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Magazine V 6 Issue 01 - Jan/Feb 2019
Kismit
Richard Mulligan
Paul M
Béar Féile Stephen Doyle Inside:
Travel | Film | Fashion |Health | News
EILE Magazine | Who’s Who
Contributors
M. Butler M. Butler is a writer and editor, with a keen interest in human and civil rights, and has also studied philosophy and psychology Scott De Buitléir Scott is founder and Editor-at-Large of EILE Magazine. He is also an author and poet from Dublin, but is now based in Cork 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 Brian Rochford also writes our fashion column this month Stephen Spillane Special thanks again to Stephen Spillane this month 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 Jan/Feb 2019 Béar Féile 2019 - P.22 The wonderful Dublin Bears’ Béar Féile is coming up in March, so don’t be caught napping, and get there early, to enjoy all the goodies on offer!
Volume 6, Issue 01 Editor-at-Large: Scott De Buitléir Editor: MKB
Artist Stephen Doyle - P.30
Contributors: M. Butler, Scott De Buitléir, MKB, Lisa Reynolds, Brian Rochford, Stephen Spillane, Frances Winston
Scott De Buitléir interviews artist, Stephen Doyle, about his latest exhibition at SO Fine Art
Photographers: Jayden Becker, Melodie Casta, Danica x Alena, Ashley Maietta
Health - P.46 Brian Rochford tells us how to relax for better health
Music - Pps. 6,10,14,18 Our music treats this edition are Irish singer-songwriter Richard Mulligan, Kismit, Birch, and an interview with bear favourite, Paul M
Fashion - P.26, and Yes- P.34 Brian Rochford writes about what to wear in this unsettled weather, and Lisa Reynolds looks back at The Story of Yes
…plus film reviews, news, travel, and much more!
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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EILE Magazine
EILE Magazine | Editor’s Letter
Contents 6-
Kismit
10 -
Richard Mulligan
14 -
Birch
18 -
Paul M
22 -
Béar Féile 2019
26 -
Men’s Fashion
30 -
Stephen Doyle Artist
34 -
The Story of Yes
38 -
T he 1975 ‘A Brief...’
42 -
Travel Skiing Italy
44 -
Travel Skiing France
46 -
Health Relaxation
48 -
Frances on Film
56 -
The Lion Lies Waiting
58 -
Everyman - Seahorse
plus World LGBT News, Views, Arts, Entertainment etc
EILE Jan/Feb 2019 Edition! Welcome to the January/ February 2019 issue of EILE Magazine This issue, we have some real treats for you! In our music section, we feature Irish C&W singer-songwriter, Richard Mulligan, US-based duo, Kismit, USbased Birch, and an interview with UK-based singer and bear favourite, Paul M. We have an interview with the Irish artist, Stephen Doyle, and news of Béar Féile 2019, which comes up in March. Our travel features are about Skiing in Europe for a change of Summer scene. Frances (Superwoman) Winston reviews some great films, and Brian Rochford writes about relaxation. Brian is also our fashion writer at EILE. Lisa Reynolds reviews The 1975 band’s album, ‘A Brief Inquiry Into...’, and looks back at The Story of Yes documentary. We have lots more news, views and entertainment in this issue, so we hope you enjoy our January/February 2019
Scott De Buitléir Founder / Editor-at-Large
EILE Magazine EILE Magazine
See our film reviews by Frances Winston
EILE Magazine
KiSMiT Soulmates and bandmates take the romantic route to stardom, with their latest single, Look No Further
In this issue, there’s a treat in store for all those who still believe in romance!EILE is delighted to feature California-based, pop/funk duo, Kismit, a high energy, passionate project, based in Silverlake, CA, with their latest single, Look No Further. The dynamic, ethereal vocals of Carly Barnette, and the soulful sound of Baz King, will have you looking for more, and the track is an unusual fusion of pop, soul, and RnB, reminiscent in parts of the later Alicia Keys, or Mary J. Blige. The duo say they draw their inspiration from the likes of Allen Stone, Kimbra, and the narrative tradition of Sara Bareilles. Their influences include: Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Allen Stone, Lianne La Havas, Vulfpeck, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Emily King, and Joni Mitchell. The new single, Look No Further, explores what it means to find everything you need wrapped up in one individual - to find yourself emotionally and physically complete. Fusing elements of R&B, jazz, and funk, with a pop melody, the track serves as a perfect introduction to this high energy duo.Mixed by Jorel Corpus, mastered by Jett Galindo, and written by both Carly Barnette (vocals) and Baz King (vocals, guitar and production) the track features heavy drums supporting effortless vocals, to build a sensual and enigmatic atmosphere. ”Look No Further is about trusting that there is an infinite well of love within one relationship”, explains Barnette. KiSMiT brought in friends, Moez Dawad (drums), Drew of the Drew (bass), and Balam Garcia (guitar) for added benefit in defining their musical sound. Carly Barnette and Baz King connected while taking a songwriting class at Berklee College of Music, during their senior year.
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Kismit Image: Melodie Casta
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The feisty and full of life, Barnette, has always found music to be a constructive and emotional outlet, while the more laid-back, King, recognises music to be a healing force. With similar outlooks on music, the two are a perfect fit to create remarkable compositions. When not focusing on KiSMiT, King works on other artistic projects through his own production studio, Baz King Productions, while Barnette focuses on arts activism with her organisation, ALLIN Los Angeles. The organisation, which she cofounded, focuses on events dedicated to community outreach. Journeying together emotionally and sonically, KiSMiT are designing their sound to carry powerful energy, which corresponds to healing and the manifestation of dreams. With a diverse song-set, and infectious energy on stage, they are making waves in the LA music scene. Led by Carly’s soaring vocals, their love for each other and their music shines through in every number, which fuses pop, soul, funk, RnB and dance. After playing gigs in 50+ cities & 20+ countries, they understandably craved some stability, and Carly & Baz have now planted their creative and personal roots in Silver Lake, California, continuing to write and perform to their hearts’ desire. Their single, Look No Further is now available to stream and download worldwide.
-MKB If you would like to know more about KiSMiT, or to buy their music, go to: www.facebook.com/kismitmusic/ www.instagram.com/kismitmusic/ twitter.com/KISMITmusic itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kismit/1181250363https:// www.kismitmusic.com/
Image: Ashley Maietta
EILE Magazine
Image: Danica x Alena
Cover art for Look No Further
Image: Ashley Maietta
EILE Magazine
“That’s what music is all about touching the soul”
Richard Mulligan sportsman turned country & western singersongwriter, has just released his debut album,
I Never Met You (I just did a close-up of this one)
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Richard Mulligan chats with Marian Butler about his life, love of music, and latest CD Richard Mulligan is an Irish, 57-year-old, Country & Western singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who has just released his debut album, called I Never Met You. Richard has lived in Clontarf in Dublin for the last 30 years, and is married with four children, but Richard never forgets his roots. He is a native of County Galway, an area he still has a deep love for, and, when he was younger, where he played for the Under 16s football team. Richard is also a former International Runner, being 7 times Irish Champion, in road/ track/cross- country. He is also a World silver medallist in the Masters 10k, and has represented Ireland in World and European Championships. Richard went to university in the US, having won an athletic scholarship to Providence College, Rhode Island, USA, and true to form, won many races while he was there. So how come Richard has recorded a country album? He says he wanted to record an album, but was not really sure of which songs or how many. ”The only plan was to record a few of my own songs, and if they sounded okay, I might pluck up the courage to include them, and the covers I sing are my own interpretations, in my own style” he says. Although Richard has many strings to his bow, his love for music was always in the background. From a very young age, he was a big Elvis fan, and still today counts Elvis as one of his biggest musical influences. One of his abiding memories is when he was a child, hearing Elvis on the radio for the first time, as he was having breakfast one morning (the song was Wooden Heart, still his favourite of all time). He says: ”...as I ate breakfast, I was suddenly struck by this wonderful voice and this brilliant music”. He continued: ”I was hooked - I had to find out more about this singer and his songs...That morning, the voice of the King brought new excitement into my young life”. Thus began his lifelong love of, and interest in, learning Elvis’s songs, so that he could
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eventually play them himself on the guitar. He did eventually learn to play guitar, and began performing at house parties, charity functions, and other gigs around Ireland. Richard also cites among his many influences country singers like Reba McEntire, Don Williams, Tom T Hall (Richard says Tom is a great storyteller) and the Irish country star, Big Tom. Being a multi-instrumentalist, Richard incorporates many instruments into his songwriting, and you can hear this by listening to his new Country & Western album, called I Never Met You, which he has just released. He has included on the album such C&W favourites as Four Country Roads, Kilkerrin My Hometown, Clayton Delaney, Tulsa Time, Wagon Wheel, and Your Cheatin’ Heart among others. Being also a songwriter, Richard has included four of his own brand new songs on the album.These are: Somewhere In Connemara (written for his mother), I Never Met You (which was written as he stood over the grave of his father, whom he had never met), Get Over You, and She Didn’t Leave Me Today (written when a friend was asked how was his wife, and this was his amusing answer). Richard is rightfully proud of his album. He says: ”My hope, above all, is that it finds a response from those
Richard on left, with Kingston Mills on right Image: Irishrunner.ie
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who listen to it - perhaps a song will bring a or call up some cherished memory. That’s w about - touching the soul”. If you would like to hear Richard’s album, link is below:
Soundcloud link: https://soundclou 263299362
Richard’s CD, I Never Met You, is now for s platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, and below:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-ne you/1448390322
open.spotify.com/album 6mAfALE5UJcLvLIX4y43
www.amazon.com/Never-Met-Yo Mulligan
If you would like to know more about Rich his Twitter, and Facebook details ar
Twitter: @RICHARDMULLI
www.facebook.com/richard.mu
Richard is also on Instagram
a smile or a tear, what music isImage: all Facebook his Soundcloud
ud.com/user-
sale on all major Amazon, links
ever-met-
m/ 3vx
ou-Richard-
hard Mulligan, re below:
Richard with his many nstruments
IG15
ulligan.94
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Richard at DoonLoughan
Right: Cover Art for Say Something
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Birch US based, singer-songwriter, Birch, has just released her latest track, Spelling lessons, a track with a message
If you want some beat-driven, but really laid-back music (with a message) in this issue, just have a listen to the latest single from Connecticut-born, NYC-based, indie-pop artist, singer-songwriter, Birch. The single is called Spelling Lessons. Birch says it’s about “institutionalized sexism and my experience as a girl. I hope it resonates with you!” Birch, aka musician and producer, Michelle Birsky, produces music that passionately deconstructs societal norms. With an extensive knowledge of music production, and live instrumentation, Birch puts a synth-driven twist on tracks reminiscent of Bon Iver and St. Vincent. Birch came from a small town in Connecticut, but kept her songwriting to herself for the majority of her life. She played guitar alone in her bedroom, and didn’t perform in front of a crowd until she furthered her studies at Kenyon College, Ohio. She immersed herself in music theory and composition, and learned to let her songs bleed into each other with central themes that run throughout; sparking her love for writing concept albums. Birch has made waves in the Brooklyn music scene for a few years now, and is raising the female voice in society, referring to her music as feminist synth-pop. EILE Magazine 15
Female empowerment and gender equality are two causes very important to Birch. She often participates in marches and protests, donates regularly to Planned Parenthood, and uses music to make a difference in the community. She is not afraid of using her voice in a positive, impactful way. Her album, femme. one, is her latest release.We love Birch’s track, Spelling Lessons, and hope there is more from this artist for a long
time into the future. Listen on iTunes, and see what you think!If you want to know more about Birch, go to:itunes. apple.com/us/artist/birch/ 1016796226www.facebook. com/Birchmusicnyc/twitter. com/birchmusicnycwww. instagram.com/birchmusicnyc/
Cover Art for Spelling Lessons
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Birch Image: Off Season Creative
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Paul Middleton is a Londonbased singer who has toured the world, and is particularly popular in ireland, especially with the bear community. He was called ‘The toast of Dublin’ after his Béar Féile gigs, and returns again this year for BF 2019 Paul M
Paul has been singing for the last 15 years and has developed a fan base all over the world. After losing his mother to cancer, Paul decided to donate his first two albums of covers to Cancer Research. He is also the ambassador for the K-Woods foundation, which supports Dementia UK. The founder of the K-Woods foundation, Adam Woods, says of Paul ‘ [He] is a real humble down to earth guy, the foundation are delighted to have Paul on board’.
