Gay Ireland and Gay Northern Ireland News and Reports 2003-04

Dublin: ‘Lesbians Organizing Together’ drop-in centre where gay people can report homophobic crimes
5 Capel St (Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-4pm; tel 872 7770)

1 Northern Ireland: Gays are urged to report all attacks 1/03

2 New Code To Protect Gay Students 1/03

3 Leggy Leslie plans to reign on gay parade 3/03

5 Northern Ireland: Action call to halt the bullying of gay pupils 5/03

6 Northern Ireland: First hand stories from two victims of violence 6/03

7 Irish gays may be able to adopt 6/03

8 Northern Ireland:City Hall start is milestone for gay festival 7/03

9 Northern Ireland: Ulster gay community at more risk 7/03

10 Irish gay-rights campaigner lambasts Vatican 8/03

11 Northern Ireland: Assaults on gays ‘at level of epidemic’ 8/03

12 Northern Ireland: Gay life in Ulster: Interview with Kremlin bar Owner 8/03

13 Gay priest to lobby the government for equal rights legislation 9/03

14 Ireland’s gay refugee assaulted 9/03

15 Northern Ireland: Britain Eyes Ulster For First Gay Hate Crime Law 10/03

16 Northern Ireland: Storm brews over potential NI gay police group 11/03

17 Northern Ireland: A  Protest of plan to lay gay wreath at city war memorial 12/03

17a Northern Ireland: B Row over wreath for gay Nazi victims 12/03

18 Northern Ireland: Ulster set for gay fostering scheme 2/04

19 Ireland launches "ok to be gay" school campaign 2/04

20 Northern Ireland: Derry to stage first gay wedding 4/04

21 Northern Ireland:Sinn Fein’s chief attacked on gay marriage support 4/04

22 Northern Ireland: Gay men targeted in attacks 5/04

23 Northern Ireland: Group preaches homophobia in schools, gay groups claim 5/04

24 Northern Ireland: Row over anti-gay sex education group deepens 6/04

25 Northern Ireland: Fine Gael proposes same-sex couples to register 6/04

26 Northern Ireland: Gay rights worker praises trial judge 7/04

27 Northern Ireland: ‘The Closet’–Gay film gets Dublin date 7/04

28 Northern Ireland: Two to flee home after gay death threats 7/04

29 Northern Ireland: UDA Paramilitaries ‘Not Involved’ In Homophobic Attack 7/04

30 Northern Ireland: Politicians ‘are failing Protestant gays’ 7/04

31 Northern Ireland: Belfast gay parade gets 3X the support after protest threat 8/04

32 Northern Ireland: Gay man viciously beaten by skinhead 8/04

33 Easier to be gay than Protestant 8/04

34 Unionist MPs against gay marriage bill 10/04

Belfast Telegraph,Belfast, Northern Ireland ( http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ ) http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=368000

January 10, 2003

1
Gays are urged to report all attacks

by Ciaran O’Neill
Members of the gay community in Northern Ireland were today urged to report all homophobic attacks to police. Gay support groups have joined forces with the PSNI in a bid to ensure that homophobic attacks are properly monitored and investigated. The appeal comes amid fears that those behind attacks on members of the gay community are not being brought to justice because of the failure of victims to report attacks. More than 100 homophobic attacks have been investigated by police throughout Northern Ireland over the last three years, including two murders in Belfast. But David McCartney, co-ordinator of the Rainbow Project, a gay and bisexual support group with centres in Belfast and Londonderry, today said that a huge number of incidents went unreported. "This lack of reporting gives the perpetrators a false sense of invulnerability," said Mr McCartney.

" However, this can be changed and homophobics can be held accountable. "By reporting incidents to gay organisations, the PSNI or indeed the local community restorative justice initiative, homophobic attacks can be reduced." Mr McCartney urged people to follow a number of safety guidelines when making their way home after a night out at gay venues. He said these should include trying to arrange transport home in advance, never walking home alone and, if threatened, shouting for help.

Derry-based PSNI officer, Sergeant Harry Faulkner, a liaison officer with the local gay community, said: "I would appeal to all victims to report any incident in which they have been involved, in order that it can be investigated in a professional, sensitive and confidential manner." Any members of the gay community who would like information or support is asked to contact the Rainbow Project at 90319030/71283030.

Gay.com U.K.
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/3557

" There is a relatively informal approach to these issues at the moment. Many schools feel they are doing their best when their best is not good enough. The legislation wants to move towards written policy and defined procedures. It reflects where some schools are at already but also where many schools need to be." Developing the code is a priority of the Equality Authority in its latest three-year plan.

Irish Examiner, Cork, Ireland (http://www.examiner.ie/newindex.htm )

12 March 2003

3
Leggy Leslie plans to reign on gay parade

by Kathryn Hayes
Watch out, "the bitch" is about. That’s the message from this long-legged lassie who will be strutting her stuff at this weekend’s Alternative Miss Ireland Contest. Leslie B Ann will represent Limerick at the alternative beauty pageant, which takes place in The Olympia Theatre next Sunday night. The six-foot something stunner was crowned Alternative Miss Limerick last November and has been perfecting her pout for the national final. "All I can say is ‘watch out, the bitch is about’," said Limerick-born Lesley. "I’m not nervous. I was thrilled to be crowned Alternative Miss Limerick and even though I didn’t get a Mercedes I got a free bus pass for the year," she said.

