GCN
389
In this edition
FROM THE TEAM
Welcome to GCN’s third annual Sex Issue. This time around
GCN TEAM
It’s the Sex Issue, so this month we asked some of the What’s your favourite sex scene from the movies or television?
Sex across the spectrum
I WAS BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY IN MY LEGS AND WALK WITH CRUTCHES. I KIND OF FELL INTO BEING AN ACTIVIST BUT I DO IT BECAUSE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THERE WAS NO ONE DISABLED I COULD REALLY LOOK UP TO IN THE COMMUNITY
The leather scene as a muslim person of colour
I WAS BORN IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS VERY CONSERVATIVE. I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THE EDGIER KIND OF STUFF, EVENTUALLY, I FELL INTO THE LEATHER WORLD. I COMPETED IN MR LONG BEACH AND WON. FROM THERE I COMPETED IN NATIONAL MR LEATHER AND I WAS THE FIRST PAKISTANI AMERICAN TO DO SO. SINCE THEN, I’VE SPOKEN AT DIFFERENT CONFERENCES TRYING TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF EMPOWERMENT
The hook up scene for trans people
FEELING GOOD ABOUT OUR BODIES, HAVING GOOD SEX, AND OWNING OUR PLEASURE REQUIRES FEELING COMFORTABLE FIRST; COMFORTABLE IN OURSELVES, COMFORTABLE WITH WHOEVER WE’RE WITH, COMFORTABLE WITH THE SEX WE’RE HAVING. THOSE THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS EASY TO COME BY AS A TRANS PERSON NAVIGATING THIS WORLD
Building a place of Memory
As we approach the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day, and take a moment to acknowledge almost 35 years of HIV/AIDS activism in Ireland, it’s also time to critically acknowledge how we negotiated what I call ‘the war’ - our experience of the AIDS pandemic in Ireland
ACT UP ACT NOW!
ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the HIV/AIDS crisis. Photograph by Stephen Moloney
THE BOOK GUY
What’s keeping Stephen Boylan up at night this month?
If you like this, you might also like…
Author of 2013’s much-admired The Panopticon, Jenni Fagan’s latest is
modern anthem 012 Charting The Songs We Love So Well
Sometimes when a new band arrives on the scene, their success is partly because they understand the power of knowing their music history. When the Scissor Sisters began their European chart dominance with ‘Take Your Mama’, that much soon became clear to their legions of fans. An unapologetically queer five-piece formed out of the underground electroclash New York music scene, Scissor Sisters emerged at a time when interchangeable indie bands and slick American R&B were the main players on the charts
The Verdict
With an eight year gap between album releases, Robyn’s Honey
The Life of the Party
“It’s very much the ‘aſter party’ scene. The word chemsex is a dirty word. It’s not a word that, definitely in Dublin, or Ireland, we’re comfortable using here.” Adam Shanley, outreach worker with the Gay Men’s Health Service (GMHS) and manager of Know Now, the rapid HIV testing service, speaks with Stephen Moloney about men having sex with men on drugs
A PrEP in the right direction
Prior to December 2017 the only way people in Ireland had access to PrEP (Pre Exposure Prophylaxis) was to bring it with them physically across the border, or risk ordering it in the post and potentially having it seized by the HPRA
Seeking Sanctuary
Five years ago, Ernest Slickus arrived in Ireland from Lithuania, hoping to build a better life but found himself being hunted by a criminal gang. He speaks to Aoife Moriarty about his experiences and how another migrant helped him to come out. Photograph by Hazel Coonagh
Re—building the future
“Queerness is not here yet” writes Joe Esteban Munoz in Cruising Utopia, “Queerness is an ideality.” According to the theorist, the aesthetic provides a blueprint of the worlds proposed and promised by queerness. For many young people who stumbled across Wolfgang Tillmans’ photography in magazines, books or galleries, it offered just that, a portal into another world. Here he speaks to Róisín McVeigh
EVVOLUTION
With their groundbreaking video for their single ‘Release Me’, Evvol proclaims the beauty and authenticity of queer intimacy. They speak to Katie Donohoe about the under-representation of queer women in media and how they looked to remedy it
Human Relations
As broad as the spectrum of our community is, equally as wide ranging can be the different types of romantic and sexual relationships we enjoy. Peter Dunne speaks to different couples about their relationships and why they work for them
What’s in a name?
Created in honour and remembrance of those who died in Ireland from AIDS and HIV related illnesses, each panel on the Irish Names Quilt represents a life lost too soon. Sections of the quilt will be hung at GCN’s event to mark 30 years of World AIDS Day - ‘Panti Bliss & Professor Mulcahy in conversation: The Legacy of AIDS Activism in Ireland’. Mary Shannon, the custodian of the quilt, will also be on hand. Here she speaks to Peter Dunne about its history. Photos by Brian Teeling
30 Years; 30 Moments
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day, here are some notable moments in the battle against HIV and AIDS in Ireland. Considering the huge amount of work being done by the community, activists, charities and researchers amongst others, the list is obviously far from exhaustive but gives a flavour of the long fight. With thanks to HIV Ireland, ACT UP and Positive Now for advice and images
In the KNOW
Offering free, confidential, rapid HIV testing, KnowNow can be accessed in bars, clubs, saunas and community centres across the country. These peer-led, non-clinical sessions deliver results within 60 seconds, thereby eliminating the stress and waiting-times you might find in a doctor’s office. Sarah McKenna Barry sat down with some of the volunteers who make the service possible
TENI
Every year, the Dublin Bus Community Spirit Initiative awards voluntary
‘Tis The Season
Start your Christmas celebrations on a musical note, as a
Galway
Our friends at AIDS West will hold their annual World
INSIDE OUT
Winner of the Time Out Performer of the Year in 2010, queer writer and artist Scottee has created challenging works across theatre, fine art and installation. His latest piece Fat Blokes challenges the desexualisation of fat people. Photograph by Brian Teeling
Shirley’s Burn Book
Tyson McConnell ‘placed himself’ in a fingerless glove and
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FROM THE TEAM

