Panti Bliss: ‘Ten years ago no one on the street would have called me a paedophile. Now haters have been emboldened'

A sunny Friday evening in Dublin and the George, perhaps Ireland's most famous
LGBTQ+
bar, is buzzing.
The colourful venue on South Great George's Street – painted purple outside and bedecked with rainbow regalia within – opened in 1985, providing a rare 'safe space' for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
As the 10th anniversary of
marriage equality
approaches, the George and venues like it remain important meeting points, and even places of sanctuary.
Though customers are happy to share memories of the overwhelming joy and relief they felt that Saturday, May 23rd, 2015, as resounding Yes results came in from across the State, they also note a deterioration in the environment for their community.
READ MORE
Lee Graham, 32, from Drimnagh is at the bar, scrolling on his phone. Asked about marriage equality, he says he was 'still almost a child' when the referendum was held.
'But it was so important to me, of course. We are real people. We're not just a gimmick. Love is love and if you want to marry someone it should be rightfully so. Why shouldn't we be able to be married?'
But, he continues: 'Things have gone backwards. It's back to being shamed because of who you are. So yes, places like the George are very important, very.
'There is one straight bar that I'd feel comfortable [in] and that's because everybody knows me and I am safe there. But I would never go into somewhere that I don't know because the minute they hear your lingo or how you sound feminine they're like, 'Oh, who is this now?''
For lesbian and gay people things are generally pretty good, but the people who used to give us grief have focused their energies unfortunately towards our trans siblings. I know a lot of trans people who are really quite terrified by what's going on
—
Adrian Hempel
He links increased homophobia to increases in other 'hates' including racism and misogyny. 'Oh my God, the misogyny. It's all, 'I am alpha-male ... I earn this much.''
John Hawkins, 53, from Dublin remembers Dublin Castle's courtyard playing host to a huge celebration where thousands gathered carrying rainbow flags. 'It was very moving, very profound,' he says.
John Hawkins in The George last Friday evening
There was also a sadness for him. 'I realised during the campaign [for a Yes vote] that because for all my life society and law had deemed someone like me could never get married, I never thought I could consider that ... That was profound for me to realise that from a very young age I had built up massive internal barriers to the possibility of what the magnitude of love could be in my life.
'I had to acknowledge that, listen to it and talk to that place in myself that had walls up against love ... It was like internalised homophobia. It was really, really deep,' he says.
Asked if this is a grief, he says: 'It is a loss. But what I love now is when I see the younger, younger kids who are coming out to their families, and being met with openness, acceptance.
'They are not going to miss out having a crush, or recognising who they fancy, or the qualities in a human they might be attracted to. They are not going to have those barriers, or suppress that most beautiful part of themselves, which is to experience the greatest thing – love. That fills me with joy.'
Australian Adrian Hempel, 49, was living in Australia but was watching closely as Ireland became the first country to choose to have same-sex marriage by popular vote as his boyfriend was Irish. 'We got married here and the vote made that possible.'
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Mary McAleese: Marriage equality did not end rampant homophobia
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They campaigned in Australia's 2017 referendum, which also passed. 'It was actually quite traumatic to have everyone in our community given licence to debate our humanity and our human rights. It was a very difficult period to live though but you have to be happy with the final result.'
Asked how things are 10 years on for his community, he says: 'For lesbian and gay people things are generally pretty good, but the people who used to give us grief have focused their energies unfortunately towards our trans siblings. I know a lot of trans people who are really quite terrified by what's going on.'
After a largely positive campaign the Yes vote prevailed by 62 to 38 per cent on a large 60.5 per cent turnout, with strong Yes votes across Dublin of more than 70 per cent. Just one constituency, Roscommon-South Leitrim, rejected same-sex marriage, by 51.4 per cent.
The then minister for health, Leo Varadkar, who had come out as gay during the referendum campaign, said the overwhelming Yes vote marked Ireland as a 'beacon of light' for the rest of the world.
And around the world the result was greeted with joy. 'Ireland did it! The 1st country to legalize marriage equality by popular vote, but they won't be the last! What an incredible accomplishment,' said US lesbian comedian Ellen DeGeneres in a tweet.
'The weather really played ball,' recalls
Rory O'Neill
, artist and gay rights activist. 'It felt to me like what I imagine it was like on VE Day – people spontaneously dancing on the streets.
'It actually turned out the referendum was about something more than marriage,' he continues. 'It was about feeling a belonging. That was overwhelming – that this country that had once really tried very hard to disown me and people like me had turned around and decided to embrace me and my kind.'
The George on South Great George's Street, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
While he had strongly suspected a majority would vote Yes, he hadn't known it.
'And it turns out that knowing is really powerful. And I think you could see that reflected in the streets. You immediately began to see gay couples holding hands in a way you just had not. I think that was down to this knowing most people are on your side. There was something really freeing about that.'
Ethel Buckley, deputy general secretary of the Siptu trade union, which campaigned for a Yes vote, says: 'It was Ireland shaking off that old, non-progressive self.' It was crucial, she says, in paving the way for the successful campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment three years later.