Keeping her true identity a mystery, Lesley says she’s 38 but feels 21. Now in it’s ninth year, the Alternative Miss Ireland pageant has become one of the most popular gay events since its dramatic arrival on the alternative social scene. Regularly toasted as "the most significantly post-culturally-kinky event of the year", the alternative beauty pageant is committed to raising funds for HIV and Aids sufferers. In the past four years more than 100,000 Euros has been raised for Cairde a support group for people affected by HIV and AIDS. This year, proceeds will also be donated to Open Heart House a project that seeks to enhance the lives of those living with the illness. The contest has been judged by a number of high profile celebs including Marc Almond, Van Morrison, Louis Walsh, Brendan Courtney and Maria Doyle Kennedy. Doors open on Sunday night at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm

Irish Examiner, Cork, Ireland ( http://www.examiner.ie/newindex.htm )
http://breaking.examiner.ie/2003/03/25/story93076.html

25 March 2003

Gay men and lesbians have gender-bending brains that contribute to their effeminate and "butch" stereotypes, it was claimed today. A new study has found that gay men really do think like women, while lesbians show a similar affinity with men. In tests, scientists found that gay men excelled at mental tasks women generally perform better than men, but were not so good at tasks traditionally seen as "male". Similarly, lesbians did as badly as heterosexual men in a test geared to get the best out of women. The traits seem to be "hard-wired" into the brain before birth by varying levels of exposure to the male hormone testosterone, say scientists from the Institute of Psychiatry in London.

" Unravelling variations among groups of people in brain function is becoming an important area for research in human mental health, and a thorough scientific understanding of the biological and social factors which shape human sexual orientation is necessary so we can begin to tackle the mental health problems that gay men and lesbians may suffer from."

The researchers also found that gay men and lesbians both had longer ring fingers relative to their index fingers than heterosexual men and women. Relatively long ring fingers are a sign of exposure to elevated levels of the male hormone testosterone in the womb. The findings supported the idea that high, not low, testosterone levels in men produce shifts in sexual preference. But the evidence suggested that the testosterone levels involved were not high enough to be damaging. This indicated that homosexuality was a normal biological phenomenon, and not the result of biological fault.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast Northern Ireland ( http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ )

That is why I work for The Rainbow Project as I want to challenge that. I know that it is not a good way to go through your adolescence." Nathan’s story: Nathan, who is now aged 26, experienced systematic homophobic abuse for over four years during his secondary school career in Northern Ireland. I was punched on a daily basis at school. I came home black and blue and even had to be taken to casualty one day as the beating had been so severe. I dreaded going to school every day. The teachers were aware why I was being punched by other boys in the school, but nothing was done to stop it. They were certainly not ‘the best days of my life’."

Written after June 1, 2003

6
First hand stories from two victims of violence at the hands of doormen at a gay nightclub in Derry, Northern Irleand.

The following two accounts of the same violent incident were written by two partners (Seamus and Paul) who were interviewed by GlobalGayz.com for our story about gay Ireland 2003. Seamus and Paul were also staff members of Derry’s LGBT organization, Foyle Friend, which closed in erarly 2004 from lack of funding.

Victim 1–Seamus

Having worked within the gay community now for quite some time, you learn that, as with any job or volunteering post, it has it’s ups and downs, you have your disappointments and your successes. No amount of experience could have prepared me for the disappointment, hurt and shame I felt on the 1st June of this year. After a tough weeks work, my partner and I decided to treat ourselves to a night out, it’s sometimes not an easy decision to make because you’re quite aware that the people you’re going to be socialising with are the very people you tirelessly work to help during the week, which is a unique aspect of working within a small community and a marginalised one at that.

The night started off very well, we had met up with some friends in our local gay bar and it had all the makings of a great Saturday night out (a rare occurrence in Derry). As the night progressed we were shepherded upstairs to the nightclub and that’s when things started to go pearshaped. My partner had left our company for all of 5 minutes and returned to tell us that he had almost been evicted from the nightclub by one of the security personnel who was on duty, he had witnessed another customer being forcibly removed from the premises with excessive force and being assaulted by the security staff, my partner went into work mode and felt it his duty to acknowledge to the member of staff that he witnessed the assault and that he felt it was uncalled for and out of line.

The said member of staff then proceeded to forcibly remove my partner from the nightclub but the incident was intervened by the manager of the bar, who happened to also be doing DJ that night. While that particular incident was diffused and my partner was rightly allowed to remain on the premises, the management still refused to take any line of action or to exercise their authority as employees of the doorstaff, the incident was ignored!

My friends and I were in disbelief and disgusted as this story was told to us but little did we know that within our vicinity sat an off-duty security guard who on overhearing the details of the incident took extreme objection to the reputation of his occupation and the reputation of his friends being under threat and he eventually began to get aggressive and quite physical with my partner. The whole thing erupted in a barrage of tables being overturned glasses being knocked over and broken and my partner being pinned against the seating area by the off-duty doorman, while his wife and the rest of us were toppled like dominoes. A friend who was with us attempted to stand in between the doorman and my partner but all he got for his good citizenship was a few nasty knocks.

