ACOMSDave

Community Journalist

The Old Museum Building, Belfast

By Leave a Comment

The Old Museum Building, Belfast In Belfast in 1991, the first Pride Week took place.  It was a week of events which included our Pride Dander (march).  But what was of equal interest were the events held in so many venues one of which was the Old Museum Building.  I have to say that I did not know of this building until our Pride Committee met and were discussing what events we should try and organise, and then of course where should we try to put them on.

There were so many items put on, including this in the Old Museum Building:

  • Mixtures and Allsorts were in the Old Museum Arts Centre.  It was billed as a cabaret – we were required to bring our own refreshments – so we did! There was a vast range of performance styles

But why has this been brought to mind; in the Belfast Telegraph dated 20 November 2021 there was a lovely article by Louise Finn on how The Old Museum Building had weathered bombs and multiple changes of use, and now due to an exciting regeneration plan it will be returned to its former glory for the public to enjoy once more.

My remembrance of the inside of the building was of the high ceilings, slightly tatty decor, but then money was tight in those days, as it is indeed even today.  There is always (usually) the will to do these projects, but we need money and also careful management of the project to ensure that The Old Museum building returns to its former glory, but equally practically to be of use to our society.  We can ill afford to lose yet another cultural icon of our buildings from our city!

 

Links:

Listen, in life you have to take your time…

By Leave a Comment

I was reading the Guardian Weekend magazine from the 4th of September and came across a series of articles on grandchild and grandparents.  The basis of the articles was how much do these groups really understand each other?  Each story was interesting in that the individuals from each group seemed to respect and understand each other, but one story stood out for me; that Louis Brow (21) and Bob Smith (80).  They both seemed to love and appreciate each other and to have a deep understanding of where they were, but it is Bob Smith’s response to Louis that I really loved..

 

“Listen, in life you’ve just got to take your time and go slow because if you go too fast you miss the beauty of life” 

and Louis seemed to get the drift, for he said ‘It’s stuck with me, has that’

 

Listen, in life you have to take your time... Listen, in life you have to take your time...

 

Links:

 

 

Belfast Pride and Economics

By Leave a Comment

Belfast Pride and Economics!  Originally, we had Pride Day with a march to show people that we are part of their community and that we had a right to exist.  At this point we were fighting for our lives;  abuse, both physical and mental, was normal, and murder occurred and was usually brushed under the legal table as justified due to overtures or something similar. (Portsmouth Defence)

And again, marches started in large cities like New York and London, and like a spider’s web slowly the marches spread into other cities and links were formed.

In the background to these marches were the fights in court to get us legal recognition and protection (e.g., Jeffrey Dudgeon, MBE).

 

…’Try to will yourself into – or out of – loving someone,  try to will someone into loving you, and you collide with the fundamental fact that we do not choose whom we love.’  …James Baldwin on Love, the illusion of Choice and the Paradox of Freedom

 

Time has passed and so the Pride March has become Pride Month, with a lot of regions or cities now holding the Pride Parade which is almost like a Lord Mayor’s Float Parade!

With a parade comes flamboyance, but why?  To quote i-d-vice.com  in their article the significance of men’s fashion at pride’: 

 

…Queer men have always worn outlandish clothing within the safety of their own spaces but Pride is different; it’s an occasion which allows you to dress however you want, in broad daylight, in the centre of the city. Fashion at Pride is a way of being defiantly visible, satirising the straight world, and experimenting with gender….

 

However, this last year during the covid lockdown we have all seen how shallow the acceptance has been, with an increase in LGBTQ+ attacks, with the homeless of LGBTQ+ increasing and with some countries even reversing (or seeking to reverse) the laws which were fought for to give the LGBTQ+ community acceptance and protection.

I love Belfast Pride, having been one of those few souls who marched on the very first one in 1991 (all 200 of us), and walked past the various vociferous groups protesting us being there and alive.

That first Pride in Belfast was a small affair, but so significant as it allowed the Belfast population going about their normal daily tasks, to see that we were just like them from one end of the spectrum to another, with very flamboyant characters to extremely conservative ones – and that just as other groups have marched for centuries in the belief of their right to exist, so were we.

