LGBT Rights in Ireland and Russia

Speakers:

-Igor Iasine, LGBT rights activist in Russia (via Skype)
- Paul Murphy, Socialist Party MEP
- Rita Harrold, ROSA

7 pm, Thursday 27 February, Wynn's Hotel, Abbey Street

Organised by ROSA - for Reproductive rights, against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity read full story / add a comment

Pussy Riot, a Russian female punk band of recent notoriety, very much seems to have one tunnel vision goal—at least as reported to Western audiences by Western media—and that is to discredit and defame Russian President Vladimir Putin. The band name ‘riot’ is not hard to understand, as their supposed “art form” resembles a riot, as punk music often enough does; but it is more anti-music in its ear-splitting aggression. Behind scenes of this shallow morality play …lays larger political stories, pseudo-stories, propaganda, foreign inspired revolutions with plenty of American tax money being circulated to bribe public relations schemes and more lately accusations that even NGOs that supposedly care about human rights and the environment have been infiltrated to the point that their real mission is to engage in propaganda operations.
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Lady&trans*Fest Dublin is a bad-ass queer/feminist D.I.Y. weekender festival happening 28,29,30th March
Wimmin&trans* organised, the event is celebrating feminist-queer-trans* arts & culture, with music, theater, workshops, films, spoken word, and discussions. read full story / add a comment

Dear Friends,

Just a little note to bring to your attention our exhibition “And They Tell Me" a memorial to all the women who have died through male violence from December 1995 to 2013. This is a very powerful and simple exhibition, really beautiful but also very shocking. It is only a short window in time to view this work. We invite you and your groups to come to the NCAD Gallery, Thomas Street to view it and connect with the issue of Violence Against Women.

For those who are interested we are also holding a conference to reflect on the invisible crisis. There are only 100 places for the conference so you must book, it is also free. I really hope you will get to one or the other and I hope your own work is going well.

In solidarity

Rita Fagan

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Not only should abortion be legal but it also is well worth arguing that having children should be made illegal (as in a crime). Now here is a statement even most sleeping Americans would agree is a radical proposition (so radical in fact you almost never encounter it). And yet it is a very practical and sane proposition, even to its extreme, logical outcome, that is allowing our very own human species to become extinguished (as in extinct). After all the ecological system of this world doesn’t need the human species and would undoubtedly be better off without it. Why would a baby want, for example, to be born into a world of global warming? Or why would a baby want to be born into a world of diminishing resources, in respect to the perpetually growing world population?
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We here have come together as a way of supporting the Russian LGBT community, in light of recent attacks on many LGBT people. We aim to pressure the Irish and other European authorities to convince Russia to repeal their recent anti-gay legislation. We are deeply concerned about the abuse of gay people in Russia but we can challenge prejudice.

Russian Embassy,184-186 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 14, Friday 16/8/2013 18:00.

This is a protest solely about LGBT rights. Obama has tried to jump on the bandwagon but he hasn't shown much respect for the rights of US citizens that he spies on. Nor has he respected the gay man Bradley Manning who has exposed the realities of the National Security State. Putins granting of asylum to Snowden should be applauded. read full story / add a comment

Part two of 'What is feminist Economics' event - we will delve deeper into some of the questions raised on 17th august and also discuss the article 'Cuts Are a Feminist Issue' by the Feminist Fightback Collective see http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_co...issue

6:30pm, 4th September 2013 @ Seomra Spraoi,10 Belvedere Court, Dublin 1 read full story / add a comment

Today, Tuesday 16th July, at 5:00pm, a coalition of LGBT organizations, civil-society groups, political parties and public representatives will hand in a protest letter to the Russian Embassy, Orwell road, Rathgar to register our horror at the signing into law of the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” Bill (the so-called Gay 'Propaganda' law)

For further comment, please contact:
Adam Long, NLGF - National Lesbian and Gay Federation - at adamlong80@gmail.com
Max Krzyzanowski, spokesperson for LGBT Noise on 086 8387471 read full story / add a comment

International Day of Protest against the Violent Abuse and Murder of Sex Workers

Friday 19 July at 3:00pm

Swedish Consulate, 12 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2 read full story / add a comment

The Abortion Bill will be voted on by TDs on Wednesday 10th of July. Anti-Choice groups are really turning up the pressure on Fine Gael on the back of their large so called "Rally for Life" on Saturday. Minister for Health, James O'Reilly, has indicated that he will try to put a late amendment to the Bill that put even more obstacles in the way of women having access to abortion than the current legal situation.

