, he all-but told the Privy Council, when he informed them that he loved

The older King James surrounded by his family

the Duke of Buckingham more than any man alive.

In the 1620s, he was madly, obsessively in love with the handsome, charismatic George, Duke of Buckingham – everyone else seemed to find him insufferable – and James’s letters to his beloved leave little room for doubt of how strongly he felt about him. Even allowing for the hyperbole frequently used in aristocratic letters at the time, the little tunnel between their rooms, and the sheer agonyto-ecstasy expressed in their notes, makes clear the nature of their relationship.

‘I do nothing but weep and mourn,’ James wrote in December 1622, ‘for I protest to God I rode this afternoon a great way in the park without speaking to anybody and the tears trickling down my cheeks, as now they do that I can scarcely see to write. But alas, what shall I do at our

parting?’ Another, written at Christmas of the next year, professed, ‘For, God so love me, as I desire only to live in this world for your sake, and that I had rather live banished in any part of the earth with you than live a sorrowful widow’s life without you.’

One of James’s advisers stated quite honestly, ‘He is the chastest prince for women that ever was, for he would often swear that he never kissed any other woman than his own queen. I never yet saw any fond husband make so much or so great dalliance over his beautiful spouse as I have seen King James over his favourites, especially Buckingham.’ There were saucy poems about the couple. The French aristocracy made quips about them.

Courtiers and politicians knew about it. Queen Anna, who died six years before her husband, seems to have accepted it.

James I was homosexual. He never had a mistress, and his relationship with his wife was one of respect and duty, never of passion. He was a talented, flawed, and in many ways an unlikable man. He was also significant. His legacy and his private life remind us of the importance of accepting the many facets of individuals, and of how deeply and horribly misleading it is to label someone, whether to condemn or exonerate, solely by their sexuality.

Author and historian, Gareth Russell,is currently working on a biography of Catherine Howard, and is also author of the ‘Popular’ series of books.

You can follow Gareth on Twitter at: @garethrussell1

EILE Magazine 41

The Immune System Brian Rochford writes about the Immune System which is so important to overall health The human immune system is made up of a number of constructs and activities inside the body for the purpose of protecting the body’s tissues and cells, by creating an immune response, that brings into play the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow T cells and B cells, also the thymus and antibodies.

These all function together to protect us from disease and foreign organisms that could have serious consequences for our health.

The immune system, when

42 EILE Magazine

operating at its best, works to single out and attack parasites, bacteria and viruses, while at the same time working to identify these threats separately from the healthy tissue of the body. When required, the system sends in white blood cells to rid the body of these unwanted visitors.

To ward off the common cold and other ailments, you need a strong immune system. Some research had put forward the need for a good night’s sleep, stating that the lack of sleep reduces the power of your immune system to fight infection. It has been stated that even one sleepless night can reduce the number of T-cells which are so important in the reduction of disease.

A lot of research has still to be carried out in an attempt to understand the interdependence of the various parts of the immune system. But for now you can still give it a helping hand by incorporating some changes

and improvements into your everyday lifestyle.

Starting with a positive health approach to your everyday life is a good way to help all parts of the body, and your immune system. A healthy way of thinking and living will go a long way to counteract the damage a polluted environment can have on your mind and body.

This means of course to stop smoking, and eat a diet consisting of plenty of fruit and vegetables. Eat foods low in saturated fats, and eat a good amount of whole grain foods, like brown bread and brown rice, which are also high in B vitamins.

It is important to take care of your blood pressure, and also to control your weight. Make sure to get plenty of rest, and, when possible, practice relaxation techniques.

Nowadays most people know and accept the value and importance of getting regular exercise, and if you do drink alcohol just be careful to

drink in moderation.

From a herbal point of view, Echinacea and Goldenseal are two herbal supplements which are traditionally used to boost the immune system, and Vitamin C should always be kept in the medicine cabinet as it fights infection

and wards off colds and ‘flu.

Remember, boosting your immune system will improve your overall health, and both physical and mental wellbeing.

EILE Magazine 43

CREED 44 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies Directed by: Ben Stiller Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig In all the years I have been writing and commenting on movies, I have never known public previews to happen before the media screening.

To be honest, that set off alarm bells for me. I mean I have seen some bad movies that didn’t know they were bad, and dreadful movies that knew they were awful, but this really seemed a drastic way of ensuring positive press before the critics got a nosy at it.

In fairness, I wasn’t expecting War and Peace. The first Zoolander movie pretty much set the bar. This was to be a bit of silly vacuous fun, with cheap and often puerile jokes aimed at the fashion world.

So it is no surprise that this is more of the same – more or less.

One time top model, Derek Zoolander (Stiller) is now living as a recluse, but is coaxed back out into the real world when the world’s most “beautiful people” begin to be

systematically assassinated, and all die with their face contorted into one of his signature looks. Recruited by Interpol, he must help them solve the crime, while trying to reconnect with his son Derek Jr. As you can tell it is thin on plot – which is fine. The first one wasn’t exactly epic. This is a movie for the fans, and they ensure that there are plenty of throwbacks to the original.

None of the characters have really evolved, and if you are looking for depth, then this is not the film for you.

round. That said, fans won’t be disappointed, and it does raise a chuckle.

It’s not trying to be anything that it’s not, and has no aspirations. This is extremely low brow, but as a means of switching off for a couple of hours and having a giggle, it does the trick.

In Cinemas Now!

If you are looking for belly laughs and enjoy pop culture parodies though, then you’ve landed on your feet here.

Nothing is sacred, and every element of modern media culture is ripped to shreds.

What makes it work is that the people who are being mocked are actually in on the joke, and this movie features more star cameos than you will see anywhere else.

I’m not even going to attempt to analyse the script, cinematography, performances or all the usual things that go into making a fully-rounded movie. If you’ve seen the first movie, you know what to expect.

This tries to live up to it, but some of the jokes aren’t as funny as they were first time EILE Magazine 45

Will Smith (left) and Alec Baldwin

46 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies continued...

Directed by: Peter Landesman Starring: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss Howard, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, David Morse, Albert Brooks Given the fuss that Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith made about the whitewashing of this year’s Oscars, I was expecting great things from this film. After all, as a former nominee, Smith knows exactly what it takes to land on the shortlist.

So was he robbed?In Cinemas February 12th

he termed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Numerous former football players were dying as a result of this affliction, which is caused by repeated blows to the head.

However, since the NFL is a multi-million dollar business, and practically a religion in the USA (this reference is made more than once here) they are not too happy with his findings, and what follows is years of persecution for Omalu and his family and friends, as they try to discredit and destroy him, before eventually conceding that he is right.

but instead it is drama by numbers.

This would benefit from coming up for air once in a while. Extremely heavy, and with numerous technical facts and figures thrown at the viewer, it is not the kind of flick you can switch off with. This requires your full attention, but doesn’t result in a huge payoff for the effort.