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Gay couples feel 'a little safer' holding hands since referendum
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Moninne Griffith, chief executive of the youth LGBTQ+ organisation Belong To, says in the days after the result large numbers of young people came to its drop-in service for the first time. 'There was a sense of, 'It's safe to be out.' They felt it was safe, and hugely affirmed.'
This affirmation felt solid for 'about five years', says Griffith. There were 'many positive developments' including gender recognition legislation later in 2015, the first national strategy for LGBTQ+ young people and increased funding for LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Moninne Griffith of Belong To
Since 2015 there have been almost 6,000 same-sex weddings – 3,131 of men and 2,734 of women. The community felt increasingly safe and integrated. 'And then Covid came. And the haters got their baptism in the anti-mask, anti-vaccine, anti-government stuff.'
As well as targeting immigrants, Griffith says, 'they drum up fear and worry about trans people – this tiny minority of people'.
Exacerbating this is increasing misogyny, she continues. 'It's very loud about trans people but if you scratch the surface there is a huge amount of homophobia. A lot of policing 'manliness'. We are hearing a lot of people being called 'faggots' again.'
A
Belong To and Trinity College Dublin study, published last year
, reports an upsetting reality for LGBTQ young people (under 25) and trans people of all ages.
'Young LGBTQI+ people have reported increases in having feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide ideation, while trans people face increased stigma, isolation and discrimination in society, [more so] than other cohorts in the LGBTQI+ community,' it stated.
Lea Hennessy, 18, lives in Wexford and is non-binary and transsexual. They describe 'a lot of anxiety' among their peers. They remember hearing about marriage equality. 'It sounds really cool.'
But for them now, just being themself is challenging. 'I hear slurs all the time and have had a bad time in school with it. I know for my friends it's similar. I know people who haven't been able to come out and others who have experienced hate crimes,' they say.
Lea Hennessy. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Greater understanding of the reality of trans and non-binary people's lives would make a huge difference, says Hennessy. This could start in school curricula. 'It feels like we just get mentioned as a definition in SPHE class. The rest of the time we are pushed the straight, nuclear family all the time.
'There needs to be an understanding that we are part of the community and we need to find our spot ... but you almost feel you have to see yourself as different to society because of what everyone says about you. It's hard.'
Sam Blanckensee, chair of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and equality officer with Maynooth University, campaigned for a Yes vote in Wicklow.
They felt 'just such a relief that it had gotten through' and believes 'marriage equality is no longer a question within Ireland'.
I would have hoped by now we would see gender recognition for under-16s, for non-binary people. That was all promised. It's not moving and there is a rise in transphobia
—
Sam Blanckensee
However: 'It is really challenging to see it go so far backwards so quickly,' particularly for the trans community. 'It seems like we are the scapegoat for so many issues.
'We don't feel that people are seeing the vulnerabilities the community has. Trans people are such a small part of society, at such a greater risk of violence and sexual violence but are so often portrayed as the perpetrators of that violence.'
Echoing them, O'Neill says he does not feel as safe in Dublin as he used to, particularly when occupying his drag-queen persona Panti Bliss. 'Thirty years ago if I was running from the George and had to go to another club, I just ran out the to the street and ran over or flagged down a taxi, and didn't really think about it. For a time after the referendum I was even more relaxed about it.
'Whereas now I am not. Ten years ago no one on the street would have called me a paedophile. And now, that will happen. The haters have been emboldened.'
Sam Blanckensee, chair of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and equality officer with Maynooth University. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish Times
Blanckensee says transgender abuse is not only online and on the streets. 'It's at policy level too.' Despite the enactment of gender recognition legislation, also in 2015, they say healthcare for trans people is 'the worst in Europe'.
They reference a 2022 survey by Transgender Europe (TGEU), which is funded by the EU and campaigns for the 'complete depathologisation of trans and gender-diverse identities'.
Blanckensee would 'really love the LGB community to stand out with us because Ireland is a much harder place to be trans today than it was 10 years ago'.
'I would have hoped by now we would see gender recognition for under-16s, for non-binary people. That was all promised. It's not moving and there is a rise in transphobia.'
The trade union movement has 'always provided safe spaces' for the LGBTQ communities, says Buckley. In 1981, she recalls, the union hosted the first national gay conference in Cork. 'This was 12 years before homosexuality was legalised,' she says.
However, she says: 'We have rested on our laurels a bit since marriage equality. The other side seems as galvanised as we were back then ... Progressive movements need to coalesce around fighting the rise of the far right.'
She will find a welcome from LGBTQ+ groups. 'We really need our allies, including in Government, to come back and hear what's going on and stand with us again,' says Griffith. 'Show up in your communities, go to your local Pride events. We need you more than ever, to call out misinformation, call out hate.'
Back at the George, Hawkins agrees 'things have gone back' but he has faith in the resilience of a movement that 'slogged' for decades to achieve the equality so joyously celebrated a decade ago.
'The pendulum always swings back and forward ... The movement will always stand hopeful and proud and brave, but definitely not complacent, right across the rainbow.'

