RTÉ weather and continuity presenter Trevor Keegan can vividly remember "the joy of finding" his community as a younger gay man.
"I used to go to a place called The Chocolate Bar, which used to be in The Pod, which used to be up near kind of Camden Street direction", he tells me. "And I just remember going there and going, oh, my gosh, there are other people like me in the world, and I come from a little rural part of Wicklow.
"It was more the joy of knowing that, oh, my God, I'm okay. I'm normal. These are normal people. This is normal. This is fine."
"Stepping into adulthood", he says, is the focus of his newest series of Out & Proud, which returns to RTÉ Radio 1 tonight
In this second series of the show, self-proclaimed "elder lemon" Keegan and guests explore the experience of hitting various life milestones in the LGBTQIA+ community, savouring the highs, tackling the challenges and celebrating the importance of community at every stage.
Along the way, he'll take an STI test in real time to spread awareness about sexual health for people of all sexual orientations, speak to younger and older queer people about finding their tribe.
"We're also talking about old age, because when you get older, particularly a certain generation now, they might have lived a lot of their lives out, but if they were going into a care setting, would they have to go back into the closet?"
Meeting milestones is another key area in the show, and specifically how they've shifted in the queer community in recent years. Milestones that seemed unlikely now are much more possible and abundant. "When I was 18, I know I wasn't comfortable with myself. I wasn't sure who I was, what I was, and I certainly wouldn't have been okay going to a prom with a guy", Keegan says.
"If my debs is coming up now, I would love the chance to do it and have that opportunity." He adds that the younger queer people he speaks to on the show are leading by example: One 18-year-old guest who embraces fashion as a means of expression, "is teaching the 28-year-old who's teaching me, who's 48. You kind of go, I need to own this more than I've probably done before.
"If you said to me 10 years ago, oh, would you present that show? I would have gone, oh, God, no, I don't want to be labelled as the gay presenter. Now, I'm confident to go, I don't care who thinks badly of me for doing it in the community."
Parenthood is another life stage that more LGBTQIA+ people are getting to experience, Keegan says.
"I'm only 48, but, like, a lot of my generation wouldn't necessarily have thought about parenthood. But, you know, I have a friend now who's a single gay guy, and he's become a foster parent. And I think we were all fearful for him because the lifestyle changes, because I think we kind of went, oh, my God, you're going to be a single parent, basically. And it has been one of the most beautiful things I have seen in a very long time."
Of course, despite being the first country to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote, there will always be "naysayers" and "keyboard warriors" who will spread hatred, Keegan says. But, he adds, "I'd be more questioning what's wrong with them".
"I think, you know, why are you so obsessed with what other people's lives? And it's not just for the queer community, it's for issues in general in life. I go, why are we all obsessed with each other's lives? Why can't we just live and let live? It is a little bit idealistic of me, but I'm kind of going, why?"
Speaking to me after a celebratory Pride weekend in Dublin, one that arguably carried more weight in light of the increase in reported incidents of harassment and violence against LGBTQI+ people, Keegan was decidedly optimistic about where Ireland is going when it comes to acceptance and diversity.
"I think overall, it's still a good country and we've come so far", he said. "I would still generally feel safe, but I think no more than, say, you know, a female going out on a night out. You probably are aware of where you are. You should be aware of your surroundings. It's general safety, nearly, and common sense.
That said, Keegan stresses that the annual parade is "not just a celebration, but a protest". "We still have issues with trans healthcare. Women obviously, still in this world, have rights to get to and a fair and equitable society all round.
"Despite the celebration of the community, we still have protesting to do and we still have rights to fight for."
Out & Proud is a six part series that will air on RTÉ Radio 1 at 10pm on Tuesdays from July 2nd. Listen back here.