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Paul M Scott De Buitléir interviews singer, paul middleton, eile favourite and béar féile stalwart, about life, béar féile, and his latest album, covers 3
Scott De Buitléir: Hi Paul and welcome! We’ve had the pleasure of featuring you twice before on the compilation editions of EILE Magazine! What have you been up to since we last saw you? Paul M: I have been having a wonderful time. I have been gigging, travelling lots, and was working hard on Covers 3. I was really determined to make this my best album - I poured so much time, passion and energy into this album. It took a while but I got there, and I’m very proud of it. SDB: Has the focus of your music changed since you first started singing? PM: It’s pop, but my recent album is my most diverse, it has a little more of a dance flavour, some folk, and pure pop music. I covered a Madonna song, ‘Holiday’- it has a tropical house feel to it, and goes down well when I sing it. SDB: What have been your musical career highlights to date?
phenomenal. I was up against huge names, like Ariana Grande, Calum Scott, and the Backstreet Boys, plus huge gay artists. That was down to the people that support me, and I couldn’t believe it. I was so thankful. Last year I played my first festival in the UK, in front of thousands of people, and it was a great success, and such a buzz. Another was that critics from around the world gave Covers 3 a lot of praise. When you have people that listen to thousands of albums, and they give you a lot of praise, it means a lot. Touring in different parts of the UK and flying to Spain, USA, Belgium and Germany have been incredibly special. I enjoy meeting new people and going to events to sing. SDB: You’ve performed in Ireland and for the Bears many times by now; what have you taken home with you about the Irish LGBT+ community after these gigs?
PM: I have been so lucky - I can’t believe it!
PM: Ireland is sort of like a second home. My ex is Irish, so I visited Ireland a lot - it has a lot of memories. Without a doubt the Irish make you feel so welcome.
Getting a number one in the LGBTQ music charts with ‘Careless Whisper’ was
The banter and ‘craic’ wherever you go is superb. The Irish community know how
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to include everyone - you feel like part of a family.
SDB: And now, where to next for Paul Middleton?
I know a few people here, and they are wonderful people. The memories, good times and friendships built are something I take away with me and hold dearly.
I’m looking forward to performing at Bear Féile 2019, I have some shows in Brighton and Belgium coming up, which I’m looking forward to.
SDB: Tell us about your latest/upcoming single; what’s the story behind it?
SDB: Thanks Paul, it’s great having you here, and best of luck with Covers 3, and the upcoming gigs.
PM: ‘Vincent’ is the next song from Covers 3, and it is a wonderful song by Don McLean, who wrote about Vincent Van Gogh. Lyrically, it is about Vincent Van Gogh and his place in the world, and how people misunderstood him and his work. I instantly connected, because I think we can sometimes feel misplaced or misunderstood in this world.
Paul M In Belgium
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To buy Covers 3, go to: http://smarturl.it/PaulMCovers3 For more information on Paul, go to: http://www.paulmmusic.com/ www.facebook.com/ paulmiddletonofficial twitter.com/PaulMmusic All images courtesy of Paul Middleton
Singer Paul M Latest album Covers 3
"The banter and ‘craic’ wherever you go is superb. The Irish community know how to include everyone - you feel like part of a family"
Album art for Covers 3
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The Great Béar Féile has come round again! Featuring the much loved Trad Session, Bear Bus Tour , Bear Market & DJ’s and Mr Bear Ireland Competition hosted by Panti Here’s the listing for the fabulous bear events on offer during the festival:
THURS 28TH: 9PM: NEALONS / BRIDIE’S MEET & GREET FRI 29TH: 6PM: STREET66 TRAD SESSION / DJ AGGIE 9PM: ADELPHI FUR WITH DJ EL STYRA / DJ MARTIN MCCANN SAT 30TH: 12.30PM: BEAR BUS WITH KRISTIN KAPELLI ( €10..PAY ON THE BUS ) STREET66 2PM: COCKTAILS WITH DJ AGGIE
4PM: PAUL M 9PM: THE BUTTON FACTORY MR BEAR IRELAND COMPETITION WITH PANTI TILL DEATH DO US PARTY DJ CORKY SUN: 2PM: PANTIBAR JUSTIN UTLEY DJ GERRY MOORE Register at: EVENTBRITE BÉAR FÉILE 2019 www.eventbrite.ie/e/bear-feile2019-tickets-52189624572?ref=e btnebregn http://www.dublinbears.ie/ bfprogramme/
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Left and below: The current Mr Bear Ireland
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The Sun is out! (or is it?) Brian Rochford helps us choose what to wear in this unsettled weather February is upon us, and the sun is shining today, but will it still be shining tomorrow? This changeable weather makes it hard to find the right outfit to wear form day to day. All in all, though, the reality is that the conditions are a lot milder than expected. So this season, it will have to be the lighter choice in threads for the fashion conscious man-about-town. So let’s dive into what is trending on the catwalk at the moment. Back with a bang is the well-tailored suit, although this is one item that has never really gone away. On the catwalk we now see suits worn with a bare chest (yes, that means no shirt). We see the double-breasted suit has resurfaced, but it’s the double-breasted not as we know it - worn loose and baggy, and with plenty of room. Plenty of colour and contrast in evidence this year, as the catwalk comes alive with some really vibrant styles - newspaper prints and iconic images, all displayed on classic tracksuits, shirts, pants and T-shirts.
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versace Polo ralph Lauren
giorgio armani
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Now is the time to get shirty about your shirts, with big, loose, and flowing ontrend this season. Stripes are everywhere, with long sleeves and loose cuffs. Also the funnel-neck shirt for men has made an appearance, so there’s plenty of choice for the man who wants to sport that ‘new romantic’ look. On some fashion stages, denim has been extensively featured this year. Stonewashed denim, distressed denim, off white, and acidwash jeans were seen on the catwalk. Denim is still a firm favourite, and it looks like it will stand the test of time. You may also be surprised to hear that shorts were also visible on the runway. It may be a little early for some, but they are here, whether you like it or not.
paul smith
prada
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Available in a range of styles, fabrics, prints and solid colours, you’ll be spoilt for choice thish&m year, as you brave the colder days when the sun goes back into hiding!
issey miyake
todd snyder
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Interview
Stephen Doyle - Artist Scott De Buitléir interviews the artist about his new exhibition, Post-Binary, at SO Fine Art, and his creative process Scott De Buitléir interviews the artist, Stephen Doyle, about his exhibition, PostBinary, and his influences in the creative process: Scott De Buitléir: Hi Stephen.Could you tell us a little about POST-BINARY -Where did the inspiration come from, and what sort of discussion do you hope to spark off in the people who visit this exhibition? Stephen Doyle: I’ve always questioned gender ‘norms’. As a kid, I could never grasp why there was a boys' and girls' section for toys or clothes. Post-Binary’represents my understanding of gender. The work challenges society’s preconception of binary gender categories and suggests that gender is more complex than simply, male or female. Although representation of the gender debate crops up in mainstream media from time to time, terms such as queer, genderfluid, non-binary etc. cause confusion, due to the lack of education and open dialogue around the subject matter in wider society. I want to invite the public to an overdue conversation around gender ‘norms’ and pose the question: ‘Should a system that suits the majority be a system worth keeping when it can cause harm to the minority?’ I use fabric as a metaphor to describe our individualism through shape, colour, and pattern. From birth, we are conditioned to view our environment in binary terms, and thus see floral patterns and bright colours as being feminine, and geometric shapes and dark colours as being masculine. [My art] subverts these beliefs, by surrounding the spectral figures in my paintings with a variety of material, thus rendering each figure neutral. Furthermore, I bring the fabric into the physical space, opening up a public discourse, and allowing the viewer to re-address their ideology on identity. Tell us a little about yourself; what led you to pursue art, and what has been your career’s highlight so far? To be honest, I was a very average kid in school. Not top of the class, but not at the bottom either. Not the fastest in PE, but not the slowest and so on. When I was being creative, I didn’t feel like I was being compared to anyone. Art college was the only choice for me. I’ve had such a great start since graduating. I’ve two international art prizes under my belt, the Ashurst Emerging Artist 30 EILE Magazine
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Prize and the Sunny Art Prize. Yet, I’ve always dreamed of having my work in the National Gallery. I was shortlisted for the Zurich Portrait Prize 2018, with a piece I felt represented me as an artist. ‘Dylan is anim dom...’was the first piece to openly discuss transgender identity in the gallery, and that was a huge honour. What role has modern art in topics and discussions such as gender? What would the ideal outcome of this work be? There is a lot of art which discusses systematic gender roles from the male and female perspective. But, the queer perspective has yet to really establish itself on the subject. With the trajectory of the state, I have no doubt there will be more to be seen in the coming years, and I’m excited to be contributing to in now. The ideal outcome, in my opinion, would be to get a more well-rounded perspective on gender identity, from people who experience it differently. I would like to see wider society question what they understand it to be, and I would like queer, trans, non-binary... to see themselves and their concerns represented. What next for you as an artist? I have a residency and a group exhibition in Shanghai, thanks to the Sunny Art Prize. I’ll also be exhibiting a solo show at Sunny Art Centre in London in May. So I’ll be kept quite busy, but its exactly what I’ve always wanted, so you won’t hear me complaining. You can expect a lot more queer-orientated work from me in the future. Many thanks, Stephen, for taking the time out to talk about your work, and your creative process. And we, at EILE, wish Stephen the best of luck for the future, and with his solo show in May at the Sunny Art Centre in London.
