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The Next Chapter

The NXF and GCN are proud to announce Alice Linehan as the magazine’s new Editor. Upon assuming the role, Alice shares what the appointment means for her and her hopes for the future of Ireland’s national LGBTQ+ press.

On April 3, 2020, I sent an email to GCN expressing my “extreme” interest in volunteering with the team. I said I had wanted to get involved with an LGBTQ+ organisation for some time, and with my background in media, I believed it’d be a perfect fit. As a bright-eyed student preparing to graduate, I was not one to sell myself short. I outlined my experience in video, photography, social media and more, but failed to mention that I had rarely been drawn to the art of writing. In fact, I did the exact opposite and made it sound like it was something I was totally interested and skilled in. This was despite having penned perhaps one article in my life.

“I would really love to get involved, especially during this period where I have extra time to lend a helping hand,” I expressed. It was the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and truthfully, I saw volunteering with GCN as a way to keep busy. I believed it would be relatively temporary and noncommittal, and that my disinterest in writing would ultimately be reinforced.

A month and two days later, on May 5, I had my first byline on gcn.ie. I had written a news story about DCU LGBTA being crowned ‘Best Society’ at the university’s annual Clubs and Socs awards. Another month passed and inspiration struck again; I submitted a second piece, highlighting the queer characters among the BAFTA 2020 nominees.

Then, opportunities outside GCN piqued my interest. It wouldn’t be until January 2021 that I got in touch with the team again, and thankfully, they welcomed me back. It just so happened that they were about to train up a new group of volunteers and I was invited to join the cohort. I remember being quite nervous in anticipation of the Zoom, worried about what I was getting myself into. This was at a time when I wasn’t entirely comfortable in my queerness. I was out to most of the people in my life, but to be openly involved in an LGBTQ+ organisation felt like an intimidating step. Even so, I pushed through, joined the call, and as they say, the rest is history.

It’s been over four years since I hit send on that first email, and a lot has changed. While I joined GCN simply searching for a productive way to occupy my time, what I found was so much more. GCN is not just a nine-to-five for me, but a lifelong passion, home and family. I can confidently say I would not be who I am today without it, and it has helped me grow both professionally and personally in ways I will forever be grateful for.

As I take my next step within GCN as Editor, I aspire to continue the incredible work that has been done by those before me. Since 1988, the magazine has been recording the triumphs and tribulations of the Irish and global LGBTQ+ community. From decriminalisation, marriage equality and legal gender recognition to devastating homophobic and transphobic violence and the current rise of the far-right, GCN has been there to document it all and provide an essential free resource to those who want and need it most.

I hope that I can contribute to making the next chapter in its legacy one to be proud of. One full of diverse voices, exciting talent, important conversations and compelling stories. I hope those who have been with us throughout the past 36 years will enjoy what’s to come, and that new audiences will feel compelled to pick up a copy of Ireland’s national LGBTQ+ press for the first time. More than anything, I hope that GCN can continue to impact others the way it did me. That our readers will feel reflected in these pages; celebrated, understood and included, and emerging writers will have a space to amplify their voice, find their truest self, and who knows, maybe even become Editor one day.

Before I sign off, I want to shout out some of those who have inspired and supported me along the way. To the outgoing Editor Peter Dunne, your generosity and belief as a mentor have impacted me more than you’ll ever know. If I can do half the job you did, I’ll consider it a success. To the rest of my GCN fam from throughout the years, thank you for the trust and encouragement you’ve given me and for hustling hard day in and day out to ensure GCN thrives through the good times and bad. They say the people make the place and that is certainly true in this instance.

I would also like to mention my late colleague and friend Joe Drennan. His tragic passing was a cruel reminder that time in life is not promised. While fear often threatens to hold me back, I lean on Joe’s unforgettable presence when I decide to feel the fear and do things anyway. So while I’m acutely aware that a challenge lies ahead, I’m grabbing it with both hands and hope I can do the role justice.

Thank you for reading up to this point; I hope you’ll continue to lend us your eyes, ears, minds and voices well into the future.

