Adam Long

OPINION:

LGBT+ Rights in Ireland

As the Dáil grinds back into gear, there are pressing issues that need to be addressed.

Ireland has made significant strides on LGBT+ issues in recent years. However, the current global prominence of ugly reactionary forces, from the Trump White House to Putin’s Russia and beyond, should serve as a warning that progress cannot be taken for granted. Rather, we need to consolidate our hard-won gains and build upon them, and in doing so, help establish a broader solidarity with the liberal progressive values under assault from what, in many instances, is simply prejudice masquerading as ‘populism’.

There are a number of LGBT+ related legislative initiatives currently before the Oireachtas and where we need to see progress. One of the key issues is the need for comprehensive hate crimes legislation, which was identified as the leading LGBT political priority in last year’s Burning Issues 2 survey. Remarkably, Ireland remains one of the few western democracies without such legislation. A Hate Crimes Bill has been proposed by Fianna Fáil TD, Fiona O’Loughlin, which has received input from a diverse range of civil society groups. It now needs to find its way to the statute books.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on LGBT+ issues, Senator Fintan Warfield, is proposing amendments to the Gender Recognition Act to improve the rights of trans youth in particular. He is also due to bring before the Oireachtas legislation to prohibit so-called ‘gay cure therapy’ – an abhorrent and abusive practice that has been condemned by all reputable medical organisations.

Labour Senators Ged Nash and Ivana Bacik have formulated what has become known as the ‘Gay Apology Bill’. This would provide for an official state apology for the homophobic persecution that was enabled under laws that criminalised gay people in Ireland until 1993. Some other countries have offered ‘pardons’ to men with historical convictions for such ‘crimes’. However, this fails to fully recognise the inherently unjust nature of these laws. A clear and unambiguous apology is required.

Finally, Children’s Minister and staunch LGBT+ equality advocate Katherine Zappone is overseeing the LGBTI+ Youth Strategy, which aims to ensure LGBT young people can prosper in the absence of stigma and discrimination.

The (painfully slow) school patronage divestment process is a linked issue in many respects. As long as religious ‘ethos’ can be all too easily invoked to frustrate progress around the likes of LGBT+ inclusive sex education or anti-bullying initiatives, LGBT+ youth will continue to be short-changed by the system.