SO Fine Art Post-Binary Stephen Doyle Until 21 March, 2019 SO Fine Art Editions launched the award winning artist, Stephen Doyle’s solo show, ‘Post-binary’ on the 14 February, 2019. The exhibition continues until 21 March, 2019.
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Frankie By Stephen Doyle
Mia By Stephen Doyle
This body of work continues to explore Doyle’s interest of gender identity in contemporary society. The work challenges society’s preconception of binary gender categories, and suggests that gender is more complex than simply male or female.
Portrait Prize at the National Gallery, Ireland.
Doyle has wasted no time since his graduation from Crawford College Cork in 2017, where he received the ‘Student of the Year’ award, with a solo show at the Lavit, Cork.
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10am – 5.30pm, Saturday 11am – 5pm tel: +353 1 472 1050 - mobile: +353 87 254 9884
Abroad he won both the Ashurst Emerging Artist Award, and the Sunny Art Prize. Most recently he was shortlisted for the Zurich
Email: info@sofinearteditions.com Facebook @SoFineArtEditions twitter @SO_FineArt
SO Fine Art Editions 2nd Floor Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, 59 South William Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Documentary Review
The Story of Yes By Lisa Reynolds Lisa Reynolds looks back at the heady times of Ireland’s gay marriage referendum, through this documentary, and her own personal journey shortly afterwards The Story of Yes is a wonderful documentary, looking back at the Marriage Referendum in Ireland in 2015, produced by Zlata Filipovic, and directed by Hugh Rogers. In the documentary, we meet couples, Jamie Nanci and Michael Barron, Clodagh Robinson and Moninne Griffith, Anthony Kinahan and Barry Gardiner, and Aoife O’ Driscoll and Anna Mac Carthy Adam. We also meet Amnesty International Ireland’s Colm O’ Gorman and his daughter Safia, as well as YouTuber, Riyah Khalaf and his parents, Lorraine and Sam Khalaf, and Joey Kavanagh, who did much work on the Get the Boat to Vote campaign. It details a time that was both emotionally-draining and joyous, all in such a short period. Moninne spoke about how even the most supportive TDs hadn’t felt it would happen in their lifetime, when she and Clodagh brought up the topic. The documentary shows the personal stories behind what a Yes vote meant on that day, and what it meant to so many people on a personal level. There are so many lovely moments in this piece, such as Safia reading her letter in support of Marriage Equality on the radio, seeing a little bit of Anthony and Barry’s wedding, hearing the stories of how the couples met, seeing the family lives of those who have children, or at the time were about to. These included Colm O’Gorman and his daughter Safia and son Sean with his husband Paul, Clodagh and Moninne with their child Edie, and Aoife and Anna, who at the time of the documentary were preparing to be parents, and seeing the wonderful relationship between Riyadh and his parents. 34 EILE Magazine
Image: RTÉ
Aoife said that the couple began to plan a family a month before the Referendum, and how it was a very difficult time as their lives, future, and dreams were being thrown under the spotlight of debate. This documentary shows the ups and downs of the campaign, and the courage of so many people who went out and did something, for a better, more equal, world, in various different ways. Seeing the bus with Joey, and the people involved in the Get the Boat to Vote campaign, was so moving. Riyadh on American TV, speaking about the Referendum on the day of the vote, when people from the Human Rights Campaign came over to follow the campaign with him, and all the people, filled with love, who were voting Yes from so many different backgrounds, was so heart-warming. The footage of the moments after it was passed, in Dublin Castle and everywhere else, just brought me back to what a beautiful
time it was. And yes, like on the day the vote passed, I got emotional once again. There was also a very sad, but touching, moment, where Aoife and Anna remembered going to Fairview Park, like many others did on the day, to remember Declan Flynn, who was murdered there when he was just 31, in 1982. Rest in peace Declan. The campaign and this documentary were so beautifully focused on personal stories - the reality of life in the 21st century, and for all time really, only things were swept under the carpet for a long time.You couldn’t help but be moved by this film, whether you are part of the LGBTQ+ community or not, or whether you know and love someone who is or not. This brings you back to a time and place, and it makes you think of your own story. On the day of the Referendum, I voted Yes, but at the time I was voting as an ally, because I thought I was straight back then. In the time since then, I realized I was pansexual. People’s
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Aoife O’Driscoll and Anna MacCarthy Adams in The Story of Yes Image: Irish TImes
stories are all so different, and this vote was so important to so many people, whether they knew it was or not on the day, and to many who weren’t even born yet.
should have the choice whether to do so or not, when they are at a stage in their lives where they want to make a decision on that matter. That’s equality.
So I suppose I relived this day and this campaign during the documentary, through a slightly different lens, now through a more personal lens, but still with that same level of passion and compassion I felt at the time.
There are definitely some moments in this documentary which are not particularly nice to watch. With it being about a Referendum, there are always going to be times where the negative elements will be present.
And I suppose it was very nice for me, personally, to be able to relive such an important moment as this, as my true self. Something that hasn’t changed from that time was that I never really worried either way whether I got married or not. It was always more for me that I would love to meet the love of my life, and we would either live together or marry. But that wasn’t really the point. Some people dream of marriage, and everyone
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But it only brings more to the fore the courage shown in the strive towards equality, and the courage it took to campaign, vote, and openly declare an intention to vote Yes, especially all the people putting themselves in the firing line to campaign for a Yes vote.I think it’s a beautiful documentary. Very much a must-watch, and incredibly well put together. It reinforces just how proud I am to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and how proud I am to be Irish. So as this new year begins, my advice would
be to be yourself, discover who you are, and don’t be daunted by doing so. Being yourself is a great thing, and change, when it brings happiness, is a great thing too, which were both things the Yes campaign showed us all back in 2015. The Story of Yes is available to watch on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9yvOqmhReE
Image: RTÉ
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Album Review
A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships by 'The 1975' The 1975's album (2018) is reviewed by Lisa Reynolds A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships (2018) by The 1975, is the third album by the Manchester four-piece band, consisting of frontman Matt Healy, drummer George Daniel, guitarist Adam Hann, and bassplayer Ross MacDonald. The LP, which comprises 15 tracks, was produced by Healy and Daniel, recorded in an array of studios from June to September of last year, and won Album of the Year at the BRIT Awards. Listening to the album, it is easy to pinpoint why it has had the success it has had for the group, including reaching number 1 in the UK and Scottish charts, and number 4 in the Irish and US charts. It is both an eclectic and fluid album, all in one piece. I would say the musical styles on it are very mixed, but the overall concept or theme sticks to a well-thought-out and executed purpose. It is like a soundtrack of the times, of the generation we are living through. The opening track is called The 1975. It’s a short electronic and piano introduction, coming in at just over one and a half minutes in length. It sets the album up nicely for the 14 tracks that follow.
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The first of those 14 tracks is Give Yourself A Try. The music element of this track has a very positive atmosphere to it, but the lyrics have quite a lot of melancholy in them. The story of this song is about surviving depression, or hard times in general, and not giving in to the demons that we all can be taken over by, if we don’t fight through those low times.The song deals with the theme of suicide, and there is a reference in the lyrics to a fan of the group who committed suicide. It’s a very important song. Next is TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME. The melody and beat of this track are very catchy. It’s very easy to dance to, and there’s a gorgeous summertime relaxed kind of feel to it. The track that follows is How To Draw/ Petrichor. I love the contrasts in this song, from the slower quite ethereal start, combined with a bit of a soul vibe, that then becomes this electronic dance club beat, about midway through. It’s quite a cool track - very experimental, and works very well. Love It If We Made It comes next. This track flows in a very effortless fashion. It has a very movie soundtrack feel to it, and is one of the more commercially viable tracks on the album. There is another contrast that is present on this oeuvre from the band. There are both commercially obvious tracks, and ones which are less so, but the music is good, and that’s the main thing either way.
