Stand up for Gay Rights! – Join in Belfast Pride Celebrations

[Ógra Shinn Féin]

The Belfast Pride Festival begins this Saturday 26 July, lasting a week and culminating with a huge march through Belfast City Centre on Saturday 2 August, assembling at Customs House Square @ 12noon.

The march attracted record numbers last year with over 6500 in attendance, each participant supporting the rights of the local gay community and the core premises of the international gay pride movement.

Other highlights of the festival include the Amnesty International lecture by human rights and gay rights activist Peter Thatchell, and a ‘Pride Talks Back’. All events and further information can be viewed at http://www.belfastpride.com/.

Encouraging maximum turnout for the Belfast pride events, National Organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McColgan said,

“The gay community are an integral part of Irish society, and the Belfast pride festival, which continues to grow year on year, has become a hugely positive and productive community event.”

“Ógra Shinn Féin are urging maximum attendance at this year's pride events, to demonstrate solidarity with the gay community, and to stand up for their rights, in the face of discrimination, attacks and the deeply offensive and insulting remarks from Iris Robinson.”

“Stand up for human rights on Saturday 2 August, celebrate diversity, and send a message out loud and clear that bigotry will be overcome, and an Ireland of equals achieved.”

http://ograshinnfein.blogspot.com/2008/07/stand-up-for-gay-rights-join-in-belfast.html

[Young Irelander]

The Belfast Pride Festival begins this Saturday 26 July, lasting a week and culminating with a huge march through Belfast City Centre on Saturday 2 August, assembling at Customs House Square @ 12noon.

The march attracted record numbers last year with over 6500 in attendance, each participant supporting the rights of the local gay community and the core premises of the international gay pride movement.

Other highlights of the festival include the Amnesty International lecture by human rights and gay rights activist Peter Thatchell, and a ‘Pride Talks Back’. All events and further information can be viewed at http://www.belfastpride.com/.

Encouraging maximum turnout for the Belfast pride events, National Organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McColgan said,

“The gay community are an integral part of Irish society, and the Belfast pride festival, which continues to grow year on year, has become a hugely positive and productive community event.”

“Ógra Shinn Féin are urging maximum attendance at this year's pride events, to demonstrate solidarity with the gay community, and to stand up for their rights, in the face of discrimination, attacks and the deeply offensive and insulting remarks from Iris Robinson.”

“Stand up for human rights on Saturday 2 August, celebrate diversity, and send a message out loud and clear that bigotry will be overcome, and an Ireland of equals achieved.”

http://ograshinnfein.blogspot.com/2008/07/stand-up-for-gay-rights-join-in-belfast.html

Good luck with this

[peonyrose]

Are you attending YI? Standing in solidarity is a wonderful thing and gay pride festivals can be great fun.

Our Mardi Gras is huge. Last year we had 8,000 participants in the parade, which took 3 hours and 350,000 spectators. The floats are fabulous. I know in Australia they would have an Iris Robinson float and maybe 50 paraders dressed up as Iris and dancing in the parade.

Any chance of something like that in Belfast? She would hate it. Therefore a great thing to do. :eusa_dance::icon_lol:

[partisan]

Would be a magnificent event,I suppose...In my country,every Gay Pride parade goes very fluent through the day just to be ended by some retarded scum ambushing and chasing gays when the evening falls,bullying and beating them and dissapearing in the night...The number of violent attacks is increasing every year,a sad story...

[Seabird]

Our Mardi Gras is huge. Last year we had 8,000 participants in the parade, which took 3 hours and 350,000 spectators. The floats are fabulous. I know in Australia they would have an Iris Robinson float and maybe 50 paraders dressed up as Iris and dancing in the parade.

Any chance of something like that in Belfast? She would hate it. Therefore a great thing to do.

Of course it can be done and then that night some innocent catholic will unknowingly be attacked in retaliation by some loyalist thug.