Welcome to GCN’s third annual Sex Issue. This time around we wanted to focus on sex positivity, body positivity and nonjudgmental views on diverse relationships. All the good stuff, basically. We made sure the community got to have their say too, with more interviews and opinion pieces than you could shake a dildo at.

Our cover this month was shot by the fantastic Hazel Coonagh and modelled by folk from our community, so kudos to them for baring all!

In this edition, with our very own Peter Dunne in the editor’s chair, we’ve documented the national treasure that is the Irish Names Quilt with the help of photographer Brian Teeling and the cooperation of another national treasure - Mary Shannon. Stephen Moloney reports on the after party scene in Dublin and speaks to Adam Shanley, the manager of Know Now.

Roísín McVeigh interviews iconic photographer Wolfgang Tillmans about his new exhibition while the shimmering Evvol talk to Katie Donohoe about showcasing lesbian intimacy in the video for their single, ‘Release Me’.

We take the opportunity to highlight the women in the direct action group, ACT UP, and the volunteers without whom KnowNow couldn’t happen. We also speak to people enjoying diverse ranges of relationships who tell us how it works for them.

GCN’s Sex Issue is released annually in advance of and to honour World AIDS Day on December 1. This year, as GCN celebrates 30 years publishing in Ireland, World AIDS Day also celebrates its 30th anniversary as an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the spread of the infection and mourning those we lost before their time.

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is ‘Know Your Status’. While UNAIDS reports that three in four people living with HIV know their status, there is still a lot to be done. This includes reaching those who do not know their status and linking them to quality care and prevention services.

While some may blanch at such a heavy leaning on AIDS and HIV related content for a Sex Issue which aims to focus on ‘sexy’ topics such as sex positivity, we would respond- isn’t knowing your status sexy? Isn’t taking responsibility for the sex you have, for the partner you have that sex with, sexy? Respect is sexy. Not just towards the person you are having that (hopefully) great sex with, but also respect for yourself. What better way to show that respect than by knowing your status?

This month, spend as much time as you can out of the cold having as much great sex as you choose to. But why not make sure you ‘Know Your Status’ first.

THE GCN TEAM

Our regular editor, Brian Finnegan, is out on leave.