The 1975 Image: magdalena wosinska
Be My Mistake is next. It’s one of the ballads on the album, and it really showcases Healy’s storytelling qualities in his vocal. The next track is one of my favourites. It’s called Sincerity Is Scary. The title could sum up quite a lot of the album in general. We do live in a time where we’re encouraged to act too cool for school, and like we don’t care about all that emotional stuff - people and things we care about. And I think we all know that most of us do to some extent care, even if we try to act all tough. This track has a gorgeous
contemporary, jazzy feel to it, and a beautiful flow. Track 8 is I Like America & America Likes Me. There is a very harmonious kind of vibe to this track - lovely and hypnotic. And is really quite a contrast from track 9, The Man Who Married A Robot/Love Theme, which begins part 2 of the LP. This track is another one of my favourites. It appealed to the writer in me. It was like a mini-story, and really painted a picture of this lonely dude, who was obsessed with the internet.A good story makes
you feel like you are rooting for the character, and I in part found it quite amusing, and the other part of me found it all very sad, because I wanted it to work out better for the lonely dude than it ultimately did. Very well put together. The track which follows is a ballad, called Inside Your Mind. It is gorgeously understated, and has a very beautiful flow to it - lovely and mellow, and shows another side to the band from the previous track. Next is It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You). It’s got a
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good beat, and is again one of the more commercial tracks on the album. A very good mid-tempo song that is pieced together very well. Beautifully soothing. Surrounded By Heads And Bodies is next on the track list. There is a semi-acoustic feel to this track, which is great, and the contrast with the instrumentals throughout flows seamlessly. Mine is next. This is another favourite of mine from the album. Healy’s vocal is gorgeous on it, and it has a very jazz feel to it, transporting you to a smoky jazz club at midnight. The instrumentals are breathtaking throughout. It’s like a merging of 1920s with now, and it’s just beautiful. The next track is I Couldn’t Be More In Love. It is very soulful, and is another track I really like on the album. Another movie soundtrack perfect song, with a
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chorus that stays in your head long after you have finished listening. The closing track is I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes). This is another favourite of mine on the album. The storytelling in Healy’s vocal in this song paints all the scenes before you as you listen. A gorgeously pleasant-sounding finish to the album. I think this album is a grower. There is a very modern feel to it, dealing with social media, love being the main thing in life, and how the heart leads you to happiness. It is gorgeously ‘all pieced together in a 21st century’ bundle of greatness. A brilliant album and a must-listen. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships by The 1975 is available to listen to on Spotify.
Image: classiquepromotions
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The 1975 mage: Samsung Hall
The 1975 Image: We Heart It
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Image: Crystal Ski
Skiing in Italy for an u With relaxed Italian hospitality, gourmet food for less and quiet slopes with great snowmaking, Italy has it all! Italy is home to one of the world’s biggest ski areas, the Dolomiti Superski ski region. This area offers some of Europe’s best skiing with over 1200 kilometres of piste, 300 days of sunshine and guaranteed snow. Skiing in the Dolomites usually works out cheaper than the other established options of France, Switzerland and Austria. The Dolomiti Superski region is such a popular ski holiday destination, the slopes offer an excellent range of beginner slopes and competition level pistes. There is something to suit everyone! Italy offers Depart 3rd March 2019, stay at the 3* Olympic Apartments, Sestriere, on a self-catering basis, for 7 nights, from €339pp (based on 4 sharing) Depart 10th March 2019, stay at the 3* Hotel 42 EILE Magazine
Martin, Sauze D’Olulx, on a half-board basis, for 7 nights, from €489pp Depart 9th February 2019, stay at the 3* Hotel Renzi, Folgarida, on a half-board basis, for 7 nights, from €489pp Depart 9th March 2019, stay at the 3* Weisenheim Apartments, Selva, on a self-catering basis, for 7 nights, from €499 (based on 4 sharing) Depart 24th February 2019, stay at the 2* Hotel Des Guides, Cervinia, on a b&b basis, for 7 nights, from €579pp Depart 23rd February 2019, stay at the 3* Lcanda Locatori, Passo Tonale, on an all- inclusive basis, for 7 nights, from €659pp Depart 10th February 2019, stay at the 4* Hotel Sestriere, Sestriere, on a half-board basis, for 7 nights, from €699pp Depart 9th February 2019, stay at the 4* Hotel Golf, Madonna Di Campiglio, on a half-board basis, for 7 nights, from €819pp
unforgettable holiday More offers Andorra Depart 10th February 2019, stay at the 2* Apartments Manzano, Pas De La Casa, on a selfcatering basis, for 7 nights, from €259pp (based on 4 people sharing) Italy Depart 24th February 2019, stay at the 3* Planibel Apartments, La Thuile, on a self-catering basis, for 7 nights, from €289pp (based on 4 sharing) France Depart 9th February 2019, stay at the 3* Temps D’Soleil, Val Thorens, on a self-catering basis, for 7 nights, from €299pp (based on 5 sharing) Austria Depart 9th March 2019, stay at the 2* Guesthouses, Soll, on a b&b basis, for 7 nights, from €359pp
Book your ski getaway now with Crystal Ski, visit www.crystalski.ie or speak to a ski advisor by calling 01-6533-500. All holidays and prices are subject to change & availability, and are based on 2 sharing and are for 7 nights (Unless stated above). Prices do not include optional extras such as insurance, in-flight meals or group seating. Normal Crystal Ski terms & conditions apply. T&Cs apply. Offer applies to new bookings only and is subject to availability. We reserve right to amend the offer at any time. Offer can be withdrawn at any time without notice. To book your group ski holiday now call (01) 653 3504. Crystal is fully licensed by commission of aviation regulation (TO 021).
All the above offers include flights from Dublin, 20kg luggage and transfers. EILE Magazine 43
Travel
Image: Crystal Ski
Ski Spotlight: France Home to some of the world’s most famous ski areas – the superb food, diversity of resorts, high-altitude slopes and lift-linked mountain ranges make France one of the best countries for a ski holiday. Short flights to Geneva and Chambéry, plus quick transfers on to many resorts, mean you’ll also be on the snow faster than in most other alpine destinations.
Depart on 2nd March 2019, stay at the 3* Hotel LA Cachette, Les Arcs, on a half-board basis, from €769pps Already tried France and want something different? Check out these other hot offers from Crystal Ski Holidays: Andorra – 7 Nights
Check out the latest 7 night France offers from Crystal Ski Holidays:
Depart on 10th March 2019, stay at the 2* Apartments Manzano, Pas De la Casa, on a self-catering basis, from €249pps (4 sharing)
Depart on 23rd Mar 2019, stay at the 3* Temps D’Soleil, Val Thorens, on a self-catering basis, from €379pps (4 sharing)
Depart on 17th March 2019, stay at the 3* Sant Roma Apartments, Arinsal, on a self-catering basis, from €295pps (4 sharing)
Depart on 2nd March 2019, stay at the 3* Daille Sol Apartments, Val D’Isere, on a selfcatering basis, from €469pps (4 sharing)
Depart 17th March 2019, stay at the 4* Hotel Euroski, Soldeu/El Tarter, on a half-board basis, from €525pps
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Italy – 7 Nights Depart on 3rd March 2019, stay at the 3* Planibel Apartments, La Thuile, on a self-catering basis, from €239pps (4 sharing) Depart on the 10th March 2019, stay at the 3* Apartments Olympic, Sestriere, on a self-catering basis, from €355pps (4 sharing) Depart on the 9th March 2019, stay at the 3* Hotel Italo, Madonna Di Campiglio, on a half-board basis, from €575pps Depart on the 17th March 2019, stay at the 3* Hotel Biancaneve, Sauze D’Oulx, on a half-board basis, from €559pps
All the above offers include flights from Dublin, 20kg luggage and transfers. Book your ski getaway now with Crystal Ski, visit www. crystalski.ie or speak to a ski advisor by calling 01-6533500. All holidays and prices are subject to change & availability, and are based on 2 sharing and are for 7 nights (Unless stated above). Prices do not include optional extras such as insurance, inflight meals or group seating. Normal Crystal Ski terms & conditions apply.
Austria – 7 Nights
T&Cs apply. Offer applies to new bookings only and is subject to availability. We reserve right to amend the offer at any time. Offer can be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Depart on the 9th March 2019, stay at the 2* Guesthouse, Soll, on a b&b basis from €329pps
To book your group ski holiday now call (01) 653 3504.
Depart on 9th March 2019, stay at the 3* Haus Edelweiss, Zell Am See, on a b&b basis, from €439pps
Crystal is fully licensed by commission of aviation regulation (TO 021).
Depart on 16th March 2019, stay at the 4* Aurora Apartments, Bad Hofgastein, on a self-catering basis, from €465pps (4 sharing) Depart on the 16th March 2019, stay at a 2* Guesthouse, Mayrhofen, on a b&b basis, from €479pps
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Health
Stress & Relaxation Brian Rochford tells us how to use some breathing techniques to get rid of stress and bring about relaxation Stress could be described as a reaction to changes in your life, as you try to adjust and respond to problems.It is normal to experience stress, and it can be the result of the environment in which you find yourself. We know that stress can reduce the body’s defences, and, over time, you may become susceptible to a number of physical symptoms. It can create conditions like physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, leading to fatigue and tiredness.In some cases, stress and tension can produce responses like overeating in some individuals, or even a loss of appetite in other people. You may experience weight gain or weight loss, muscle tension, and lack of sleep.Continued exposure to stress can, in certain cases, develop into the condition called distress, and can in time disrupt the body’s natural balance. This prolonged situation can lead to increased blood pressure, headaches, and an upset stomach. It is important to mention that this
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kind of experience can have negative emotional side-effects - conditions like depression, anxiety, and in some instances panic-attacks. Another downside to prolonged stress is when someone begins to use harmful substances in an attempt to gain some relief. The use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, are common ways of tying to unwind, and in some cases people turn to comfort eating, or eating foods that are harmful to your health. The good news is that there are natural beneficial ways to manage stress, and help your mind and body cope in a more positive, constructive way. One easy first step is to learn how to breathe properly. Deep breathing is so easy to do, and so beneficial for the mind, body, and emotions, that it is often overlooked as an effective remedy to everyday stress. In order to relax properly, it is necessary to stimulate the body’s inherent relaxation state. The answer to stress reduction is deep breathing. You are doing it anyway, so why not make the most of it. It won’t cost you anything, and if you practice deliberate deep-breathing,
Image: Pixabay
you will feel the results almost immediately. Deep powerful controlled breathing improves the supply of oxygen to the brain, and it also improves the function of the nervous system. Practising breathing techniques daily brings you into a state of calmness, and creates a deeper connection with your body. Deep breath control for more than 20 minutes daily will improve your energy, clear your thinking, reduce your tense state, and improve your overall feeling of wellbeing.