Worth a look, but far from light entertainment.

In Cinemas Now!

As you’ve probably gathered from the plot synopsis, this is not a full-on action sports movie, rather it is an extremely heavy drama, which often falls victim to its own gravitas. All of the key players are still alive, so The answer is no. While he does indeed give a competent, producers obviously don’t want to step on people’s sensitive, and engaging toes, but its desire to convey performance in this true-life the facts in a balanced and drama, it just never feels layered enough to elevate it to measured way means it never leaves the safe zone, and Oscar status. doesn’t take any chances. This could have been an excellent He plays Bennet Omalu, a social commentary on the forensic pathologist with arrogance of big corporations, the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, coroner’s office, and the lengths they will go to in order to bury scandal, who discovered a condition

EILE Magazine 47

48 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies continued...

Directed by: Christian Ditter Starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann In a season of extremely malecentric movies, you would be hard-pressed to find a female face smiling out from any of the movie posters in your local cinema, so I was quite excited to see that this offering boasted not one, but four, female leads, and that there was not a guy’s picture in sight on the posters.

It also appeared to be less saccharine and twee than many offerings that boast a female cast. However, looks can be deceptive, so naturally I had to see did this deliver.

Based on the book of the same name, it follows Alice (Johnson) as she takes a break from her boyfriend, and finds herself being guided through the single jungle by the outrageous Robin (Wilson)

who has this flying solo thing down – so much so that she treats it almost as a full-time job.

Meanwhile, her sister, Meg (Mann) is finding that her career as a doctor isn’t fulfilling her the way it used to, and so makes the decision to have a baby by sperm donor, while Alison Brie’s Lucy spends her days trawling dating websites, in search of the perfect man who ticks all her boxes.

So far so stereotypical. And it doesn’t end there. There’s also the “man about town” who is shocked to discover he has feelings for a woman, the sensitive single dad, who doesn’t know how to juggle dating and his child, and the lovesick tomboy, who just wants to be with his older woman no matter what. The thinking is clearly that if you throw enough clichés at something, one of them is bound to stick.

food – satisfying at the time, but you’re hungry for more an hour later. However, I did find I laughed out loud at a couple of scenes (there’s a morning after the night before scene that should crack up even the biggest cynic) and, if not fully satisfied, I did have a smile on my face at the end.

This is pretty standard feelgood rom-com fare (dressed up as a feel-good feminist movie) but it is perfect for a girl’s night out, and should at least raise a grin. Sorry lads, but this one is strictly for the ladies.

In Cinemas Now!

In fairness this is not bad – just formulaic. The onscreen relationships are all believable, and the cast gel really well. There are some lovely moments – Mann plays a blinder in a scene that depicts her broodiness - and some very funny gags.

It just al feels a bit like fast

EILE Magazine 49

New Gay-themed Sitcom, The Real O’Neals, With LGBT Activist Dan Savage As Executive Producer ABC’s new comedy The Real O’Neals is a fresh take on a seemingly perfect family, whose lives take an unexpected turn when their son announces he’s gay (purportedly based on LGBT activist and author Dan Savage’s early life, and Savage also acts as Executive Producer on the show).

Instead of ruining their family, the honesty triggers a new, messier, chapter, where everyone stops pretending to be perfect, and actually starts being real.

The sitcom stars Martha Plimpton as Eileen, Jay R. Ferguson as Pat, Noah Galvin

50 EILE Magazine

as Kenny, Mathew Shively as Jimmy, Bebe Wood as Shannon, and Mary Hollis Inboden as Jodi.

Kenny is the smart, likable, and funny middle child of Eileen and Pat O’Neal, who’s always felt like a bit of a black sheep compared to his perfect siblings. Though he didn’t intend it, his initial decision to come out of the closet as gay is what spurs the chain reaction of secrets from the rest of his family to spill out as well.

What’s never been a secret is that Kenny is his mother’s favorite. However, his announcement about his sexuality threatens their special relationship when it opposes her firmly held traditional beliefs.

As the first out gay kid at his school, the students and faculty turn Kenny into a reluctant

spokesperson for the entire LGBTQ community. All this extra attention would be a lot for anyone to deal with, not to mention a 16-yearold Catholic high school student. Luckily, Kenny has a vivid imagination, and he often taps into his subconscious to get advice and guidance from various wise figures – including Jesus and Jimmy Kimmel.

At the end of the day, all Kenny really wants is to be accepted by his community and his family as the person he truly is.

The Real O’Neals premieres in the US, March 8 on ABC. The Real O’Neals was written by David Windsor and Casey Johnson.

Executive producers are David Windsor, Casey Johnson, Brian Pines, Dan McDermott, Todd Holland, Stacy Traub and Dan Savage. The Real O’Neals is produced by ABC Studios.

Dan Savage is co-founder of the IT GETS BETTER project, with husband Terry Miller.

-MKB

Actor Noah Galvin plays Kenny in The Real O’Neals EILE Magazine 51

First trailer released for Irish political thriller The Truth Commissioner Roger Allam

The first trailer for the political thriller The Truth Commissioner, starring Roger Allam (The Queen, V for Vendetta) has been released.

three men who are directly or indirectly involved in the disappearance, 20 years earlier, of the 15-year-old Connor Roche. Though Stanfield starts bravely, he quickly uncovers some bloody and inconvenient Set in a post-troubles truths about those now running Northern Ireland, The Truth the country; truths which none Commissioner follows the of those in power are prepared fictional story of Henry Stanfield to have revealed. Everyone (Allam), a career diplomat who claims to want the truth, but has just been appointed as Truth what is it going to cost, and who Commissioner to Northern is going to pay for it?

Ireland.

Directed by Declan Recks Co-starring Barry Ward (Eden) and adapted from David (Jimmy’s Hall), Sean McGinley Park’s award winning novel (The General), Conleth Hill ‘The Truth Commissioner’ by (‘Game of Thrones’), Ian Eoin O’Callaghan, the film looks McElhinney (‘Game of Thrones’) behind the rhetoric surrounding and Tom Goodman Hill (The the Northern Ireland peace Imitation Game), the story process and was filmed on revolves around the lives of location in Belfast, Derry and 52 EILE Magazine

Dublin.

The film was produced by David Collins for Samson Films, and Eoin O’Callaghan and Kevin Jackson for Big Fish Films with funding from Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Film Board, BBC Northern Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

The film opens in Irish cinemas on Friday 26 February following its screening at the Dublin International Film Festival (ADIFF) on Sunday 21 February.

Tickets for ADIFF screening on Sunday 21 February can be booked online here: https://diff.ticketsolve.com/#/ shows/873547449

Better Call Saul – Series Premiered on Netflix Tuesday, 16 February

Everyone’s favourite lawyer Jimmy McGill is back with new episodes of Better Call Saul weekly since Tuesday, 16 February! Only on Netflix! Meet the man before he became Saul Goodman.

