ACOMSDave

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Archives for October 2024

Grief – 1993 (Movie Review)

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Title Grief
Year 1993
Director Richard Glatzer
Writer Richard Glatzer
Actors Craig Chester

Illeana Douglas

Jackie Beat

Grief (1993)

 

 

Grief (1993)Looking at Grief (1993) is like looking at the balance sheet of a business.  You know that it is valid for the time it was put together, but you also know that things have changed.

Grief (1993) has a feeling of surrealism, which continues for the first 20 to 30 minutes of the film, creating an uneasiness:  a sense of dissatisfaction; interspersed with which the writer has thrown in several one-liners or situations to make people laugh- hence the uneasiness!

At this point, the film appears to come into focus, with [or was it 6?] storylines being played out at the same time.  I believe the characters are very thin; an intentional ploy to keep you disorientated.

the movie is located somewhere in the USA, with a team of writers for a typical low-budget soap.  ‘Real Life’ is mixed with soap opera, with both ending up as an extremely tacky parody.

Overall the film is competent, but not one that I believe was suited to the large screen; home video would seem to be the more obvious choice.

The fact that I walked away without remembering the character’s names, or the dead lover indicates how much impact it made on me.

 

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1983 – Gay Conference Comes To Belfast

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Gay Conference Comes To Belfast1983 – Gay Conference Comes To Belfast, what a headline.  When you consider that the Good Friday Agreement was 5 years away.  The ‘troubles’ were still happening all around us, and we were also 8 years away from our first Pride March in Belfast, the fact that a gay conference was held is nothing short of remarkable.  This is the small article that was published in Northern Ireland’s only gay publication, which can be found in the Linen Hall Libary Political Collection on the fourth floor.

 

…This is a short report on the All Ireland Lesbian and Gay Men’s Conference which was held in 1983 in Belfast, at the Crescent Arts Centre and the Gay Centre.  As many as 200 lesbians and gay men were expected at this 3rd annual conference.

The first conference was in Cork in 1981, and in 1982 was in Dublin.  The two of them were organised by ‘independent’ lesbians and gay men and supported by national organisations that provided facilities.  It was significant that only a handful of delegates from Northern Ireland were present at both conferences.

In January 1983 a planning meeting was in Belfast for the 1983 conference which was attended by many of the former committee members from 1981 and 1982.  Belfast representation was limited to half a dozen men – all members of NIGRa (Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association).

The Dublin Conference had been uniquely successful in having equal numbers of women and men attending.  The absence of women from this planning conference augured poorly for the future of a Belfast conference.

The afternoon session was better attended by Belfast/Derry people and a meeting was planned for a fortnight later to bring together ‘non-organisation’ lesbians and gay men in the region.  Six women and six men attended, including Charles Kerrigan of the Dublin Gay Collective.

It was decided in principle, that those non-organisational people would determine the nature and organisation of the conference.

NIGRA’s role was to provide facilities, admin and any other help…

 

We talk about our history, but we have done little to mark it, to record it and remember it.  If you wish to have your history recorded, don’t forget the LGBTQIA+ Heritage Project (link below).

 

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Why the LGBTQ+ Community Should Be Cautious of Data Collection

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Why the LGBTQ+ Community Should Be Cautious of Data CollectionThe LGBTQ+ community has a historical reason for being cautious of data collection. Here are some key factors:

  1. Historical Discrimination: Throughout history, data has been used to target and discriminate against marginalized groups. This includes the persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in various societies.
  2. Privacy Concerns: Data collection can pose significant privacy risks. Misuse of personal information can lead to discrimination, harassment, or even violence.
  3. Lack of Trust: Given historical and ongoing discrimination, many LGBTQ+ individuals may have difficulty trusting institutions or individuals collecting their data.
  4. Potential for Misuse: Data can be used to reinforce stereotypes, justify discrimination, or even inform harmful policies.
  5. Limited Control: Once data is collected, individuals may have limited control over how it is used or shared.