Today, as I have mentioned above, the Pride Day Parade is a large affair in Belfast, with conservative numbers for those taking part being (55000) and with watchers at least double that.   We have support groups from Trade Unions, the PSNI, local councils, student groups to name but a few.  The detractors have gone down in number, and indeed the local papers generally write in a positive way about the parade.

I welcome this change, but again I caution everyone to remember our roots, there are still those who would seek to have us put back in the closet.

The one thing that is not often mentioned about Gay Pride Parades is the economic benefit that regions, towns, or cities get from them.  I come from a background of finance, and I am also a local community journalist for our community, so I was extremely interested to see if anyone knew what economic benefits were brought into Belfast specifically and for Northern Ireland in general.

There is little available documentation regarding this area, but one that I have read with interest is the Greater London Authority Mayoral Decision for funding for Pride in London for the period 2018-2022.  I would like to share an extract from it: –

…During the past five years, Pride in London has continued to see growth and improved community engagement.  It is the UK’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) event and parade that typically attracts an annual attendance of up to a million people into central London.  Independent audience survey research in 2016 (the most recent data set) showed that additional spend in the local economy from people attending Pride was approximately £26.3m…

Now obviously Belfast figures as I have stated above are nowhere near 1 million (55000 approx.), however, if you conservatively look at the projected spend figures then I would suggest that Belfast economically benefits to the tune of

 

  Attendance Figures Additional Spend Spend per Head Estimated Policing Cost Estimated Cleaning Up Costs Estimated Net Benefit
             
London 1000000 £26.3m £26.30 £1m £1m £24.3m
             
 Brighton 400000 £20.5m  £51.25 £420k* £200k* £19.8
             
             
Belfast 55000 £.825m £15.00 £55k £45k £725k
  55000 £.550m £10.00 £55k £45k £450K
Northern Ireland            
             

 

Now the statistics for Northern Ireland are a lot more obscure as the Northern Ireland Tourist Board does not seem to track increased  figures for the period of Pride Month, and in particular Belfast Pride (FOI Request reply to 3 questions on Belfast Pride and in general N Ireland Pride Festivals dated 25 Jun 2018), but I believe that economically, the events help attract tourist income, stimulate employment, encourage spending, and contribute to public infrastructure development; and in so doing events prove the opportunity to revitalise communities and foster economic development. 

Also, the rural pride events can help members of the LGBTQ+ community to feel supported and accepted by creating visibility about different sexual orientations.

In the last week, we have seen reference to 1991 A Belfast Pride to be remembered!  It is important to realise that Belfast Pride is both a celebration of life and who we are, but also a political statement to show we are here, that we will not be going back and that we will continue to fight for our rights in society.

 

Belfast Pride and Economics

 

 

Links:

 

 

Coming to Power by Samois: Writings and Graphics on Lesbian S/M. – a gay book review by Anne Ross

By Leave a Comment

The interesting and fun things you find when you review older publications of your own are reviews by friends; in this case the review by my friend Anne Ross of the book ‘ Coming to Power: Writings and Graphics on Lesbian S/M.

First and foremost Anne was a dear friend of mine, sadly passed away due to cancer almost too many years to remember.  I remember her from her hard work and support on various committees and groups like Cara Friend, NIGRA, various woman’s support groups, but I also remember her sense of fun like when she moved into her first house and decided to hold a party, and because she had no glasses she coerced me and a few others to go to the local pub and ask if we could borrow some glasses – she also decided to make up a green punch coloured punch which looked hideous but turned out to have a lovely taste but horrible hangover.  I missed her when she moved to London, and now miss her even more as I can never hear her infectious laugher again.

Now to her review:

Coming to PowerComing to Power: Writings and Graphics on Lesbian S/M

By Samois 

Published by Samois initially then by Alyson Publications

Price:  £ – currently unknown as out of print 

Excellent book on Lesbian S/M.  Clears a lot of myths and uneasiness that folk may have conjured up in their minds about S/M.  Basically, the book is made up of various people’s views of and experiences with S/M.  A few chapters deal with practicalities, like when care must be taken and just when to draw the line.