Before he was Saul Goodman, Walter White’s fashion-forward “criminal” lawyer, he was Jimmy McGill, a small-time attorney hustling to champion his underdog clients, build his practice and somehow make a name for himself. Better Call Saul was an unprecedented hit when it premiered last year.

The show’s first season earned

seven Emmy nominations including Best Drama for its ten-episode first season, plus a pair of Critics’ Choice TV Awards. The season finale found Jimmy walking away from a lucrative job offer, vowing to Mike Ehrmantraut that his days of playing the game straight are over.

underworld. As Jimmy evolves (or regresses) towards “it’s all good man,” he’s faced with impossible choices that foreshadow his future.

Season 2 of Better Call Saul follows the twists and turns of Jimmy’s journey toward becoming his Breaking Bad alter ego, along the way soaring to new heights and sinking to new lows. Jimmy grows closer to confidante Kim Wexler, while his relationship with afflicted brother Chuck McGill becomes increasingly complex. Mike finds himself pulled deeper into the criminal

Starring Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael McKean, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian and Michael Mando, Season 2 of Better Call Saul premieres in Ireland only on Netflix from Tuesday 16 February 2016.

Backstories are further revealed, along with new characters and nods to the Breaking Bad universe.

Also: Better Call Saul Season 1, now available only on Netflix.

EILE Magazine 53

Anna Gunn plays Naomi Bishop in Equity Photo by Gage Skidmore

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Sony Pictures Acquires Rights to Female-Driven Wall Street film ‘EQUITY’ Sony Pictures Classics announced last month that they have acquired worldwide rights to the first female-driven Wall Street film, EQUITY. The film had its world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

EQUITY is directed by Meera Menon (Farah Goes Bang) with a screenplay by Amy Fox, from a story by Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner and Amy Fox. The film stars Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), James Purefoy (“The Following”), Sarah Megan Thomas (Backwards) and Alysia Reiner (“Orange is the New Black”).

Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop’s (Anna Gunn) world of high-power big money is brutal and fierce, and one she thrives in.

When a controversial IPO threatens the fragile balance of power and confidentiality, Naomi finds herself entangled in a web of politics and deception.

With an aggressive prosecutor (Alysia Reiner) from her past on her heels, and a strained relationship with her junior, Erin (Sarah Megan Thomas) Naomi is forced to re-examine her own ambitions, and the cut-throat world she loves—one where women have yet to break the glass ceiling.

EILE Magazine 55

Paul Rudd And Steve Coogan To Play Gay Couple In ‘An Ideal Home’ Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan are set to play an unlikely married couple in new dramatic comedy An Ideal Home.

“Comedy stalwarts Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan are reuniting on the big screen as a squabbling married couple in Andrew’s endearing and hilarious script about modern family, and we are delighted to present this charming film to buyers at EFM (European Film Market)”

The ‘Our Idiot Brother’ co-stars will team up again for the Andrew Fleming movie, about a troubled pair whose lives are disrupted when Coogan’s character learns he has a grandson, and reluctantly takes him in.

said Nadine De Barros, of financing firm Fortitude International.

The new project was announced at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it is currently being shopped.

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It won’t be the first time Rudd has played a gay man onscreen – he also portrayed a homosexual in 1998 romantic comedy ‘The Object of My Affection’, opposite Jennifer Aniston.

EILE Magazine 57

Maspalomas Gay P Wet & White

Amadores Beach Club – Thursday 12 May 2016 from 13:00 – 20:00 Wet & White at Amadores Beach Club was completely sold out last year! This year Wet & White promises to be even better with famous international DJs, elevated stage with LED screens, gogo dancers, an amazing sound system, and of course a gorgeous location with large pool next to the ocean!

Get ready as this year one of the biggest names within the gay community DJ scene will visit Gran Canaria between his gigs in Moscow and Sydney…Mickey Friedmann! Resident DJ of organisor ProGay is of course the amazing Sharon O´Love. Your host is probably the best DJs on Gran Canaria and plays at the popular Construction Bar; PK80! Soraya Vivian will give you a tremendous vocal performance. She has recorded many singles for Hed Kandi and Fierce Angel!

Tickets: http://www.gaypridemaspalomas.com/product/wet-white/

58 EILE Magazine

Pride 2016 – Events T-Dance

Aqua Ocean Club – Friday 13 May from 13:00 – 20:00 Located right next to the Meloneras Beach and Atlantic Ocean you can enjoy an amazing day with top DJs, live performances, and gogo dancers!

Resident DJ of the T-Dance, Sharon O´Love, plays regularly at Hard On London, NY Club Munich and Funhouse Amsterdam. This will be the third time that T-Dance welcomes Luis del Villar, from Barcelona, who has his residence at Ocean Club Ibiza during summertime, and monthly at the Eclipse Bar in the world famous W Hotel, Barcelona. Local hero, PK80, will be host of DJs, and welcomes Soraya Vivian as the vocal superstar at T-Dance 2016! She will blow you away with her powerful voice, and her many hits.

http://www.gaypridemaspalomas.com/product/t-dance/ Get your Early Bird tickets with discount!

EILE Magazine 59

In Russia, Novosibirsk lawyer, Alexei Krestyanova, has said recent coverage of the friendship between a goat and a tiger “may have a negative impact on a child’s personality, including his sexual 60 EILE Magazine

identity issues” and generate interest in non-traditional sexual relations.

Krestyanova has asked the Prosecutor General’s Office to ban media reporting on Amur the tiger and Timur the goat, who are housed at

Russia Lawyer: ‘Goat and Tiger’s Friendship Promotes Gay Lifestyle’

Primorsky Safari Park.

According to reports, the goat was meant to be a meal for the tiger last November, but instead the two animals became friends, and play together.

The Prosecutor General’s Office is investigating

the claims made by Krestyanova, and has sent on the request to the Prosecutor of Primorsky Territory, who has confirmed receipt of the appeal to FlashSiberia.

-MKB (eile.ie 6 February 2016) EILE Magazine 61

GLEN Diversity Champions: Inter Is it all over? With marriage equality and gender recognition secured, what next for lesbian, bisexual and transgender women in the workplace?

Join Stonewall‘s CEO, Ruth Hunt, LBT and ally role models at the GLEN Diversity Champion‘s International Women’s Day Luncheon on March 8th. The esteemed leaders will share how they are charting a course for lesbian, bisexual and transgender inclusive workplaces in business and the public sector in Ireland and internationally.

The luncheon will be hosted by Trinity College Dublin’s Vice Provost, Prof. Linda Hogan, in Trinity’s historic dining hall.

The keynote address will be delivered by Ruth Hunt, CEO, Stonewall, UK. With: 62 EILE Magazine

rnational Women’s Day Luncheon Prof. Linda Hogan, Vice Provost, Trinity College Dublin.

