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Tag Archives: LGBTQ

Pride in being part of the fabric of Clare

CLARE will hold its first ever Pride festival over the course of a weekend later this month. It will kick off on Culture Night, Friday, September 23, with ‘‘Queering the Green’, a queer poetry book launch and reading at Mna ag Gaire (Ennis Women’s Shed) in Ennis. The reading will feature three of Ireland’s leading queer poets, Liz Quirke, Simon Costello and Clare’s own Sarah Clancy.  The following day  the show will go on with an LGBTQI+ youth event in Shannon including dance workshops and drag bingo. This will be followed by the grand weekend finale –  a no-holds-barred over 18s party featuring drag queen and kings and DJs at the Oakwood Hotel in Shannon.  As well as being a celebrated poet, Sarah is one of the organisers of Clare Pride, and speaking about it this week, she said, “We have a few events on, it’s small and contained, we’re not having a week long festival. “We have three different …

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Quare Clare

Quare Clare webinar for LGBTQ+ community

AN EVENT to mark Pride Month in Clare will offer help to communities and organisations on how they can best support the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. The webinar, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, June 30, will be of interest to LGBTQ+ people, their families and friends and anyone who wants to support them. It is being hosted by Quare Clare and Clare Sports Partnership, and will feature speakers from Belong To, GOSHH and LINC, three of the support and community organisations available to LGBTQ+ people and their friends and families. Guest speaker at the webinar will be Mayo All-Star footballer Fiona McHale, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a PhD researcher in Physical Activity and Health at the University of Limerick (UL). Bernie O’Gorman of Quare Clare noted that a survey conducted earlier this year had highlighted the need for better supports. “An online survey we conducted in March highlighted an urgent need for supports and services for the LGBTQ+ …

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Clare LGBTQ+ move to overcome discrimination

DISCRIMINATION is being experienced by the vast majority of Clare’s LGBTQ+ community, a new survey has found. In research conducted by a number of local agencies, including the Clare Public Participation Network (PPN), as part of the LGBTQ+ Clare project, 70% of those who responded reported facing discrimination because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. An online meeting will take place later this month as a forum for members of the community to share their views and experiences and address a sense of isolation, which a majority of respondents also reported. Another major issue of concern that emerged from the research is the need for social outlets and supports. 80% of respondents said they would like more opportunities to connect with community members. Over half of all respondents did not feel sufficiently connected and supported in their community.  One of those who gave her views to researchers said, “I would love a way to meet other LGBTQ people in Clare and just …

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Pride event to be considered for Clare

A PRIDE event for Clare is being explored as part of an initiative to give a voice to members of the LGBTQ+ community in this county. An online survey has been launched this week by LGBTQ+ Clare to establish the needs of this community in the Banner County and to look at how its visibility can be boosted. The organisation is particularly interested in hearing about how connected members feel as a community. They are also asking whether they feel their identity and/or gender are understood and respected, or whether they experience discrimination. The survey results will help to assess what services and supports would improve local engagement and community spirit within the LGBTQ+ community in the Clare area. The organisations involved also hope to use the survey results to organise activities and opportunities including social meet-ups, political participation, campaigns and possibly a Pride event in Clare. “The aim is to make the supports and services that are available for LGBTQ+ people in other parts …

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Pride flag flies high

Clare County Council has joined local authorities across the country in raising a flag to coincide with the first annual LGBTQ Pride festival of 2016 which is taking place in Dublin this week. The Council is participating in the inaugural ‘Having Pride in Local Government’ initiative which is being coordinated by the Local Government Management Agency. Councillor James Breen, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council raised the Pride flag outside Clare County Council’s Corporate Headquarters at Áras Contae an Chláir on the New Road in Ennis. Councillor Breen said the raising of the flag is also a mark of respect for the victims of the shooting in Orlando, Florida earlier this month.

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