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Community Journalist

Archives for March 2021

The LGBT+ Traveller & Roma Calendar

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The LGBT+ Traveller & Roma CalendarThe National LGBT+ Traveller & Roma Action Group has proudly to produced its first ever LGBT+ Traveller & Roma Calendar and has begun distributing to national and regional Traveller and Roma organisations, as well as national and regional LGBT+ organisations this week. Traveller and Roma families and individuals who want to celebrate their LGBT+ identity or express their allyship with LGBT+ members of their communities will also receive copies through their relevant services.

“[It’s about} valuing people differently within our community, rather than coming down on anyone for their sexuality and gender. Accepting people for who they are, is the only way to be, as there is really no right way to be a Traveller. Live and let live!”  Senator Eileen Flynn

Eileen Flynn, the first female Traveller to become a Senator speaks as a proud member of the Action Group.  The National Action Group for LGBT+ Traveller & Roma Rights is a collective that aims to increase the promotion, protection, inclusion and celebration of LGBT+ Traveller & Roma individuals and their families within their communities and organisations and services. Membership of the Group consists of representatives from the LGBT+ Traveller & Roma communities, their national, regional and local organisations as well as LGBT+ organisations and services.

There are potentially 4,000 Travellers on the island of Ireland who are LGBT+ (All Ireland Traveller Health Study 2010; Equality Authority 2002). Higher levels of poor mental health are common both in the Traveller community and the LGBT+ community. Consequently, LGBT+ Travellers and Roma battle layers of discrimination as they strive to find self-acceptance, community acceptance and societal celebration of all of who they are.

“Being gay in the Travelling community is OK and needs more support. If not addressed then this is where the suicide thoughts and depression comes into effect, and when we see young lives dying” says Dillon Collins, an LGBT Traveller.

The Action Group hopes this first calendar will act as a symbol of positive visibility and allyship wherever it is displayed. It also aims to educate as each month marks key historical and important dates for both the Traveller and Roma communities, as well as the LGBTI+ community. Equally important is every month’s display of phone numbers of important mental health support services. The Action Group hopes that more LGBT+ individuals and any concerned family members will reach out to seek the help they need when they need it so that more LGBT+ Travellers and Roma find the peace which Pauline Reilly, LGBT Traveller, describes in the month of February:

“The heart is not bound by conditions of gender, love is an emotion that neither discriminates nor hesitates when it is felt by two people deeply in love”

For a digital copy click here: 2021 LGBT Traveller & Roma Calendar FINAL

Any other queries please email: BecomeaAlly@gmail.com

The Conversion Therapy Saga

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This Conversion Therapy Saga is yet again another reason why I deplore the UK Government’s lethargy in making “conversion therapy” illegal.  Here we have a man (Dr. Ole Ivar Lovaas) who developed “conversion therapy” but also tried to make autistic children “normal”.

Conversion Therapy

I have previously discussed “conversion therapy2 as applied to people within the LGBTQ+ community in my article ‘Conversion Therapy – Rethink Finally‘ published 11 September 2020

The worrying factor about both these therapies is that they in effect abuse the recipients, for the LGBTQ+ candidates they at least can make themselves heard about the abuse they received, for the autistic children it is extremely doubtful that they ever could or would be in such a position.

“No matter what form it takes, gay conversion therapy is going to be psychologically harmful,” Becker said. “They’re told that they can change this thing they can’t change, and it leads to devastating consequences.”

Dr. Lovaas died in 2010, however, his therapy for autistic children remains on the books I believe for ‘all states’ in the USA, and in only 20 states is gay conversion therapy banned.

 

Links:

“SOG” Gay Short Film – 2019 – Movie Review

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SOG (saugwirking) means suction, wake, PULL, a maelstrom in German, and this short movie has all of that between the two actors ‘Linus’ played by Daniel Dietrich and ‘Jonas’ played by Vincent Lang.

 

Sog • Bundesfestival junger Film

This is a movie showing the flowering of desire and sensuality between the two boys. It is set in a forest during a camping trip with little dialogue and the photography is minimalist – but then it is difficult for it to be anything else in a forest or tent.

It is another story about a need, as was Silver Road which I have already reviewed for you, but the difference here is that both boys need and want each other and have to learn how to handle this.

As with Silver Road, one boy has to take that leap of faith and hope that the right things happen, and fortunately, it does, but not without a little trepidation.  The actors are handsome, and whilst not asked to do much dialogue, they act wonderfully and with depth for the characters they have taken on.

It is a lovely movie that talks about our need to love and to be loved, and how we all strive in some way to have this.

I rate this film as a 7.5, and would recommend it again to anyone and everyone –

Director: Jannik Gensler
Writer: Jannik Gensler
Stars: Daniel Dietrich, Vincent Lang

Links:

 

Quer saber ?: " SOG " OU Amar, Verbo Intransitivo.

IMDB – SOG

 

YouTube – SOG

 

“Silver Road” – Gay Short Film 2006 – Movie Review

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Short films do not get the press they deserve. Silver Road is about two young men, best friends through childhood, and how their road splits and their lives. Of how they struggle with saying goodbye to each other, and of underlying feelings.

The story takes place in an isolated farming community in Ontario, Canada where Mark (Jonathan Keltz) Silver Road - Jonathan Keltz Picture

feels his life is and Danny (Andrew Hachey) who is leaving for university in the city of Toronto, Ontario.

The two actors are Jonathan Keltz and Andrew Hachey. It is 17 years since this film was produced, and it is interesting that in 2008 it was on the Iris Prize Shortlist, and also that Jonathan Keltz career has developed with roles in the TV series Entourage and Being, and also as Hownland Reed in Game of Thrones

The story is short, but the two actors are excellent in what is essentially a breaking up movie about unrequited love – Danny is in love with Mark and decides to let him know. It is not a new phenomenon, the difference here is the gay context and how Mark accepts or doesn’t Danny’s love.

As with all life, you can only be true to yourself; and Danny is. Mark is surprised, and initially doesn’t know how to respond. But by the final scenes, their relationship seems to back to almost normal!

In today’s world of social media contacts and mobile phones, the story situation would seem dated, particularly with the exposure of LGBTQ+ in the media, and with people coming out on YouTube or TikTok; however, it is relevant as there are still communities like the one in which this movie is set. You still have various sects which can label LGBTQ+ kids as abominations and want to get them treated.

This movie should be watched by everyone even if only to get people talking. I can see it being of great use as a starting point in a school or college class where you can discuss the storyline, the characters, real or not, is it relevant in today’s world…

I would rate this film now as a 7.0, it is not earth-shattering, but it is well crafted and anyone can
watch it.

Director: Bill Taylor
Writer: Bill Taylor

Soundtracks:

written by Tony Dekker (as T. Dekker)
performed by Great Lake Swimmers
courtesy of (weewerk) / Harbour Songs

Links:

IMDB – Silver Road

YouTube – Silver Road