Vicky Godolphin, Head of Digital, Accenture Ireland.

Denise Charlton, Management Consultant, former Director of Women’s Aid and former CEO of Immigrant Council Ireland.

Sandra Irwin-Gowran, Director of Education Policy, GLEN. Prof. Martine Cuypers, Equality Committee, Trinity College Dublin.

For more information about the GLEN Diversity Champion’s International Women’s Day Luncheon, please contactross@glen.ie

EILE Magazine 63

INTERNATIONAL

Engage, Educate, Empower

CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL

15 May 2016 Unite to demand a sustainable HIV response

Design by Raīaele Teo (arteo71@hotmail.com)

Join communiƟes around the world in the largest grassroots movement to end the HIV epidemic

TO BECOME A COORDINATOR OR FIND A MEMORIAL NEAR YOU, VISIT:

www.candlelightmemorial.org hƩps://www.facebook.com/CandlelightMemorial Coordinated by the Global Network of People Living with HIV

GLOBAL NETWORK OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

Sunday 15th of May 2016 is the 33rd International AIDS Candlelight Memorial.

Registration is now open to organisations worldwide to raise HIV awareness and remember the friends and family lost to AIDS with this year’s theme “Engage, Educate, Empower”.

When the AIDS Candlelight Memorial was held first in 1983, no-one could have predicted the scale of the global HIV epidemic. With millions of lives lost and around 37 million people currently living with HIV, HIV remains a challenging reality. While for some people HIV has become a chronic disease, many others lack access to treatment and experience HIV-related stigma, discrimination and human rights violations on a daily basis.

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The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is held to remind people of the impact that HIV still has. The Memorial emphasizes the need for people living with and affected by HIV to work together in the response to HIV – to engage people, communities, governments and donors in ending the epidemic, to educate the current and next generation about HIV, treatment, prevention and care, and how it affects lives.

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is one of the world’s oldest and largest grassroots mobilisation campaigns for HIV awareness.

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial takes place every third Sunday in May. It is coordinated at the global level by the Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+).

For more information, or to register, visit http://www.candlelightmemorial.org

The LGBTQ Presence in the Disc Jockey Profession Queerbio has written to us about LGBT Disc Jockeys (DJs) who have become high profile individuals in today’s celebrity, communications, and entertainment scenes, including our own Vincent Hanley (RIP).

“On radio, they present and judge relevant music for public consumption, while in public they are called on to provide musical entertainment at parties ranging from private to mass public gatherings”.

Queerbio tells us that bisexual DJ, Alan Freeman, of Great Britain, became famous presenting the weekly ‘Top of the Pops’ singles charts on BBC1 for many decades, beginning in 1960. Disco music in the 1970s, and dance clubs

spawned by that music genre meant more well-liked and wellknown DJs arrived on the scene.

Today, popular DJs are famous in many music genres, for example hip hop, rave, and dance music.

“The popularity and celebrity culture of DJ-ing led to the creation of a cadre of electronic professional artists who utilize multiple turntables and electronics to combine and interpret unique variations of recorded vinyl album music.

There are several techniques used, such as phrasing, mashup and beat matching, and an individual DJ often distinguishes themselves from others through the popularity of their unique mixing style.

Today, the presence of digital music has furthered the techniques used in electronic DJ music utilizing mp3s for example.

The Disc Jockey profession is popular in LGBTQ culture, particularly through its participation in global mass dance events. These events emanated from local block parties in large urban areas.

We have identified many LGBTQ individuals who are prominent in this profession”.

Some of those listed include: Boy George, Great Britain Andy Butler, United States Kenny Everett, Great Britain Andre Fischer, Brazil Alan Freeman, Great Britain Vincent Hanley, Ireland

To see the complete list, visit www.queerbio.com Queerbio.com is an online biographical reference source for the international LGBTQ community.

EILE Magazine 65

Design: Anthony Zagariko, exclusively for EILE Magazine

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LITTlE GEM RECOrDS 5, CAVENDISH ROW, AT THE TOP OF O’CONNEll STrEET, DUBlIN, IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK. SPECIAlISINg IN INDEPENDENT ArTISTS AND lABElS, STOCKINg VINYl, CASSETTE, COMPACT DISC, AND lITTlE gEM PlAYErS

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US: Police Chief’s Daughter Who Gay Bashed Is Sentenced A woman from Pennsylvania, who had taken part in beating up a gay couple in September 2014, has received a sentence of 5 – 10 months imprisonment.

Zachary Hesse and Andy Haught, were walking to the Gayborhood area to get pizza when the attack happened.

25-year-old, Kathryn Knott, from Bucks County, was one of a group of 15 friends out for birthday celebrations, who engaged in the attack on the gay couple. The couple,

She had been acquitted of felony aggravated assault in December, but was found guilty of simple assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment. The judge,

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Knott was identified by witnesses as throwing a punch during the attack, and although she denied the action, it was partially captured on video.

Roxanne Covington, also said she was to serve two years of probation, and get anger management training.

The judge also questioned how Knott, a former hospital worker and police chief’s daughter, could walk away from the badly-injured victim (Haught) who was one part of the gay couple.

Some of the attackers were said to be from the same Catholic school.

Of three who had been

Kathryn Knott, who was involved in the attack on the gay couple in September 2014

arrested for the assault, two – Kevin Harrigan and Phillip Williams – both pleaded guilty to assault and conspiracy, and were given community service and probation. Knott, however, did not take a plea deal.

While Hesse had been hit in the head by both Harrigan and Knott, Haught was left in a pool of blood with a broken jaw and broken cheekbones.

This particular attack, which left the victims badly beaten and with broken jaw and cheekbones, was instrumental in getting

Philadelphia to change its legislation to include sexual orientation in its hate crime laws.

However, while there had been speculation that the trio would get up to thirty years between them for the assault, in the event it was only Knott who has been sentenced to any time in prison (and 5 to 10 months is quite short) with Harrigan and Williams only getting community service and probation.

-MKB (eile.ie 9 February 2016) EILE Magazine 69

Information and support for women who need someone to talk to

DLL – Phone: (01) 872 9911 (Callback facility available) 70 EILE Magazine

Northern Ireland - ‘Gay Cake Case’ Ashers Bakery Appeal Judgment Ashers Baking Company, the ‘gay cake case’ bakery who refused to bake a cake with Bert & Ernie on it for a gay customer, go before the Court of Appeal in Belfast, for a two-day hearing on Wednesday and Thursday this week, in a bid to overturn a decision made last year, which found they had broken political and sexual orientation discrimination laws.

The court ruled against Ashers, owned by Daniel’s parents, Colin and Karen, for refusing to fulfil an order to make a cake with a slogan supporting same-sex marriage, because it conflicted with their Christian beliefs.

