Gay Ireland in 2002
The Talking Head - December 2002
I have to say that the overall state of the Irish gay community in 2002 (and certainly the one here in Cork) is not something to be proud of. For the most part, there seems to be a complete lack of the community spirit and solidarity that is common in other minority groups, and there’s an abject failure on the part of many GLBT people to recognise the clear connection that exists between activism and the advancement of equality.
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 I have to say that the overall state of the Irish gay community in 2002 (and certainly the one here in Cork) is not something to be proud of. For the most part, there seems to be a complete lack of the community spirit and solidarity that is common in other minority groups, and there’s an abject failure on the part of many GLBT people to recognise the clear connection that exists between activism and the advancement of equality. This state of affairs is regrettable, but what is simply outrageous is the sheer contempt that many in the community feel towards anyone who dares to raise their head above the parapet to demand equal rights and progress on such outstanding issues as partnership rights, adoption and the right to have ones changed sex recognised by officialdom. At this juncture I want to point that I’m not referring to everyone in the gay community and there are some noble activists out there who are secure and comfortable enough with their sexuality to demand more than just a one night stand in some seedy club down a back lane (not mentioning any one in particular). Until the early 90’s, Irish gays were forced to exist in a sleazy underground environment where being ‘outed’ not only brought social disapproval but criminal sanction. But since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1993 that situation no longer pertains and it’s about time that many people made the adjustment. Being gay should be about more than just having sex with the latest piece of meat that walks through the door of Taboo or god forbid The Other Place. Our sexuality should not be used as a licence to be promiscuous or as an excuse to opt out of mainstream society. In response to those gay critics who charge that people like me are only concerned with pushing the gay agenda to the exclusion of all other issues, I say I’m concerned with many other issues that do not touch on anything gay (I want bloodsports banned, euthanasia legalised and free visits to the GP for everyone) but I make no apologies for making it a central issue in my social and political outlook. Only when absolute equality and parity of esteem is achieved between gay and straight people will I stop calling for increased activism and stop condemning the lack of it in the gay community. Maybe that is an unrealisable objective but it’s certainly a goal worth aspiring to. It could be argued that there is now a greater acceptance of gay people in Ireland and there is certainly some validity in that point. But I pose the question – what kind of acceptance? It seems to me that straight society is fine with gay people as long as they comply with their prejudiced view of what a gay person should be, namely a camp, flamboyant, unthreatening queen who is entertaining and not to be taken seriously. The sad reality is that many gay people are not forced into this box, they jump into it with glee. But there’s an alternative strand of gay life out there. One that does not contain those gay people who are so tragically trapped in the closet that they do their best to ape their straight counterparts, on the false premise that straight life is somehow superior to gay life. But this strand of gay life also does not feel the need to camp it up at every opportunity or believe that affirming one’s sexuality means buying the latest Kylie CD and getting up and performing Karaoke on a Wednesday night! No, the strand of gay life that I identify with is one that refuses to practice a form of self imposed apartheid. Yes we are different and we should be proud of that fact, but Irish society is as much ours as it is anyone else’s and we have every right to play our full part in it. That society needs to be improved, made more liberal and tolerant, and we need to make sure this comes about by being more active in gay pressure groups and societies. There are organisations already in existence who offer emotional support to people experiencing difficulty in coming to terms with their sexuality. These groups do Trojan work, but there’s also a need for activity on other levels. For example, I would like to see a group of politically minded gays come together and form an organisation to push for the selection of more openly gay candidates at election time. We need to get more gay people into public life if our hopes for a just and equal society are to be realised. Senator David Norris is an inspiration but unfortunately he’s a member of a body that’s nothing more than a talking shop with little power to change things - The Seanad. What we need are gay people on local authorities and in Dail Eireann to truly make a difference. Anywhere between 5-10% of Irish people are gay, yet there’s only one openly gay councillor out of 883 across the country (Peter Kelly of Fine Gael) while in the 166 strong Dail chamber the number is zero. Contrast this pathetic state of affairs with our neighbours across he Irish sea where there are a number of openly gay MP’s in Parliament and two openly gay Ministers. Being involved in the push for equal rights doesn’t mean you have to forgo the clubs, stop buying meaningless pop tunes or wearing outrageously tight clothing. Just get involved or at the very least support in principle efforts to improve the social, economic and political status of gay life in Ireland. >> Voice your opinion about this issue here.
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