Just because Iris is an idiot does not mean we have to be, things in Belfast are not all peaches and cream, we are trying to mend bridges not burn them down.

[FreeAndStrong]

Of course it can be done and then that night some innocent catholic will unknowingly be attacked in retaliation by some loyalist thug.

Just because Iris is an idiot does not mean we have to be, things in Belfast are not all peaches and cream, we are trying to mend bridges not burn them down.

Strategies based on fear show inherent weakness. You don’t defeat discrimination by running away from it.

Anti-gay sentiment is a direct attack on sexual preference. Showing pride and determination is not “burning” a bridge, but taking a stand.

I would have thought that anyone with any knowledge of resistance to oppression would know that you defeat prejudice by confronting it head-on, not running away. And ridiculing Iris by using humour during the parade is a powerful weapon to confront her ideas.

And remember you can always celebrate afterwards with, say, some peaches and cream.

[Comrade Ryan]

Of course it can be done and then that night some innocent catholic will unknowingly be attacked in retaliation by some loyalist thug.

Just because Iris is an idiot does not mean we have to be, things in Belfast are not all peaches and cream, we are trying to mend bridges not burn them down.

It's not a slight on protestants its a bit of satire based on a reactionary bigot at the heart of the Six-County adminstration.

With people like this is 'power'...dear oh dear.

You cannot shy away from confronting the issues raised by Robinson because someone might do something.

You cannot 'mend bridges' by not confronting reactionary bigots like Iris Robinson.

The days of people keeping their heads down are well past.

Having said that, some of the gay pride stuff has went down hill. For soem its turned into an excuse to be graphically explicit about their sexuality, complete with revealing outfits, rubber penises, etc.

Not exactly the type of thing for an afternoon stroll in the city centre, nor something you could bring the family to in support of Gay Rights and safety.

[Eilish]

It's not a slight on protestants its a bit of satire based on a reactionary bigot at the heart of the Six-County adminstration.

With people like this is 'power'...dear oh dear.

You cannot shy away from confronting the issues raised by Robinson because someone might do something.

You cannot 'mend bridges' by not confronting reactionary bigots like Iris Robinson.

The days of people keeping their heads down are well past.

Having said that, some of the gay pride stuff has went down hill. For soem its turned into an excuse to be graphically explicit about their sexuality, complete with revealing outfits, rubber penises, etc.

Not exactly the type of thing for an afternoon stroll in the city centre, nor something you could bring the family to in support of Gay Rights and safety.

Some good points in what you wrote... Um i am all for rights & non discrimination of individuals based on their sexuality. I am all for ripping back the societal hypocrisy & so forth. The entrenched homophobia stuff isdraconian & hypocritical ="s it is pathetic but the impact on non het individuals lives cannot be underestimated...
That said i suppose i am bored with all the drama that surrounds/underpins some of the gay pride stuff... It does get a tad tedious having twats & penises on show like some in in ur face statement --> we r queer we r here.... Well u know you guys have always been around - it is just entrenched societal hypocrisies that pretend you were not & fear...
If one wants a float icon lampooning specific idiots i would also suggest float icons of religious figureheads.... Now would that go down like a lead balloon? - yep of cse See it be a circle of BS The true issue is human rights The rest is Ok whatever.
Just like individuals who choose to hawk their fork for a living - they are still human beings but society negates that status by stereotyping... Anyhooooo all the best with the march... Sydney is gay cap. of Oz... Mardi Gras season is full on.

[Seabird]

FreeAndStrong,

Strategies based on fear show inherent weakness. You don’t defeat discrimination by running away from it.

I am truly taken back by this seculatory response. So I am fearful, weak and running away? Did you bother to ask if I had an agenda or did you just assume?

Anti-gay sentiment is a direct attack on sexual preference. Showing pride and determination is not “burning” a bridge, but taking a stand.