The couple are now appealing the court’s decision, and said through a statement released

by The Christian Institute, a UK evangelical Christian pressure

group, which is supporting them and funding their legal costs: “It was clear we did not hate anyone. We didn’t want to discriminate against anyone.

We did what we did because of our Christian beliefs.

“It’s done out of love for God, to obey Him.” Criticising the decision by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland to use public funds to take the family to court, Daniel added: “The way the Equality Commission handled it was very one-sided. They wanted to pursue it with everything they had. They wanted to take us to court, maybe teach us a lesson or send out a signal. The signal they were trying to send out was ‘if you’re a Christian don’t bring it into work’.”

The bakery was brought to court by the NI Equality Commission last year, when gay man Gareth Lee was refused a request that a cake with Bert & Ernie of Sesame Street fame and accompanied by a slogan saying “Support Gay Marriage”, be baked for him.

The Northern Ireland Equality Commission subsequently backed Mr Lee in taking a discrimination case against the bakery at a cost of £39,000.

The court found in Mr Lee’s favour, and ordered the bakery to pay £500, saying it was a business, and therefore subject to anti-discrimination legislation.

-MKB (eile.ie 2 February 2016) Update: The appeal was adjourned on 3 Feb after a last-minute intervention

by NI’s Attorney-General EILE Magazine 71

NY: Governor Cuomo Moves To Ban Coverage of Conversion Therapy Multi-agency regulations announced yesterday (6 February) ban public and private health care insurers from covering Conversion Therapy in New York State.

Governor Cuomo: “We will not allow the misguided and the intolerant to punish LGBT young people for simply being who they are.”

New York Governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, yesterday announced a series of comprehensive regulations to prevent the practice of so-called lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender “conversion therapy,” which has been deemed harmful to patients by a wide variety of leading medical and mental health professionals.

Multi-agency regulations announced yesterday ban public and private health care insurers from covering the practice in New York State, and also prohibit various mental health facilities across the state from conducting the practice on minors.

Governor Cuomo stated: “Conversion therapy is a hateful and fundamentally flawed practice that is counter to everything this state stands for. New York has been at the forefront of acceptance 72 EILE Magazine

and equality for the LGBT community for decades – and today we are continuing that legacy and leading by example.

We will not allow the misguided and the intolerant to punish LGBT young people for simply being who they are.”

help protect vulnerable gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth from discredited, sham and dangerous interventions. We applaud Governor Cuomo for his bold leadership on this issue.”

The New York State Department of Financial Services is issuing regulations barring New York insurers from providing coverage for conversion therapy given to an individual under the age of 18. Additionally, the New York State Department of Health is prohibiting coverage of conversion therapy under New York’s Medicaid program, and the New York State Office of Mental Health is issuing regulations prohibiting facilities under its jurisdiction from providing conversion therapy treatment to minors.

Conversion therapy – which refers to therapy intended to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity – has been repudiated by many medical and professional organizations, including: the American Academy of Pediatrics; the American Counseling Association; the American Psychiatric Association; the American Psychological Association; the American School Counselor Association; the National Association of School Psychologists; and the National Association of Social Workers.

Warren Seigel, MD, FAAP, Chair of the New York State Academy of Pediatrics, said:

“Governor Cuomo and the State of New York are commended for taking a principled and scientific stand,” said American Psychiatric Association President Renee Binder, M.D. “APA has long recognized that so-called reparative therapy is not a scientifically validated treatment and can, in fact, undermine self-esteem and be hazardous.”

“Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming. The American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as all major professional associations of health and mental health practitioners and child and adolescent development specialists in the United State have recognized this fact for nearly 40 years.

We are very pleased by the actions announced today to

Ronald Bunce, Executive Director, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Work) said: “The National Association of Social Workers – New York

State has long condemned the use of “conversion” and/or “reparative” therapies. People seek mental health services for many reasons. Accordingly, it is fair to assume that lesbians and gay men seek therapy for the same reasons that heterosexual people do.

However, the increase in media campaigns, often coupled with coercive messages from family and community members, has created an environment in which lesbians and gay men are often pressured to seek reparative or conversion therapies, which cannot and will not change sexual orientation. NASW’s National Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues believes that such treatment potentially leads to severe emotional damage, is contrary to data and should be banned. “ Matthew A. Weissman, MD, MBA, FAAP Chief Medical Officer/VP of Medical Affairs, Community Healthcare Network, commented: “As a practicing internist and pediatrician, I welcome the governor’s initiative. All 90 health care providers at Community Healthcare Network, including 14 federally qualified health centers, aim to make all of our patients’ sexual lives healthy and gratifying. All New Yorkers are entitled to a safe, welcoming atmosphere in which to receive their healthcare without any attempt to force change in their sexual identities. “ Peter Meacher MD, Chief Medical Officer, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Family Physician, stated: “So

called conversion therapy not only doesn’t work but it is extremely dangerous for LGBT people, with adverse outcomes from extreme mental distress and depression up to and including suicide. I have seen these adverse outcomes firsthand. The Governor’s ban of this practice is a tremendous step forward in working toward health equity and justice for LGBT people.”

As part of today’s initiative, DFS, DOH, and OMH will take the following actions: DFS Insurance Coverage Ban on Conversion Therapy for Minors. Under new regulations DFS will issue, New York insurers will be barred from providing reimbursement for conversion therapy services provided to an insured under the age of 18 years. In addition, such insurers are advised to inform participating behavioral health providers that conversion therapy should not be provided to minors and that the insurers will not provide reimbursement for such services. Additionally, as part of the insurers’ provider credentialing or application and re-credentialing processes, insurers are advised to require behavioral health providers to certify that they will not provide conversion therapy to minors or seek reimbursement from the insurer for such services.

OMH Regulations Prohibiting Conversion Therapy for Minors. Under new regulations OMH will issue, it will be unlawful for any mental health facility licensed, funded or

operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health to provide conversion therapy to minors. Failure to comply with these new regulations could result in the revocation of license and/or funding for any entity found to have engaged in these practices.

DOH Medicaid Ban on Conversion Therapy Coverage. The New York State Department of Health prohibits Medicaid coverage for conversion therapy, as Medicaid only covers care, services, and supplies necessary to prevent, diagnose, correct, or cure recognized medical conditions. Since there is no medical necessity for conversion therapy and because it has been repudiated and discredited by virtually every relevant medical and professional organization, Medicaid cannot cover it.

Conversion therapy does not include counselling or therapy for an individual seeking to transition, or transitioning from one gender to another gender, that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual, or the facilitation of an individual’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientationneutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, provided that the counseling or therapy does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity. (eile.ie 7 February 2016 This is an edited version) EILE Magazine 73

European Parliament gravely concerned over LGBTI people in Crimea In February, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Crimea and the severe restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

The resolution starts out by strongly condemning “the unprecedented levels of human rights abuses perpetrated against Crimean residents” (paragraph 2) following the Russian annexation.