I would advise anyone unsure of their view of S/M to read this; probably at the end, they’ll find they see it differently from what they originally thought.

 

Anne Ross

 

Links:

 

Homophobia and Terrorism are not limited to Muslims.

By Leave a Comment

 

Homophobia and Terrorism

Homophobia and Terrorism are not limited to Muslims, history shows that and often what we do not understand and fear (often irrationally) we throw out words like terrorism, not our people etc.

Andrew Pulver wrote an impassioned article on how journalism in all its forms needs to stop the ‘Toxic portrayals of Muslims’!  I would suggest that we need in the West, and in other cultures, to take a reality check.  The portrayals of terrorists as being only from one side of the world’s population is disingenuous.  All the major maritime powers in Europe sponsored pirates to enact terrorism on their rivals!  Then we have terrorists/freedom fighters, for example,   in 1867 there was the Clerkenwell explosion in London by the Fenians / Irish Republican Brotherhood (proto – IRA), in 1903 there were the Thessaloniki bombings by a Bulgarian group from Veles, mostly young graduates from the Bulgarian Men’s High School of Thessaloniki. Terrorism and Homophobia The list is endless, go and have a look at the Wikipedia article ‘Terrorism in Europe’ as a starting point.

But and it is a large BUT, terrorism by its very nature is subjective; dependent upon where you are with your life, your family, your community, your society, One Man’s Terrorist Is Another Man’s Freedom Fighter

So, therefore, you must ask why am I Interested?  My interest lies in my knowledge of Muslims.  I have been lucky enough to work, live and make friends with Muslims within their society whilst working in the Middle East; I have also been able to have similar experiences in the Far East, Canada, South America, and Europe.  I have always found a welcome within these communities, and I have had many discussions covering all aspects of their and my own society over politics, religion, homosexuality, with these debates has come an understanding of the local fears, even the fear of loss of identity (the Northern Irish are not unique).

In an article published in LGBTQ Nation (commentary by Michael Jensen and Brent Hartinger) it highlighted the position that a few of the local queer Muslim’s had in Turkey, a country which is 97% Muslim and where LGBTQ rights have gone backwards in recent years.  But similar pressure is being placed on LGBTQ freedom in other parts of Europe, e.g., Hungary and Poland.  According to the European Union in 2020 43% of LGBTQ people, last year said they felt discriminated against, up from 37% in 2012.

So, you can from this short overview firstly that terrorism and homophobia are not just related to Muslim society.

We need to educate against toxic rhetoric and politics wherever it is shown.  We need to be vigilant locally and fight against what certain elements among the local politicians will repeatedly roll out – remember throughout history it has always been easy to use a minority as the whipping boy for society wrongs – the Jews when they no longer were willing financiers of the British Crown, and indeed with a number of European monarchies, the travellers, Jews, homosexuals by Nazi Germany, the travellers even today in the United Kingdom, and for certain parties in Northern Ireland politics the LGBTQ+ society.

 

Links:

 

 

Virtual Belfast Reception

By Leave a Comment

 
Virtual Belfast ReceptionOn July 1st, 2021 the PinkNews, in partnership with Citi and the Rainbow Project, under the title “Virtual Belfast Reception” organised a panel discussion on LGBT+ equality in Northern Ireland.  The Virtual Belfast Reception online meeting involved Doug Beattie, UUP leader, Mary Lou McDonald, president of Sinn Fein, Colm Eastwood, SDLP leader, Naomi Long, Alliance leader and justice minister, and Mal O’Hara, a Green Party councillor in Belfast and the event was moderated by John O’Doherty, director of the Rainbow Project.
 