After the incident subsided and the off-duty doorman and his wife had left we all started to pick ourselves up and brush ourselves off and try to come to terms with what had just happened but before we had time to get our floor soaked backsides back onto the seats the doormen who were on-duty came charging towards our overturned table and proceeded to, pardon my language, kick the shit out of us…no questions, no conversation, no mediation! We didn’t stand a chance. I myself was brutally kicked and punched to the back and side of my head as I lay on the ground in defence, my sides and ribs also didn’t escape the blows I was getting which, as I lay there I honestly thought were never going to stop. The whole nightclub came to a standstill, everyone was in shock as to the levels of violence being used and the saddest thing about it was that these are the very people that were being employed to protect us.

Owners and managers and employees have to start taking responsibility for their downfalls and learn from other more popular nightspots who seem to be doing a good job and getting the balance right and local councils have to start taking responsibility for the safety of people both within any public building and on the street, whether it be 4 in the afternoon or 4 in the morning. If you don’t feel safe in your home town then what’s the point?

Victim 2–Paul

I have worked in the queer community for some time and as a youth worker I strive to promote self-esteem and personal development within a community that is oppressed, discriminated against and sometimes just ignored. I challenge inequalities within education curriculum’s and endeavour to influence equality within policy and practice everywhere thus allowing all young people to become equal citizens whose voices are heard, respected and valued.

Returning to my seat I told my partner what had happened. Not realising an off duty doorman was sitting at the table, I became the target for more aggression while being accused of tale -telling about his friend and fellow bouncer and that I should watch myself as all doormen stick up for each other. I ignored the persistent and playground typical threats and agro until I was once again pinned, this time to my seat. I was then violently attacked by the bully who then went in search of his friends. Up they came, spic and span, white shirts and bow ties.

No discussion, no mediation, no respect – just punches and blows. I did my best to protect myself from the violence while, at the same time, watching my partner getting kicked to the back of his head. I was thrown down a flight of stairs while my partner was escorted violently to an empty bar where he was most appropriately and coincidentally acquainted with the off duty doorman who again assaulted him before throwing him out the side doors.

I was thrown out to the Strand Road. After spending some time looking for my partner and failing to do so, I once again became the target of violence and abuse from doormen from various bars and clubs. Fuelled by their ‘friends’’ tension and proving their status as real men I was bullied, threatened and humiliated this time in a scenario much more serious than that of a school playground!

And yet in this bigger and uglier picture, nothing has changed from the playground, the still traditional images of heroism, valour, banter and bravado from the doormen were as real on the Strand Road that night as in my school memories of playground bullies. Some people still feel that’s it’s all right to attack someone if they are gay and that you have to prove your masculinity by violence and bullying. Just as our education systems generally play blind to homophobic bullying and the negative dimensions of gender and sexuality, so does society in general.

Gay.com U.K. http://uk.gay.com/headlines/4510

7
Irish gays may be able to adopt

In one of the biggest shake-ups in Irish law, it looks likely that gays will be allowed to adopt for the first time in the staunchly Catholic country. The Department of Health published a document on Monday which aims to open up discussions on ‘open adoption’ in addition to allowing children to be adopted whose parents are married. Solicitor Geoffrey Shannon has drawn up the public discussion document, which contains much radical thinking on his behalf such as allowing cohabiting couples to adopt as well as gay couples.

According to the Junior Health Minister, Brian Lenihan, there should be workable proposals on the adoption laws ready to bring before the government by the autumn. There will also be an open forum on any possible changes at the same time. The document highlights that adoption with contact has become more and more popular, and that the old decision that a complete break from the birth mother was in the best interests of the child is now virtually non-existent. According to the Irish Independent the document said: "Any open adoption scheme should facilitate discussing thoroughly the appropriate boundaries for access arrangements prior to the adoption order being made." Currently an individual in a stable non-marital relationship may adopt, although a couple in the same circumstances cannot. This covers gay couples as well as people cohabiting.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=427666

8
City Hall start is milestone for gay festival

by Claire Regan, cregan@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
The Belfast Pride festival was due to be launched at City Hall today, marking the start of a week-long celebration of gay issues. A programme of events – set to get under way at 7.30pm – includes drama, dance and poetry provided by a range of organisations including Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland (GLYNI), the Arts and Disability Forum and Playback. Human Rights commissioner Professor Brice Dickson will join a list of distinguished speakers when he addresses the launch, along with the commission’s investigations worker, Christine Lourdes, to launch the body’s research study in relation to lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and the Health Service.

Co-chair of Belfast Pride 2003, Robert May, said: "The City Hall launch of Belfast Pride marks yet another milestone in the road towards lesbian and gay equality with more and more organisations now vocal supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people across Northern Ireland. "The evening looks certain to be a fun yet informative evening for all," he added. Following today’s launch the festival will run until Saturday, August 2, when the traditional city centre parade will take place. Full details of the week’s events can be found at www.belfastpride.com.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast,Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=428644

9
Ulster gay community at more risk: Violent incidents recorded by police

by Jonathan McCambridge, jmccambridge@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Gay people in Northern Ireland face a higher risk of violence than homosexuals living in the rest of the UK and Ireland, a new report published today claimed. The research entitled ‘An Acceptable Prejudice?’, carried out by the Institute for Conflict Research, is the first full scale study of homophobic harassment and violence in the province. It reviews all homophobic incidents recorded by the PSNI as well as surveys with the gay and lesbian communities in Northern Ireland.