Zooming in on LGBTI rights, the resolution “[e]xpresses its grave concern regarding the

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situation of LGBTI people in Crimea” and adds that this has “substantially worsened” following the occupation.

It highlights furthermore, that the Parliament is alarmed about “repressive action and threats by the de facto authorities and paramilitary groups” (paragraph 17).

All LGBTI organisations and facilities in Crimea have had to cease their activities, due to the Russian federal law banning ‘homosexual propaganda’ as well as repression and threats from occupation authorities and paramilitary groups.

Tanja Fajon MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights, reacted: “I am deeply concerned about the situation for LGBTI people in Crimea. With homophobic rhetoric coming from the highest levels, and violence going completely unpunished, it is no wonder that many see no other option than leaving the peninsula.”

“As an occupying power, Russia has a responsibility to ensure the safety of the whole population, including LGBTI people. I call on the EU Member States, the European

Commission and the Council of Europe to maintain pressure on Russian authorities.”

Fabio-Massimo Castaldo MEP, also Vice-President of the LGBTI Intergroup, added: “The Parliament has emphasized the importance of ensuring the human rights of the whole population, including LGBTI people.” (eile.ie 11 February 2016)

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US: SEI Report – Millions of American LGBT People Still Denied Basic Non-Discrimination Protections The U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling establishing nationwide marriage equality masks a stark and persistent reality: a patchwork of state and local non-discrimination laws continues to leave millions of LGBT Americans – including those who are legally married – without reliable protections from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, according to a report released yesterday (4th)

by HRC. HRC’s State Equality Index, issued in partnership with the Equality Federation, also reveals that in many states opponents of equality are ramping up efforts to sanction discrimination against LGBT people by proposing state-level laws that would undermine existing protections, erode marital rights of legally-joined same-sex couples, target transgender people – including youth – and limit the ability of cities and towns to pass their own inclusive laws.

“Even with marriage equality now the law of the land, the battle for LGBT rights at the 76 EILE Magazine

state level continues to be a story of both successes and setbacks,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Though a number of states are expanding access to full equality for LGBT people and their families, a majority of states are still struggling to reach even a basic level of equality for LGBT people.”

“This year will be one of our most challenging yet, with anti-LGBT legislators in more than two dozen states pushing deeply harmful laws that would undermine critical protections under the guise of so-called ‘religious liberty,’” Griffin said.

“Equally troubling are disgraceful bills targeting the transgender community — from preventing trans people from using public facilities, including bathrooms, that correspond with their gender identity, to denying them the ability to make gender and name changes on crucial identification documents.”

While more than 111 million people live in states where LGBT people lack clear state-level protections against discrimination in the workplace, the SEI points to a few encouraging signs – particularly in areas related to LGBTQ youth, health, and safety. States like Utah, New

York, and Illinois expanded access to equality for LGBT people and their families, while others strengthened existing hate crimes laws, improved access to transgender-inclusive healthcare coverage, and protected LGBT youth from harmful “conversion therapy”.

“Last year our community faced a barrage of attacks on our freedoms, but we are more united and better prepared than ever to continue our momentum toward equality for all,” said Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of Equality Federation Institute. “This report serves as an important tool for advocates to keep pushing forward. We’re not going to stop until all LGBTQ people and their families are able to reach their full potential, free from discrimination, no matter what state they live in.”

The SEI assesses statewide LGBT-related legislation and policies, good and bad, in five areas: parenting laws and policies; non-discrimination laws and policies; hate crimes laws; youth-related laws and policies; and health and safety laws and policies. Based on that review, the SEI assigns states to one of four distinct categories.

Six states and the District of Columbia are in the highestrated category, “Working

Toward Innovative Equality” California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington These states and the nation’s capital have robust LGBT non-discrimination laws covering employment, housing and public accommodations, as well as protections in the areas of credit, insurance, and jury selection. Most allow transgender people to change official documents to reflect their gender identity, and almost all bar private insurers from banning transitionrelated healthcare. LGBTQ youth are protected by antibullying laws, as well as innovative measures in some states that address conversion therapy, inclusive juvenile justice policies, homelessness, and sexual health education.

Six states are in the category “Solidifying Equality” Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont These states have nondiscrimination protections and are considered high-

performing, but not cutting edge on LGBT equality.

Many of these states allow transgender individuals to change gender markers on official documents, and more than half do not allow second-parent adoption. These states have relatively robust anti-bullying laws, but bad laws begin to crop up in this category.

Ten states are in the category “Building Equality” Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wisconsin These states have taken steps toward more robust LGBT equality, including passing basic non-discrimination and hate crimes laws. They allow gender markers to be changed on official documents, but have few protections for transgender health care. Some lack explicit gender identity protections, and several lack comprehensive anti-bullying laws. Bad laws are more common, so advocates are working to stop bills that could

undermine LGBT equality, and pass more comprehensive non-discrimination laws.

Twenty-eight states are in the lowest-rated category “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality” Most of these states, including Arizona, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida, have many laws that undermine LGBT equality, from those that criminalize HIV and sodomy, to measures allowing religious-based discrimination against LGBT people. None have non-discrimination laws that explicitly include sexual orientation or gender identity protections; few have hate crime laws with those protections. LGBT advocates largely work to defeat bad bills and pass municipal protections for LGBT people.

The full report, including detailed scorecards for every state, as well as a comprehensive review of 2015 state legislation, is available online at www.hrc.org/sei. (eile.ie 5 February 2016) EILE Magazine 77

Minister Aodhán Ó Riordáin, who launched the LGBT Helpline Annual Report

The weeks leading up to the marriage equality referendum saw unprecedented demand for LGBT Helpline supports.

launched yesterday (01.02.16) by the Minister for Equality, New Communities and Culture and Drugs Strategy, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD.

2015 was the busiest year ever for the LGBT Helpline, the national support service for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“Although 2015 was a hugely celebratory year for supporters of LGBT rights, this report shows that it was also a highly stressful time.

Almost 77,000 people accessed information and support through the organisation’s telephone helpline and online services last year, with demand highest during the week leading up to the marriage equality referendum last May. These findings are included in the 2015 annual report of the LGBT Helpline, which was 78 EILE Magazine

Officially launching the report, Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said:

“LGBT people had their lives dissected and debated in public, and the LGBT Helpline must be commended for providing a range of services responding to the pressures faced by the LGBT community.”

LGBT Helpline Experienced Busiest Ever Year in 2015 – Report

Commenting at the launch, Paula Fagan, National Coordinator for the LGBT Helpline, said: “2015 was an incredible year for LGBT people and LGBT rights. Key pieces of legislation were enacted – on same sex parenting rights, gender recognition and the removal of discriminatory clauses from the Employment Equality Acts. However, it was the momentous and emotive marriage equality campaign that was felt most deeply.

