EILE Magazine - May/June2018 (Vol. 5, Issue 9)

EILE

FREE

Magazine V 5 Issue 9 - May/June 2018

Anja Kotar Trans-themed musical

The Civility of Albert Cashier Paul Dowling

The Magic Lantern and Lavinia Co-op of Bloolips fame

Dublin Bear Pride 2018 & Dublin Pride Events 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 civil and human rights, and has 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 Paul Dowling Social worker, Paul Dowling, is originally from Wexford, but he and his husband now live in Chicago. His story project, At Home Abroad, sets down the experiences of the Irish LGBTI diaspora. For more visit: athomeabroad.ie Lisa Reynolds Originally from Co. Meath, and now living in Bray, Co Wicklow, Lisa has studied fashion, and also has a great interest in media, celebrity, and music 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 Frances Winston Frances Winston is EILE’s resident film buff, has worked in film and theatre, and has contributed to many other publications, such as The Irish Independent and Irish Tatler

EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine | Welcome

Highlights May/June 2018 Dublin Pride & Bear Pride Pps. 26 and 30 Dublin Pride Celebrations continue with some great events for 2018!

Civility of Albert Cashier - P.22 Paul Dowling interiews the writer/director of this new musical based on the true story of Irish transman, Albert Cashier, who fought in the American Civil War

Health - P.48 Brian Rochford tells us how to stay healthy and safe during the unusually sunny weather

Music - Pps. 6,10,and 14 Our music section features Slovenian singer, Anja Kotar, The Magic Lantern featuring Stonewall activist, Lavinia Coop, and Scottish band, Skerryvore

Fashion - P.18 and Lisa P.40 Brian Rochford looks at the wide range of men’s Summer styles on offer this month, and Lisa Reynolds reviews a Stonewall documentary

Volume 5, Issue 9 Editor-at-Large: Scott De Buitléir Editor: MKB Contributors: M. Butler, Scott De Buitléir, Paul Dowling, MKB, Lisa Reynolds, Brian Rochford, Frances Winston Photographers: KrisKesiak Brian Teeling, Jani Ugrin 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.

1306% 50 #& " .&.#&3 0'

(BZ &VSPQFBO 5PVSJTN "TTPDJBUJPO

…plus film reviews, news, travel, and much more!

EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine | Editor’s Letter

Contents 6-

Anja Kotar

10 -

The Magic Lantern

14 -

Skerryvore

18 -

Men’s Fashion

22 -

Albert Cashier

26 -

Dublin Pride Events

30 -

Bear Pride Events

36 -

Arnica Fran Winston

38 -

James Byron

40 -

Stonewall Uprising

44 -

Travel Canada

46 -

Travel India

48 -

Summer Health

50 -

Uncover Exhibition

52 -

Sarah Sylvia Cages

54 -

Frances on Film

62 -

Frances McNamee

66 -

Musical Review

68 -

Forbidden Fruit

plus World LGBT News, Views, Arts, Entertainment etc

EILE May/June 2018 Edition!

Welcome to the May/June 2018 issue of EILE Magazine In this issue, Pride month has come round once again, and along with some great Dublin Pride events, our Furry Friends, the Dublin Bears, have some treats in store, starting with a fundraiser game show for Gay Switchboard Ireland.

Our music section includes Slovenian Anja Kotar, Scottish band Skerryvore, and a singer who calls himself The Magic Lantern, aka Jamie Doe, who features Stonewall activist and drag-artist, Lavinia Co-op of Bloo-lips fame, in his music video, Lydia.

Paul Dowling interviews the writer/director of a new musical about Irish transman, Albert Cashier, and Brian Rochford gives us some great fashion advice for the Summer.

Lisa Reynolds reviews a documentary on the Stonewall Riots and an album by James Byron. Frances Winston reviews some great gigs, theatre, and film, Brian Rochford tells us how to stay healthy in the sun, and our Travel section features India and Canada.

So we hope you enjoy this May/June edition of EILE Magazine, with more LGBT news, views, and great entertainment, and we hope you enjoy your Pride celebrations, and stay safe, wherever you are!

Scott De Buitléir Founder / Editor-at-Large

EILE Magazine EILE Magazine

See our film reviews

by Frances Winston

EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine

Anja Kotar This bi-monthly edition of EILE Magazine is spoiled for choice with some great musical artists, and one of those is 20 year-old, Slovenian singer-songwriter, Anja Kotar, who has recently released her single, Poster Child of California, an upbeat, pared-back, electro-pop track. Anja’s great voice soars above the instrumental, and the video for the track is in line with the great weather we’ve been having lately with sun, sea and attitude uppermost.

Anja Kotar has been called the “new pop artist you should be obsessed with”

by Bitch Magazine, and no wonder, as she has succeeded in bringing the essence of Europe to California. In 2017, she released her full-length debut album, NOMAD, working with a three-time Grammy-nominated producer, Pascal Guyon. The album, featuring the single, Too Cool, led to her being awarded Best New Artist at the Slovenian Song Festival, and Best Pop Song at the American Songwriting Awards.

Anja began her career as a classically-trained pianist at age seven, and has even played in a piano trio (with violin and cello). She also competed on X-Factor Slovenia, but had to drop out after a successful live audition, due to her young age. This was a turning point for her, and so she took her talents to California, focusing on writing her own music.

She then went on to receive her Bachelor’s Degree from Berklee College of Music, and graduated nearly two years early Cum Laude. She also took voice lessons from one of Los Angeles’ most prominent vocal coaches, Micah Plissner.

Aside from music, Anja Kotar also has a strong passion for dance, fashion, acting, and technology. She took lessons in jazz dance and ballet for many years, and in 2007, her jazz dance group won the World Show Dance Championship in Germany. Her move to San José a few years ago influenced her love for the tech world.

She was invited later as the Slovenian representative to perform the official anthem for Hyperloop Technologies, based on Elon Musk’s project, and in 2009, she received the supporting lead in the Slovenian movie, Going Our Own Way, which went on to become the country’s most viewed and awarded movie. She even wrote and directed her own short

EILE Magazine

musical!

Anja is looking to go beyond just the songs, and create a new musical experience: As the first step, she took her love for fashion to the next level and opened her own online store, Too Cool. Too Cool connects music and fashion for the new generation of cool, and embodies the belief that the future of music lies in creating a multifaceted artistic experience, where music becomes more than just songs.

After being successful in other ventures, Anja’s great love and passion for music still remain the focus of her heart. The music video for her album’s first single was featured on VEVO’s New Music playlist, and her music has been played on all of the major US college radio stations, generating nearly 100k streams on Spotify.

She has received kudos from Celeb Mix, Bitch Magazine, Inspirer Magazine, American Pride Magazine, and more. Her latest single, Poster Child of California, is a great track, upbeat, stylish, and sassy, and well worth a listen.

-MKB

You can keep up with Anja by visiting: AnjaKotar.com And you can catch up with Anja and her music at: www.facebook.com/anjakotarartist/ twitter.com/AnjaKotar /itunes.apple.com/us/artist/anja-kotar/1041951498 Main images:: Jani Ugrin

EILE Magazine

"My parents raised me in a household where everyone was equal, your gender or age didn’t predispose you to the validity of your thinking. That’s why I didn’t realize feminism was such an important cause ...."

"As a young independent female artist who is navigating a career in music, I try to do my best to empower women to stand by their beliefs and let them be known without reservations or fear of being too assertive"

EILE Magazine

10 EILE Magazine

The Magic Lantern aka Jamie Doe ft.

Lavinia Co-op This month on EILE, we feature singer-songwriter-guitarist, The Magic Lantern (aka Jamie Doe) who has recently released an amazing video for his beautiful new track, Lydia, which features legendary drag-queen, Lavinia Co-op.

Lavinia was born in Hackney and trained as a dancer, where she was part of the UK drag troupe, Bloolips, who toured through Europe and the US. She moved to New York in the 90s, where she lived and worked doing solo shows in nightclubs for 20 years, before returning to London. Among many other accomplishments, she was involved in the Gay Liberation Front, starred in a Bat for Lashes video (Laura), was performing at Sadlers Wells in the Pina Bausch show earlier this year, and performed a solo show at the Southbank Centre in London in May about her life. She lives in Dalston, and is an actor, singer, dancer and incredible person.

The Magic Lantern, the musical moniker of Jamie Doe, released the captivating new single, Lydia, via Hectic Eclectic Records. Lydia is the second single taken from his upcoming album, To The Islands, written during a tumultuous return to his childhood home in Australia. Opening with intricate finger picking, a wistful mood is established before Jamie’s intimate lead vocal takes centre stage.

Written at a real liminal point in Jamie’s life, Lydia is the most personal song on the album,

EILE Magazine 11

Jamie Doe aka The Magic Lantern

so when it came to recording, the intention was to focus on the intensity that comes with stripping everything away. A defiantly solo song, Jamie chose to record it live in one take. Reminiscent of the personal, oblique, narrative songs of Elliot Smith, and hushed intimacy of Sufjan Stevens, Lydia demonstrates Jamie’s undeniable conviction.

Influenced by the likes of folk, jazz and contemporary music, Jamie is dedicated to remedying the anxiety and fear present in all of us. Born in Australia, before moving to the UK at 12, Jamie adopted the stage name of The Magic Lantern and began writing songs while studying philosophy in Bristol. Moving to London in 2007, his debut album was released with a chamberfolk style quintet in 2011 before returning to his solo roots with an intimate second album in 2014. The Magic Lantern has

received praise from numerous publications including The Guardian, Acoustic Magazine and Folk Radio UK, as well as BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne, Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction, and BBC Radio 2’s Jamie Cullum, Mark Radcliffe and Bob Harris, among others. His third album sees The Magic Lantern return with a new ensemble, drawn from London’s thriving jazz scene, exploring memory and hope in a world of near constant uncertainty.

-MKB The official music video for the single, Lydia, by The Magic Lantern was released on 23 March 2018, on Hectic Eclectic Records. A film by Adam Greves and Adam Lawson. Starring: Lavina Co-Op. Creative Consultant: Lyall Hakaraia Filmed on location at VF Dalston.