GCN TEAM
It’s the Sex Issue, so this month we asked some of the What’s your favourite sex scene from the movies or television?
Go to Next Article >
GCN TEAM
It’s the Sex Issue, so this month we asked some of the What’s your favourite sex scene from the movies or television?
Go to Next Article >
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348
Go to Page View
FROM THE TEAM
Welcome to GCN’s third annual Sex Issue. This time around
GCN TEAM
It’s the Sex Issue, so this month we asked some of the What’s your favourite sex scene from the movies or television?
Sex across the spectrum
I WAS BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY IN MY LEGS AND WALK WITH CRUTCHES. I KIND OF FELL INTO BEING AN ACTIVIST BUT I DO IT BECAUSE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THERE WAS NO ONE DISABLED I COULD REALLY LOOK UP TO IN THE COMMUNITY
The leather scene as a muslim person of colour
I WAS BORN IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS VERY CONSERVATIVE. I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THE EDGIER KIND OF STUFF, EVENTUALLY, I FELL INTO THE LEATHER WORLD. I COMPETED IN MR LONG BEACH AND WON. FROM THERE I COMPETED IN NATIONAL MR LEATHER AND I WAS THE FIRST PAKISTANI AMERICAN TO DO SO. SINCE THEN, I’VE SPOKEN AT DIFFERENT CONFERENCES TRYING TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF EMPOWERMENT
The hook up scene for trans people
FEELING GOOD ABOUT OUR BODIES, HAVING GOOD SEX, AND OWNING OUR PLEASURE REQUIRES FEELING COMFORTABLE FIRST; COMFORTABLE IN OURSELVES, COMFORTABLE WITH WHOEVER WE’RE WITH, COMFORTABLE WITH THE SEX WE’RE HAVING. THOSE THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS EASY TO COME BY AS A TRANS PERSON NAVIGATING THIS WORLD
Building a place of Memory
As we approach the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day, and take a moment to acknowledge almost 35 years of HIV/AIDS activism in Ireland, it’s also time to critically acknowledge how we negotiated what I call ‘the war’ - our experience of the AIDS pandemic in Ireland
ACT UP ACT NOW!
ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the HIV/AIDS crisis. Photograph by Stephen Moloney
THE BOOK GUY
What’s keeping Stephen Boylan up at night this month?
If you like this, you might also like…
Author of 2013’s much-admired The Panopticon, Jenni Fagan’s latest is
modern anthem 012 Charting The Songs We Love So Well
Sometimes when a new band arrives on the scene, their success is partly because they understand the power of knowing their music history. When the Scissor Sisters began their European chart dominance with ‘Take Your Mama’, that much soon became clear to their legions of fans. An unapologetically queer five-piece formed out of the underground electroclash New York music scene, Scissor Sisters emerged at a time when interchangeable indie bands and slick American R&B were the main players on the charts
The Verdict
With an eight year gap between album releases, Robyn’s Honey
The Life of the Party
“It’s very much the ‘aſter party’ scene. The word chemsex is a dirty word. It’s not a word that, definitely in Dublin, or Ireland, we’re comfortable using here.” Adam Shanley, outreach worker with the Gay Men’s Health Service (GMHS) and manager of Know Now, the rapid HIV testing service, speaks with Stephen Moloney about men having sex with men on drugs
A PrEP in the right direction
Prior to December 2017 the only way people in Ireland had access to PrEP (Pre Exposure Prophylaxis) was to bring it with them physically across the border, or risk ordering it in the post and potentially having it seized by the HPRA
Seeking Sanctuary
Five years ago, Ernest Slickus arrived in Ireland from Lithuania, hoping to build a better life but found himself being hunted by a criminal gang. He speaks to Aoife Moriarty about his experiences and how another migrant helped him to come out. Photograph by Hazel Coonagh
Re—building the future
“Queerness is not here yet” writes Joe Esteban Munoz in Cruising Utopia, “Queerness is an ideality.” According to the theorist, the aesthetic provides a blueprint of the worlds proposed and promised by queerness. For many young people who stumbled across Wolfgang Tillmans’ photography in magazines, books or galleries, it offered just that, a portal into another world. Here he speaks to Róisín McVeigh
EVVOLUTION
With their groundbreaking video for their single ‘Release Me’, Evvol proclaims the beauty and authenticity of queer intimacy. They speak to Katie Donohoe about the under-representation of queer women in media and how they looked to remedy it
Human Relations
As broad as the spectrum of our community is, equally as wide ranging can be the different types of romantic and sexual relationships we enjoy. Peter Dunne speaks to different couples about their relationships and why they work for them
What’s in a name?
Created in honour and remembrance of those who died in Ireland from AIDS and HIV related illnesses, each panel on the Irish Names Quilt represents a life lost too soon. Sections of the quilt will be hung at GCN’s event to mark 30 years of World AIDS Day - ‘Panti Bliss & Professor Mulcahy in conversation: The Legacy of AIDS Activism in Ireland’. Mary Shannon, the custodian of the quilt, will also be on hand. Here she speaks to Peter Dunne about its history. Photos by Brian Teeling
30 Years; 30 Moments
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day, here are some notable moments in the battle against HIV and AIDS in Ireland. Considering the huge amount of work being done by the community, activists, charities and researchers amongst others, the list is obviously far from exhaustive but gives a flavour of the long fight. With thanks to HIV Ireland, ACT UP and Positive Now for advice and images
In the KNOW
Offering free, confidential, rapid HIV testing, KnowNow can be accessed in bars, clubs, saunas and community centres across the country. These peer-led, non-clinical sessions deliver results within 60 seconds, thereby eliminating the stress and waiting-times you might find in a doctor’s office. Sarah McKenna Barry sat down with some of the volunteers who make the service possible
TENI
Every year, the Dublin Bus Community Spirit Initiative awards voluntary
‘Tis The Season
Start your Christmas celebrations on a musical note, as a
Galway
Our friends at AIDS West will hold their annual World
INSIDE OUT
Winner of the Time Out Performer of the Year in 2010, queer writer and artist Scottee has created challenging works across theatre, fine art and installation. His latest piece Fat Blokes challenges the desexualisation of fat people. Photograph by Brian Teeling
Shirley’s Burn Book
Tyson McConnell ‘placed himself’ in a fingerless glove and
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