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8 hours ago

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Irish Times

9 hours ago

• Irish Times

Irish influencers trolled on Tattle life: ‘They said I'm a bad mum. That I'm ugly. They wrote my address on it'

Earlier this week, Co Antrim entrepreneurs Neil and Donna Sands were awarded £300,000 (€352,000) in libel damages following a defamation and harassment lawsuit over abusive comments posted on gossip website Tattle Life. Tattle Life describes itself as a platform for 'commentary and critiques of people that choose to monetise their personal life as a business and release it into the public domain'. Users post messages and discuss influencers and others with an online profile, many of whom complain they are being trolled. A number of Irish influencers have been the subject of negative 'threads' on Tattle Life. The judge in the case, heard in Belfast , said it had been set up to deliberately inflict hurt and harm on others by allowing the anonymous trashing of people's reputations. The site was revealed on Friday, June 13th, as being operated by UK national Sebastian Bond. Julie Haynes' Instagram account Twins and Me has 218,000 followers. She first became aware of Tattle Life when one of her own online followers sent her a link to a comment posted about her on the site, she says. READ MORE 'I was sent a screenshot and then I went on and I was scrolling through the threads, and I was like, what the hell? ... They were saying stuff like I take drugs.' None of it was true, she says. 'Writing stuff like that is absolutely horrific,' Haynes says, but it didn't stop there. Haynes' father died during Covid. 'We had five people at the funeral. Me, my mam, my brother and my twins. And we had a camera set up in the church because we were allowed to do that at the time, and you just basically livestreamed it and family and friends at home were able to tune in. The link then was put up on Tattle Life and every single one of my trolls tuned in.' Her young son needed to go to the toilet during the funeral, and so she brought him. Comments followed that she had 'walked out of the church' and that the funeral was like 'an episode of EastEnders'. 'Every single move I made' was commented on, Haynes says. 'She's drunk, that's why she's run out of the church. She had to go get sick.' Julie Haynes and her children Erin Rose and Fionn Haynes says she has seen comments stating that she's 'a bad mum. That I'm ugly'. Her mother had breast cancer two years ago and had a mastectomy. Haynes shared her mother's experience with her followers, but because her mother's recovery was deemed quick by some she was accused of making the story up 'for content'. 'They wrote my address on it, saying that 'I'd love to go down Julie's house in X and kick ... her. They write about my children all the time. What they call my kids is absolutely horrific, they screenshot them. I'm so, so upset.' [ Women in Ireland increasingly subjected to online hate and misogyny, groups warn Opens in new window ] Haynes says she has considered taking her children offline. 'No one should be calling these children those names,' she says. Her social media presence is an income source. 'Only for my social media, I'd have nothing,' she says. 'I'm a single mum … I do all this for my kids. And the only way I can go for [a] mortgage is by working. To earn a couple of bob I do my social media but these trolls, then, are trying to ruin it.' For brands looking to work with influencers, 'the first thing you do is check Google and the first thing that pops up when you put in my name is all these Tattle threads'. Louise Cooney has 250,000 followers on Instagram. She became aware of Tattle Life around the time of the Covid pandemic. 'It has completely changed my life for the last five years. It's something I've never spoken about. It's incredibly traumatising and hurtful. Some of the things that have been said and written, and not having control over your digital footprint in that way, is really upsetting,' says Cooney. Louise Cooney: 'It's like a free-for-all because no one has put in rules' 'It's made me less trusting of people,' she says. 'It makes me second-guess people's intentions. And it makes me question everything that I do, how I share.' She says it's good to be cautious about sharing. Cooney stays away from the site as much as possible. She says she doesn't want the upset and stress it causes her to have an impact on her toddler son. 'Once or twice I've had a weak moment ... All it does is upset me. Why do I look? But then, if you know it's there and other people can read it, sometimes curiosity can get the better of you,' she says. 'We grew up in a generation ... we're the first ones doing this, and it's like a free-for-all because no one has put in rules.' 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How dare anybody do that? But then it evolved into calling me an alcoholic. No such thing, never was. This is stuff that could actually affect my real-life job.' She describes what happens on Tattle Life as 'systemic harassment and abuse'. Tattle Life has had a 'massive' impact on Stone. She says there have been posts saying her children have a 'horrendous upbringing' and that they 'hate' her. 'They tried to savage my kids, my older kids, their dress sense, their fashion sense, their choices – everything,' Stone says. She says she has mostly stopped attending events. 'I think it's because I don't want to put myself out there any more to be slapped down every time. It's constantly in your head.' 'I've stopped going out generally. Other than school runs and groceries ... I've a tiny friend circle,' she says.