You can buy and stream ‘Lydia’ on all platforms here: https://song.link/Lydia And follow The Magic Lantern at: https://the-magic-lantern.co.uk spotify:artist:2jIhiAEbmLrPj69WLM2R3V https://www.facebook.com/TheMagicLant... https://soundcloud.com/themagiclantern @themagiclanternuk 12 EILE Magazine

Lavinia Co-op

Cover Art for Lydia

EILE Magazine 13

skerryvore@kriskesiak skerryvore I/G

Scottish band, Skerryvore

14 EILE Magazine

Skerryvore In this double-month edition, EILE Magazine is proud to feature Folk-Rock/Trad/Funk Scottish band, Skerryvore, a multi-award winning Scottish band, and their fantastic brand of trad-rock fusion which is to be heard on their latest single, Take My Hand. This track comes from their new album, EVO, released on June 11th!

Described as ‘The sound of Young Scots Power Folk,’ (Mark Radcliff, BBC Radio 2), the band - Tiree brothers, Daniel Gillespie (accordion) and Martin Gillespie (whistles & accordion), Fraser West (drums & vocals), Alec Dalglish (lead vocals & guitar), Craig Espie (fiddles), Alan Scobie (keyboards) Jodie Bremaneson (bass) and recent addition Scott Wood (bagpipes) – tour extensively, not only throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK, but also worldwide.

Skerryvore kicked off 2018, with an astounding performance in front of 12K revellers at Inverness Hogmanay celebrations. The year was yet another whirlwind of live events, but also interspersed with preparatory work for the EVO album, released on June 11th.

From their beginnings back on the remote Scottish island of Tiree in 2005, the raw but contemporary trad quartet that formed Skerryvore could have only dreamed that over the next decade they would become a multi-award winning act. They have now performed in over 25 countries worldwide, and featured as ambassadors for their country in an International advertising campaign for Visit Scotland.

From those traditional roots the band have developed both in size and sound to create a unique fusion of their traditional music and songs, with the urban sounds of rock, pop and funk. The band’s ability to fuse traditional Scottish music and rhythms with a range of other genres is a trademark of their distinctive, high energy sound.

In 2015, their Decade World Tour was launched, with a sell-out 6000 capacity concert at Mossfield Stadium, Oban, and then Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, and USA, as well as UK gigs stretching from Shetland to the South of England. Skerryvore returned to the USA in August 2016 for a 7-week, coast to coast tour, their longest yet. Then in 2017, they signed with US agents, SRO, and enjoyed 2 US tours – a festival’s tour and a theatre’s tour – and by Easter had already completed two of multiple transatlantic trips in 2018.

All members bring their own musical style to the Skerryvore mix. The more they have EILE Magazine 15

experimented with this mix, the more the band and their signature sound has evolved.

This is evident in the progression across the 6 albums released since 2005.

Their latest 11-track album, EVO, is a mix of songs and tunes that typically migrate from ‘big blast’ numbers to heartfelt, reflective tracks. It includes the previously released single, Live Forever, and their latest release, Take My Hand. A video for Take My Hand was released in mid-May. Following on from the sell-out success of their 2015 Decade event, Skerryvore’s Oban Live launched as a two-day event in May 2016, and is now fully established on the Scottish Music Festival’s calendar, with the third instalment in June 2018. The band

16 EILE Magazine

have a few awards under their belts already, being awarded Live Act of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2016 and 2011, and Album of the Year at the Scottish New Music Awards 2011.

-M. Butler You can follow the band by visiting www. skerryvore.com.

For a list of their upcoming tour dates in the UK, Denmark, Germany and New York, go to: http://skerryvore.com/tour/ Email: info@skerryvore.com

Skerryvore

EVO is available on iTunes at: itunes.apple.com/gb/album/ evo/1378607315 You can follow on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/skerryvore https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=lOM-TK_4_W4

Evo Cover Art

Cover Art for Take My Hand EILE Magazine 17

h&m

dhgate

18 EILE Magazine

Summer Cool!

Brian Rochford writes on how to stay cool during the hot weather Fashion trends for this Summer may not be for everyone, but they are a guide for anyone who wants to look and feel stylish, and follow fashion, at this time of year.

Really, it’s all about what suits your style and body-shape. You can pick and choose what you like, and what makes you feel comfortable, especially in the warmer weather.

We know they’re not for everyone, but a big trend you might see at the moment is the tropical-print shirt, and they are available in most fashion stores. If you are not a fan of the really bright prints, they are also available in more toned-down colours, and if you wear them over a white t-shirt, they can look so fresh and cool.

Other shirts on offer are pastel-coloured, like pink and peach, which can look great against tanned skin.

White shirts with vertical stripes are also out there this Summer, and are really popular. You can wear them with khaki pants or white jeans, also blue denim, or shorts, to create a really bright, cool Summer look.

Also the vertical-stripe shirt can make you look slimmer, so if that’s what you want, stay vertical as much as possible (that’s always good advice, by the way!).

Pants with a side-stripe are also in, for those of you who want a more vintage look this year. This Summer, you will see a lot of this fashion in pants and shorts, which are also available in a range of colours and shapes, to create the style you are looking for.

Shoes are so important to get right, especially in Summer. They say you can never have enough shoes. This year, clean white sneakers are just about everywhere. Nothing screams Summer like clean white sneakers - you can wear high-tops or low-tops to complement the look you are

EILE Magazine 19

going for, again with white or khaki shorts, or white or blue denim jeans, especially for holidays, or a quick trip to the beach.

asos

New swimming trunks see the end of baggy, bulky, swimsuits that belong back in the 90s. This Summer sees some new slimmer, stylish trunks, which will hug your body and make you look slimmer, taller, and more together (depending on your fitness routine!).

So take the time to get swimwear that fits you perfectly, and makes you stand out on the beach, in a good way.

Summer accessories, which most people won’t go without, are sunglasses. This year, these come in a range of styles and colours, from white, yellow, or blue frames, to the traditional black or tortoiseshell, and even clear with glitter frames, or nude sunglasses. You can pay anything from €15 for a brand like Vans, to over €200 for brands like Jimmy Choo - whatever suits your pocket and style.

Oh, and just one other important Summer accessory - always when the sun comes out, don’t forget your sunscreen, and enjoy the great weather!

20 EILE Magazine

zeusfactor

EILE Magazine 21

The Civility of Albert Cashier Paul Dowling Interviews Jay Paul Deratany, The Writer/Producer Of A Musical About Transman, Albert Cashier, An Irishman Who Fought In The American Civil War It wasn’t until 102 years after his death that I first ‘met’ Albert Cashier - his young, blank face looking up at me from an exhibit at Dublin’s Epic museum.

Born in Ireland just before the potato famine, Albert emigrated to the US at a young age.

he was stripped of his will and dignity, and forced into women’s clothing.

Albert had been a war hero, fighting for the Union in the US civil war. He earned a reputation for bravery on the battlefield, and was well regarded by his fellow soldiers.

It turned out that I was not the only one captivated by this tale of a heroic yet quiet man from Co. Louth. Shortly after I learned about his defiant life and tragic death, I discovered that Albert’s story had been turned into a musical called: The Civility of Albert Cashier. The show premiered last year in Chicago, and hopes to soon grace a New York stage.

When the war ended, Albert resumed the quiet and unremarkable life of a labourer in rural Illinois. It wasn’t until many years later, when ailing health forced Albert into a care-home, that a life-long secret was revealed - Albert, it seems, was a trans man, and had been born ‘Jennie Hodgers’. After serving his country valiantly, and having lived as a man both before and after the civil war,

22 EILE Magazine

Albert did receive a full military honours at his funeral, and his headstone bore the name ‘Albert Cashier’ along with the name of his beloved army battalion.

Curious to know more, I reached out to the production team, and chatted with the show’s writer and producer, Jay Paul Deratany:

Hi Jay. When did you first ‘meet’ Albert?

About four years ago, I stumbled across the true story of Jennie Hodger, who dressed and lived as a man during the civil war, but unlike the many women who fought as men, this person did not go back to being a woman, and continued to live his life as a man after the war. My birthday was coming up, and I told my partner what I really wanted was to see the town where Albert Cashier had lived. I became enamoured with him.

He was an American hero, but we’re so used to seeing American heroes as white men that we’re not paying attention to the stories that are there.

What is the show all about?

We pick up the story when Albert is having his fine moments in the civil war.

Albert fought in over 40 battles during the war. He

Dani Shay who plays Albert Cashier

escaped after being captured, and instead of returning home like most escaped soldiers did, he went back to his battalion and fought again.

The show also documents Albert’s later life, when he was institutionalised, and forced to dress as a woman. The story goes that he fell when staff were forcing him into a dress, and he died two days later.

Albert truly was an American hero who has been completely forgotten, and I wanted to bring light to his story.

You believe Albert to have been a trans man, but the show is careful not to make assumptions about how Albert identified, given that we truly don’t know. How did this impact the casting for the role of Albert?

First and foremost it is a show. We’re there to entertain

Right: Albert Cashier

people, and we wanted the best actors. All other things being equal, would we prefer a trans person in that role? Yes. We got lucky with Dani Shay (who plays Albert) and who is a trans individual. Dani is an incredible actor, and has an incredible voice. It worked out perfectly. We didn’t find a trans individual for older Albert, but we found Katherine Condit, a wonderful cis gender female, who is a delightful actress. What was important was that we had people who were a) great actos and b) were either trans or very trans and LGBT-sensitive.

The show’s website describes it as being ‘... more timely than ever’.

Tell me more about that I didn’t choose the subject to be timely, but I do think it’s timely for so many reasons.

It’s timely now because of

what Trump has done in trying to kick trans people out of the military. America is so horribly divided right now. People need to come together and see each other. While the show deals with a certain subject matter, it isn’t necessarily a trans play.

It’s a story first a foremost.

An old war veteran came to the show, and thought of it as a vets’ story. A friend came to see it, and she said it was a woman’s story. People come to it with their own perspectives, and as a writer, that delights me. I think Albert’s story is poignant right now, because it can help us to bridge gaps, and reach people outside of our bubble.

Albert lived a great deal of his life on his own terms, but in the end he was stripped of his rights and dignity.

Given that immigrants and trans people are still

EILE Magazine 23

discriminated against in the US to this day, do you find Albert’s story to be one of hope or despair?

I wanted to inspire hope, but his story has a sad ending.

He died not living the life he wanted. It seems like his time was when he was with his brother soldiers. I think the story is about hope, but it’s not without showing some tragedy. Its a mix - there’s some comedy in it, there’s some drama, some tragedy, and there’s hope in it.

Who should see the show?

Everybody! People who like history or LGBT history, and people who enjoy musicals in general, because the music is great. I’d also love for immigrants to come see it.