“While the outcome of the referendum was incredibly positive, the time leading up to the vote was very stressful for LGBT people and their families and friends. As the nation debated the referendum, many LGBT people sought support from our services to cope with the intensity of having their lives debated in public, or to

deal with negative attitudes expressed by family members or friends.

“In the week leading up to and including the referendum, we saw traffic to our website increase by 65 per cent on the same time period the previous year. We also received hundreds of calls to our helpline as we became the go-to space for people who wanted to talk about something negative they had heard expressed about ‘gay people’ on radio, TV, on the bus or while out canvassing.”

In total, the LGBT Helpline received 3,609 calls last year, a 13 per cent increase on 2014. The organisation had 73,000 visitors to its website, www.lgbt.ie, and supported 162 people through its online instant messaging service. A further 37 people participated in peer support groups.

Over half (54 per cent) of those contacting the LGBT Helpline last year were aged between 36 and 55, with 14 per cent of callers aged over 56.

According to Paula Fagan: “Over two thirds of our callers were over the age of 36, highlighting the fact that many people struggle with sexuality and gender issues well beyond their teenage years. Older adults can face significant additional barriers to coming out; many callers in the older age brackets were married or in long-term

heterosexual relationships and had children.”

The LGBT Helpline categorises the calls it receives under two categories: support and information.

Five main issues arose during support calls last year: 1.

Sexuality / coming out (37 per cent of all support calls).

2.

Family and relationship problems (36 per cent of support calls).

3.

Gender identity issues (16 per cent of support calls).

4.

Health concerns (6 per cent of support calls).

5.

Violence, including homophobic and transphobic bullying and abuse (4 per cent of support calls).

During information calls, the most frequently sought information was in relation to LGBT-friendly counsellors and psychotherapists. Other common requests included information on parent support groups, LGBT youth groups, sexual health services and support groups for married people in heterosexual relationships, who were questioning their sexual identity.

According to the LGBT Helpline, mental health issues arose in the majority of calls to its services last year.

Key service developments during the year included: · The establishment of an online instant messaging support service. · The recruitment and training of 44 new volunteers.

· The establishment of new regional helplines in Galway and Kerry; and the commencement of planning for a helpline in Kilkenny. · The first full year of operations for three peer support groups, which had been established at the end of 2014.

Two of these provide for straight people in a relationship with a partner / spouse who is questioning their sexual identity or who has revealed that they are LGBT. The third group provides support for women who are married, or in a long-term heterosexual relationship, and who are exploring their own sexuality or gender identity. · The provision of LGBT awareness training to 370 representatives of third-party organisations, including Samaritans and Parentline.

To visit the helpline website, go to: www.lgbt.ie The LGBT Helpline is the national support service for LGBT people, their families and friends. It was established in 2010 and is run through a network of local helpline centres. The organisation’s teams of trained volunteers provide confidential support and information through the telephone helpline, online chat service, peer support service and the LGBT.ie website. The helpline number is 1890-929539 (eile.ie 2 February 2016) EILE Magazine 79

Australia: Midsumma Pride March In Melbourne And Date For Apology Thousands celebrated with the LGBT community in Melbourne yesterday, as the Midsumma Pride March took place in St Kilda.

To support the gay community, there were politicians from the Labor Party and the Greens, together with the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews.

Andrews was one of the speakers at the rally, and he criticised Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian Prime Minister, for going with the idea of a marriage equality plebiscite, saying many coalition members say they will ignore the results of a plebiscite anyway.

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Andrews stated: “Discrimination is wrong in any form, it’s not negotiable, and it’s not for any politician to tell people who they can marry, how they can express their love. It is not for any politician to tell anyone in our community their relationship is secondary or not as much value as mine or theirs”.

He also gave the date of May 24 as the day when the Victorian government would issue a formal apology to gay men convicted of homosexual crimes before 1980, when homosexuality was decriminalised. The record is also being expunged so that these men will not have a criminal record.

He told reporters: “Sending the strongest message that we are sorry, that that was a dark chapter in

our history, and we are better than that”.

Also at the march, Bill Shorten, leader of the opposition in Australia, stated that his government will bring in equal marriage if Labor win the next election. “Within 100 days we will put legislation in the parliament for marriage equality, and all MPs will vote according to their choice” he said.

Bill Shorten also tweeted: “Marching for marriage equality with @ DanielAndrewsMP & my family. Msg to PM clear: stop delaying marriage equality” -MKB (eile.ie 1 February 2016)

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews (centre) and Bill Shorten (right)

“Discrimination is wrong in any form, it’s not negotiable, and it’s not for any politician to tell people who they can marry, how they can express their love. It is not for any politician to tell anyone in our community their relationship is secondary or not as much value as mine or theirs”.

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Australia: Malcolm Turnbull Criticised By LGBT For Valentine’s Message Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has been heavily criticised by gay people, after he posted a Valentine’s message on his facebook page yesterday, eulogising his relationship and marriage to his wife, Lucy.

He stated: “When I first asked Lucy to marry me she said, “Let’s wait until we grow up.” Well we didn’t wait long and now it is almost impossible to imagine, let alone remember, what it was like not to be together, so much so that I have a much clearer sense of “Lucy and me” than I do of “me””.

Mr Turnbull is backing a plebiscite on gay marriage, rather than a free vote in parliament, to see whether his government should bring in equal marriage.

However, tweeters in support 82 EILE Magazine

of equal marriage have pointed out that a plebiscite is ‘neither financially responsible nor binding’, that many of his ministers have vowed to ignore the outcome of a plebiscite, and that his statement is hypocritical in view of the fact that he “claimed to support [gay marriage] before coming into power, yet now pleasing the factions appears to be your only priority”.

One tweeter, Douglas McFarland parodied his comment by saying: “When I first asked my partner to marry me, he said let’s wait till our government lets us’..”

Another tweeter, Evelyn Gray, says she is saddened that her gay daughter is still waiting for the same right as her sister, to be able to marry the love of her life.

Ron Van Houwelingen had a lot to say including this: “While you and your Government continue to treat a certain section of the population as second class citizens under the law, you send a very dangerous message

to LGBTI people that they, and their love and relationships are worth less”. [..]

“It’s patently clear that the majority of Australians support Marriage Equality, and before your appointment as PM, you lead us to believe that you did too”.

He also said that he and his partner had been together for over 20 years, still waiting for marriage equality: “My partner Antony & I are celebrating our 29th Valentine’s Day together today. We are so very glad that we have found a soulmate in one another, and to have been able to share our lives together for so many years. But what we would really like is to be able to celebrate that love through marriage, just like you and Lucy”.

