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TRANS VISIBILITY NOW

Being visible to me means being seen and noticed, and the degree to which we trans people are seen in our communities is important.

Tina Kolos Orban, CEO of TENI

Social invisibility often makes us feel neglected and disconnected. As a non-binary person myself, I’ve always felt that. On March 31, Trans Day of Visibility, we celebrate ourselves, the trans community, and our contributions to society. The day was designated to create visibility for our existence as our full selves.

Being trans is often pictured as difficult or as a hardship. It is rarely portrayed as something that can be fun or joyful. We enjoy our lives and want to be seen because we do exist , and nobody should have to hide who they are. Our lives, trans lives, are to be celebrated just like everybody else’s.

Trans visibility is not about just having a gender identity or expressing our gender, it is about being our authentic selves in our communities. All of us in and outside Ireland deserve to be seen and respected as our true and authentic selves.

Not all trans people have access to positive, safe visibility. The phrase ‘Recognition, Care and Protection for All’ will mean various things to trans and non-binary people. Recognition is when a trans person’s documentation reflects their true name and gender. Recognition is also when our genders are recognised by our friends and family.

Care means that trans and non-binary people have access to services designed with trans people which are accessible and supportive. Protection is where there are measures in place to prevent and address discrimination. Protection means that trans people can live lives free from violence. The world is unjust and requires resilience for survival. With Recognition, Care and Protection, trans people may need less resilience and be more able to thrive.

To move forward, we must know where we have come from. We must learn from our history and build on our progress. Trans history has been invisible in Ireland and across the world. In 2015, Irish Trans Activists fought and achieved gender recognition legislation built on autonomy and self-determination. TENI continues to be responsible for building on that legacy.

When I arrived in Ireland in April 2022, my vision was to serve the Irish trans community and increase visibility. We have a lot still to do to achieve that vision. I see great things happening, with many positive steps toward a better society and many of us standing together for trans people. However, at the same time, we lack adequate healthcare, and there is no recognition for our young and non-binary community members. Our very existence is under constant attack. Our loved ones are not safe. It is time for all allies of the trans community to speak up and show their support.

I have a 15-year history of working on trans issues, and I have travelled the world to work with many trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse people. I have heard so many compelling life stories. We laughed a lot and enjoyed our time together. I have learned a lot about survival, experienced unusual amounts of happiness and joy and felt incredible togetherness often.

No matter where we came from, we were connected. We could clearly see each other. I often had to reflect on my privileges and listen carefully to see hope in hopelessness. My journey brought me to Ireland to serve and be humbled. I am amazed by the power of my community, my staff’s commitment, my board’s support, and the ever-growing membership of TENI.

The trans community is vibrant and comes from all walks of life with many identities. If I am talking to a young person, their parents, a group of migrants or a sex worker, I see the person in all their complexity. Our lives are always worth being seen and celebrated with joy and hope. I always have a responsibility to use my privileges and visibility to create space and opportunity to show each of our lives is to be celebrated.

I am here to be visible, in the spotlight, be seen and heard, bring the Irish trans community together and invite our allies to join us and see us as we are. Fragile, diverse, strong and real.

We may face rejection and ignorance not of our own making. Still, resilience is possible, learnable, and within reach for our beautiful community. Come out and show your support. Share positive stories and celebrate the lives of trans people around you. Whether that celebration is supporting with a smile, a friendly word or standing up in solidarity, your support can change trans lives for the better.

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FROM THE TEAM
Welcome, dear reader, to the February/March edition of GCN, and it’s a momentous one for yours truly!
AN INTRODUCTION
Way back in 1999, I was sitting with a friend in a queer bar in London. Two weeks previously, a nail bomb had gone off in the gay bar, the Admiral Duncan, killing three people.
How you present obviously affects how people perceive you, but more importantly, it can affect how you perceive yourself. Alice Linehan shares the impact a simple haircut had on her identity.
Throughout most of my life, ‘butch’ had been a dirty word. Alice Linehan shares the impact a simple haircut had on her identity.
Inside SLM
Ireland’s Sexual Liberation Movement started as an undercover meeting between ten Trinity College students in the final months of 1973.
Over the last year, we embarked on a project to determine people’s attitudes to age and ageing in the queer community.
What do people consider to be old? Have they thought about old age? Should there be specific supports for the LGBTQ+ community as we all age?
Lessons in Love
Not allowing society to dictate her life or how she loves, Nicole Lee shares how a queer platonic relationship has helped both her and her partner to grow.
First Ireland >>> Then the World
HIV activists Robbie Lawlor and (drag sensation) Veda Lady have become champions within the HIV community in Ireland. Brian Dillon spoke to the pair before they jetted off to World Pride in Sydney.
DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES
According to lesbian activist Izzy Kamikaze, not finding your place within your own community has been an issue. But the recent rise of LGBTQ+ Women’s nights has suggested a potential for change.
Journey of Self
Pradeep Mahadeshwar, co-founder of Queer Asian Pride Ireland (QAPI), details the experiences of a queer woman of Iranian descent who has made a life in Ireland.
PLEASURE THROUGH IMAGINATION
Overly regulated, often proscribed, constantly censured, sex has always been bound by taboos. Beatrice Fannucci peers into the freedom of erotic fantasies.
Another Milestone Birthday
With 2023 marking 35 years of existence for GCN, Tonie Walsh looks back at its early beginnings and celebrates the magazine’s part in the monumental progress LGBTQ+ people have made in Ireland.
Declan
On March 19, 1983, a large scale protest made its way to Fairview Park in outrage at the release of Declan Flynn’s killers. Considered the birth of the modern Dublin Pride movement, we mark the 40th anniversary of that march by reprinting a powerful article by Ger Philpott in GCN Issue 343
ICONSONLY
It would be rare to grow up in Ireland unaware of St Brigid. With this year being the first bank holiday in her honour, Alice Linehan does some digging on a saint who was more connected to the LGBTQ+ community than you may have thought
Out of the Closet
Take it from someone who’s known he was gay since birth: clothing is a manifesto. With that in mind, Damian Kerlin spoke to designers on the links between queer people and fashion.
BLOODIED BEAUTY
A stunning new documentary by Laura Poitras capturing the battle between Nan Goldin and the billionaire Sackler family who are widely blamed for sparking the opioid crisis has reached Irish screens. Han Tiernan takes a closer look at an unmissable work of art about the work of an artist
Directory
Listings, organisations, and supports.
Directory
Listings, organisations, and supports.
Next of Kin
For many LGBTQ+ people, family in all its forms has been an issue both positive and negative. With big changes about to happen in Irish Family Law, there was no better time for Rita Wild to speak to Suzy Byrne
TRANS VISIBILITY NOW
Being visible to me means being seen and noticed, and the degree to which we trans people are seen in our communities is important.
Looking for back issues?
Browse the Archive >

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