Do you think being an immigrant or being Irish

24 EILE Magazine

informed any of Albert’s experiences or outlook?

I was fascinated by the fact that he was Irish, and came to the US during the Famine. I think the fact that he came from such poverty, he probably had to struggle.

Albert was a hard scrabble person, and he probably saw human suffering in Ireland, and then he came here and saw slavery, and wanted to fight against it. He could have chosen to go down south and fight for the confederates, but he didn’t. So many immigrants, especially from that era, but even now, come here looking for a better life, having seen such injustice in their own country, and realize that there are injustices here, too. We can never take away our home, and it’s with us no matter where we are.

After a very successful run

in Chicago, The Civility of Albert Cashier has received two Jeff Award nominations.

The show has been invited to participate in the New York Musical festival, where it will hopefully pique the interest of backers, and earn a New York staging.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the show, or how they can contribute to their current fundraising efforts to get to the New York Musical Festival, can contact the show’s director, Keaton Wooden, at kwwooden@gmail. com.

You can watch a scene from the musical on Youtube at: https://www. youtube.com/ watch?v=XNNw7NZjNzk

Dani Shay

EILE Magazine 25

Here are just some of the events going on around Dublin for the Dublin Pride 2018 celebrations. Separately, we have a list of Dublin Bear Pride events (here pages 30-33) which you can also access at: www.dublinbears.ie Wednesday, June 27 7pm: Girls’ Night In Pride Party — Outhouse, 105 Capel Street, Dublin 1 Speed-friending evening with friendly chats and refreshments for Pride week 7pm: Drag+Draw Pride Edition — Street 66, Parliament Street, Dublin

26 EILE Magazine

Dublin Pride 2018 Events from Wednesday 27th June to Saturday 30th June!

The fourth edition of the informal life drawing event - suitable for art and drag enthusiasts alike 11pm: Pole Show – Pride Special — The George, Great Georges Street, Dublin All-star show presented by Veda, featuring leading pole-dancing superstars from around the world

Thursday, June 28 6.30pm: Dublin Pride Annual Debate — Outhouse, 105 Capel Street, Dublin 1 Figures from the worlds of politics, media, and human rights advocacy discuss pressing issues concerning LGBT equality, both nationally and internationally 7pm: Uncover Talk - Post Marriage Equality: A State of Mind — LinkedIn Dublin Offices, Gardner House, 2 Wilton Place Topics - sexual health, mental health and the LGBT+ community’s relationship with drink and drugs 8pm: Karaoke Session — Street 66, Parliament Street, Dublin An evening of free karaoke and a raffle for Lagunitas Circus tickets in London 9pm: Pride Geilí Pantibar — Pantibar, Capel Street, Dublin 1 Traditional Pride celebration of music and dancing 11pm: Thursty Thursday Antics with Davina Devine — The George, Great Georges Street,

EILE Magazine 27

Dublin Davina Devine onstage, with dancers and special guests

Friday, June 29 7.30pm: Screening of Pride — 24a/25 Hill St, Rotunda, Dublin 1 The Reel Politics film club presents this film, which tells the story of an activist group set up by lesbians and gay men based in London to support striking miners in Wales 9pm: Pop Tunes at Pantibar — Pantibar, Capel Street, Dublin 1 Enjoy some great pop tunes on the night 9pm: Dublin Bear Pride — Nealon’s Bar, 165 Capel St, Dublin 1 You’ll find DJ Aggie on the decks for Dublin Bear Pride 9pm: PRIDE 666 — Street 66, Parliament Street, Dublin 1 Drag queens and disco, with Lady Veda and Pixie Woo 10.30pm: Glitterbomb — The George, Great Georges Street, Dublin Your pre-Pride prep starts here, with quality tunes and dancing galore

Saturday June 30 - Pride Parade Day! 9am: Outhouse Pride Breakfast — Outhouse, 105 Capel Street, Dublin 1 Carnivore or vegan, start the day with a delicious breakfast at Outhouse Café 10.30am: Pre-Parade Brunch Event: ‘The Party Starts Here’ — NoLIta, Georges Street, Dublin Get into the spirit of the day by enjoying music, grub and refreshing beverages 12pm: The George’s Pride Party — The George, Great Georges Street, Dublin Party all day long at The George, one of Dublin’s most popular gay bars

28 EILE Magazine

2pm: Dublin Pride Parade 2018 — From Stephen’s Green to Smithfield The 2018 Dublin Pride Parade will be assembling from 12 noon and start its march through Dublin at 2pm sharp 2pm: Pantibar All Day Street Party — Pantibar, Capel Street, Dublin 1 Pantibar will once again be taking the celebrations to the streets 4pm: Mother Pride Block Party — Tivoli Theatre, Francis Street, Dublin Fourth year in a row, with main stage, food stalls, interactive installations and much more 7.30pm: Drop. DRAG. Gorgeous. — The Mercantile, Dame Street, Dublin After the Parade, pop into The Mercantile for lip-sync battles and a colourful performance from Ireland’s Got Talent star Paul Ryder 7.30pm: The Official Pride 2018 After-Party with Samantha Mumba — Opium, Wexford Street Samantha Mumba onstage at Dublin Pride 10pm: Spinster Pride Party — Bad Bobs Temple Bar Five floors of party at this Temple Bar venue 11pm: Mother After Dark — District 8, Tivoli Theatre From 11pm to 3am, Mother After Dark at the Tivoli and District 8

Have a great Pride Day, enjoy the festivities, and stay safe and well!

From all at EILE Magazine EILE Magazine 29

Dublin Bear Pride 2018 Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th June!!

Pride month is here again, and what better way to celebrate it than with those cuddly critters, the Dublin Bears!

Dublin Bear Pride 2018 starts on Thursday 28th June, and runs until Saturday 30th. It begins with a Quiz and Game Show in aid of one of their favourite LGBT charities, Gay Switchboard Ireland, and continues in party mood with the Bear Party, Fabulous Fridays, Party on the Bear Bus at the Dublin Pride Parade, a Bear Pop Party, and fun in the Furry Glen!

Dates, Times and Venues for all these fabulous Bear Bashes are below:

Thursday 28th June: 8pm: ON THE GAME with EL STYRA in JACK NEALONS – Quiz & Game Show in aid of Gay Switchboard Ireland – Win spot prizes and up to €250 in cash! €20 per table of 4 (See next page)

Friday 29th June: 9pm: BEAR PARTY with DJ AGGIE in NEALONS – Admission FREE 11pm: FABULOUS FRIDAYS with DJ GERRY MOORE in BRIDIE’S BAR, THE GEORGE – Admission FREE

Saturday 30th June: 1pm : DUBLIN PRIDE PARADE – PARTY ON THE BEAR BUS with DJ MARTIN MCCANN – Admission FREE ( WRISTBAND REQUIRED ) 4pm: BEAR POP PARTY with DJ EL STYRA in NEALONS – Admission FREE 11pm: THE FURRY GLEN with DJ MARTIN MCCANN & special guest DJ EDDIE KAY, SOUNDHOUSE / WILEY FOX – Admission €10

If you can Bear great banter and badinage, then join the Dublin Bears at their Pride 2018 celebrations, and have a fantastic Pride Festival!

30 EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine 31

Don't Miss:

On The Game!

Dublin Bear Pride 2018 Fundraiser in aid of Gay Switchboard Ireland!

When: Thursday 28th June at 8pm ON THE GAME with EL STYRA in JACK NEALONS Featuring DJ Aggie – Quiz & Game Show in aid of Gay Switchboard Ireland – Win spot prizes and up to €250 in cash!

Generously donated by Jack Nealons. Games, Quizzes and Fun & Frolics.

Table of Four €20 DJ Aggie and El Styra

32 EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine 33

34 EILE Magazine

Information and support for women who need someone to talk to

DLL – Phone: (01) 872 9911 (Callback facility available) EILE Magazine 35

Arnica Was My Eyecream is a drama by Frances Winston, and is about the violent and taboo subject of domestic abuse.

Having seen it myself on Friday night, I have to say Arnica Was My Eyecream was one of the most moving and harrowing plays I’ve seen in a long time. The subject matter is not a pleasant one, it’s about domestic abuse, and the writer and performer, Fran Winston, playing Nancy, creates a realistic atmosphere that is palpable, in that you could feel every chilling, unpleasant ‘incident’ (a euphemism if ever there was one) as if it were happening to yourself.

Long seen as a taboo and hidden subject, where the victims felt too ashamed and embarrassed to tell friends or family, Arnica Was My Eyecream brings the realities of domestic abuse to light, from the victim’s point of view.

Domestic abuse can happen in any family or couple situation, whether gay or straight, rich or poor, and in Fran Winston’s words ‘right now is happening to someone you know ‘.

The story follows an ordinary woman, Nancy, and the man she meets, Marcus, who appears 36 EILE Magazine

at first to be a real Prince Charming, until later in the relationship, when he shows his true colours.

‘Pretty soon she is rethinking the contents of her makeup bag – what colour does blend with purple to make it disappear anyway! But it’s fine. After all he bought her chips’.

The voice of Marcus, the abuser, and Nancy’s boyfriend, was ably and very believably performed by Tom Doonan, AV & Sound Designer was Darragh Brennan, Stage Manager was Sean Montague, and Co-producer was Emma Hanley.

Princess Frannie Productions in association with Loft Productions.

Venue: The International Bar Upstairs, 23, Wicklow Street, Dublin 2

-MKB

Background

abuse.

Production company, Loft Productions Ireland, in conjunction with Princess Frannie Productions, brought Arnica Was My Eyecream, by Fran Winston, to The International Bar this June. This fast-paced performance takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, as you follow the relationship of Nancy and Marcus.

She continues:

"In Ireland, 1 in 5 women will be victims of domestic abuse (although it is believed the figure is closer to 1 in 3 but lack of reporting affects the figures). Yet it remains a largely misunderstood Nancy is an ordinary woman living an ordinary topic still spoken of in hushed life, until she meets Marcus. A total Prince tones. There’s no denying it’s Charming, he sweeps her off her feet in more a dark subject. On average, a ways than one. Pretty soon, she is rethinking the contents of her makeup bag – what colour does woman will be assaulted by her blend with purple to make it disappear anyway! partner or ex-partner 35 times before reporting it to the police, But it’s fine. After all he bought her chips. and even then, last year only 29% Arnica Was My Eyecream tells the story of of women who experienced severe domestic abuse from the inside out. abuse reported it. And many rarely tell their story to anyone.