Protest at Dail 6pm Wednesday 10 July. read full story / add a comment

Cai Wilkinson on recent LGBTQ developments in Russia. Her geographic focus is on the former Soviet Union, and she is currently working on projects about LGBT rights and human rights norms in Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
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The issue of LGBT rights in Russia first properly came to mainstream international attention in March 2012, when the St Petersburg Duma passed a law prohibiting “public acts aimed at the propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism amongst minors“. The law provoked an international outcry, including calls for tourists to boycott St Petersburg, sister-cities to consider cut off ties with Russia’s “window on Europe”, and condemnation from the EU, with the European Parliament passing a resolution noting that it was “gravely concerned by developments which restrict freedom of expression and assembly on the basis of misconceptions about homosexuality and transgenderism” and calling on Russia and other countries considering the adoption of similar legislation to “demonstrate, and ensure respect for, the principle of non-discrimination”. read full story / add a comment

After hearing the comments from the Minister for health we urge you to help us continue to fight this very important cause. Here is a template we ask you to send to as many TD'S SENATORS AND COUNSELORS. Not just in your own area but to them all I will post all their addresses also.
Again Thank you so much for your support if we all pull together we can make this happen.... Please can you share this and encourage your friends to do so as well. read full story / add a comment

Press Release from Action On X

Abortion Bill will deter despairing women and put lives at risk
Expert Group recommendations ignored
Chilling factor must go – decriminalise abortion

Action on X today welcomed the publication of the government's draft Bill on abortion, but regard it as having many shortcomings. Spokesperson Sinead Kennedy said:

“The proposal to make a despairing, suicidal woman or girl go through at least three, and possibly six examinations in order to end an unwanted pregnancy shows a callous disregard for women's lives. Faced with the possibility of refusal by one or more doctors and an onerous appeals procedure, a woman is likely to go overseas. Those who are too poor or too ill to travel are likely to become more despairing, increasing the risk to their lives.” read full story / add a comment

The Pro-Choice Alliance Cork condemns Fianna Fail's decision to oppose women's access to their existing constitutional right. It calls on all parties to face up to their responsibility not just to pass legislation on X but to repeal the 8th Amendment.

Spokeswoman Sandra McAvoy said

"It looks as if church gate collections matter more to Fianna Fail than their responsibilities to the women of Ireland. They took the same position that women had no right to control their fertility during the long fight to legalise contraception. Their Ard Feis vote could hardly have shown more clearly that they are the party of the past. Fianna Fail’s stance is further proof that the major parties lack common sense, compassion, empathy.”

“They have learned nothing about women’s rights to life, health and to make their own decisions, from the scandals of symphysiotomy and Magdalen homes. But then, they have never shown an interest in the needs and interests of our women citizens.” read full story / add a comment

Galway Pro-Choice condemns the passing of three motions at today's Fianna Fail Ard Fheis which oppose suicide being included as a ground for abortion under proposed X Case legislation. In particular, we condemn the decision of the Galway East Comhairle Dáil Ceantair of Fianna Fáil to propose one of these motions which would continue to place women’s lives in danger.

Orlaith Reidy of Galway Pro Choice said:

“The motions presented to the Ard Fheis reveal a fundamental disregard for women's health. As Dr. Peadar O'Grady of Doctors for Choice has outlined, denying women the right to choose is a key cause of suicidality among pregnant women, and maternal deaths have markedly declined in countries where abortion is available.” read full story / add a comment

Akbayan Partylist would like to express its extreme disappointment over the Supreme Court's decision to issue a status quo ante order against the Reproductive Health (RH) Law for a period of four months.
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Women groups hail ‘triple wins,’ but warn of complacency read full story / add a comment

Dear Sisters,

It has been an incredible hard time for women in our society. A shocking attack of austerity is impeding women’s lives from every angle; from Lone Parents, Children’s Allowance, Maternity Leave, Household Groceries, Household Utility bills, Property Tax and so on. With the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar, the unfolding of the Magdalene Laundries, with the attack on low paid civil servants, the women who feed the sick and those who keep our hospitals clean. The severe and systematic attack on Community Projects the places where many women invest their spirits and lives for the betterment of their communities.
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Michelle Bachelet, first ever Executive Director of UN Women and former President of Chile will speak at the Kapuscinski development lecture in Dublin on women's empowerment and role of gender equality in implementation of the current Millennium Development Goals as well as in the process of setting new, post 2015 global goals.

LIVE webcast at 6:30pm GMT / 7:30pm CET on 21st February 2013.

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The National Lesbian & Gay Federation (NLGF) - in conjunction with Dublin City Council Social Inclusion Unit and The Community Foundation for Ireland - invite you to attend the first national conference to address poverty and social exclusion in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgendered (LGBT) community. The event will explore how issues relating to poverty, economic inequality and multiple disadvantage impact upon LGBT people. The conference will also act as a platform for LGBT organisations and anti-poverty/community development organisations to discuss solutions to tackle poverty and inequality amongst LGBT people and promote social inclusion.
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