Below are more of the comments: Tomas Allan Leaumont: “Well because of you and your party I will never know what it will be like to marry my parter of

Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy in their youth

nearly 10 years. So happy for you both..”

Lisa Browne: “Hang in there Tomas – I am very confident that Malcolm Turnbull will change this. He has to get an election won in his own right and then I expect we will see a lot of reform. He has to move softly, softly with those blue blooded ol’ boys in the party room at the moment.

Here’s wishing you all the best and a wedding within the next 18 months”.

Douglas McFarland: “When I first asked my partner to marry me, he said let’s wait till our government lets us…and now, four years later, we have to wait until 51 per cent of the country lets us (and then the government [c]an still reject it)…you and Lucy are beautiful together, an inspiring couple…just

wish your leadership was more inspiring on Marriage.

We all know you get it, we all know you want it, we all know you are spinning political bs when you support the plebiscite.

Perhaps Valentine’s day is the perfect day to scrap the plebiscite! Happy Valentine’s day to you both, it must be a lovely reminder of your marriage. As opposed to the constant reminder that same sex couples love is less!”

Evelyn Gray: “Congratulations on your happy marriage. I’m very lucky also to have been married for over 40 years.

However, my husband and I are saddened that our gay daughter is still waiting for the same right as her sister; the right to marry the love of her life. No plebiscite please – a free vote in Parliament is

all it will take!”

Brad Wolfe: “Lucky you can get married. How about a free vote on marriage equality instead of wasting millions on a pointless plebiscite some of your ministers have vowed to ignore anyway?”

Adam Vella: “Aww I’m glad you can be happy Malcolm, while people like me don’t even have a choice to get married because of your lack of action. happy Valentine’s Day to all of the Australian gay couples who could be married like Malcolm right now.”

More tweets on the subject can be read on Mr Turnbull’s facebook page.

-MKB (eile.ie 15 February 2016) EILE Magazine 83

Russia - Court Orders Rights Group Closed A court order to close a leading rights group in Russia is a new low in the government’s vicious crackdown on independent groups. On February 10, 2016, the regional court of Tatarstan issued a ruling to dissolve the Agora Human Rights Association, upholding an administrative suit

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filed by the Justice Ministry. Agora will appeal to Russia’s Supreme Court.

Agora, a network of lawyers and activists, is widely known for defending civil and political activists across the country. Agora’s lawyers have represented victims of political prosecution in numerous high profile court cases, including the case against the feminist punk group Pussy Riot; the criminal prosecution of Russia’s leading opposition

politician, Alexei Navalny; and the recent infamous “terrorism” case against a Ukrainian filmmaker from Crimea, Oleg Sentsov, and his alleged accomplice, the Crimean activist Olexander Kolchenko.

“There is little doubt that Russian authorities want to paralyze Agora’s human rights work and are using the judicial system to accomplish this,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “For years, the

government has been demonizing human rights groups and stifling them with bureaucracy. Now it’s starting to shut them down.”

Agora was founded in 2005 by three prominent Russian human rights groups from the Volga Federal district of Russia. According to the former head of Agora, Pavel Chikov, Agora’s lawyers are currently working on more than 300 human rights cases across Russia.

The Justice Ministry filed suit against Agora in January 2016, alleging that the group was in breach of Russian legislation on nongovernmental organizations by engaging in “political activities” and carrying out work beyond its statutory objectives, and that it did not fully comply with Russian tax regulations. Prior to the suit, the organization had faced numerous intrusive inspections by Justice Ministry officials, prosecutors, and tax authorities.

The allegations of involvement in “political activities” appear to be at the core of the government’s case. It referred in its suit to a number of opinion articles and other materials published

by Agora’s activists. This list includes several pieces by Pavel Chikov, a member of Russia’s Presidential Human Rights Council, that were featured on the council’s

official website. The ministry contended that those articles, which aimed to “influence public opinion” and “foster critical attitude toward the government,” had not been labelled as produced by a “foreign agent” organization.

Under Russia’s profoundly flawed “foreign agents” law, the government can brand nongovernmental groups as “foreign agents” – which in Russia unambiguously means “traitor” if they engage in “political activity” while receiving foreign funding.

Groups designated as “foreign agents” are required to publicly identify themselves as such.

The 2012 “foreign agents” law defines “political activity” as actions aimed at influencing the government or public opinion. Human Rights Watch has said that Russian authorities have been using this broad and vague definition to cover all aspects of advocacy and human rights work.

then filed the suit to dissolve the group in early 2016.

The “foreign agents” law runs contrary to Russia’s international human rights obligations, and its aggressive, sweeping implementation has been at the center of the Russian government’s campaign to silence independent voices, Human Rights Watch said.

“Russia should drop the ‘foreign agents’ law,” Williamson said.

“International organizations and leading democratic governments should renew their calls on the Kremlin to repeal this law and to stop the crackdown on independent voices.” (eile.ie 12 February 2016)

When the government forcibly registered Agora as a “foreign agent” in 2014, the organization stopped accepting foreign funding and asked the Justice Ministry to remove it from the “foreign agents” register. The ministry refused, despite the fact that the “foreign agents” registration requirement is only applicable to foreignfunded organizations, and

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Indonesia: Flurry of Anti-Gay Statements by Officials Indonesia’s government should defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and publicly condemn officials’ grossly discriminatory remarks, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Since January 2016, various government officials have made public comments demeaning the country’s LGBT community. Local government and education officials have touted discriminatory antiLGBT measures including

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suggesting bans on LGBT student groups on university campuses and ordering police to halt an HIV outreach event for gay and bisexual men.

“President Jokowi should urgently condemn anti-LGBT remarks by officials before such rhetoric opens the door to more abuses,” said Graeme Reid, LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch. “The president has long championed pluralism and diversity. This is an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment.”

The Indonesian government is obligated under international law to protect everyone in the country regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, Human Rights Watch said.

Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission has condemned the officials’ vitriolic statements and urged law enforcement agencies to protect LGBT people from violence by community groups. In October 2015, Sharia (Islamic law) police in Aceh province arrested a pair of young women for “hugging in public.”

In November, Brawijaya University authorities canceled an LGBT event, claiming they had received threats of an attack. The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), a militant Islamist organization, harassed participants in a seminar on access to justice for LGBT people on February 4, 2016, in Jakarta.

A 2014 United Nations Development Programme

report called on the government to mainstream human rights protections for LGBT people across all state institutions and to “officially recognize the existence of LGBT people … as an integral part of Indonesian society.” In 2015, 12 UN agencies – many operating in Indonesia – signed a pledge to help governments end violence and discrimination toward LGBT people.

“Protecting LGBT people from violence and discrimination is part of Indonesia’s human rights commitments,” Reid said. “President Jokowi should make an unambiguous statement of support for the fundamental rights of all Indonesians and pledge to protect LGBT people from attacks.” (eile.ie 12 February 2016)

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