Speaking on her vision behind the production, Fran Winston says:

"The performance is a hard-hitting play, looking at the serious issue of domestic violence through the eyes of one victim, Nancy. It shows how an ordinary person can get unwittingly trapped in a cycle of

It shows how surprisingly ordinary the abusers are, and how surprisingly easy it is to fall victim. This is Nancy’s story, but it is also many people’s story, and it is happening to someone you know right now. She tells her tale in the hope that people will better understand the realities of domestic violence".

Fran Winston Image: SteMurray

EILE Magazine 37

Album Review

Long Road Out Of Nowhere James Byron Retro Review By Lisa Reynolds

Long Road Out Of Nowhere (2013) is a 12-track album,

by Leicester singer/ songwriter, lead singer of Leicester band, OutCry, and former The Voice UK contestant, James Byron.

The album opens with 2 Days, which is a lively guitar-based opening track with a catchy chorus. It flows stunningly along and sounds beautifully retro, very atmospheric and sprawling, with a rock/country/folk sound. From 2 Days we move to a slower track called Won’t Make A Difference, where Byron’s vocal sounds breathtakingly heartbreaking and storytelling, a very gentle track which sounds very cinematic, heartfelt, and mellow.

more upbeat sound to it than Won’t Make A Difference, but is like it in the sense of breaking your heart when you listen to it.

Byron actually is wonderful at creating a catchy chorus. I don’t think there is a track on this album that doesn’t stay in your head, and this song is no exception to that rule. It’s a beautifully constructed song, emotionally-rich and heartfelt, very transcendent and lyrically gorgeous.

The next track is Watch This Space, very edgy, and there is great attitude in Byron’s vocal - excellently put together from start to finish.

Keep Me Keen ends part one of the album, and it is one of those endlessly-listenable tracks. It has a very calming, raw vibe in the instrumentals.

The third track is one of my favourites, Rage Through Me. The chorus is very catchy, and there are wonderful metaphors in it, so it has a poetic feel in parts, a song you could listen to over and over again, very edgy rock/ country.

Couldn’t Love You Less starts part two of the album. It flows beautifully, and the chords are stunning. Byron’s vocal is very storytelling, and the music perfectly complements his vocal. It is followed by Jigsaw, which is a gorgeously written track. Again Byron’s vocal is brilliantly storytelling, with very soothing instrumentals to complement it - probably the biggest grower on the album.

Good Enough follows. It has a slightly

The title track, Long Road Out Of Nowhere, is

38 EILE Magazine

James Byron Image: Twitter

next. It has a very country-rock kind of feel to it, and is one of the faster songs on the album.

Again, I love the storytelling element to his vocal, a very soaring, strident track.

Next up is Let In Love. Again, there is a country feel to this song, and a rockabilly vibe enhances the narrative vocal.

The penultimate song on the album is You Took My Everything. Like Watch This Stage, Byron’s vocal is edgy, with wonderful progression in the instrumentals throughout.

The closing song on the album is Never Be The One, a subtle, beautiful ballad like Won’t Make A Difference. There is a wonderful conversational feel to Byron’s vocal, and there is a beautiful chord sequence that complements Byron’s crisp, clear and heartfelt sound. Gorgeously heartbreaking and understated, this song closes the album with stunning class.

A gorgeously crafted album which is wonderfully cohesive. A must-listen.

To listen to Long Road Out Of Nowhere by James Byron go to: soundcloud.com/jamesnorvalmusic/sets/lond-road-out-of-nowhere

EILE Magazine 39

Stonewall Uprising Documentary Review By Lisa Reynolds At this time of year, when Pride festivals are in full swing, LGBT people’s thoughts inevitably turn to the Stonewall riots. One film which shows the mood of the community at the time is the documentary, Stonewall Uprising (2010).

Stonewall Uprising is an American documentary about the Stonewall Riots, which happened after one of many raids on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in New York, in the early hours of June 28th, 1969.

The film, which debuted on June 10th, 2010, at the Film Forum in New York City, was directed by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, and based on the book by David Carter, called ‘Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution’, with the title theme and music by Gary Lionelli.

This wonderful film tells the story of the incredibly brave people, from various different backgrounds and ages, who came together to fight injustice and intrusion into the lives of LGBTQ+ people.

At the time, homosexual acts were illegal in all states except Illinois, and through archive footage, re-enactments and animation, the story of this huge moment is told. There are many people interviewed who are connected in one way or another to the riots or the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in general. Martin Boyce puts the viewer in the picture saying: “For me, there was no bar like the Stonewall, because the Stonewall was like the watering hole on the savannah. You know, it’s just, everybody was there. We were all there”, while Dick Leitsch commented: “Well, gay bars were the social centers of gay life. Gay bars were to gay people what churches were to blacks in the South”, and Danny Garvin tells how “Something snapped. It’s like, this is not right.”

The documentary gives the viewer an overview of how society felt about homosexuality at the time in 1960s America. From the archives, we meet Dr. Socarides, who epitomises the medical profession and its inaccurate view of LGBT people. He says: “Homosexuality is in fact a mental illness which has reached epidemiological proportions” and Martha Shelley explains that “In those days, what they would do, these psychiatrists, is they would try to talk you into being heterosexual. If that didn’t work, they would do things like aversive conditioning, you know, show you pornography and then give you an electric

40 EILE Magazine

Image: Time

shock”.

William Eskridge speaks about a medical institution where people who weren’t straight were sent saying: “Atascadero was known in gay circles as the Dachau for queers, and appropriately so. The medical experimentation in Atascadero included administering, to gay people, a drug that simulated the experience of drowning; in other words, a pharmacological example of waterboarding.”

Doric Wilson tells viewers that “Somebody that I knew that was older than me, his family had him sent off where they go up and damage the frontal part of the brain. The last time I saw him, he was a walking vegetable. Because he was homosexual.”

The documentary also shows activism prior to Stonewall, like the Annual Reminder pickets, which were held in Philadelphia, and shows how a raid on the Stonewall Inn a few days before the historic riots helped make up many peoples’ minds that enough was enough.

Speaking of the riots, which continued for six days, Seymour Pine said: “There were no instructions except: put them out of business. The first police officer that came in with our group said: “The place is under arrest. When you exit, have some identification and it’ll be over in a short time.”

This time gay people said: “We’re not going.” That’s it. “We’re not going”.

Martin Boyce speaks of one queen who decided to fight back: “Oh, Miss New Orleans, she wouldn’t be stopped. And she was quite crazy. And when she grabbed that everybody knew she couldn’t do it alone so all the other queens, Congo Woman, queens like that started and they were hitting that door. I mean they were making some headway”.

Another commented, John O’Brien, said:

EILE Magazine 41

“All of a sudden, the police faced something they had never seen before. Gay people were never supposed to be threats to police officers. They were supposed to be weak men, limp-wristed. Not able to do anything. And here they were lifting things up and fighting them and attacking them and beating them.”

The riots, which were begun by LBGTQ+ people themselves, soon gathered support from other people, whether it affected them personally or not, as told by some of the interviewees in the documentary.

Jerry Hoose told of how it progressed to other groups: “Gay people who had good jobs, who had everything in life to lose, were starting to join in. Even non-gay people”, and Dick Leitsch added: “There were Black Panthers and there were antiwar people” and Martin Boyce told how “There were these two black, like, banjee guys, and they were saying, “What’s goin’ on man?” and someone would say: “Well, they’re still fighting the police, let’s go,” and they went in.”

Martin Boyce also spoke about his father’s response: “People in the neighborhood, the most unlikely people, were starting to support it. My father said: “About time you fags rioted””.

The movie, which is 82 minutes in length, concludes with the aftermath of the famous and important riots, which included the Christopher Street Liberation Day, which was the start of the LGBTQ+ Pride parades in the United States.

Virginia Apuzzo told of people’s mood at the time: “It’s very American to say, “This is not right.” It’s very American to say, “You promised equality, you promised freedom.” And in a sense the Stonewall riots said: “Get off our backs, deliver on the promise.” So in every Gay Pride parade every year, Stonewall lives.”

Speaking of the impact of the riots, Martin Boyce said: “It was another great step forward in the story of human rights, that’s what it was.

And it was those loudest people, the most vulnerable, the most likely to be arrested, were the ones that were doing the real fighting. They were the storm-troopers”.

Seymour Pine added: “And they were, they were kids. You knew you could ruin them for life. And you felt bad that you were part of this, when you knew they broke the law, but what kind of law was that?”

Watching this film as a pansexual woman filled me with so many emotions. Seeing the way people were treated back then wasn’t particularly shocking, as most people, including myself, know the horrific treatment and attitudes that LGBTQ+ people have faced throughout history. But all the same, watching anything where you see the horror inflicted upon people through prejudice, ignorance, and hate, is incredibly sad. However, I also felt immense pride that so many people fought back against these antiquated intrusions into people’s private lives.

42 EILE Magazine

Image: TPT

While I think, even today, there is still prejudice we all as LGBTQ+ people face, I can’t imagine how the intense levels of pressure on LBGTQ+ people back then must have felt. To fight back was extremely dangerous then, in such an overly-toxic society, and taking that into account, it makes their wonderful activism even more admirable. They were trailblazers and heroes.

I’ll leave you all with the words of Doric Wilson from the documentary, which I feel sum up very well the feeling of unity and togetherness: “That’s what happened Stonewall night to a lot of people. We went, “Oh my God. I am not alone, there are other people that feel exactly the same way” “.

To watch Stonewall Uprising go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhMeFmt51dQ

EILE Magazine 43

Travel

Canada offers something for everyone; it is a country as vast and as different as its people, who, by the way, are just as friendly as everyone says.

Authentic and natural, Canada is a holiday destination for first time visitors and seasoned travellers alike.

Thanks to a new direct service from Dublin to Montreal with Air Canada from June 2018 you can experience it all first hand!

Montreal’s welcoming atmosphere and diverse culture earned it the title of North America’s leading host city for international events. Montrealers, who are warm and very often multilingual, are quick to strike up a

44 EILE Magazine

conversation in the hope of getting to know you better. This innate sense of hospitality makes this city a natural hub for exciting international festivals that take place one after the other at a feverish pace.

Experience Montreal’s wonder and charm for yourself with holiday deals from American Holidays.

Montreal & Quebec City Experience Spend 8 days exploring French influences and historical sites from only €1,259pp.

Price includes: Return direct flights with Air Canada, 7 nights’ accommodation, sightseeing as per the itinerary, taxes and charges.