* Start to breath in slowly, filling your lungs to full capacity * Hold the breath for a few seconds, and breathe out through the opposite nostril * Breath out as much of the air as possible and breath in through the same nostril that you just exhaled through * Continue to repeat the execise for 10-15 breaths or up to 2 minutes You should now feel more relaxed, and in a better mood, so enjoy!
Why not try this simple breathing exercise: * Sit straight up in your chair * Take a few deep breaths then... * Using your finger or thumb close off one of your nostrils
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Frances Winston on Movies Directed by: Mimi Leder – Starring: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates This biopic of the inspiring powerhouse that is Ruth Bader Ginsburg (played here by Jones) is written by her nephew, so comes with the approval of the legendary equality advocate. Therefore you know you are probably going to get something closer to the facts than many similar offerings. If you’re not familiar with RBG’s back-story, she has been fighting the good fight since the 1970s, having actually graduated from law school in the 1950s. Despite graduating top of her class, she herself experienced discrimination, as law firms were uncomfortable employing a woman, so she was forced to turn to teaching rather than practising law. That was until the feminist movement of the 70s awakened the equality zeitgeist in the US. The big shift for her was when her husband, Martin (also a lawyer) brought
home a tax case that discriminated against a man. Realising that this could set a precedent for discrimination on the basis of sex, RBG made her first foray into the courtroom, years after graduating. The rest as they say is history. This case takes up the bulk of the movie, although we do get her academic backstory for the first 20 minutes or so. We learn how she juggled school with a young child and her husband’s cancer diagnosis, and see that she has been a force to be reckoned with for her entire life. Jones is excellent as RBG, and surprisingly, the usually wooden and tedious Armie Hammer isn’t terrible as her loving and supportive husband, Martin (that is probably the best thing I will ever say about one of his performances, so suck it up Armie). Justin Theroux does a great job as RBG’s devil’s advocate, Mel Wulf, of the American Civil Liberties Union. However, he sports a very dingy moustache throughout, and I couldn’t help thinking that Jennifer Aniston may actually have divorced him over facial fluff
(honestly – it’s shocking!) That aside (and on a serious note) many of the issues raised in this movie are still as relevant today (which is unfortunate) so more than a few scenes should strike a chord with audience members. There is nothing groundbreaking here, but you do get a good sense of RBG, and her passion and tenacity. For many people, this will be their introduction to her backstory, and, as such, it serves its purpose. At times, it feels like an underdog story, rather than a portrait of a strong, proud woman (particularly the finale) but this is one of the few flaws in an otherwise enjoyable and entertaining biopic. Of course it helps that RBG has had an incredible life. This will leave you all fired up and ready to fight any injustice you see, and I defy you not to get the warm and fuzzies when the real RBG makes an appearance at the end. In Cinemas Now!
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Frances Winston on Movies continued...
Frances Winston reviews this Sean Anders film based on his own experiences of adoption Directed by: Sean Anders – Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner, Margo Martindale, Julie Hagerty, Octavia Spencer When I first saw the trailers for this I assumed it was a screwball comedy, especially since it is directed by Anders, who is best known for his work on movies such as Horrible Bosses 2, and both Daddy’s Home films. So I was quite surprised when I learned that it was based on Anders’ own experience of adopting his children. Wahlberg and Byrne star as Pete and Ellie Wagner, who begin the adoption process hoping to add a baby to their family. However, when they attend an adoption fair, they meet a teenager called Lizzy (Moner) who really strikes a chord with them, after she explains that no one wants to adopt older children. They decide to enquire about taking her in, and learn she has two siblings. Undeterred, they agree to take all three, finding themselves with the
Instant Family of the title. Three unruly children and two inexperienced parents – what could go wrong? Well, as you can imagine, practically everything, and you have to wonder how many of these scenarios actually happened to Anders in real life. There are tears and tantrums – and that’s just Pete and Ellie. Anders has done a great job of capturing the family dynamic, and although this is about adoption, many people will recognise the brattish behaviour and the parent figure’s reaction from their own childhoods. The three young actors playing the children are wonderful, and really gel well as a family. Byrne is extremely funny, and even Wahlberg (whom I’m not a fan of) acquits himself well here. This is less in your face than many of Anders pervious offerings, and – dare I say it – quite heart-warming.
right balance between pathos and humour. Some of the comedy scenes seem somewhat ill-judged, while a couple of the heavier scenes could have probably have benefitted from a little light relief in order to maintain balance. That aside, this was far more entertaining than I expected. You’ll find yourself very invested in the welfare of the kids, and will have a lump in your throat at times. Its heart is in the right place, and its intentions are good, and you could do worse than cough up the price of an admission ticket for this emotional roller-coaster. In Cinemas Now!
It does have a lot of plotholes, and doesn’t really convey the complexity of the adoption process, but once the kids arrive in the Wagner home, the movie really takes off. One of its biggest flaws is that it doesn’t always strike the
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If Beale Street Could Talk
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Frances Winston on Movies continued...
Directed by: Barry Jenkins Starring: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, Regina King I absolutely loved Barry Jenkins’ Oscar-winning, Moonlight, so I was intrigued to see how If Beale Street Could Talk, his followup movie, would fare in comparison. Adapted from the novel of the same name, from the very opening, you can see his stamp all over it, with the lush colours and almost ethereal settings. Although the narrative is nonlinear, in a nutshell the story revolves around Tish (Layne) and Fonny (James), lifelong friends who begin a romantic relationship. After an unfortunate incident in a mostly-white grocery store, where Tish is harassed, Fonny is forced to defend her. Following a run-in with a cop over that, he later finds himself arrested for a rape that he couldn’t have committed. As Fonny festers in jail waiting for justice, Tish
learns that she is pregnant with their child, which makes her even more determined to get him released. There are many movies about miscarriages of justice, but I can’t think of any that hang the story on a romance. Layne and James have a lovely chemistry, and from the very opening scenes, it is clear that this is a couple who are completely besotted with each other, which makes the unfolding events all the more tragic. Regina King as Tish’s mother, Sharon, also gives a powerhouse of a performance, and she completely deserved her Golden Globe nomination. Despite the difficult subject matter, If Beale Street Could Talk remains mesmerising throughout. The cinematography is stunning, and the pacing spot-on, to keep you engaged. Quite often the world of a film isn’t clearly defined – particularly when there are several tangents to a story. But here it is, whether it is Tish and Fonny’s lovebubble, Puerto Rico, jail, or a family home.
feel cheated by it, and you will carry the injustice with you for a long time afterwards. There is a powerful undercurrent of hope running throughout If Beale Street Could Talk, and you will find yourself completely invested in the characters. The visual beauty of the film juxtaposes nicely with the some of the subject-matter, to force the audience to question what they are seeing. Entertaining is probably the wrong word to describe If Beale Street Could Talk, as it isn’t always an easy watch. But it is extremely thoughtprovoking and vibrant. This is a worthy follow up to Moonlight, and should help further enhance Jenkins’ reputation as a fine filmmaker. In Cinemas Now!
Although there are many underlying messages running throughout about racism and profiling, it never feels like it is shoved down your throat. However, when you learn the final outcome, you genuinely
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Frances Winston on Movies continued...
Directed by: Mike Mitchell – Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, Charlie Day, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, Maya Rudolph As much as I liked playing with Lego in my childhood, I didn’t expect to enjoy the first Lego movie nearly as much as I did. Truth be told, I’ve only just got the infuriatingly-catchy earworm, Everything is Awesome, out of my head, nearly five years after its release! So just to keep me on my toes, they have decided to release the second movie. And shamelessly include a track simply called, Catchy Song! Cue another 4+ years of an earworm on repeat! As much as I should hate them for that, it’s difficult to dislike this movie. Like the first offering, the story is told through a child’s imagination, and that is something we can all relate to. However, since it is five years later, alongside the original protagonist, Finn, we are introduced to his sister, Bianca, who has now started playing with his Legos. This adds a whole new dynamic to the story, as both children have rather different ideas about what constitutes a fun Lego experience. Anyone with siblings will totally relate to the bickering over toys, and their fighting ties in with what is going on in the Lego story. All the favourites from the last movie are back, and we also get new characters and new towns within the Legoverse, which really opens up the world. Personally, I was thrilled that Wonder Woman (voiced by Gal Gadot herself) makes an appearance! The one negative, perhaps, is that at times the abundance of superhero characters feels like a shameless sell for the other DC movie offerings (even their most recent big screen hero Aquaman makes an
appearance, as does Harley Quinn, who is due to get a standalone movie) and this could perhaps put parents under pressure, in terms of buying merchandise, and allowing kids to see movies. For myself though, as a major fan of all things comic-book though, I loved this. I’m not going to summarise the whole plot, because if you’ve seen the first one you already know that it will veer off on tangents of whimsy. Suffice to say our hero, Emmet (Pratt) and Lucy (Banks) are still together, and their relationship pretty much drives the story, as does a lot of catchy pop music (I refer you once again to Catchy Song!) Given the diverse worlds you can create with Lego, you have everything here, from superheroes to space ships to time travel, meaning that there really us something for everyone, no matter where your imagination takes you. This isn’t as much fun as the first one, given that we know the premise, but it is still extremely entertaining. It is a perfect followon to the original movie, and will appeal to all ages. There are in-jokes and subtle nods to things that will resonate with the adults, while simultaneously keeping the LOs thoroughly engaged. It has a lot of humour and heart, and although the seemingly incoherent ideas shouldn’t work, they really do, thanks to the premise. Everything is only slightly less awesome, and this is definitely worth a look, even if Catchy Song will be stuck in your head for the next four years! You have been warned….. In Cinemas Now!
