Opinion: Pride may be about celebration, but it also highlights the inequalities, injustices and discrimination still faced by LGBTQ people
By Clodagh O'Sullivan, Maggie O'Sullivan and Adel Coleman, UCC
The Pride movement started as a protest, and it still is one. Many see the rainbow flags and celebrations, but are unaware of the inequalities, injustices and discrimination that are faced by LGBT+ people both in Ireland and worldwide.
Ireland was the first country worldwide to legalise gay marriage by popular vote, but members of the LGBTQ+ community here and worldwide continue to face inequality, discrimination, hate and violence on a regular basis. Incidents of extreme injustices and violence are increasing globally and Ireland is by no means a haven, ranking 54% on the ILGA Rainbow Europe Map and Index.
Garda statistics show an almost 30% increase in reported hate crimes from 2021 to 2022. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are the second most targeted group following racist attacks, accounting for 22% of all hate crimes. This has led to calls for the Government, An Garda Síochána, social media platforms, and society to act now to reduce the occurrence of harmful hate crimes.
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From RTÉ 2fm's Jennifer Zamparelli Show, Matt Kennedy from Belong To on how to help young members of the LGBTQ+ community
A recent report from national LGBTQ+ youth organisation Belong To found that 76% of LGBTQ+ youth feel unsafe at school. According to the LGBTIreland Report, LGBTQ+ youth were found to have twice the level of self-harm, three times the level of attempted suicide, and four times the level of severe stress, anxiety, and depression, when compared to their peers. Globally, LGBTQ+ youth were found to have 3.5 times higher level of attempted suicide, with trans youth having 5.87 times the higher level of attempted suicide, in comparison to their peers.
There is growing anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric worldwide, with recent developments in the United States making headlines. From July 2023, new legislation in Florida will allow doctors to deny medical treatment to LGBTQ+ people based on their own personal beliefs, while drag shows, a quintessential part of gay culture, are being banned in many states. In Poland, many towns have declared themselves ‘LGBT free zones’ in recent years. This has led to a number of towns in other countries cutting their twinning agreements in protest, including Fermoy in Co Cork.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, social historian and archivist Tonie Walsh on some of the landmark moments of LGBTQ Pride in Ireland
The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals are badged as ‘an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership’. However, there is a stark and worrying omission of a call for LGBTQ+ equality as well as a call to end homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic violence. Where many other marginalised groups are named, LGBTQ+ people are not. The language of the SDGs is vague enough that LGBTQ+ people may be included under the ‘other’ groups, and in the call to leave no one behind.
The omission is due to some 70 UN member states who legally discriminate against and/or criminalise LGBTQ+ people, with several countries imposing the death penalty. However, by excluding LGBTQ+ people from the SDGs, it implies that discrimination, criminalisation, and violence against LGBTQ+ is somehow tolerable.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, listeners discuss recent attacks on the Irish LGBTQ community
During Pride month, many companies and organisations will emblazon their branding with rainbows and pride flags but be aware of ‘pinkwashing’. This is the widespread practice of attempting to benefit from purported support for LGBTQ+ rights, often as a way to profit or to distract from a separate agenda. Instead, look for companies that actively support LGBTQ+ people. This could be by the implementation of quality equality diversity and inclusion strategies in the workplace, not support anti-LGBTQ+ countries when it comes to where they source their products or selling Pride products to raise money for Pride organisations, rather than to profit themselves
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, and integrity. It is essential to be an effective and proud ally to the LGBTQ+ community if there is any hope of removing the barriers that exist in society, workplaces, and education, thus creating a safer, more inclusive, and equal Ireland for all. On a global scale, we must lead by example, harness our core attributes and values, and educate ourselves to recognise and challenge inequality.
Be part of the Pride protest. Become an ally and check out resources like the recently launched UCC Proud Ally Student Network hub with information on how you can play your part in being an effective ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
Clodagh O'Sullivan is Graduate Attributes Programme Officer at UCC. Maggie O'Sullivan is Graduate Attributes Programme Officer at UCC. Adel Coleman is Graduate Attributes Programme Manager at UCC.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