Travel: June 2018 Ref No: 1568687/96

Direct deals from Dublin to Montreal

Montreal & Toronto Experience Spend 4 nights in Toronto and 3 nights in Montreal from only €1,259pp.

Price includes: Return direct flights with Air Canada, 7 nights’ accommodation, sightseeing as per the itinerary, taxes and charges.

Travel: October 2018 Ref No: 1568722

Travel: October 2018 Ref No: 1568725 Call American Holidays to book on 01 673 3804 or drop into their office at 18- 19 Duke Street - just off Grafton Street - where the expert staff will help you plan your holiday of a lifetime. For more information visit www. americanholidays.com.

Visit Toronto, Niagara Falls, Quebec City & Montreal Experience the best of Eastern Canada from only €1,959pp.

Price includes: Return direct flights with Air Canada, 7 nights’ accommodation, sightseeing as per the itinerary, taxes and charges.

EILE Magazine 45

Travel

The Taj Mahal

New Delhi Jama Masjid Image: Wikipedia

46 EILE Magazine

Visit India’s Iconic Trio India’s Golden Triangle is a fabulous and inspiring introduction to the history and culture of northern India’s splendid Moghul heritage.

As you travel with your personal driver guide, visit the iconic sites that helped shape the history and discover the inspiring heritage of India’s northern cities which make up India’s famous Golden Triangle, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.

Discover Delhi’s temples and mosques, experience the majesty of the Taj Mahal and explore Jaipur’s romantic palaces.

Your incredible dream journey can become a reality with Hayes & Jarvis Ireland tailormaking your perfect trip.

Take the India Golden Triangle 8 day escorted tour from only €1,389pp.

Price includes: Return flights ex. Dublin, 7 nights’ accommodation in twin or double bed with private facilities, meals as per the itinerary, private air-conditioned transport, services of a qualified English-speaking local guide, airport assistance and transfers, taxes and charges.

Travel: October 2018 For more information visit www.hayesandjarvis.ie or call into the Hayes & Jarvis office just off Grafton Street - 18- 19 Duke Street, Dublin 2 - where the expert staff will help you create your dream holiday.

EILE Magazine 47

Health

Stay Healthy This Summer!

Brian Rochford tells you how you can eat and exercise for Summer health

The sun has got his hat on, and you need to get out and play.

With the good weather here at last, it is important to take full advantage of the great outdoors.

The most important step in your new health-routine is exercise, and with good weather and longer days, plus weekends (and let’s not forget holiday time) you have no excuse.

There are so many activities to choose from - cycling, walking, jogging, running, mountainclimbing, swimming, and even roller-skating, the list goes on forever. You will never be bored with such a wonderful selection to choose from. Some of you may be involved in clubs, like those for sailing, rowing, tennis or football. Whatever your interests are, you will be able to do more of what you like, and receive the full health-benefits of an active, healthy lifestyle.

Don’t forget that exercise is not just to help your body. It also has a fantastic effect on your thinking process, has the ability to lift you out of depression, and induces a feeling of overall physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. So get your Nikes on and just do it.

The next in line has to be nutrition. With the availability of summer fruits and vegetables, your taste-buds will be spoiled for choice. Here are some additions for your daily eating routine: Grapefruit, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Avocados, Cucumber, and fresh, crisp Lettuce.

There are so many summer Fruits to keep you cool, fresh and brimming with natural energy.

With a diet that can now be filled with foods that help you burn calories, it won’t be long before you start losing weight, and getting in shape for your holidays.

Remember that it is important to hydrate your body all year round. However, it is especially so during the summer months, as you tend to become more active, and with the warmer weather,

48 EILE Magazine

Image: Time

your body is losing moisture at a more rapid rate. Drinking the recommended amount (2 litres or eight glasses) of liquid daily can help you to fight off illnesses, improve brain function, and improve your energy, so you can keep active for longer throughout the day.

The sun can be unkind to your skin, so while you are out and about, make sure to cover up with a sun-screen. It has been recommended that you wear a good pair of sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat, especially during the burning-rays. Better safe than sorry.

Rest and relaxation are still the best medicines to combat the stresses of the modern world. So take the time to turn off the internet, and all other distractions, and get

some well-earned down-time. “To sleep, perchance to dream� - we all have the desire to burn the candle at both ends.

However, you need plenty of sleep, as it plays such a vital role in your overall health and wellbeing.

Remember, before launching into your new healthy lifestyle, it is best to consult your doctor. Especially if you have not been very active over the winter-time, or if you have a medical condition that needs special consideration. So get good advice before you start.

EILE Magazine 49

Uncover - An exhibition of portraits of LGBT+ People

by Brian Teeling At The Library Project Running 26 Jun-1 Jul At The Library Project, 4 Temple Bar Street, Dublin 2 Uncover is a series of portraits by Brian Teeling depicting diverse LGBT+ Irish people. Comprising 51 photographs, the portraitsitters are drawn from all walks of Irish society, from politicians, to musicians, artists, techies, activists and unsung heroes. This cross-section of the LGBT+ community presents the diversity of individuals within it and seeks to uncover the issues that confront those who access the Switchboard services. Many of those included are torch-bearers in our society as they transform and represent change.

Homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland 25 years ago. Marriage Equality was legislated for 3 years ago. Ireland is capable of massive social change and kindness. Gay Switchboard Ireland has been a vital part of that journey.

The title of this project Uncover, addresses the lack of visibility and the difficulties of the community. The individuals chose the location of the shoot, and the context in which they are represented. Many of the sitters have chosen to obscure their faces for their portraits.

This reflects the situation in Ireland as despite greater equality and visibility since 2015, many legacy issues persist and the needs of the community are obscured – lost in plain sight.

Brian Teeling is a photographer who works within the landscapes of place attachment, documenting memories, thoughts, emotions and commentaries on social boundaries.

Proceeds from the project are to support Gay Switchboard Ireland, Ireland’s longest running voluntary LGBT+ support service.

50 EILE Magazine

Veda - Image: Brian Teeling

EILE Magazine 51

Sarah Sylvia’s project, Cages, releases new Irish single, Cluiche Gránna (Wicked Game) Irish songstress and EILE favourite, Sarah Sylvia, released her new single ‘Cluiche Gránna’ (Wicked Game) under the project name CAGES on June 8th, 2018.

Cluiche Gránna is an adaptiation ‘as gaeilge’ of the 90’s hit, Wicked Game, written by American songwriter, Chris Isaak, and was produced by Joe Boldizar at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia.

As a finalist on The Voice of Ireland in 2014, Sarah gained high praise from the late Dolores O’Riordan (The Cranberries) citing her voice as “powerful yet, vulnerable” adding “Sarah Sylvia will be successful regardless of what happens (on the show)”.

Cluiche Gránna (artwork by Daniel Kern) is the second release by CAGES from the upcoming EP, The Parting Gift, after their debut single, St. Vincent, released March 30th, 2018.

You can visit the band at: www.cagesofficial.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/cagesofficial/

Right: Sarah Sylvia 52 EILE Magazine

Cluiche Grรกnna Cover Artwork by Daniel Kern

EILE Magazine 53

54 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies Directed by: Ron Howard – Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Paul Bettany In the midst of all the swagger in the Star Wars universe, no one has more swagger than Han Solo. From the minute that Harrison Ford steps on the screen, he owns it. And there’s probably not a person who hasn’t watched the movies, who hasn’t wondered what made him the way he is. Well, now we finally have an answer, as he gets his own origin story.

Obviously Harrison Ford can’t take on the mantle of his younger self (he looks great for 75 but couldn’t pass for a twentysomething let’s face it) so it falls to Alden Ehrenreich to fill his rather substantial boots.

While Ehrenreich does bear a passing resemblance to a young Ford, I’m not gonna lie, it took me a while to get used to watching him in role. And although he does a good job, he doesn’t have the presence of Ford, or the wry wit that made the character so beloved in the first place. To be fair he was given and almost impossible

task though. After all, Ford has been associated with the franchise and character for 40 years.

Since this is an origins story, we learn how he met faithful sidekick, Chewbacca, how he came to acquire his beloved ship, the Millennium Falcon, his history with Lando Calrissian, and how he came to be called Han Solo. The plot involves young Han hooking up with a band of thieves in order to earn enough to buy his own ship, and return to the planet he grew up on to save his first love Qi’ra (Clarke).

As you would expect, there are plenty of action-scenes and lots of heroics, giving Ehrenreich the chance to flex his actionman muscles. Unfortunately, Clarke doesn’t see as much action, which is a real shame, as at times she simply feels like the token love-interest. It would have been nice to have another kick-ass female hero, but alas it was not to be.

Glover is OK as Calrissian.

But again, the spectre of the original Lando, Billy Dee Williams, looms large. Glover is cool, but he is simply not Billy Dee Williams cool. In fact, it is impossible not to draw comparisons between the young pretenders and their original counterparts, no matter how hard you try.

We also get a new droid in the form of Lando’s sidekick

L3, and honestly, she is one of the best things about the film. Voiced by Phoebe WallerBridge, she is the feminist hero that you didn’t know you needed in your life!

This looks amazing. As we have come to expect from films set in the Star Wars universe, the effects and CGI are spellbinding. The sound mixing is also fantastic. The script contains a lot of wit, but feels lacking in heart. However, they are also trying to answer a lot of questions about Han, so this may have restricted them.

This is great fun, but it doesn’t actually feel like a Star Wars film, rather a standalone scifi epic. Diehard fans will find it impossible to separate the original actors from the roles that made them famous. They also played it very safe, which is ironic, since the character of Han is notorious for breaking the rules.

But if you take this simply as an action-adventure roller-coaster romp, rather than getting hung up on the character we know from the original movie series, then it is decent enough.

For all its flaws, it is good fun, and unless you are vehemently opposed to sci-fi as a genre, it should satisfy most cinemagoer’s appetite for thrills.

In Cinemas Now! EILE Magazine 55

56 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies continued...

Directed by: Nora Twomey – Starring the voices of: Saara Chaudry, Soma Bhatia, Noorin Gulamgaus, Kane Mahon, Laara Sadiq, Ali Badshah, Kanza Feris, Shaista Latif, Kawa Ada, Ali Kazmi, Reza Sholeh If it feels like this movie has been out for ages, that’s because it’s already enjoyed quite an extraordinary journey before finally getting its Irish release.

Although it is from Irish animation studio, Cartoon Saloon, and directed by Irish woman, Nora Twomey, it secured international and US releases before arriving on these shores.