Homophobia is as much a blight on our society as racism and sectarianism and should be treated as such. "Some politicians need to reflect on the findings of this report and think carefully about their actions in the future." It is part of a larger project on racist, homophobic and sectarian harassment funded by the Equality Unit Research Directorate of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. The report will be launched as part of the Pride Festival at Clanmill Housing Association tonight at 7.30pm.

U-TV (Ireland)
http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=35388

One of Ireland’s leading campaigners on gay rights, Senator David Norris, has said the Vatican is fuelling homophobia. His comments follow the publication of a statement approved by the Pope asking politicans to oppose efforts to have gay weddings and civil partnerships legalised. The Vatican demand has caused outrage amongst the gay community worldwide. Senator Norris fears the possible effects, saying that such a "hate filled message" will lead to discrimination and violence. The outspoken campaigner has said that the Vatican ought to be ashamed.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=434184

" There has been a drop in reporting these crimes but we have no reason to believe that there are less attacks; we have to make sure the gay community feel comfortable in coming forward. "There is clearly more violence than is being reported but we cannot take action if we do not know about it. It can also take the form of verbal abuse and attacks on property. "There is a perception among some in the gay community that the police are not interested and we have to look at that. We have regular meetings with gay and lesbian groups and we are happy to continue with that." He also said police had minority liaison officers in every area who had received training on sexuality awareness. Within the last year two men have been murdered in Belfast in gay cruising areas – districts where men meet up for sexual encounters.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=434903 

"Many gays in Belfast, as in so many other places, have always been afraid of ‘coming out.’ There is so much homophobia and a lot of assaults. But The Garage is somewhere they can come into, relax, and be themselves behind closed doors," he says. "We get quite a lot of married men coming to it as well. Evidently they are not ‘out’ and they wouldn’t go to somewhere like The Kremlin, which is quite public, because of the fear of being recognised, but they do feel able to use The Garage, happy their anonymity will be protected." André, himself, is wary of being fully identified.

Though happy for his name to be used in this article, he shies away from having his face photographed. Born in New Zealand, he has enjoyed a brilliant career. A top executive with Columbia Tristar Entertainment, he came to Dublin eleven years ago to spearhead an Irish branch of the company. Shortly afterwards he was appointed MD of Playstation in Ireland. Then, in 1995, he was transferred to London and put in charge of their licensing operation in 36 countries.

But he’d also just met Seamus, from Letterkenny, who also worked in the entertainment industry. Their careers brought rich rewards yet the pace was gruelling, and both men felt it was time for a lifestyle change. They decided to hand in their notices, return to Ireland and open a gay nightspot. "Originally we planned to look for somewhere in Dublin but then we went out for the night in Belfast and thought there wasn’t really any great gay venue here, so we decided to look for somewhere in this city instead," explains André.

The Kremlin opened in March 1999 and today is the largest gay bar in any UK city outside of London and Birmingham. Perhaps surprisingly, it has never been targeted by anti-gay protesters. Previously the Penny Farthing and, before that, the famous Press bar, McGlades, inside the walls are lined with posters from Soviet Russia. It also operates a policy of positive discrimination against heterosexuals, says André only half-jokingly. "A lot of straight women like to come to The Kremlin because they know it’s the sort of bar they won’t get hassled in.

But if they bring their boyfriends, then those guys don’t seem to be as relaxed. Often they’ll make a point of kissing their girlfriends to prove their heterosexuality. We’d interpret that as a homophobic gesture and we ask them to stop. If they don’t, we ask them to leave," he says, grinning. Though André and Seamus enjoy a very comfortable lifestyle, the couple insist they are not making as much money as people presume from their current ventures. "My Porsche?" grins André. "The bank owns that. You have to remember I enjoyed a lucrative career before all this and have a good pension plan. Most of the money we make at the moment is ploughed straight back into the business."

André, second eldest in a family of four boys, knew he was gay from the age of eleven and says his bank manager father and mother, a housewife, had no problems coming to terms with his homosexuality. But, angered and saddened by the recent furore among Anglicans over the appointment of gay bishops, he wishes the established churches were more gay-friendly.

" I think it’s more likely 3 to 4%" – and is angered by those who say homosexuality is a choice that a person makes. "The vast majority of psychologists, sociologists and scientists have concluded homosexuality is a natural phenomenon. It’s not a perversion, just something different," he says. And to illustrate his point he tells a favourite anecdote: "A friend of mine told his parents, both of whom were doctors, that he was gay. Their immediate response was to book an appointment with a psychologist. "The psychologist saw him and his parents together, then sent him out of the room. "He then told the parents they would have to come back to see him over the course of the next month. The son was perfectly adjusted, but the parents would need some help. I think that’s a wonderful story."

