With so many election geeks or is it nerds in the room both as RO and ROAs as well as voters what could possibly go wrong in the elections to the Equal Marriage NI Executive? Continue reading A bit of farce never hurt any one… #equalmarriageni campaign gets going
Instead of worrying about a flag that’s forty years out of date – perhaps we should look and think outside the box for a new one for Northern Ireland. Continue reading Time for a flag for Northern Ireland? We’ve been without for forty years.
Last night, Amnesty International in Northern Ireland hosted their annual Belfast Pride Lecture in Belfast’s Europa Hotel. The exhibition hall was nearly packed to the gunnels; everyone crowding in to hear Patrick Strudwick’s thoughts on “The dangerous world of gay ‘cures’”. In 2010 journalist Patrick Strudwick published “The Ex-Gay Files: The Bizarre World of Gay-to-Straight Conversion” in The Independent, chronicling a year of undercover investigation of therapists claiming to be able to ‘convert’ gays and lesbians to heterosexuality. In some countries, ‘gay conversion therapy’ is used as a form of punishment amounting to torture against gay people. Strudwick’s exposé shone a spotlight … Continue reading Strudwick’s Gay ‘cure’ therapy exposé: was it entrapment?
Another week has passed and news has reached me of another community hall in Northern Ireland being targeted and burnt. Fortunately, in this case, it seems that it has not been gutted. But a lot of damage has been done. The hall in question is a Masonic hall in Lisburn. A fuller report can be found courtesy of the Ulster Star. As the Ulster Star article suggests, the hall may have been mistaken for an Orange Hall—but that is no excuse. Burning each other’s halls is not going to help solve our community’s difficulties. Sitting down and talking about them does. The … Continue reading Another hall in the community is targeted – this really must stop.
It’s about ten days before our friend Peter will be over to stay for the weekend of the Belfast Pride Parade. I’ve stayed with him many times on my jaunts to Bedford in the past year so it will be good to return the hospitality. However, anyone who has been in our flat will know that we have had an sitting room jam packed with boxes—until today. This lunchtime, our cleaner Tracey and I have spent three hours clearing and putting rubbish out. No one who knows me will be surprised that we have uncovered many more books, so the Health & Safety Officers will be … Continue reading 6 months and finally unpacking…
So Stonewall is now campaigning for Equal Marriage – according to the feed on Twitter and its website. But let’s be honest, this wasn’t always the case: Stonewall initially refused to change their position or engage with critics and even appeared to argue that marriage equality would be too expensive. However, shortly before a planned demonstration by marriage equality campaigners was due to take place outside the 2010 Stonewall Awards, Stonewall announced that they would campaign for same-sex marriage. (whythesilencestonewall.wordpress.com) Stonewall keeps telling us that it is working for LGBT equality across the UK. Indeed, its name on Twitter suggests … Continue reading Stonewall, #equalmarriageni, and trading names – a reminder about #moreBS
Last night, Belfast City Council became the first council in Northern Ireland to support marriage equality. The Council voted in favour of the motion [proposed by Sinn Féin, supported by SDLP councillors and one Alliance councillor1]: This Council supports the same rights and entitlements to civil marriages for all citizens of Belfast regardless of race, religion or sexuality. However, as my friend Stephen Glenn so rightly says, that the Council voted in favour “isn’t all the story”. For there were no votes against, not because all councillors were in favour of the motion but, rather, because the Unionist councillors left … Continue reading Marriage equality: DUP doesn’t understand devolution…
The Northern Ireland gay blood ban looks set to continue with the news from the DUP’s health minister, Edwin Poots MLA, that he has received some new research strengthening his position. As reported on the BBC, the minister says he … Continue reading Continuing NI gay blood ban continues the prejudice
I’ve not been that bothered about the Olympic Flame arriving until this evening. Then, sitting at Andrew’s desk (mine is a bit buried at the moment) in our library, I heard the sound of an aeroplane overhead, looked out the window, grabbed the iPhone and took about 14 seconds of video of Firefly flying overhead. Firefly is the plane that is being used to transport the Olympic Flame when it cannot go by other means. Being me, I tweeted about it – and it was picked up by the BBC News Live Feed… Seeing the fuss being made of this … Continue reading 2012 flame brings back memories of another…
This morning, Andrew and I woke up at home, got up, had some breakfast and then went to Church. As I said on twitter… Getting ready to go to @stgeorgebelfast with @belfastwriter – the only “normative” thing to do on Sunday morning. @churchofireland — M Carchrie Campbell (@gyronny) May 13, 2012 We arrived at St George’s just before two friends from Changing Attitude Ireland and they joined us in the pew. Throughout Mass it was clear that the LGBT community is welcome in the church. I knew I was welcome in St George’s, now I am finding out that Andrew … Continue reading silence: in church and the sea…
Gyronny Herald 