It’s important to note that not all data collection is harmful. When done ethically and transparently, data can be used to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, improve services, and promote understanding. However, it’s crucial for individuals to be aware of the potential risks and to exercise caution when sharing personal information.

 

“Empower yourself and the LGBTQ+ community by staying informed about data privacy.

Share this article to raise awareness and advocate for safe data practices!”

 

 

 

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LGBTQI+ Library

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Quite a while ago the library for our community was moved from the Carpenter Centre to Cathedral Buildings in Lower Donegall Street.  I was completing some research on the LGBT Film Festival (more to follow on this) when I spotted the following entry:

 

Library…Library

The library at ‘No 8’ has several hundred books ranging from bubble-gum to high art and heavy social science tomes.  One hundred books, mostly quite serious stuff went missing in the move from ‘No 4’ if you know anything of the whereabouts of this material, please let us know.

The Library also contains a full run of the old “Gay News”, “Gay Star” and its predecessors, nearly full runs of the Gay magazines and some unique stuff like dissertations and theses on various groups and individuals in the gay movement locally.

The NIGRA Archives containing information on the Strasbourg case and the McCleave affair, as well as ten years of press clippings, are not held at ‘No 8’ but can be reached by way of the librarian, Terry…

 

 

Of interest now is that to my knowledge the missing material and books never materialised, also the following items are held in the following locations:

  • Gay News in the Linen Hall Library, 17 Donegall Square N, Belfast BT1 5GB – go to the fourth floor and ask to see them
  • Gay Star, upstart, update, NIGRA News are also held in the Linen Hall Library, 17 Donegall Square N, Belfast BT1 5GB – go to the fourth floor and ask to see them
  • Press Clippings (a lot more than 10 years) are held in PRONI, 2 Titanic Boulevard Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9HQ
  • NIGRA Archives etc also held in 
  • PRONI, 2 Titanic Boulevard Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9HQ

Library

 

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Callings

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CallingsCallings, written by Dominic Montaque is a wonderful, heartwarming play about five queer people who manage to discover a community and through that community support for themselves and their journey of discovery about themselves and being gay.

It is set in an era when the government used many tactics to hide our existence.  It is also set in Northern Ireland, for England had a Switchboard Service for (LGBT as it was then) or as stated in those days ‘Queers’.  The play is set in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the CARA Friend Switchboard Room – (that in itself is a misnomer as we only had 1 or 2 lines and phones) No such things as mobile phones then – chunky big desk phones and outside you had to find a phone box that worked, which was also safe for others listening, and you had to have plenty of change.

In the background, you had the ‘Save Ulster from Sodomy. Campaign, Jeff Dudgeon vs UK Trial etc., and of course ‘theCallings Troubles’.

Callings brings together tales that reflect on the challenge we faced with being ‘queer’ during this period but also celebrate our history and what has now been accomplished.

I urge you to try and get along to see this wonderful play (Callings) but don’t forget

‘…that’s why learning from history is important.  I grew up under Section 26, so I wasn’t taught about LGBTQI+ issues at school…

Owen Jones (Attitude March 2019)

 

 

 

The full Show Schedule is:

Lyric Theatre, Belfast: Wed 2 Oct – Sun 6 Oct;

The MAC Birmingham, 10 – 11 Oct;

Stanley Arts London: 16-17 Oct;

Chats Palace London: 18–19 Oct;

Hawkswell Sligo: 23 Oct;

Market Place Armagh: 24 Oct;

Riverbank Kildare: 25 Oct;

Down Arts Centre: 26 Oct;

Droichead, Drogheda: 2 Nov;

Garage, Monaghan, 3 Nov,

Project Arts Centre, Dublin: 6-9 Nov.

For more information on the production and to get tickets go to www.kabosh.net

To find out more about the services offered by Cara-Friend visit www.cara-friend.org.uk

 

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