Galway Advertiser, Galway, Ireland
http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie/dws/story.tpl?inc=2003/09/04/news/36947.html

Twenty seven-year-old O Riain, originally from Tipperary, was suspended from the church three years ago because of conflicting opinions on a number of issues including his sexuality, divorce, and abortion. He has not has his faculties withdrawn so is able to provide blessings for couples who would otherwise be shunned by the Catholic Church, earning him a reputation as a southern version of Fr Pat Buckley. He described himself as a Christian priest, and said that the Roman Catholic Church has been "literally killing itself off" with its illiberal teachings. O Riain, who now works as a supermarket manager in Ennis said, " It’s taken me a few years to be proud of who I am. I’ve stayed quiet about this for far too long, the Church has persecuted me and I’ve stayed quiet. The life of a priest can be very lonely as it is, but the life of a gay priest is hell. It’s time to stand up and be counted," he concluded.

The Bród Festival in Galway celebrated its 14th year this year, making it the longest running Pride festival in Ireland. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act, which was introduced by the then Minister for Justice, Maire Geoghegan Quinn, making it legal for the first time for gay, lesbian, bisexuals, and transsexuals to express their sexuality openly. Also speaking at the Launch was Nuala Ward, one of the organiser of Ireland’s first Pride parade in 1989. She commented on how far the struggle for lesbian and gay civil rights had come in those years but said that the Vatican’s document proved that there was a lot left to achieve. The gay Connemara based author Micheál O’Conghaile also attended and read from one of his novels.

Gay.com UK
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/5093

The attack has been condemned by the city’s Muslim community, with the Islamic Cultural Centre being fiercest in its response. "The Koran forbids homosexuality in all its forms, it is not acceptable," said the centre’s director Dr Nooh al-Kaddo. "But no one has the right to take the law into their own hands." Despite reporting the crime, the women are yet to be found by detectives.

365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/newscontent/101303ulsterHate.htm

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff Belfast, Northern Ireland
Gays and lesbians in Northern Ireland are now included in hate crime legislation and the government in London says the protections will be extended to the rest of the United Kingdom. England, Wales and Scotland already have laws allowing the courts to impose tougher penalties on offenders if racial or religious prejudice is deemed to be a contributory factor. Originally Northern Ireland was not included, because it was thought it would be difficult to enforce the law in a place where sectarianism was so common.

The Scottish Executive is looking at tightening its laws as well. The Northern Ireland law, to be introduced by ministerial order rather than by an Act of Parliament, will not create new offences. Instead it will allow judges to take prejudice into account, and it will increase the penalties where a "hate crime" is proved.

Gay.com UK
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/5388

18 November 2003

16
Storm brews over potential NI gay police group

Controversy is growing over initial attempts to support gay police officers in Northern Ireland, despite such a network or organisation yet to be established. The Gay Police Association (GPA) is currently assessing the need for an organisation to help homosexual police officers in the province, after the success of similar regional groups in the rest of the UK. But although in its initial stages, the process has been slammed by members of Northern Ireland’s Policing Board, who argue such an assessment is a waste of time and money.

They think that the province has other thing to be concentrating on, rather than trying to coax gay officers and staff to approach them. However, the (GPA) has defended the assessment and said it has already set about appointing a member of staff in Belfast to help encourage staff to come forward. Spokespeople said that if a branch was formed it would operate in the same way other sporting or social groups in the Police Service of Northern Ireland do. "This is an exercise assessing the level of interest in a branch of the Gay Police Association," they added. Northern Ireland has faced controversy over gay rights in the past, but was the first area of the UK to incorporate sexuality into its hate crime legislation earlier this year. Westminster soon followed suit, announcing it would include attacks based on homophobic attitudes in the legislation affecting England and Wales in the new year.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland ( http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ ) http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=459440

1 November 2003

17
Row flares at gay wreath plans

by Jonathan McCambridge, jmccambridge@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
A major row erupted today over plans by the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA) to place a pink wreath at the Cenotaph in Belfast City Hall tomorrow to commemorate homosexuals who died in the two world wars.

The DUP has said the event is an "insult" to soldiers killed in conflicts while NIGRA has stressed that the event remembers all victims and is a step towards equality. The wreath, in the shape of a pink triangle, represents the badge homosexuals were forced to wear while imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps. Ceremonies to lay the pink wreath have been taking place in the rest of the UK for a number of years. It is understood NIGRA is holding the event at 11am tomorrow rather than on Remembrance Sunday to avoid any potential clash with the official wreath laying ceremony. DUP councillor Robin Newton said tomorrow’s service made a mockery out of Remembrance Sunday.

"There is an official ceremony on an official date and the official way of marking this is with a red poppy wreath. To colour the poppy a different way is an insult to the soldiers who gave their lives. "The council should not be allowing this to go ahead. I think it will offend many people in Northern Ireland, especially the relatives of victims. This is an example of political correctness gone mad and it sends out totally the wrong statement. "It seems there are elements within the council who are determined to facilitate this group." But PA MagLochlainn, president of NIGRA, said he did not understand how the ceremony could offend anyone.

He also said they had sought permission to lay the wreath at the City Hall. "I have always been inspired in my fight for equal rights by the stories of what people suffered in the Nazi concentration camps because of their sexual orientation."