Do not talk to me like I am an idiot, I know exactly what anti-gay sentiment is and the results that it produce. Showing gay pride is not running through city center mocking Iris nor does it attack her stance or is it taking a stand.

I would have thought that anyone with any knowledge of resistance to oppression would know that you defeat prejudice by confronting it head-on, not running away. And ridiculing Iris by using humour during the parade is a powerful weapon to confront her ideas.

Confronting homophobia IMO would be a huge march in town in solidarity with our gay comrades protesting Iris's statement and to continue such action on a regular basis against such things as homophobia, racism, discrimnation. I am quite aware of what I need to do as an activist but if you wish to dress up like Iris. . . hey do your thing, I'll have some peaches and cream waiting for you at the end of the line!

[mickyk200]

Stand up for Gay Rights!
I would but people would think I was gay lol

[Seabird]

Comrade Ryan mo chara,

It has been a while since you have graced me with your presence.:icon_lol:

It's not a slight on protestants its a bit of satire based on a reactionary bigot at the heart of the Six-County adminstration.

I agree but imo it will accomplish nothing but a good time for the ones in the parade.

With people like this is 'power'...dear oh dear.

I agree, what a bitter b!tch she is indeed and she calls herself a "born again Christian", that is like calling cannibuls vegitarians.

You cannot shy away from confronting the issues raised by Robinson because someone might do something.

I am not shying away, I just feel that this not the answer there is a better way to handle people like her, closing the lines of communications is not one.

You cannot 'mend bridges' by not confronting reactionary b
igots like Iris Robinson.

You are right but a person dress like Iris in a gay pride parade is not confrontational.

The days of people keeping their heads down are well past.

I of all people do not shy away from confrontation, I meet mine head on all the time. A few people can attest to that. I would NEVER ask anyone to shy away. There is a better way to deal with the issues.

Having said that, some of the gay pride stuff has went down hill. For soem its turned into an excuse to be graphically explicit about their sexuality, complete with revealing outfits, rubber penises, etc.

Not exactly the type of thing for an afternoon stroll in the city centre, nor something you could bring the family to in support of Gay Rights and safety.

Exactly thus my reasons for the original post. People like Iris need to be confronted in a different manner and the parade will only further instill in her sick mind that gay people are an abomination.

[Emiliano Zapata]

I agree, what a bitter b!tch she is indeed and she calls herself a "born again Christian", that is like calling cannibuls vegitarians.


Um not at all her, messed up ideas on sexuality are directly inline with biblical teachings.:)

[fergal]

i don't believe its possible to change the beliefs of people like iris robbinson. she is too stuck in her beliefs. getting all of ireland laughing at her with a load of gay people dressed as her parading round belfast would be whats best IMO. she may not change her views on gay people but she may think twice before saying what she believes publicly again.
what way do you think she should be confronted seabird?

[Seán1798]

Um not at all her, messed up ideas on sexuality are directly inline with biblical teachings.:)

Exactly. How sad to see the Christians deflecting the shít they deserve onto a poor retarded woman who was brainwashed by them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LACyLTsH4ac&feature=related

[Emiliano Zapata]

Exactly. How sad to see the Christians deflecting the shít they deserve onto a poor retarded woman who was brainwashed by them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LACyLTsH4ac&feature=related

These people need to be locked up for child abuse. No joke.

[mickyk200]

These people need to be locked up for child abuse. No joke.
That's fundamentalist Christianity.
That's basically the Christian equivalent of an Al Queida youth club...

In the words of Billy Connolly
"Religion is over, you've had 2000 years; you've f*cked it. That's it lads, it's OVEEERR!!"

[Emiliano Zapata]

That's fundamentalist Christianity.


I call them true christians.

Oh and even so called moderate christians indoctrinate their children, it isn't something only found within fundamentalist circles.

[mickyk200]

I call them true christians.