 
The virtual meeting was conducted through Zoom, with the audience being able to view but not comment except through the messenger facility of the program.  Areas under discussion were:
 
                • Transgender
                • Self ID Laws
                • LGBTQ+ and Education
                • Conversion Therapy

 

Obviously, during 1hr 30min+ discussion, there were sidetracks; the main one being over political parties and LGBTQ+ rights to which Paul Bradley, deputy leader of the DUP, said that in response to a question from Mr O’Doherty about the DUP and its history of negativity on LGBTQ+ issues, 

“I’m not going to defend some of the things that have been said over the years, because they have been absolutely atrocious. They’ve been shocking, so they have.
“I certainly couldn’t stand by many of those comments – in fact, all of those comments.
“Because I know that the hurt they have caused people and I know that fed into the hatred some people have had to endure in their life, and I think that’s absolutely wrong.
“I think the vast majority of those people that made those comments are no longer there, and the ones that are there have said that they have learned their lessons, that their language at times has not been right.
“It’s something I’ve brought up on numerous occasions with my own party because I think not sometimes, all the time, our language very much that we use as elected representatives has an impact in wider society.
“I can certainly say I apologise for what others have said and done in the past because I do think that there has been some very hurtful comments and some language that really should not have been used.”

(A full transcript can be found in the Newsletter link which is at the end of this article)

 

Now, this was a welcome response, however, it was then followed by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson speaking on Sunday, July 5th 2021|:

Mr Donaldson acknowledged past comments by members of the party had been “hurtful” to LGBT people here, before adding it was “not just in the case of the DUP”.

While the DUP leader said it is right “that we say sorry and acknowledge hurt”, Mr Donaldson went on to add: “Equally in time, I hope others will be able to acknowledge that they have caused hurt, for example to people from a strongly held faith perspective.”

This is the politician two shoe shuffle, give on one hand and then take away by blaming it all on someone else.

 

Much as Paul Bradly may wish, and indeed believes, that the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) is making strives to reform, it would seem that its current leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, has more in keeping with the leader he replaced Edwin Poots, or if you go back further Mrs Iris Robinson, a previous MLA and wife of the then First Minister ‘Peter Robinson’,  and ‘her’ psychologist who claimed that he could cure gays (gay conversion therapy).

 

Virtual Belfast Reception

 

 

Whilst I have concnetrated on the DUP during this virtual meeting, the other participants were very clear in the answers and supportive.  Some of the phrases which I have written down are:

  • Even though things have changed, there is ‘always a need to remain alert’.
  • If you ‘Stop pushing forward, then we will move back’
  • Even though we have had ‘Immense change, the lesson is we have to keep gong’
  • ‘Always think about those young people in turmoil’
  • ‘A Safe Place For All Of Our People’

Links:

 

At the destination [Am Ziel] – Gay short movie – Movie Review

By Leave a Comment

Am Ziel

A beautiful, yet non-descript day in Bavaria, to be exact Allgau.  A day like every other day, except for Tom who is about to make a momentous decision – that of coming out and hopefully making new friends with other ‘gays’.  He is full of fears, indecision, and ideas flash through his mind with all the stereotypes that he has heard people, the media (newspapers, radio, television and movies) discussing.

I found this a very appt short movie, having just read various reports and written my own article on how LGBTQ+ youth have been hit hard by the pandemic, and the effect of being forced back into the closet for some of them as they have had to return home with no job, or no university course continuing.

Friendship and Sharing

During the period 10th to 16th May it is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, not surprisingly the USA has a Mental Health Awareness Month!  But, the aim no matter where you are is to be aware of others, that they may be suffering, but not showing it.  Be patient with your friends, but not just during this period of awareness, be aware always and be open to providing support, whether that be a cup of tea or coffee, a chat, a walk in the countryside with friends – you never know what will help a person, so put your hand out and see who grabs it, and don’t be disappointed if there is slow take-up, someone somewhere needs your friendship

At the destination [Am ziel}

Tom – At the destination (Am ziel)

The short film was made in a workshop by queerblick eV at the youth group “BONITO” in the Allgäu (www.bonito-allgaeu.de). Its aim is to encourage young people to dare to join a gay youth group, to find friends and support, to not be alone.

I have been lucky enough to get in touch with Andi from the group, who told me that ‘The actual idea behind the story was to show young queer people in our area what a queer youth group is or isn’t in terms of clichés. The story itself was written by the main character Tom played by Axel, literally telling the story of his first attempts (it took him three) to come to Bonito.’