"We will be deliberately keeping it a low-key affair because we are remembering people who died and we want to do it with dignity. "If anyone has a problem with what we are doing then I am more than happy to talk to them about it. The pink triangle was a symbol designed by Himmler but we will be remembering victims of all minority groups who lost their lives." Mr MagLochlainn paid tribute to Lord Mayor Martin Morgan who this week became the first nationalist mayor to launch the Poppy Appeal. "Mr Morgan is a brave and forward-looking young man who is trying to break down barriers and that is exactly what we are trying to do."

Rainbow Network (UK glbt)
http://www.rainbownetwork.com/content/News.asp?newsid=3885

7 December 2003

17a
Gay Wreath Row

Plans to place a pink wreath at the Cenotaph in Belfast City Hall have been described as an "insult" to soldiers killed in conflict. The organisers of the remembrance wreath, the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA), say that they want to remember the gay people who died and that the event honours all victims and is a step towards equality. NIGRA officials are keen to avoid a row and have arranged for the wreath to laid before the Remembrance Sunday next week.

"We will be deliberately keeping it a low-key affair because we are remembering people who died and we want to do it with dignity," president PA MagLochlainn said. "I have always been inspired in my fight for equal rights by the stories of what people suffered in the Nazi concentration camps because of their sexual orientation. "If anyone has a problem with what we are doing then I am more than happy to talk to them about it.

The pink triangle was a symbol designed by Himmler but we will be remembering victims of all minority groups who lost their lives." DUP councillor Robin Newton said the service would make a mockery out of Remembrance Sunday. "There is an official ceremony on an official date and the official way of marking this is with a red poppy wreath. To colour the poppy a different way is an insult to the soldiers who gave their lives", he told the Belfast Telegraph. "The council should not be allowing this to go ahead. I think it will offend many people in Northern Ireland, especially the relatives of victims. This is an example of political correctness gone mad and it sends out totally the wrong statement.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=488415

6 February 2004

18
Ulster set for gay fostering scheme

by Brendan McDaid, newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
A controversial gay fostering scheme is to start recruiting in Northern Ireland within days, it emerged today. UK-based charity the Albert Kennedy Trust today revealed to the Telegraph that it is poised to introduce workers on the ground to enlist gay adults as foster parents. It has also emerged that two gay people, one from Strabane and another from Belfast, have already undergone guardian training for the scheme. The fostering programme will see homeless and abused gay youths aged 16 and over placed with gay and lesbian mentors across the province.

The scheme was shelved last year after a freeze on cash from the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. The trust’s director Richard Brooklyn, however, said new sources of funding are now being sourced. The trust caused outrage among church figures and the DUP in Northern Ireland when it first announced its plans to bring its services here. The trust responded that it was determined to press ahead with the scheme despite accusations of exposing vulnerable young people to abuse.

Speaking from London today, Mr Brooklyn said there was an urgent need for the service to be introduced to Ulster. "Because of other issues in Northern Ireland this is an area that has never really been dealt with or acknowledged. "If you are young and gay in Northern Ireland you can’t really win. "There are issues from both sides of the community. Homophobic bullying seems to be on the increase and people are very quick to abuse others for their sexuality." Mr Brooklyn said he now hopes to have the fostering scheme set up by April. "One of the problems has been that there is not a dedicated staff at the moment in Northern Ireland. "We will be advertising for people now who will work on this on the ground and recruit foster carers who will the undergo six months training." Consultation with representatives from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the health boards and social services across Northern Ireland are also currently taking place.

Gay.com UK
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/5855

23 February 2004

19
Ireland launches "ok to be gay" school campaign

“We have come across students who have been harassed by teachers as well as students because they are gay or perceived to be gay,” the group’s resource director Michael Barron said. “There are a lot of mental health issues, including depression, surrounding young gay people and we want to reach out to help.” The scheme will be officially launched next month.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=513058

19 April 2004

20
Derry to stage first gay wedding–Couple to exchange vows next year

The new Bill, announced in the summer of 2003, will afford gay and lesbian couples with property and pension entitlements in line with several other EU countries. Couples will not receive a formal marriage blessing, but will be able to sign an official document at a register office in front of the registrar and two witnesses.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=514451

April 23, 2004

21
SF chief attacked on gay marriage support

Father Purcell said: "A person’s religious beliefs shouldn’t be all but irrelevant to his politics. A Catholic politician is not bound to legislate Church teaching, but where your Church teaches that something is a basic human right, for example the right to life, or the right of a child to have a mother and father, you can’t simply jettison these teachings from your political life." In the interview, Mr McGuinness says that both he and Gerry Adams gain "solace" from attending Mass and that this is respected by other members of the party. "I go to Mass every Sunday and I haven’t found antagonism in Sinn Fein to the Church," he said.

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3728345.stm

19 May 2004

22
Gay men targeted in attacks

Two gay men have been targeted in separate attacks in Londonderry. A man was attacked in the Strand Road area of the city in the early hours of Sunday morning and another man was assaulted in the city centre on Monday evening. The latest crime figures for the Derry area reveal that there have been eight homophobic attacks in the area in the last seven weeks and 17 in the last year.David McCartney from the Rainbow Project said although the situation was worrying for the gay community, they have received a lot of support – including the offer of self defence classes. "The victims are fairly shaken up and are quite shocked it has happened to them," he said.