Oh and even so called moderate christians indoctrinate their children, it isn't something only found within fundamentalist circles.
I find this bazaar , many of my friends are from outside the catholic church.
For instance, a faction of new born Christians who seem to direct themselves at youths from both communities. With success, when they do get a hold of one they are serious God-squaders by the time they are done.

Now, the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist churches here mustn't get a whole lot of indoctrination in these days if it was so easy to convert a moderate protestant or catholic into an extreme new-born Christian.

My point being, this indoctrination may have existed 50 years ago to some extend, but now, if people are serious fans of Jesus, that's because they chose to be. As Irish republicans, a left wing movement we have to tolerate people's choices....even if we believe they are the wrong ones.

[peonyrose]

i don't believe its possible to change the beliefs of people like iris robbinson. she is too stuck in her beliefs. getting all of ireland laughing at her with a load of gay people dressed as her parading round belfast would be whats best IMO. she may not change her views on gay people but she may think twice before saying what she believes publicly again.

This is exactly what I think. Make her an object of ridicule.

The other thing for me is that MLAs like Martina Anderson have come out with supportive statements but ridiculing Iris in the Gay Pride Festival would be an opportunity for gays to make a public statement about what they think, in a different way from a press release.

Only if they want to.

[peonyrose]

I call them true christians.

Oh and even so called moderate christians indoctrinate their children, it isn't something only found within fundamentalist circles.

We have World Youth Day here at the moment, which maybe should be renamed Young Catholic Youth Day. The Pope, truckloads of religious orders and hundreds of thousands of young catholics from around the world.

I walked through a mob of them yesterday. The Pope had made a statement encouraging young people to find a religious vocation. The way that some of the nuns were hanging and stirring up around young starry eyed girls reminded me of pedophilia. It wasn't sexual, but they wanted these young people, and it didn't look healthy.

[Comrade Ryan]

Comrade Ryan mo chara,

It has been a while since you have graced me with your presence.:icon_lol:



I agree but imo it will accomplish nothing but a good time for the ones in the parade.



I agree, what a bitter b!tch she is indeed and she calls herself a "born again Christian", that is like calling cannibuls vegitarians.



I am not shying away, I just feel that this not the answer there is a better way to handle people like her, closing the lines of communications is not one.



You are right but a person dress like Iris in a gay pride parade is not confrontational.



I of all people do not shy away from confrontation, I meet mine head on all the time. A few people can attest to that. I would NEVER ask anyone to shy away. There is a better way to deal with the issues.



Exactly thus my reasons for the original post. People like Iris need to be confronted in a different manner and the parade will only further instill in her sick mind that gay people are an abomination.

I disagree but fair enough.

[FreeAndStrong]

I am truly taken back by this seculatory response. So I am fearful, weak and running away? Did you bother to ask if I had an agenda or did you just assume?

I would respond to your claim that I made a “seculatory” response. However, none of the major dictionaries have a definition of the word. Happy for you to let me know what it means.

I don’t know if you have an agenda. I didn’t claim you did. I am responding to your criticism of people who suggest taking up-front action to counter the prejudice demonstrated by Robinson.

Do not talk to me like I am an idiot, I know exactly what anti-gay sentiment is and the results that it produce.

It is not for me to decide whether or not you are an idiot.

Showing gay pride is not running through city center mocking Iris nor does it attack her stance or is it taking a stand.

Its up to those who participate in the parade to decide how they will counteract the anti-homosexual pronouncements by those in positions of power. It is presumptuous for you to make pronouncements about what gay people should or shouldn’t do.

Confronting homophobia IMO would be a huge march in town in solidarity with our gay comrades protesting Iris's statement and to continue such action on a regular basis against such things as homophobia, racism, discrimnation.

This seems on the surface to be supportive. However, why should confronting homophobia (and Robinson’s statement in particular) be contingent on a broader demonstration involving non-gay issues?

I would have thought that a gay pride march would be an ideal opportunity to expose Robinson’s homophobia and have some anti-establishment fun at the same time.