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New Novel by Glenn Quigley -
The Lion Lies Waiting Irish gay author, Glenn Quigley, originally from Dublin, but now living near Belfast, has released his follow-up novel to his gay-themed debut, The Moth and Moon, which was released earlier this year by Ninestar Press. The new novel, titled The Lion Lies Waiting, is now on sale on Amazon, and at most major retailers, The Lion Lies Waiting features a gay protagonist, as well as lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered characters. The story again features the gay main character, fisherman, Robin Shipp, and there is a short synopsis below to whet your appetites: Winter, 1780, and the solstice is fast approaching. Four months after the events of The Moth and Moon, burly fisherman, Robin Shipp, is preparing for his first Midwinter festival with his lover, the handsome baker, Edwin Farriner. But when a letter arrives begging for help, they must travel with their friend, Duncan, to Port Knot on sinister Blackrabbit Island, for a final confrontation with Edwin’s mother. Also visiting the island are Lady Eva and her wife Iris, with a stunning proposition that could change Robin and Edwin’s lives forever. The snow-covered harbour town of Port Knot is a dangerous place. While there, Robin, Edwin, and Duncan explore the menacing rooftop settlement known as the Roost, mingle with high society in the magnificent splendour of Chase Manor, and uncover a violent conspiracy threatening the island’s entire way of life. Old rivalries will flare, shocking secrets will be revealed, and, as Duncan’s scandalous past finally catches up with him, will it ultimately destroy them all? The men will be tested to their limits, as they discover that, on Blackrabbit Island, the lion lies waiting. If you want to find out more about where you can buy Glenn’s new novel, The Lion Lies Waiting, go to Glenn’s website at: www.GlennQuigley.com
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Everyman Cork: SEAHORSE – To Celebrate International Women’s Day On Friday 8 March Seahorse, a critically-acclaimed, razor-sharp play about the anxiety of being a woman in modern Ireland, comes to the Everyman, Cork, to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2019 Mara finds herself in an aquarium in the middle of the night, face to face with a pregnant male seahorse, and promptly has an existential crisis. For the Birds Theatre Company is delighted to be marking International Women’s Day, on 8 March 2019, at The Everyman, Cork, with their criticallyacclaimed production, Seahorse. Created by award-winning stand-up comedian turned writer, Christiane O’Mahony, and dEsigner, Brian Mitchell, Seahorse is a razor-sharp and funny play about the anxiety of being a woman in modern Ireland. Directed by Davey Kelleher, with stunning animation by Janet Grainger, this surreal tale transports audiences to an underwater, radical feminist world of seahorses, where they meet Mara, a woman trying to figure out what she wants in a world of seemingly endless possibilities. Julie Kelleher, Artistic-Director of The Everyman said: “I am delighted to welcome Christiane and the For the Birds Theatre Company back to The Everyman this March. They are a much-loved team here and as soon as I read the script I knew Seahorse would be a wonderful show to
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share with Cork audiences on International Women’s Day. It’s a fun and bold exploration of what it means to be a woman in Ireland today, with plenty of relatable characters!” Seahorse will run at The Everyman from 6th until 8th March 2019, with a postshow discussion taking place in The Everyman Bar on 6th. Tickets €20, concession €18, or students €9, are available from the Box Office, phone 021 4501 673, or online at everymancork.com
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Design: Anthony Zagariko, exclusively for EILE Magazine
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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 61
Trans sportswomen hit back at Martina Navratilova, after the tennis champion said: “it’s insane and it’s cheating” for transgender women to be allowed to compete in women’s sport. “A man can decide to be female, take hormones if required by whatever sporting organisation is concerned, win everything in sight and perhaps earn a small fortune, and then reverse his decision and go back to making babies if he so desires”, 18-times Grand Slam winner, Navratilova, wrote in The Sunday Times. Navratilova’s comments are “disturbing, upsetting, and deeply transphobic”, said Rachel McKinnon, who, in 2018, became the first transgender woman to win a world track cycling title, reigniting a debate over whether trans women have unfair physical advantages in sport. Under rules brought in by International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2016, athletes transitioning from female to male can now participate without restrictions. Male to female competitors must have kept their levels of testosterone, a hormone that increases muscle mass, strength and haemoglobin, 62 EILE Magazine
which affects endurance, below a certain level for at least 12 months. Wimbledon champion, Navratilova, who has campaigned for gay rights and suffered abuse when she came out in the 1980s, argued trans women have unfair physical advantages. “A man builds up muscle and bone density, as well as a greater number of oxygencarrying red blood cells, from childhood”, she said. Navratilova “trades on age-old stereotypes and stigma against trans women, treating us as men just pretending to be real women”, McKinnon told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Scientific research into trans people in sport is rare. A 2015 study of eight male to female trans runners found their race times slowed down to an extent that they retained no advantage over non-trans women. Jen Wagner-Assali, who finished third to McKinnon in the 35-44 year-old category world championship race, argued the Canadian’s victory was not fair. McKinnon said her rival had previously beaten her in 10 of 12 events. “This idea that men will transition or pretend to transition to enter women’s sport is offensive”, Natalie Washington, a trans activist who plays amateur women’s
football in Britain, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “It misrepresents the huge struggle that the vast majority of trans people have to go through”. Navratilova expressed support for Caster Semenya, the twotime 800-metre Olympic women’s champion, in her case against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which is being heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport this week. The IAAF introduced a rule in April 2018 that would have forced women with naturallyhigh testosterone levels to take hormone therapy to lower them to compete in track events from 400 metres to one mile, had it not been challenged by her and Athletics South Africa. Semenya, who was forced to take a gender test when she won the world championship at the age of 18 in 2009, has hyperandrogenism, a condition characterised by higher than usual testosterone levels. “Leaving out sprints and longer distances seems to me to be a clear case of discrimination by targeting Semenya”, Navratilova said. -Rachel Savage, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 19 February 2019)
Trans sportswomen hit back at Navratilova’s ‘cheating’ comments
Martina Navratilova – Image: fibcbulk.com
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Leading gay Christians have accused the Anglican Church of hypocrisy following its decision to ban same-sex spouses from attending the church’s 2020 global conference Leading gay Christians have accused the Anglican Church of hypocrisy following its decision to ban same-sex spouses from attending the church’s 2020 global conference. Canon Jeremy Pemberton, who in 2014 became the first Church of England priest to wed his same-sex partner, said the move to exclude LGBT+ spouses “panders to the views of the most extremely conservative” members of the Anglican Church. “I just think they increase public revulsion at their hypocrisy and their inability to treat people decently”, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Monday. “Imagine receiving an invitation (that says), ‘By the way your spouse isn’t allowed to come as they’re the wrong gender’. “It’s incredibly insulting and every LGBT person inside the Church of England and outside will be revolted by this kind of hypocritical and discriminatory behaviour”. Pemberton’s comments come after the secretary general of the Anglican Communion, Josiah Idowu-Fearon, published a blog on Friday that stated “it would be inappropriate
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for same-sex spouses to be invited to the conference”. The Lambeth Conference, due to take place in Canterbury, England, is held once every 10 years. It brings together representatives of the 85 million-strong church, which has a presence in more than 165 countries around the world. The invitation process needed to take into account “the Anglican Communion’s position on marriage which is that it is the lifelong union of a man and a woman”, Idowu-Fearon wrote. He added the head of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had held a “series of private conversations… with the few individuals to whom this applies”. A spokesman for the Anglican Communion declined to comment further on the secretary general’s blog. Under current Anglican law, gay marriage is still barred for church officials. Same-sex relationships for clergy are sanctioned if they remain celibate. The Anglican Church has faced many similar rows over homosexuality over the past two decades, often pitting conservatives in Africa
A woman holds a placard during a vigil against Anglican Homophobia, outside the General Synod of the Church of England in London, Britain, February 15, 2017 Image: REUTERS/ Hannah McKay
against perceived liberals in the west. In 2003, the election of Gene Robinson as bishop of the US diocese of New Hampshire provoked death threats, while the same year in Britain, Jeffrey John withdrew his name to become bishop of Reading. Other wings of the church have faced similar controversies recently. Last week, gay rights campaigner, Kelvin Holdsworth, was shortlisted as a candidate for bishop of Glasgow within the Scottish Episcopal Church, reigniting divisions between liberal and conservative Anglicans. LGBT+ Christian organisations pointed out an
“inconsistency” in the Anglican Communion’s move to exclude same-sex spouses from the 2020 global conference. “One does wonder who ought to be disinvited if the Anglican Communion was serious about its often-stated opposition to homophobia”, said Simon Sarmiento, chair of LGBTI Mission, which lobbies the Church of England on LGBT+ issues. “It could be quite a long list”. -Hugo Greenhalgh, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 19 February 2019)
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US: Chicago police seek follow-up interview with ‘Empire’ actor (Reuters) – Chicago police have shifted the direction of their investigation into actor Jussie Smollett’s report of a hate-crime assault, and are seeking to interview him again, after releasing two men detained for questioning in the probe, a police spokesman said on Saturday. Smollett, 36, an openly-gay AfricanAmerican performer, who plays a gay character on the musical hip-hop TV drama, Empire, ignited a furore on social media last month, when he reported he had been attacked on the street by two men yelling racial and homophobic slurs. According to Smollett’s account, his assailants struck him in the face, draped a rope around his neck, and doused him with an “unknown chemical substance” before fleeing. Police said the actor took himself to a hospital, but was not seriously hurt. On Wednesday evening this week, police said they arrested two Nigerian brothers, described as “persons of interest”, who were recognised from surveillance camera footage, taken in the area of the alleged January 29 assault. The pair were freed two days later without charge, police told Reuters on Friday, in light of “new evidence” from their
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interrogation. Police spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, denied a media report on Thursday that detectives were looking into whether Smollett had staged the attack, saying then that there was “no evidence to say this is a hoax.” On Saturday, Guglielmi issued a brief statement saying that “information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the ‘Empire’ case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation”. He added: “We’ve reached out to the ‘Empire’ cast member’s attorney to request a follow-up interview”. Attorneys for Smollett said in a statement late on Saturday that he was “angered and devastated” by recent reports that the alleged attackers were people he is familiar with, including a personal trainer he hired to prepare him for a music video. “He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying”, said the lawyers, Todd Pugh and
Jussie Smollett – Image: answersafrica
Jonathan Brayman. Smollett and his attorneys anticipate being further updated by the Chicago police department on the status of the investigation, and will continue to cooperate, they said. Meanwhile, the New York Post reported that Smollett has also retained the services of criminal defence lawyer, Michael Monico, a former Illinois federal prosecutor, who is also representing President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen. Monico could [not] immediately be reached by Reuters for comment. Empire debuted on the Fox network in 2015, and has earned multiple Emmy nominations. Smollett plays the character, Jamal Lyon, a member of the family that is the focus of the show. -Steve Gorman (eile.ie 19 February 2019)
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Queer Eye Season 3 on Netflix Now! The Emmy® Awardwinning Queer Eye returns ready to transform the stylistically challenged and into hip and happening savants at the hands of the Fab Five.
their infectious brand of self-love, confidence and encouragement to a whole new roster of heroes.