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FROM THE TEAM
Welcome, dear reader, to the Pride edition of GCN for 2024!
Leading the charge
Earlier this year, Stefano Pappalardo was appointed the new Manager of GCN. Having been with the organisation since 2017, he traces back through his journey so far and explains why he remains committed to serving the LGBTQ+ community.
The Next Chapter
The NXF and GCN are proud to announce Alice Linehan as the magazine’s new Editor.
OUR RAINBOW COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU
Before you know it, Pride month is upon us and we find ourselves in a sea of rainbow flags, events, celebrations, protests and awareness initiatives.
THE PRIDE POLITICAL DEBATE
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In 2024, Pride will mark the second anniversary of Queer Asian Pride Ireland (QAPI) since its formal announcement in 2022.
Forty & Fabulous
This year, Gay Project is commemorating a remarkable milestone: its 40th anniversary since its grassroots beginnings. This milestone is a time to reflect on the organisation’s journey, celebrate its achievements, and introduce two individuals poised to lead the charge into a new era of empowerment.
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Together with their podcast partner Oran Keaveny, Iarf hlaith O’Connell is rethinking his relationship with Irish queer history as their identity has evolved. While previously they felt represented by iconic lesbian figures, are the trans-masc heroes they discover as equally affirming?
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Modern Love?
A fascinating and exciting upcoming play looking at modern romance in the queer community is about to hit Dublin’s Project Arts Centre. Elliott Salmon sat down with its writer and star to get the lowdown on its inspiration.
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WHAT MAKES A PERFORM … ANCE SHINE?
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PRACTICING POLYAMORY
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Bród!
An Queercal Comhrá is a group of LGBTQ+ Irish speakers who meet on the third Thursday of every month. The group is now gearing up for their annual Bród celebrationAn Bál Aiteach. Ciara Ní É shares the joy in celebrating queerness and the Irish language.
Soft Touch
Dónal Talbot is a photographer and artist based in Dublin, Ireland. His work is predominantly based in portraiture and uses its intimate qualities as a tool to showcase and empower the LGBTQ+ community through representation in art.
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In an in-depth report, Daniel Anthony unveils the complexities of homophobia, pre-colonial attitudes towards same-sex relationships and drivers of homophobia in contemporary African societies
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Earlier this year, the ‘Being the Artist I Am…’ competition was launched in celebration of the life of Northern Irish trans artist, Jordan Howe, who passed away 10 years ago. Young trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people from all over the country entered, with James Hudson speaking to the winner and two shortlistees about their art and how creativity impacts their lives
Happy Pride from GCN!
To all the wonderful members of our rainbow family: you are loved and deserve to be celebrated.
A NEW GENERATION OF ACTIVISTS
Ireland’s national LGBTQ+ youth charity Belong To has been named the Grand Marshall of this year’s Dublin Pride Parade. Ahead of the march on June 29, Chris Rooke spoke to five young activists who will be at the forefront about the importance of community and how they hope to impact the future. All photos by Babs Daly.
IGRM: A Movement in Name and Deed
As the IGRM (Irish Gay Rights Movement) marks its 50th anniversary this year, Tonie Walsh looks back on the people that made it happen, alongside momentous and tumultuous times in the battle for equality.
WHAT TO FIGHT FOR THIS PRIDE SEASON
In 1974, a small group of people gathered in Dublin to protest the criminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. Nowadays, Amazon, Google, and Facebook claim to be allies, while LGBTQ+ people deal with unaccepting families, environments, and barriers to accessing healthcare. Brídín Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce discusses how Pride has become less radical while there has never been more at stake
REFUGEES WELCOME!
In 2022, Rainbow Refugees NI led the Belfast Pride Parade with the powerful message ‘Refugees Welcome’, proudly challenging a rising homophobic and racist anti-immigration rhetoric across Ireland and England. In conversation with Oisín Kenny, researcher and learning officer Chougher Maria Doughramajian speaks of the joy in hearing her first language in queer spaces
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