Indeed, it was even nominated in the Best Animated Feature Category at the Academy Awards. I actually saw it last year at a special IFTA screening, so personally, I feel like it has been out for eons already.

Based on the bestselling novel by Deborah Ellis, and executive produced by none other than Angelina Jolie, this tells the story of Parvana, a young girl living in Talibancontrolled Afghanistan.

When her father is imprisoned, the family is left without an adult male

relative, and Parvana decides to dress a boy in order to go out to work, and support the family. However, her efforts may be in vain, as her mother offers to allow a relative to marry her other daughter in order to secure the family’s future, and with war imminent, they will have to evacuate their home. But Parvana is determined to get her father released before that happens.

This is not your average happy-clappy animation.

The story is quite dark, and it deals with some serious issues that are faced by people living in this situations. It doesn’t dress them up, but does deal with them in a way that could engage a dialogue with a child, without distressing them. The one thing I would say about the story, however, is that it is extremely complex at times, and possibly could have been made a bit easier to follow, without losing the integrity of the tale.

actors here for the sake of it, although a few of them have a bit of a profile.

This is classified 12A, and really wouldn’t be suitable for younger children due to the dark subject-matter, and some possibly distressing scenes. But if you want to engage your tweens and teens in a discussion about what goes on in the world, this is a good starting point, as it manages to convey a lot of the facts about the realities of life in Afghanistan, but in an accessible way.

Deserving of all its plaudits, this isn’t an easy ride, and demands your focus, but is possibly one of the most thought-provoking animations you will see.

In Cinemas Now!

Visually, the animation is stunning. Every moment of this movie is vivid and rich, and the attention to detail is amazing. Director, Twomey, also made a point of using real Afghans, or people of Afghan origin, to voice the characters, which gives it a truly authentic feel. There are no gimmicky ‘name’

EILE Magazine 57

DEADPOOL

58 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies continued...

Directed by: David Leitch – Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy When the press-screening of a movie is the day of release, it usually triggers alarm bells with reviewers. However, Deadpool was hitting cinemas with great advance reviews, so I can only assume that the distributors were worried we couldn’t contain ourselves and would let slip a load of spoilers.

This isn’t a spoiler, but I’m going to save you some time – if you hated the first one stop reading now, because nothing I can say will make you like this. However, if you found the first one even mildly amusing (and if you haven’t seen it, it’s on Netflix) then this should definitely hit the spot.

Deadpool may be a Marvel character, but he is possibly the least family-friendly superhero you’ll ever meet – despite the fact that he states this is a family movie at the beginning. As with everything in the Deadpool universe, this has a very different meaning here, and is definitely not suitable for LO’s. It is, however, definitely suitable for grown-ups with a slightly twisted sense of humour, who like their super-heroes big, brash, and Braggadocio.

This is the role Ryan Reynolds was born to play – forget the

rom-coms from earlier in his career. He has this character down to a T. As with most comic book adaptations, the plot is somewhat bonkers.

After various traumas, Deadpool meets a vulnerable mutant child, and tries to defend him from an assassin from the future (all very Terminator, and the irony is not lost on the writers who pepper this with references to the Arnie classic).

But let’s face it, we’re really here for the banter and the action, and this has both in spades. From the off, it is riproaringly funny, but also has a lot of heart. The conceit of breaking the fourth wall really works, and you are sucked in from the off, whether you like it or not (the opening credits alone will have you crying with laughter).

All the actors play this suitably straight, but with the odd knowing-look or wry smile (Brolin in particular has this down pat) and everybody seems to be having great fun – even those who meet a grizzly end. The ‘in’ jokes about other Marvel characters are hilarious, and fans will love them. One or two of them may go over some people’s heads if you’re not an aficionado of the MCU (even though this is a Fox production due to an X-Men Rights thing, that I won’t bore you with) but they are so snappy that it shouldn’t distract from the rest of the flick.

The action scenes are fantastic!

They’ve literally thrown everything but the kitchen sink at them. Having a mutant child who is a bit of a fire-starter helps, as it allows them to have plenty of explosions and flames.

As for the soundtrack – wow!

Guardians of the Galaxy have some competition for resurrecting classic tracks out of context. They even use a Barbra Streisand track to hilarious effect. This is also another ‘in’ joke, because she’s actually Josh Brolin’s Stepmother, fact fans!

If I had one critique (and it’s something that didn’t bother me but it may some others) it’s that in some cases there is an assumption the audience knows more about some characters than they may. The world of Marvel is vast, and even diehard fans will have some gaps in their knowledge.

But this aside, Deadpool 2 is the most fun you can have in a dark room with loads of strangers!

Well maybe not! But that would be a whole different movie. This is that rare thing – a sequel that is better than the original. Hugely entertaining and laugh out loud funny, it’s definitely worth your admission fee, unless you hated the first one. In which case I refer you once again to the beginning of my review.

In Cinemas Now!

EILE Magazine 59

60 EILE Magazine

Frances Winston on Movies continued...

Directed by: John Stevenson – Starring the voices of: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mary J. Blige, Johnny Depp If you remember a film called Gnomeo and Juliet from 2011, chances are you are now the parent of a just-about teenage child. Which means no matter how much they loved the movie, they are now likely to be too cool to have any interest in this sequel.

Mind you, the film has been in development since 2012 – it’s just taken this long to hit screens. Of course, you could just bring them along for the nostalgia. Or perhaps you have other LOs who get a kick out of the first movie on DVD, and therefore would love to see the eponymous heroes on the big screen.

James McAvoy and Emily Blunt reprise their voice-roles as Gnomeo and Juliet, who this time around find themselves at the centre of a missing person mystery (well actually a missing gnome mystery) when their friends suddenly vanish.

They team up with the Sherlock Gnomes of the title (voiced by Johnny Depp) and his sidekick, Gnome Watson (Ejiofor) to try to discover what happened to them. Along the way they encounter mishap and adventure, before finally coming face to face with the kidnapper.

Obviously, Sherlock Gnomes was never going to be a supremely complex plot, given that the movie is aimed at children. However, at times it does feel as if the plot is merely a means to shoehorn in certain scenes and cultural references that the director or writers found funny.

As is the norm in these kinds of movies, there is an attempt to layer the jokes so that the adults also get something from them. This doesn’t always work successfully however, and many other movies are far cleverer in their attempts at this (Disney Pixar pretty much have it down pat at this stage).

They do have a surprise twist, which is enough to re-engage the most jaded of adults near the end of the movie. It’s influenced more by Scooby Doo than Sherlock Holmes, but it works.

Overall though, this is just OK. It’s not as sweet or charming as the original, and there is a lot going on that doesn’t always feel interconnected.

Sherlock Gnomes is extremely colourful, the animation is lovely and LOs will no doubt be drawn to that, and it should keep them amused for 88 minutes, but adults are unlikely to engage with this.

In Cinemas Now!

EILE Magazine 61

Interview with Frances McNamee who stars in Sting's The Last Ship

By Frances Winston Frances Winston interviews Frances McNamee, the female lead of Sting’s musical, The Last Ship, which ran in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, from 4th to 9th June.

When a bona fide rocksuperstar announces that they are dipping their foot in the world of musical theatre, the assumption is usually that they will be producing a ‘jukebox musical’, featuring their back-catalogue. After all, shows like We Will Rock You and Mama Mia have proven huge successes for the people behind them.

However, Sting has never been your average rock-star – always just that little bit more

62 EILE Magazine

earnest and sociallyaware than most. So it wasn’t really a surprise when his musical ambitions extended to creating a brand new show, based on the story of the shipyard industry in the area he grew up in – Wallsend in Northumbria. The shipyards loomed large, and were the main source of employment. Hence, The Last Ship is set in a Tyneside town, where life unfolds beneath the looming towers of the shipyards.

With musicals a notoriously difficult genre for writers to crack, the female lead of The Last Ship, Frances McNamee, who plays Meg Dawson, does feel that the association with Sting has given this show

a real boost.

“It’s strange, but I think that before this show a lot of people thought I was just doing this for fun,” she laughs. “Like I’ve been at it 10 years, but some people I know didn’t really take it seriously. And suddenly you’re working with Sting, and they all sit up and say ‘oh, you’re doing it properly now’ as if I wasn’t beforehand. But the association definitely has more people flocking to the theatre. Absolutely it has.”

It seems that this show was always in her future.

Sometime prior to being cast, she heard that they were organising a workshop with Northern Stage, and she expressed interest in attending.

Frances McNamee

EILE Magazine 63

Unfortunately, she couldn’t make it, as she was appearing in another show at the time. She admits she thought that it had passed her by at this point.

However, her agent contacted her about the role some time later, and between that call and performing for Sting with her now co-star, Richard Fleeshman, there was a mere week. The rest, as they say, is history.

“It was all very quick. I mean there are no rules really. You can go to a casting and wait months to hear anything or it can be a quick turnaround like this one.”

The show endured a shaky start, following a launch and subsequent closure on Broadway, but Frances feels this version (there is a new book and significant changes have been made) brings it back to its roots, and is allowing the show to develop organically.

“I don’t know much about what happened with Broadway, and I’ve never seen that version. But I think sometimes people can have reservations about music or style. I think people in America might not have got it at the time.

“But now bringing it to Newcastle, which is like it’s spiritual home, with a new book and Rob Mathes has done amazing orchestration, I think it’s finally where it should have started. And we’re touring places that will get it. With anything like this you need to let it find its feet. They eventually got Billy Elliot in America, and I think they’ll eventually get this.”

Frances graduated from the famous E15 theatre school and has worked steadily since graduating, but often in classical roles. So she admits that this show is a breath of fresh air, saying: “I’m not quite in modern dress – it’s set in the 80s and the fashions then weren’t the most flattering. I mean the costumes are definitely comfortable compared to corsets and period dress, but they’re not the most glamorous either”, she laughs.

Unglamorous costume aside, Frances is loving working on the show.

“I’m really excited about this show,” she exclaims. “I’m happy to sit tight with it and see what happens. I mean obviously I’d love to do some television or film in the future at some point. But for now this is where I want to be”.

“I think it finds a nice balance. You’ve got your 42nd Streets where they are tap-dancing every few minutes, and then you have things like Les Mis which is dark. But although this deals with a period of struggle, there is enough uplifting stuff in it that you won’t feel downcast leaving. It’s found that happy medium, and I can’t wait for audiences in Dublin to see it, because I think they’ll love it.”

The Last Ship played in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, June 4-9.