This season, these fearless ambassadors of taste are headed to Kansas City to bring
Queer Eye is executive produced by David Collins, Michael Williams and Rob Eric for Scout Productions.
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The series returned to Netflix in 2018 going global and introducing audiences around the world to a modern aesthetic, diverse perspectives and a brand new Fab Five: Antoni Porowski (Food & Wine), Bobby Berk (Interior Design), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming), Karamo Brown (Culture) and Tan France (Fashion).
Jennifer Lane serves as the showrunner and executive producer. David George, Adam Sher, David Eilenberg and Jordana Hochman serve as executive producers for ITV Entertainment. Queer Eye Season 3 launches globally on Netflix on 15 March 2019. Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Now That I Found You” single is coming soon! Follow Queer Eye: #QueerEye Instagram: @QueerEye Facebook: QueerEyeNetflix Twitter: @QueerEye
Brand new Fab Five: Antoni Porowski (Food & Wine), Bobby Berk (Interior Design), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming), Karamo Brown (Culture) and Tan France (Fashion) EILE Magazine 69
Cricket - West Indies’ Gabriel apologises for homophobic slur against Root (Reuters) – West Indies fast bowler, Shannon Gabriel, sought to clear the air over what he said to England captain, Joe Root, and extended an “unreserved apology” for his comments during the third test against England in St Lucia. Gabriel, 30, had accepted a charge for breaching the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct on Wednesday, and was banned for the first four one-day internationals against England that begin on Wednesday. “The exchange occurred during a tense moment on the field”, Gabriel explained in a written statement. “The pressure was on and England’s captain Joe Root was looking at me intensely as I prepared to bowl, which may have been the usual psychological strategy with which all test cricketers are familiar. “I recognise now that I was attempting to break through my own tension when I said to Joe Root: ‘Why are you smiling at me? Do you like boys?’ “His response, which was picked up by the microphone, was: ‘Don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong with being gay’. I then responded: ‘I have no issues with that, but you should stop smiling at me’”. Gabriel also said there were no hard feelings between him and Root, and that he saw this incident as an opportunity to recognise the “need for sensitivity and respect in their interactions with all”. (eile.ie 15 February 2019)
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Shannon Gabriel, left, and Joe Root, right – Image: via Reuters/Paul Childs
‘Don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong with being gay’- Root
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Berlinale - Netflix row overshadows Spanish lesbian film (Reuters) – A row over whether films produced for streaming platform, Netflix, should be shown at the Berlin Film Festival, has overshadowed the premiere of ‘Elisa & Marcela’, Isabel Coixet’s tale of two Spanish lesbians. Independent arthouse cinema operators in Germany wrote to German Culture Minister Monika Gruetters and Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick on Monday demanding that the film be withdrawn from the competition. “The Berlinale stands for the big screen, Netflix for the small screen. We want it to remain that way in future and we don’t want the world’s biggest festival in terms of audience – with more than 300,000 moviegoers – to become a television festival,” they said. But a spokeswoman for the Berlinale said the film was eligible for competition, because it is due to be shown in Spanish cinemas. Netflix has stirred unease in the traditional movie industry by encouraging people to watch films at home rather than go to the cinema. Major theatre chains refuse to show Netflix films, and some top directors have balked at making films that will be seen primarily on the small screen. Coixet said she was a “struggling filmmaker”, and had tried for 10 years to find financing for the film, but no one was interested before Netflix. She said it was not fair to demand the film be withdrawn from the competition “in the name of culture”, adding: “I’m sorry, that’s not culture – the culture has to be about respecting the author. And I think saying the film doesn’t deserve to be here is not respecting the author.” Last year Netflix Inc pulled out of the Cannes Film Festival, after organisers banned its films from competition over its refusal to release them in cinemas. Coixet’s black-and-white film is based on the true story of Elisa Sanchez Loriga and Marcela Gracia Ibeas, who fall in love at school and manage to get married in 1901, when one of them disguises
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People protest against Netflix films on Berlinale competition before the screening of the movie “Elisa y Marcela” (Elisa and Marcela) at the 69th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 13, 2019 – REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
herself as a man called ‘Mario’, cutting her hair, drawing on a moustache and wearing a suit. Same-sex marriage in Spain was legalised in 2005. Villagers suspect Mario is really Elisa, and turn up at their house with pitchforks, smashing their windows and yelling “Whores!” at them. The pair want to escape to Argentina, but are caught and imprisoned, while saving up for the journey. “I want people to feel that even centuries ago, people loved each other and there’s no rules for love – just leave people alone living their sexuality”, Coixet told Reuters. Natalia de Molina, who plays Elisa, said: “I want everyone to know this story because this still happens – there are so many Elisas and Marcelas around the world”. “Elisa & Marcela” – which was made in four weeks – is one of 16 films competing for the prestigious Golden and Silver Bears at this year’s Berlinale. The winners will be announced at a prize-giving ceremony on Feb. 16. -Michelle Martin (eile.ie 15 February 2019)
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India - ‘Gay Netflix’ to expand into India in 2019 Asia’s first LGBT+ video streaming platform, that bills itself as the continent’s ‘gay Netflix’, plans to expand this year into India, its founder said on Wednesday [following the removal of anti-gay legislation]. GagaOOLala – which combines two slang phrases used to describe gay people in Taiwan – is moving into India because of improved internet and payment technologies, said Jay Lin, head of Taipei-based Portico Media, which set up the service in 2017. “It’s a perfect time”, Lin told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that GagaOOLala is currently available in 13 countries across Southeast Asia, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. “It’s a very exciting territory for us … In India, we are hoping to not just stream our service but also find local producers and directors that we
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can collaborate with”. Socially conservative attitudes prevail across most of Asia, and deep-rooted biases have hamstrung progress on gay rights. Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei outlaw sexual relations between men, and Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT+ people. However, India moved to scrap Section 377 outlawing same-sex relations last year, and Bollywood’s first mainstream LGBT+ film was released earlier this month. Available via its website or mobile apps, GagaOOLala provides unlimited access to its LGBT+ films, TV series, and documentaries, for about $6 a month, and has yet to encounter any regulatory restrictions, Lin said. Advances in internet access and speeds, mobile phone, and payment technologies will help GagaOOLala target new viewers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he added. With 150,000 registrations to the free section of the site, GagaOOLala is also looking at allowing its members to pay for individual
Jay Lin (second left) on the GagaOOlala float at the Taipei Gay Pride event in October 2018 – Image: Thomson Reuters Foundation/Handout/ Jay Lin
content rather than a monthly subscription, to help Asian LGBT+ productions gain a wider audience. At the same time, original LGBT+ productions will be ramped up this year, Lin said, working with filmmakers across Asia, and then screening the content on GagaOOLala. Lin, a prominent gay activist in the selfruled island, first had the idea for an LGBT+ streaming service, while setting up the annual Taiwan International Queer Film Festival in 2014. Looking to promote positive gay and transgender stories and to help other festivals to show Asian LGBT+ films, the idea for GagaOOLala was born. “In order to survive, we need subscriptions and revenue but at the same time we want to bring in movies that don’t just entertain but educate and make an impact in politics and policy”, said Lin. No countries in Asia allow same-sex couples to marry or enter civil unions, and Taiwan
voters rejected the chance to legalise same-sex marriages in a referendum late last year. Lin, 45, a trained lawyer who grew up in California, but moved back to Taiwan in 2004, helped make and screen pro-LGBT+ films and shorts ahead [of] the Taiwan vote. Despite the rejection by voters, Lin still expects the government to introduce legislation on same-sex unions before the end of May, in order to comply with a 2017 constitutional court ruling which set a two-year deadline for legalisation. “The defeat of the marriage equality referendum … only brought out more determination from gays and their allies to be more vocal about their lives and the fight for rights”, said the father-of-two. “Taiwan [..] is still going to be the first country in Asia that will have marriage equality or civil partnership”. -Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 15 February 2019)
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Love among the gay penguins at London Zoo The chief curator of London Zoo probably has more experience of penguins than most. When it comes to love, he thinks we humans could learn a thing or two from them. “I think there is something we can learn from penguins and other species in the way that they’re tolerant of same-sex relations”, Brian Zimmerman told the Thomson Reuters Foundation ahead of Valentine’s Day on Thursday. “Humans could take lessons from other animals as it is about survival at the end of the day and caring. We have a lot to learn from penguins”. London Zoo is currently home to three same-sex Humboldt penguin couples – two male and one female – out of a total of 95 penguins, a higher percentage than the 5 percent of the human population estimated to be LGBT+. Examples of same-sex pairs at other zoos around the world are common. Earlier this year, two male penguins hatched an egg at a zoo in Australia. Same-sex relations occur regularly amongst birds in particular, according to Zimmerman. 76 EILE Magazine
“Penguins are one example, but (it is common in) parrots and doves as well”, he said. Penguins first arrived at London Zoo in 1865, 37 years after it first opened as a centre for scientific study. They have been housed since 2011 in ‘Penguin Beach’, which encompasses a 1,200 square metre (1,400 square yard) pool and various forms of natural habitat. The Penguin Pool, designed by Russian emigré architect, Berthold Lubetkin, was closed in 2004. For Zimmerman, same-sex animal pairs capture the public’s imagination, because they hold a mirror up to society. “There are a lot of species where we haven’t observed same-sex relations, but we are learning more all the time”, he said. “The more we study them, particularly in a zoo environment where we can spend more time getting to know the individuals, the more we learn that same-sex pairings are more common than we suspected”. -Hugo Greenhalgh @hugo_greenhalgh, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 14 February 2019)
“The more we study them, particularly in a zoo environment where we can spend more time getting to know the individuals, the more we learn that same-sex pairings are more common than we suspected� EILE Magazine 77
Greece - Gay lovers go viral as Valentine’s ads spark debate When Chloe Kritharas Devienne was asked to photograph 28 couples kissing and cuddling in Greece while holding a bar of Lacta chocolate, she did not expect to be attacked by trolls. The Valentine’s Day adverts for the popular chocolate brand were the first to feature same-sex and interracial couples in Greece, a conservative country where the Orthodox Church holds sway, and same-sex couples cannot marry or adopt children.