"It speaks for itself – we are six to seven weeks into the new financial year and we already halfway through last year’s target. "The police figures give 17 attacks last year in total in the Foyle area and you are looking at eight attacks in seven weeks." Last week, the latest police figures showed homophobic incidents had doubled from 35 to 71 in 2002-2003. In March, Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde was told the PSNI had to crack down on rising levels of racial and homophobic attacks. It was announced by the Policing Board that such incidents were to be tackled as part of a £774m strategy for running the PSNI over 12 months. Mr Orde was also told to monitor the number of racist and homophobic incidents. The Rainbow Project organisation addresses the physical, mental and emotional health of gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland.

Gay.com UK,
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/6315

26 May 2004

23
Group preaches homophobia in schools, gay rights groups claim

"We are deeply concerned that political parties in Northern Ireland are calling for support of this organisation when they are misrepresenting the issues around sexual orientation including portraying homosexuality as a disease," the Rainbow Project’s Sean Morrin told Gay.com UK. "Their misrepresentation and homophobic language will only add to issues already affecting many young vulnerable people in this country," he added.

Gay.com UK,
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/6363

7 June 2004

24
Row over anti-gay sex education group deepens

Its stance has been criticised by local gay groups. "The misrepresentation and homophobic language will only add to issues already affecting many young vulnerable people in this country," Rainbow Project’s Sean Morrin told Gay.com UK last week. The Project will be meeting with Love for Life representatives in the coming weeks.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=535087

25 June 2004

25
Fine Gael (political party) proposes same-sex couples to register

"Our policy document clearly states marriage will remain the choice of the majority and we have no wish to alter that." Ms Terry said that having seen the inequality that exists Fine Gael was convinced of the need to introduce changes for these unmarried couples. She said they had stopped short of calling for gay marriage because marriage "confers rights on couples to rear children". Fine Gael had looked at arrangements in place in other European Union countries and opted for this particular arrangement.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=537518

2 July 2004

26
Gay rights worker praises trial judge–Prison term for killers is welcomed

"I think the judge handled this case in an admirable way, even being courteous to these two as they stood on the stand and told barefaced lie after lie." Mr MagLochlain said Mr Justice Coghlin was "right and proper" to lift the restrictions on naming Peel.
"The law can affect peoples’ attitudes," he said. "We have noticed in the past that when there is a change in the law in our favour, there is also a sea change in people’s attitudes."

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northwest_edition/story.jsp?story=537750

3 July 2004

Speaking ahead of its release, Sean Morrin, director of the Rainbow Project, said there were now plans to screen the film across Ulster and the UK following its debut. He said: "We are delighted the film is finished and will have its premiere at the 2004 Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival at the end of July. "Working in partnership with Wheelworks has given these young people the opportunity to increase their confidence and self esteem." Mr Morrin said: "The film will also be shown at other events in Northern Ireland and England".

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northwest_edition/story.jsp?story=545649

28 July 2004

The young men, one of whom has lived in the area all his life, are "petrified" and now have no option but to leave their home, said Sean Morrin of the Rainbow Project. "This is an extremely worrying development leaving two young men living in fear for their lives," he said. "Both these men have suffered continuous homophobia and hate when all they wish for is to live in peace." The men are meeting with the Housing Executive today in the hope of getting emergency accommodation on the city’s west bank.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland

30 July 2004

However, Mr. McCartney insisted homophobia wasn’t just a problem in Derry. " It’s happening right across the North," he said. "Derry and Belfast are always in the headlines because in both cities there are mechanisms in place whereby attacks are reported and highlighted. "However, homophobia is as much a problem in Ballymena and Newry as it is in Derry and Belfast." Mr. McCartney also took the opportunity to praise the media’s role in reporting spiralling incidents of anti-gay attacks. " The sensitivity with which local journalists have dealt with the issue of and victims of homophobia is to be commended. Journalists and the media in general have a major role to play in supporting social change."

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northwest_edition/story.jsp?story=545998

29 July 2004

A widening campaign of intimidation against Derry’s gay community most recently resulted in two young men, a Catholic and Protestant, being forced to flee their Waterside home after receiving death threats. DUP MLA Willie Hay said he "totally and absolutely" condemned the attack. "There are no excuses for it. There is no place in any society for people to act as judge, jury and executioner," said Mr Hay. Asked about claims that there were more problems for gay people within the Protestant community, Mr Hay added: "There would be a stronger feeling of dislike (for homosexuality) within the Protestant community . "That’s the Protestant ethos and way of life, but the vast majority of Protestants would condemn these attacks."

Gay.com UK

8 August, 2004

31
Belfast gay parade gets triple the support after protest threat

by Ben Townley
More than 3000 people are thought to have taken part in Belfast Pride’s parade through the city centre on Saturday, despite the threat of disruption from a coalition of anti-gay people. Organisers say the level of support makes the parade the biggest and best the city has seen, tripling the numbers of attendees from the previous year. They say this could well be down to the publicity received via the anti-gay protestors, called Stop The Parade (STP), who launched a campaign outlining their intentions to block the parade last week. As well as pledging to show "sodomites they have had their day", the group created a bogus website that offered a "cure" for young LGBT people, and accused the parade of being a recruitment experience.