64 EILE Magazine

The Last Ship ran in the Bord Gรกis Energy Theatre, Dublin, June 4-9

EILE Magazine 65

An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical Review By Frances Winston An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2 No, you’re not seeing things. They have actually adapted the 80s Debra Winger and Richard Gere classic into a musical. In fact, this is the second attempt to launch such a vehicle. An earlier version featured original songs and bombed, so this time around, they have resorted to 80s classics to pepper the story.

I’m going to assume everyone has seen the film, so already knows the plot. In a nutshell, a rebellious naval officer-in-training called Zack falls for factory worker, Paula, but their histories and situations make for a rather complicated relationship.

The film was one of the biggest hits of 1982, but is somewhat of its time, with many of the gender stereotyping not translating well into the current #MeToo climate.

And since this stays true to the plot of the film, all the uncomfortable gender politics issues are still in place.

In order to distract from this perhaps they have thrown money at this show. The rights to the songs alone must have set them back a pretty penny, with well-known hits such as Material Girl, You’re The Voice, St Elmo’s Fire, This is a Man’s World, Don’t Cry Out Loud and, of course, the movie’s theme song, Up Where We Belong, all getting the musical theatre treatment. On the whole, the arrangements of these are brilliant (A Man’s World is particularly rousing) however, some of them don’t really work in the context of the story.

They have also invested in a phenomenal stage, which looks more like something you would find in a long-standing show in the West End, rather than a brand new offering. It is really fantastic and well-conceived. It is offset by video screens, where pre-recorded segments fill in some of the gaps in the story that may have been tricky to stage, and also acts as a backdrop to certain scenes.

The cast are great and give electric performances. Each of them has a phenomenal voice that they get to showcase at one time or another. This isn’t enough to detract from the fact that certain moments of this story – bearing in mind that it’s 36 years

66 EILE Magazine

old and of its time as I said – are cheesier than Babybel though. There’s less cheese on a cheese-board. There is also an unfortunate scene where a character offers to pay for an abortion. This is a serious scene, and taken straight from the movie. However, when presented to an Irish audience a mere three days after the referendum results, it was met with howls of laughter, particularly when she responded that she couldn’t have an abortion because she’s Catholic.

However, I’ve a feeling audiences elsewhere will treat it more reverently.

years later. The show itself is wellconceived and put together, and it is a lot of fun, but I’m not sure it will enjoy the longevity of some similar shows.

Oh, and please note, that it really is unsuitable for a younger audience, due to some of the adult themes and language featured throughout.

An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical, played at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2, from 30th May until June 2nd.

I went into this conflicted, as it seems a pointless adaptation, but I did come out with a smile on my face, and that is mainly down to the musical numbers, the cast’s energy, and the chemistry of the leads.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle, the story doesn’t really hold up all these

EILE Magazine 67

Festival Review Forbidden Fruit 2018 Royal Hospital Kilmainham Frances Winston reviewed the festival for Saturday 2nd June only Forbidden Fruit 2018 Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin

Festival season is well and truly here, and Forbidden Fruit is now one of the must-attends. It has established itself as a cool, funky, and laid-back event that attracts some of the biggest names in dance.

This year’s festival was no exception, and the the weather gods even played nice, meaning that revellers were able to kick back without worrying about sheltering from a downpour.

For some reason, they opted not to have a comedy tent this year, which was sorely missed.

The comedy was always a refreshing breather from the hardcore dancing.

The tent was replaced instead by the Bulmers Live stage, featuring 100% Irish Artists. The line up here included Erica Cody, Paul Alwright, Seany B, and the always amazing Bingo Loco. While this tent drew healthy attendance, it was nowhere near as populated as some of the other areas.

While the Undergrowth Stage boasted festival stalwart, Richie Hawtin, as headliner, the two most popular areas with punters were definitely the Original Stage and the Lighthouse Stage. The arrival of Glass Animals on the Original Stage resulted in a frenzy of people dashing across the venue to see them, and they put on an amazing show – gold pineapple and all. They were definitely one of the hits of the festival.

However, the most excitement was generated by The Wire star, Idris Elba, who was DJ-ing on the Lighthouse stage. It’s somewhat sickening that one person should be so talented, but he really was amazing. Unlike many celebrity DJs who merely ‘plug and play’, he really put a lot of effort and thought into his set, and the crowd loved it.

Outside of the music, there was a fantastic array of eateries for festival-goers to choose

68 EILE Magazine

Idris Elba Image: Variety.com

from. Everything from noodles to steak to pizza to falafel was available, and it all looked incredibly appetising. There was also an inflatable chapel, where revellers could ‘get married’, and some of the funniest moments happened here. The ‘minister’ was outrageously OTT, and wouldn’t have been out of place officiating a wedding in Vegas.

Although not a complete sell-out like previous years, it still drew a decent crowd, and on the whole, the attendees were all chilled out and enjoying the vibe (of course there were one or two messy ones as always). It was impossible not to get caught up in the atmosphere.

I have to say I enjoyed this year’s festival more than previous years, which is really saying something, as I thought nothing could top two years ago. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the other two days, but I’m extremely jealous of those who got to enjoy it, and I’ll definitely be back next year.

EILE Magazine 69

BeLonG To Celebrates 15 Years of Life Saving Support Services at Annual Report Launch BeLonG To Youth Services, the national organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) young people, today launched their Annual Report 2017, and celebrated the organisation’s 15th birthday with Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone TD. Since 2003, the youth organisation has supported LGBTI+ young people in Dublin and soon after nationwide. In 2017, BeLonG To supported 37 LGBTI+ youth groups across Ireland connecting rural and often isolated, LGBTI+ young people with an LGBTI+ peer support group led by professional Youth Workers.

The youth organisation 70 EILE Magazine

opened two new services in its flagship Dublin office during 2017 to further support the level of mental health challenges experienced by service users.

In partnership with Pieta House, they introduced a free counselling service for LGBTI+ young people who are self-harming or thinking of suicide. ‘Monday Chats’ a weekly one on one support service was also created to offer information, advice, and support for LGBTI+ young people, parents, and professionals.

According to Irish research1, LGBTI+ young people are three times more likely to attempt suicide, and twice as likely to self-harm, compared to the general population of young people.

Last year BeLonG To also trained over 700 professionals across the fields of community development, mental health, and education breaking down barriers associated with LGBTI+ identity,

educating individuals around terminology, and inspiring participants to support their LGBTI+ colleagues, friends, and community members.

Ireland’s largest anti-bullying event in second-level schools, Stand Up Awareness Week, which is run by BeLonG To reached over 150,000 students across Ireland bringing the topics of homophobic, transphobic and biphobic bullying to the fore, and offered teachers the support and training they need to address these topics in the classroom.

Speaking at the launch of the event, Minister Katherine Zappone, TD commented: “Despite Ireland’s lead on equality there are still young members of the LGBTI+ community who feel isolated, rejected and intimidated.

BelonG To offers compassion, support and solidarity. It is a vital service and as a campaigner, advocate and independent Minister I

support this work.

In the coming weeks Ireland will again show leadership with our new LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy. It is the result of a consultation process which listened to over 4,000 young people – and a world first!

Young voices are the loudest in demanding equality and rights.

I am always proud to join them.”

Moninne Griffith, Executive Director of BeLonG To Youth Services added: “15 years ago, Ireland was a different country for lesbian,

gay, bisexual and transgender young people. Since we opened our doors in 2003, we have transformed what it means to be an LGBTI+ young person in Ireland by offering a safe space, advice, and life-saving support for young people, and by reducing stigma, isolation and fear of rejection through changing hearts and minds about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Today, we are celebrating 15 years supporting and empowering LGBTI+ young people, their families, and communities. During this time, we have shaped government

policy changing the lives of the LGBTI+ community, supported those most in need, and championed the rights and inclusion of LGBTI+ young people across the country.”

1) http://belongto.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/05/ LGBT-Ireland-Full-Reportpdf. pdf Download the full 2017 Annual Report at: http://belongto.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/01/ BelongTo-AR-2017-Low-Res. pdf

EILE Magazine 71

Design: Anthony Zagariko, exclusively for EILE Magazine

72 EILE Magazine

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 73

Romania - Landmark EU marriage ruling hailed as big win for gay rights A ruling by the European Union’s top court recognising samesex marriages, even in EU countries where it is banned, is a landmark that reflects new attitudes to gay rights, the lawyer who led the case said on Tuesday.

In a case which has highlighted social differences between western Europe and a more conservative east, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Romania must grant residence to the U.S. husband of a local man, even though the country does not itself permit same-sex marriage.

“It is a very clear statement that the court is moving the goal forward in terms of achieving equal rights for gay families,” said Jacquelyn MacLennan, partner at Brussels-based White and Case, which was the pro-bono legal team that represented the couple.

“What the court is doing is reflecting a change in social attitudes. It’s a very important evolution of EU law and it is not an overstatement to say that this is a landmark ruling,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview.

The court ruled on Tuesday that Romania must treat American, Clai Hamilton, as Adrian Coman’s spouse under EU law and accept the validity of their 2010 Belgian marriage.

The case arose because Hamilton’s right as a non-EU citizen to live in Romania permanently was dependent on his status as Coman’s spouse. Coman challenged a Romanian decision to limit Hamilton’s residence to a three-month visa, and a Romanian court referred the matter to the ECJ in Luxembourg.

Coman welcomed the ruling as a validation of their marriage.

74 EILE Magazine

“We can now look in the eyes of any public official in Romania and across the EU with certainty that our relationship is equally valuable and equally relevant for the purpose of free movement within the EU,” he said in a statement.

The case did not touch on the freedom of member states to set their own matrimony laws, although campaigners have called on Brussels to push states to legalise same-sex marriage as a fundamental human right.

Rather, it upheld rights of EU citizens to move freely across the bloc along with their families.

“It will increase legal protection and certainty for same-sex couples – something that should not be underestimated,” said Arpi Avetisyan from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

“This clarity will be felt not just by couples in

Romania, but all over the EU, highlighting the power of strategic litigation and the enduring relevance of the EU and its laws in people’s lives,” said Avetisyan, a lawyer at the group’s European branch.

The European Commission insisted the ruling was not part of a push from Brussels to force same-sex marriages in the bloc.

The ruling comes amid a similar case in Hong Kong, where a British lesbian on Monday sued the director of immigration for denying her a spousal visa after her partner moved to the Chinese-ruled financial hub for work, even though they had entered into a civil partnership in Britain.

-Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 6 June 2018)

EILE Magazine 75

Queer Eye Season Two Queer Eye Season 2 started this month, and the Fab Five are transforming all those unsuspecting straight guys into icons of fashion, grooming, food, culture and design, in this modern reboot of the Emmy Awardwinning reality series‌ It’s been fifteen years since the Emmy Award-winning series, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, revolutionized reality television. 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),

76 EILE Magazine

Karamo Brown (Culture), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming) and Tan France (Fashion).

This season, the Queer Eye Fab Five return to the Georgia heartland, forging connections with communities from a wide array of backgrounds and beliefs, often contrary to their own, touching on everything from self-love and faith, to immigration and how to make the perfect homemade poke bowls and more!

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy creator, David Collins (Scout Productions) serves as executive producer for Queer Eye, along with producing partners Michael Williams and Rob Eric. David Eilenberg, Adam Sher, Jennifer Lane, and Jordana Hochman also serve as executive producers in association with ITV Entertainment.

Queer Eye Season Two launched globally on Netflix June 15, 2018.

EILE Magazine 77

Gay conversion therapy film at London festival hits home for campaigners The contentious practice of gay conversion therapy was in the spotlight at the British spin-off of the Sundance Film Festival on recently, a move welcomed by gay rights activists.

The film, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, tells the story of a teenage girl in the United States caught kissing a female friend after prom, and sent to a Christian-inspired gay conversion camp to change her sexuality.

The movie, which stars actress, Chloe Grace Moretz, won the US Grand Jury Prize, when it was shown at the Utah-based, Sundance Film Festival, in January.

Leading LGBT rights charity, Stonewall, said such a film can play an important role in raising awareness of the damaging impact of conversion therapy that can include psychoanalysis, injections and electric shocks to ‘cure’ gay people.

“Any form of ‘therapy’ that attempts to change someone’s sexual orientation and or gender identity is unethical and wrong,” said Paul Twocock, director of campaigns at Stonewall.

“Lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are not ill.”

Despite global gains in LGBT rights, many gay people are still forced to undergo therapy based on the idea that homosexuality is a mental disorder or medical condition.

While the practice has been widely discredited, only Brazil, Ecuador and Malta have nationwidel bans, says the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

The film, based on a novel by US author, Emily Danforth, depicts Moretz’s character undergoing counselling and exercise classes at the camp, where a conservative therapist persuades her to use her faith to banish her homosexual feelings.

Bisi Alimi, an LGBT rights campaigner, who spent seven days confined in a church in Nigeria as a teenager, after being advised to go by friends when he expressed gay

78 EILE Magazine

Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane and Chloë Grace Moretz in The Miseducation of Cameron Post”film by Desiree Akhavan. Courtesy of Sundance Institute/Photo by Jeong Park

feelings, said the film highlighted an issue rarely discussed.

“It was a process of being told that who I am is filthy and bad and I needed God to help me,” London-based Alimi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“Gay conversion therapy doesn’t work, sexuality is natural.”

Alimi, like the fictional characters in the film, attempted suicide three weeks after he left the facility, but now accepts himself after coming out on Nigerian television in 2004.

Despite welcoming the presence of the film at Sundance, Mike Davidson, head of the Christian charity, Core Issues Trust, said not enough space in the film industry was given to unpopular perspectives that show how the therapy can appeal to some.

“We work to support men and women who want to move away from homosexual practices and we think it’s really important to defend their right and freedom to do that,” he said.

Davidson sees about 20 clients a week in person and on Skype, and says a ban would push people underground to seek treatment.

“Nobody has to agree with us but surely we all have to come around the table,” he said.

-Adela Suliman, Thomson Reuters Foundation (eile.ie 4 June 2018)

EILE Magazine 79

Wattpad and ILGA Announce Pride Month Partnership to Empower LGBTIQ+ Youth Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories, and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) have announced a partnership to celebrate, empower, and give back to LGBTIQ+ youth around the world.

Throughout Pride Month, Wattpad will host the Pen Your Pride write-a-thon, a global writing event, encouraging Wattpad users to write, read, and share their experiences as LGBTIQ+ youth and allies.

Wattpadders can contribute their stories of coming out, finding love, exploring gender identities, or how they’ve been an ally and worked to form alliances, create awareness, and fight for LGBTIQ+ rights and equality. For every story submitted with the hashtag #WattPride, Wattpad will donate $1 up to a total of $10,000 to ILGA. Funds donated as part of the Wattpad Pen Your Pride write-a-thon will support ILGA’s work to represent civil society within the United Nations and other international fora, on issues relating to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics; provide support to its members – LGBTIQ+ organizations from around the world – in promoting and protecting human rights; and raising awareness that informs institutions, government, media, and civil society, through advocacy and research.

The Wattpad Pen Your Pride write-a-thon will be open to the global Wattpad community of more than 65 million people. Wattpad users in the US, Canada, and around the world can put their pride on the page, submitting or reading submit or read stories in more than 50 languages.

“Wattpad is a place where people feel safe to share their authentic voices, experiences, and creativity,” Chris Stefanyk, Head of Brand Partnerships, Wattpad, commented.

“Around the world LGBTIQ+ youth have been able to express themselves on Wattpad

80 EILE Magazine

in a way they can’t anywhere else, creating a community of users celebrating diversity, positivity, and ultimately, love in all forms.

Creating a space for more people to share their stories can change the world, so we’re thrilled to work with ILGA to support Pride Month and help LGBTIQ+ youth and allies continue telling their stories.”

“LGBTIQ+ persons have probably never enjoyed as much visibility as in recent times, and yet many in our global communities still struggle to have their voices heard: this is why it is incredibly important that we get to tell our own stories to the world,” added André du Plessis, Executive Director of ILGA. “Being allowed to share our own perspectives and lived realities gives us room to express ourselves, while countering all the stereotypes and the negativity directed towards us. Every opportunity to dismantle prejudice and the root causes that still make LGBTIQ+ people a target of human rights violations is a precious one, and we are grateful for each space that opens up for our communities to be heard.”

Wattpad is one of the safest spaces online for LGBTIQ+ youth to feel empowered and share their voices. Since January 2018, the global Wattpad community has spent billions of minutes reading LGBTIQ+ stories on the platform. In the past 30 days, Wattpad users have spent more than 700 million minutes reading LGBTIQ+ stories, including 151 million minutes in the US. In the same period, Wattpadders have shared more than three million new LGBTIQ+ story uploads. In 2017, #FreetheLGBT was a popular movement on Wattpad, as users around the world looked to increase the number of prominent LGBTIQ+ characters in fiction, spending an average of 13 million minutes reading stories with this tag each month.

In addition to being a positive, safe destination for users, Wattpad regularly works with brands to support inclusivity and positivity online.

In 2017, Wattpad joined AT&T’s Later Haters campaign, spreading anti-cyberbullying awareness to US users. Wattpad also worked with Lionsgate to support the film Wonder with a contest encouraging people to share stories about acts of kindness. (eile.ie 4 June 2018)

EILE Magazine 81

Epic Irish movie set in The Great Famine, Black 47 in Irish cinemas 7th September The Irish feature film, Black 47, directed by Lance Daly (Kisses, Life’s A Breeze) will go on nationwide release on Friday 7th September, with previews scheduled for the previous weekend, 31st August, 1st September and 2nd September.

This action film, set during the Great Irish Famine, stars Hugo Weaving (Hacksaw Ridge, The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix) and Jim Broadbent, (Oscar® winner for Iris) and the prolific Irish screen and stage actor, Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, Michael Collins).

Joining them are rising international actors, James Frencheville (Animal Kingdom,

82 EILE Magazine

The Drop) and Freddie Fox (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) along with a strong young Irish cast, including Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk, The Killing of a Sacred Deer), Moe Dunford (Michael Inside, Patrick’s Day) and Sarah Greene (Noble, Penny Dreadful).

It’s 1847, and Ireland is in the grip of the Great Famine that has ravaged the country for two long years. Feeney, a hardened Irish Ranger who has been fighting for the British Army abroad, abandons his post to return home and reunite with his family. He’s seen more than his share of horrors, but nothing prepares him for the famine’s hopeless destruction of his homeland, which has brutalised his people, and where there seems to be no law and order. He

discovers his mother starved to death, and his brother hanged by the brutal hand of the English. With little else to live for, he sets a destructive path to avenge his family.

Speaking about the cinema release, director Lance Daly, commented: “I am delighted to work with Wildcard Distribution on the Irish cinema release of Black 47 this September. Given the singular importance of the Great Famine in Irish history, and that it has never been seen on our cinema screens before, our cast and crew felt a huge responsibility to make a film that was not only historically accurate and emotionally true, but also undeniably entertaining, so that the

Scene from Black '47

story could reach as many people as possible. I am immensely proud of the achievement of the entire team, both in front of and behind the camera, and I hope that Irish audiences will be as moved watching the movie as we were making it.”

Following its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February, the film opened both the Audi Dublin International Film Festival, and Belfast Film

Festival.

The screenplay was written

by PJ Dillon (Rewind), Pierce Ryan (Standby), Eugene O’Brien (Eden) and Lance Daly. Produced by Macdara Kelleher for Fastnet Films, with Tim O’Hair, Arcadiy Golubovich and Jonathan Loughran, Black 47 was financed by Primemeridian Entertainment, the Irish Film Board, the Luxembourg Film Fund, Wildcard Distribution, Altitude, BAI, TV3, Eurimages,

Umedia, Samsa Films and Fastnet Films.

EILE Magazine 83

Gay Games - Re Paris in

From August 4 to 8, 2018, Paris will host the 10th edition o event in the wo

15,000 athletes from over 70 countries in Paris! Paris 2018 is preparin sharing. With sport a common theme for inclusion, the Gay Games a gay or s

Register for the greatest sporting and cultural event a

To Regist

https://parisgaygames.fuses

84 EILE Magazine

endez-vous with n 2018!

of the Gay Games, the largest sporting, cultural and festive orld open to all!

ng Games that will celebrate diversity, respect, equality, solidarity and are open to all, young or old, athlete or artist, experienced or novice, straight.

along with 15,000 attendees from over 70 countries.

ter, visit:

sport.com/registration/395/

EILE Magazine 85

Information and support for women who need someone to talk to

DLL – Phone: (01) 872 9911 (Callback facility available) 86 EILE Magazine

EILE Magazine 87

EILE Magazine

88 EILE Magazine

Anja Kotar Image: Jani Ugrin