A growing number of businesses around the world are including same-sex couples in their marketing strategies in a bid to reflect social diversity, and to capture the lucrative LGBT+ market. Homophobic attacks by far-right gangs are not uncommon in Greece, where civil partnerships were legalised in 2015, amid protests from the Communist party, right-wingers and the church. Kritharas Devienne saw working for Lacta – made by the world’s No. 2 confectioner, Mondelez International – as a chance to change minds in the Mediterranean country, where depictions of same-sex love are still taboo. “In Greece people are very, very homophobic”, she said. “The church has made it very clear it considers homosexuality a sin”.
“People were tweeting pictures of my face, saying: ‘This is the photographer who did this’ “, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that critics also posted links to her work documenting refugees, to portray her as excessively liberal.
A Greek orthodox bishop, who urged his followe[rs] to “spit on” gay people, was imprisoned in January for inciting violence, after an earlier trial found him not guilty, local media reported.
“Personally I love both men and women. I thought that nothing would make me happier than to have these pictures all over Athens so that all these homophobic people are forced to look at them … It’s been the number one subject in Greece”.
While Lacta urged Facebook users to “embrace all tastes of love”, the hundreds of comments it received included, “You must be ashamed of yourself” and “Little children will see this! What standards will you pass to them I would like to know”.
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Even in Finland, which has some of the world’s most progressive LGBT+ laws, the use of an image of a lesbian couple to promote Kulta Katriina coffee on Facebook sparked hateful comments from about 3 percent of users. “We wanted a Valentine’s image that would symbolise both love and friendship, and also equality”, said Heidi Paivaniemi, marketing manager of the Finnish company, which promotes itself as an ethical brand. But one post said: “Strange that you would need to advertise coffee through homosexuals. I will stop using your brand”. Another said they now feared that Kulta Katriina was poisonous. “It was a surprise for us, because this type of campaign is really not something new in Finland”, said Paivaniemi. In India, where gay sex was legalised in September, a Valentine’s Day video ad on Facebook for chocolate by Big Basket, the country’s biggest online supermarket, showed a young lesbian couple kissing and holding hands. “The reactions have been pretty overwhelming, and people were pleased that I was playing something different”, said Shatabdi
Chakraborty, who played one of the lovers. But she does not believe adverts alone can change mindsets as they rarely reach rural areas where LGBT+ people can face violence from their own families, including corrective rape to ‘cure’ gay women. “We have adverts telling us why we shouldn’t use plastic or cut down trees, but people still do these things”, she said. This year’s LGBT+ Valentine’s adverts are mostly digital, rather than outdoors or on TV – the most expensive formats with the biggest reach. In Greece, Lacta did not use Kritharas Devienne’s images in its outdoor billboards, which only show straight couples. “I know it has been all over the internet, but not everyone will have the internet”, she said with disappointment. “My goal was to see these couples all over Athens.” -Jessica Bateman, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 14 February 2019)
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India - Small firms opt out as India Inc races to be LGBT-friendly Following India’s September move to scrap a colonial-era ban on gay sex, more and more corporations are opening their doors to LGBT+ people and ushering in policies to make them feel more welcome. But smaller firms across industries – textile houses, printing presses, rubber manufacturers, real estate agencies, and others – are not racing to diversify just yet. At a dusty roadside eatery in northern Haryana state, Babu Ram Bhoshne, and six of his workers, burst into laughter at the idea of hiring LBGT+ people and introducing LGBT+ policies at their workplace. “Do I want to run my business or do I want to keep worrying about these people flirting with my waiters”, said the mustachioed 62-year-old, laughing at the cash register, with pictures of Hindu gods and godesses on the wall behind him. “If I have kinnars (transgender 80 EILE Magazine
women) and (gay) men walking around, I will lose all my customers. They are not ready for such things”, Bhoshne said, adding that his restaurant is most frequented by truckers, farm labourers and local villagers. Experts say such homo- and transphobic comments are not surprising in India, which, despite making great economic strides, remains a largely conservative country, where homosexuality and premarital sex are still frowned upon. And most of India’s 60 million small and medium-sized enterprises – which contribute nearly 30 percent to the national GDP – are in rural areas, according to government data. Bhoshne’s Goldy Vaishnav restaurant was one of more than a dozen small firms the Thomson Reuters Foundation visited, with most owners unaware of, or uninterested in, gay- or trans-friendly policies, such as health insurance for same-sex couples. Ashok Row Kavi, a prominent LGBT+ rights activist, said that when most firms, including
those in cities and satellite towns, continue to struggle with a wide gender gap, expecting LGBT-friendly policies in smaller ones was “far-fetched”. “There are no women in these places, so from where would you get LGBT+ (people) in? If there is an effeminate boy, he’s in big trouble. And they won’t employ trans (people) for heaven’s sake”, Kavi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “It won’t happen until we accept that the system has gone wrong, that there is a toxic masculine atmosphere all over, and until we learn through the education system to change it”, said Kavi, chairman of Mumbai-based charity Humsafar Trust. India is home to nearly 56 million LGBT+ adults, according to Paris-based firm, Out Now Consulting, a marketing company that helps businesses target gay clients. Yet the LGBT+ market remains largely untapped, mainly due to discrimination. That is why large Indian companies are rushing to change policies, to include genderneutral bathrooms, insurance
for same-sex couples, leave for sex reassignment surgeries, and sensitising employees. They are finding growing resonance after gay relationships were decriminalised in the world’s largest democracy, said Parmesh Shahani, head of the Godrej India Culture Lab, which encourages Indian companies to adopt LGBT-friendly policies. “Corporate India has realised that whichever way you look at it – from an economic or talent perspective – everyone wants to hire millennials and for them, being inclusive really matters; they won’t work for homophobic companies”, he said. The World Bank estimates that homophobia costs India $31 billion a year. While Shahani said he does not see rural or even urban India becoming fully inclusive any time soon, he was hopeful that small businesses would follow in the footsteps of the corporate world, “otherwise they’re not going to get the brightest minds”. Mumbai-based conglomerate, Godrej, and a handful of others, such as Tata and the Lalit Hospitality Group, have long offered LGBT+ benefits and workplace support, despite the colonial-era law banning homosexuality, with the rest catching up now. “As a business owner, I think it’s very important to have these policies, which for me make great business sense,” said Keshav Suri, whose family owns the Lalit hotel chain. Reports, including from
Accenture and the Brunswick Group, show that inclusive policies result in benefits such as greater national GDP, talent retention, more productivity and a better reputation that can lead to direct investments. Not all small businesses are against diversifying. Three of those the Thomson Reuters Foundation visited were on board, but said the time was not right because of problems ranging from a lack of financial resources to fear of backlash from workers. “It has never even crossed my mind. In the past 25 years of running this business, no such case has come up. I don’t think any of my workers are (LGBT+)”, said Rajiv Mehtani, owner of Indo Farm Implements in Haryana’s Karnal district. “It doesn’t matter if someone is gay or transgender as long as the job gets done … We have to evolve with the times, but not immediately”. As Mehtani got up to take a phone call, one of his company supervisors, who refused to give his name, said: “No way, such things are never going to happen here. There is no need or space for such people – men do all the work here”. Gaurav Kaushik, who owns Bharat Polymer, a small company that sells irrigation pipelines to farms, said: “I am happy to employ (LGBT+ people), but nobody is openly gay around here (because) word travels fast and consequences are usually high”.
Outside cities, coming out has risks – from so-called ‘honour killings’ to corrective rape, which are seldom reported as they are often carried out by husbands, brothers, and fathers in a bid to ‘cure’ gay women, rights groups say. Kavi said the violence LGBT+ people face is often from their own families, who beat them to make them conform and maintain the social balance. To escape the beatings, and find a sense of belonging, LGBT+ people flock to cities, and increasingly – with the internet and social media easing migration for jobs and gay marriage – many leave India altogether. Shubha Chacko, executive director of Solidarity Foundation, which helps transgender people find jobs, suggested industry lobbying groups hold seminars outside metropolitan areas and engage with small firms to bring in tailor-made LGBT+ solutions. But for Jaswant Singh, owner of a mustard oil company, LGBTfriendly policies are intrusive, and best not to be introduced at work. “Why should I bring in something that may make my employees feel pressured to reveal their sexual orientation”, 30-year-old Singh said. “That is their business and I am here to mind mine”. -Annie Banerji @anniebanerji, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 14 February 2019)
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Portugal - FilmFest Stephan Elliott’s Film Directing Workshop 6-7 April 2019 A Film Directing Workshop, led by Stephen Elliott, aims to help develop Film Directing skills, with very knowledgeable and inspiring writer/ directors, giving insight into how the process of writing and directing influences the final film, and how perspective is important to a Director’s career. Stephan Elliott directed The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, starring Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp. This film was a landmark for LGBT filmmaking, and still remains a relevant film after almost 25 years.
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His debut film, Frauds, starring Phill Collins, was nominated for a Palm d’Or at Cannes 1993. Since then, he has directed nine other feature films. He is one of the most relevant film directors in Australian cinema history, and has directed actors such as Guy Pearce, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jessica Biel, Ewan Mcgregor, Ashley Jude, Hugo Weaving, and many others. This 2-day intensive workshop is strictly limited to 25 participants maximum, so early registration is advisable. The workshop fee is €499. The workshop will take place in Porto, Portugal, on the 6th and 7th of April 2019. For more information and to register please visit the workshop’s page at: http://filmlab.fest.pt/index.php
Prescilla, Queen of the Desert directed by Stephan Elliott
Above: Director Stephan Elliott Image: The Daily Telegraph
Stephan Elliott, in Hong Kong. Picture: Jonathan Wong
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Kismit Image: IJayden Becker
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