The reaction to this threat was seen on the streets of the city, with members of the public applauding the marchers and apparently drowning out the protest of the STP. Additionally, the organisers of the parade are thought to have received 100 emails of support from across the UK, with people angry at the STP’s attempts to thwart the celebrations. As well as the parade, Pride in Belfast focused on community gatherings and developing new ways for local LGBT people to link up with mainstream groups such as the police. Entertainment included film screenings and parties across the city’s gay scene.

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=552506

August 17, 2004

32
Gay man viciously beaten by skinhead

by Brendan McDaid (newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
Self-defence classes for gay people are to be introduced in Londonderry, as the latest victim of a homophobic attack in the city was today recovering from his injuries. Police were hunting the skinhead perpetrator of the latest assault, in which a 29-year-old man needed stitching after being struck on the face.

The attack took place around 2.30am on Glendermott Road in the Waterside. Details were revealed today as gay activists in the city unveiled a range of new measures to help local gay people defend themselves from attack. The man had to be taken to Altnagelvin Hospital where he received five stitches to an eye wound. The attack is the latest in a catalogue of vicious assaults on gay men in the city in recent months. Within the past year, levels of attacks on the gay community have jumped a staggering 60%.

The latest beating comes just weeks after another gay man was kicked and savagely bitten in the face in nearby Melrose Terrace. In other recent attacks a gay man’s front door and windows were smeared with excrement and another man was hospitalised after being battered by a gang. Other gay men reported receiving threats to vacate their homes and were attacked after being followed home from local bars and clubs. In light of the worrying trend, activists in Derry said a range of new measures will be introduced to help prevent further attacks.

Self-defence classes are set to begin within weeks with advice being drawn up on personal security. A home safety campaign for gay people will also be launched giving information and advice. Sean Morrin, director of the Rainbow Project in Derry, said today: "There is a feeling out there now that people are worried and this latest attack will only serve to heighten those fears. "These attacks are becoming much more vicious in nature and we will continue to try and do something about that."

Belfast Telegraph, Belfast, Northern Ireland
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=554276

August 23, 2004

33
Easier to be gay than Protestant–Comic tells of agony growing up in Ireland

by Claire Regan (cregan@belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
Popular comedian Graham Norton has said that growing up gay in Ireland was easier than being Protestant because he was constantly made to feel different because of his religion. The 41-year-old presenter has lifted the lid on his private life for the first time in an autobiography to be published later this month. In the life story, So Me, Norton said he was aware of his sexuality early on and didn’t fit in with other boys at Bandon Grammar School in Cork because of it. "I donned rugby costumes and clattered down the pitch with the rest of them," he wrote.

"But I was fooling no-one. They were like a pack of animals who smelled blood. It made me feel very excluded and lonely – it’s very hard to understand how alienating it is for a boy who can’t do what boys are meant to do." But it appears his religion was more of a stigma. "I was sent to Protestant schools, so I never knew the neighbourhood kids, who were Catholic. But before I started school the other kids didn’t know I was a freak Protestant boy and happily played with me." Norton went on to University College Cork where he earned an arts degree. Shortly afterwards, he left Ireland and headed for drama school in London.

"My overall impression of my time in Ireland is just waiting to leave. The life I was living – this life of marriages, funerals and the price of land – was not my beautiful life," he states. Norton is now regarded as one of the most popular entertainment presenters on British television and has his own waxwork image in Madame Tussauds. His weekly show, So Graham Norton, went nightly last year, becoming V Graham Norton, and pulled in an audience of three million viewers a night. He is currently planning a new show to air on BBC and is working on a project for the US channel, Comedy Central. He ends his book in philosophical mode. "There is not a single certainty in my future, yet I feel very calm," he said.

Belfast Telegraph, UK,
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=571713

October 13, 2004

34
Unionist MPs against gay marriage bill

by Jonathan McCambridge, jmccambridge@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Unionist politicians have told the House of Commons that Northern Ireland must be excluded from a new bill which will legalise gay marriage. Last night the House debated the Government’s Civil Partnership Bill which will effectively lead to legal recognition for same sex couples.

However, DUP leader Ian Paisley told the House that Government consultation showed that 86% of people in Northern Ireland opposed the bill and all the political parties in the province are opposed to it. He said: "Why is the Bill not going to be left until the Assembly is up and running again so that the people of Northern Ireland can make the decision themselves? "The census of 2001 found only 288 same-sex couple households in the whole of Northern Ireland. The Government say that only 5% of same-sex couples will commit to civil partnerships. "Well, 5% of 288 is 14, so 14 couples in Northern Ireland will have the opportunity provided by the Bill, even though a majority of people who have a view on the matter oppose it."

During the debate South Belfast MP, Martin Smyth, also said he would not support the bill. He said: "I have absolutely no time for the homophobia which is prevalent in all societies but I am not convinced that this legislation will actually advance us much along the way to deal with these attitudes. "There are those of us who believe that marriage is not a sacrament but an ordinance of God, and we wonder whether the state can continue to try to replicate the pattern that God has ordained."

The Bill passed through the house with a majority of 377, and now goes into committee for detailed consideration.