Irish Times

9 hours ago

• Irish Times

Iron Maiden at Dublin's Malahide Castle: Stage times, set list, ticket information, how to get there and more

After 50 years in the business, there is no sign of Iron Maiden slowing down any time soon as their European Run For Your Lives tour kicked off last month in Budapest. The heavy metal band will take to the stage at Malahide Castle this Wednesday for an unforgettable night as part of the band's 27 stadium, festival and arena shows around Europe. This tour will mark 50 years since bassist Steve Harris formed Iron Maiden in 1975. The band have promised fans the 'most spectacular and elaborate show ever' with the set list spanning their nine studio albums. Iron Maiden, made up of Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrain and Janick Gers, will give a 'once in a lifetime experience' to their concert-bound fans. READ MORE When and where is it? Iron Maiden play Malahide Castle in Dublin on Wednesday, June 25th. What time should I arrive? Gates are at 5pm, meaning the show is expected to start at 6pm. Stage times are not yet available, so keep an eye on Iron Maiden's social media for updates. The concert should be finished by 10.45pm. Who is playing? Support on the night comes from Halestorm and The Raven Age. Iron Maiden will headline. What songs will Iron Maiden play? Below is a recent set list from their gig in Helsinki. Murders in the Rue Morgue Wrathchild Killers Phantom of the Opera The Number of the Beast The Clairvoyant Powerslave 2 Minutes to Midnight Rime of the Ancient Mariner Run to the Hills Seventh Son of a Seventh Son The Trooper Hallowed Be Thy Name Iron Maiden Encore Churchill's Speech Aces High Fear of the Dark Wasted Years Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song) How do I get to and from the gig? Though it is possible to drive, you are encouraged to use public transport to get to and from Malahide Castle. Allow yourself plenty of extra travel time, as traffic delays and congestion are inevitable. Bus: Dublin Bus operates services to Malahide village from the city centre. The H2 and 42 routes connect with Malahide, while the 102 provides a direct route from Dublin Airport. Marathon Coaches are offering private, direct return buses to the concert from Northwall Quay Bus Stop 7623. JJ Kavanagh Event Coaches are also offering private coach services from locations including Limerick, Portlaoise, Kilkenny and Carlow. Irish Concert Travel offer a similar service from the likes of Donegal Town, Sligo, Longford and Galway. Train/Dart: Malahide train station is about a 15-minute walk from the concert venue and connects to city centre dart locations including Grand Canal Dock, Pearse, Tara Street and Connolly. The Dart usually runs extra services for concerts in Malahide, with the last train leaving the station sometime between 11.30pm and midnight. Car: There is limited parking at Malahide Castle, but it is possible to drive to and from gigs. You are recommended to book parking by downloading the Evntz app and clicking 'parking' on the page for Iron Maiden. Recommended car routes are: Via the M50: From Dublin city centre, west and south of Ireland, exit the M50 at Junction 3 (signposted M1 Belfast/Airport), continuing on to the R139. At the roundabout, take the second exit, continuing on the R139 for 2.6km. Turn left on to Malahide Road/R107. Continue straight for 4.2km, then take a right on to Back Road. Follow signs for car parks on your left. Via the M1: From the north of the country, exit the M1 at Junction 4 (signposted R132 Swords/Malahide/Donabate). Keep right, merging on to the R132. At the roundabout, take the second exit, keeping on the R132. At the next roundabout, take the second exit, again staying on R132. Take a slight left, merging on to Swords Rd/R106, and continue for 2.9km. Turn right on to the Dublin Road/R107, continue straight for 700m and then turn left on to Back Road. Follow signs for car parks on your left. Are there any tickets left? A very small number of tickets are left so act quickly if you want to bag them. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and cost €91.30 each. Download your tickets to your phone in advance, in case there are internet or connectivity issues at the site. Screenshots may not work on the day, as Ticketmaster often use live or dynamic barcodes that update regularly. What's the story with security? Attendees under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult to be permitted entry. You should bring an official form of identification – a passport, Garda age card or driving licence. Bags will be searched on arrival, and you are advised not to bring a large bag to avoid the possibility of a lengthy delay or even refusal of entry. It is prohibited to bring alcohol, umbrellas, garden furniture, flares or professional recording equipment in with you. What does the weather look like? Weather is forecast to be largely settled next week, with less rain than usual and above average temperatures according to Met Éireann .