 

Movie Information:

Main characters:

Tom: Axel – 23

Guy with the bike: Andi – 26

Spooky Queen: Martin – 25

Guy in front of the house: Winni – 22

Length of movie: 5.39

 

Links:

Poems by Ian Duhig in Support of Belfast Pride

By Leave a Comment

 

Poems by Ian DuhigTwo poems by Ian Duhig were submitted In January 1991 to Sean McGouran, the Editor of various publications for NIGRA (The Northern Ireland Gay rights Association) to be published as two pieces of poetry because of a piece that Sean had written in ‘Fortnight’magazine, a left-of-centre magazine produced in N Ireland for the N Ireland market, but with larger ramifications.

The two pieces of poetry by Ian Duhig were in support of Gay Pride Week in Belfast, our first Gay Pride in 1991.  Our first Pride march consisted of 120 individuals who marched through Belfast City Centre to the Botanic Gardens.  To quote John Bercow, who was the 157th Speaker of the House of Commons when he visited us in 2013

 

…What was once a celebration marked by a tiny hardcore of principled and brave individuals has been transformed into something approaching institutional status. …

 

Pride Belfast has moved on, to quote its current organisers (and others)

 

…Belfast Pride is one of the biggest festivals in Belfast, Ireland’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender festival and ranks in the top ten largest Pride parades in the UK! …

 

What Ian Says…

The two poems by Ian Duhig are connected by the idea of jealousy and religion.  This is because they were written after the anti-clause 27/88 campaign had focused on letters to members of the House of Lords in an effort to get changes.  He found himself writing to the Archbishop of York and observing the extraordinary protocol that goes with it (you certainly don’t often get to start letters with ‘Your Grace’).  Both poems are closely based on fact.  Mar Jacobus being a friend of Corvo’s called Lewis or something and Bartolomea and Bendetta’s story came from research on an American historian called Janet Brown(?)was doing amongst old Medici papers in the Vatican.  The latter was one of the joint winners of the Northern Poetry Competition in England in 1989 and both will be appearing in his book the Bradford Count which was published on 27 June 1991. 

 

What

The Bradford Count by Ian Duhig

 

 

Brendan Kennelly said about Ian’s Book of Poetry ‘The Bradford Count’

…Ian Duhig’s witty and bizarre poems are profane and profound, often drawing on tall tales and strange episodes from history, Irish legend and colonial lore. Shortlisted for the Whitbread Poetry Award. ‘Ian Duhig’s world is an exciting blend of the old and the new, the tragic and the comic, the grave and the light-hearted… He rifles mythologies, histories, legends and folklores in a manner that is at once devastating and disarming.’ – Brendan Kennelly…

 

 

 

Archbishop Mar Jacobus Remembers the Baron

(link to download full poem)

 

Even the Syro-Chaldean bishopric I offered

On the strength of ‘Hadrian VII@

Did not tempt Corvo.  As mere Provost

To the Lieutenant of Grandmagistracy

Of Santissima Sophia he fled

To Veniuce, convinced the Rhodes Trustees

Were plotting his assassination…

 

 

 

Splenditello

(link to download full poem)

 

I, Guliano Carlini, third richest man

In Vellano, this scurfedge of the Apennines,

Where our children are assailed by witches

In the shapes of swallows or nightingales,

Which is rich only in undowried girls,

Which is scoffed at even in Pescia,

I do promise and avow, Madonna,

That I will make my house a shrine to you

And my only child, my daughter Benedetta,

Blessed, will be herself a hymn to you…

 

 

Links –

Poetry from Peter Brooke

By Leave a Comment

Approaching any review is like the start of a journey, you know where you are starting from but you have no idea where the journey is going to take you, what side-tracks or falls you may have and whether you will enjoy the journey because not all journeys are enjoyable.  I was asked to review two completely different booklets of poetry from Peter Brooke, the first “To a Mask” covers the period Oct 2013-Dec 2014, the second is a series of poems entitled “8 poems” translated from the French of Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes and published in 2020.

Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes - Poetry from Peter Brooke

Georges Ribemont Dessaignes

Peter’s first booklet embraces ‘Politics and Theology, a central piece of his life.  Peter is an artist, writer, and educationalist with a depth and breadth of knowledge that enables him to write and interpret extremely well for himself and others.

There are twenty-one poems in this slim booklet which cover a painting by Antonia Spowers to Little Children to Christian Love to The Book of Mormon to his final piece The Wrath of God.

I am not a poet, indeed generally I find poetry to be boring and of little relevance to me at all.  But each piece in this booklet has a line(s) that stop you and make you think.  They haven’t made me turn to ‘God’ as I feel that the god that churches and religion speak about is one made up by so many people as a way of comforting and also of controlling others.  But, you can read Peter Brooke’s prose, indeed dip into it, and think, and surely that is what any good writing should do.

 

Now in his second booklet, “8 poems” Peter Brooke has gone back to his love of art and to his own love of Gleizes, a Cubist avant-garde artist who was a contemporary of Georges Ribemont-Dessagnes, and a solid member of the Dada movement.  So when reading these poems by Georges you have to align yourself to that time period and Dadaism which was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (c. 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915,[2][3] and after 1920 Dada flourished in Paris. Dadaist activities lasted until c. the mid 1920s. (Wikipedia).

 

…‘What were you born of, poet? Of time and space,

Without beginning or end,…’

 

The ‘8 poems’ move through the origins of a poet, to childhood, to looking at (through) a mirror, youth, knowledge and old age / wax beauty.  They flow well in this interpretation by Peter, and I found these poems somewhat more reachable, but, yet again on a literal medium I can understand and interpret the words and they conjure up pictures, I still don’t know if the pictures being created are those that the poet was aiming for, and with that thought, I think I will have to accept that poetry is and can only be subjective to the reader.  I know what I like, exactly in the same way as you do, but we can agree to disagree and remain friends.

Links:

 

Jack Clemo – Poet

By Leave a Comment

I was watching a Rick Stein program tonight and he mentioned the poet Jack Clemo – I am not really a reader of poetry, but after hearing a few lines I was drawn to find out more about this poet.

Jack Clemo was born in Goonamarris. Jack was educated locally in the village school and concentrated on his poetry, while he lived in poverty with his widowed mother.  He lost his hearing and sight by 1955, the scenes of the Clay Country became his symbols for mystical and religious experiences.

The Clay-Tip Worker

Our clay-dumps are converging on the land:

Each day a few more flowers are killed,
A few more mossy hollows filled
With gravel. Like a clutching hand
The refuse moves against the dower,
The flaunting pride and power
Of springtide beauty menacing the sod;
And it is joy to me
To lengthen thus a finger of God
That wars with Poetry. […]

I love to see the sand I tip
Muzzle the grass and burst the daisy heads.
I watch the hard waves lapping out to still
The soil’s rhythm for ever, and I thrill
With solitary song upon my lip,
Exulting as the refuse spreads:
“Praise god, the earth is maimed,
And there will be no daisies in that field
Next spring; it will not yield
A single bloom or grass blade: I shall see
In symbol potently
Christ’s Kingdom there restored:
One patch of Poetry reclaimed
By Dogma: one more triumph for our Lord.”

 

Jack Clemo (1916–1994) | Art UK

 

The Flooded Clay-Pit

These white crags
Cup waves that rub more greedily
Now half-way up the chasm; you see
Doomed foliage hang like rags;

The whole clay-belly sags.

What scenes far
Beneath those waters: chimney-pots
That used to smoke; brown rusty clots
Of wheels still oozing tar;
Lodge doors that rot ajar.

Those iron rails
Emerge like claws cut short on the dump,
Though once they bore the waggon’s thump:
Now only toads and snails
Creep round their loosened nails.

Those thin tips
Of massive pit-bed pillars – how
They strain to scab the pool’s face now,
Pressing like famished lips
Which dread the cold eclipse.

 

Links: