Welcome, dear reader, to the August/September issue of GCN!

As the stunning cover suggests, this magazine is packed to the brim with boundary-pushing queer excellence and creativity.

STILL NOT EQUAL

Parting Shot

HATE CRIME - TIME TO #PASSTHEBILL

For the NXF (National LGBT Federation)’s update this month, we are focusing attention on what has been a pressing policy priority for the LGBTQ+ community.

AN ART TO LIFES DISTRACTIONS

Standing somewhere smushed between the fourth and fifth rows of a Hozier concert screaming about “bugs and the dirt,” Phoebe Bock finally felt the impact of live music and was happy to share it with her chosen friends.

Directory

Dublin & The East ACT UP Dublin Individuals

DON’T STICK TO THE STATUS QUO

Roots of political, environmental, and social activism are regularly planted by courageous young people who are willing to disrupt the system. This has been particularly prevalent in the heightened pro-Palestine movement of recent months, and Nicole Lee finds out more from leading figures who spearheaded university encampments across Dublin.

A SHOW FOR SINEAD

Known for her provocative, often incendiary performances that blend punk aesthetics with raw, confrontational theatre, CHRISTEENE has carved out a unique space in the world of performance art. Ahead of bringing her Sinéad O’Connor tribute show The Lion The Witch and The Cobra to Dublin, she spoke to Swantje Mohrbeck about the legacy of the late Irish singer and what audiences can expect from the production.

VisiBility

With September marking Bisexual Visibility Month, Han Tiernan delves into the legacy of bi activism in Ireland. Through a retelling of the work of the trailblazing Bi Irish group, discover stories too often overlooked and erased from the history books

THE OPEN CITY

At the start of August, the Swedish capital of Stockholm hosted its annual Pride celebration. Beatrice Fanucci was invited to attend, witnessing all of the rainbow-filled glory the Scandi city has to offer

TAILORED TO PERFECTION

Founded in Dublin in 1948, Best Menswear has been a leading name in Irish Menswear for over 75 years. Best Menswear’s Made To Measure service is especially well-regarded, as GCN’s Stefano Pappalardo and his now-husband Aaron Healy discovered when they choose to have custom Made to Measure tuxedos designed for their wedding

YOU SHALL GO TO THE BALL

In the grand tradition of Paris Is Burning, Ireland’s ballroom scene is officially open thanks to the incomparable Haus of Schiaparelli. Tracing back through the LGBTQ+ subculture’s history, Ethan Moser spoke to Haus Daddy Tino Wekare about the importance of ballroom for queer people of colour.

CURTAIN UP

“I think with the state the world is in, no one is going to listen unless you're speaking in these very large and utopian ways,” says Venus Patel, echoing the world-altering ambitions of queer and trans artists across this year’s Dublin Fringe.

LETS GET CONSENSUAL

While dominance and submission are seen as defining factors of BDSM, nobody involved should ever be powerless. Beatrice Fanucci spoke to leading members of Ireland’s kink community to discover how they practice enthusiastic consent, ensuring sex remains safe and satisfying for all involved.

FREE WOMEN OF, AFGHANISTAN

Stones and petrol bombs are being hurled on the streets of Coolock and Belfast. The fires are fuelled by panic that portrays refugees and asylum seekers, especially those from Muslim countries, as dangerous. They’re far more likely, of course, to be the victims of the extremists, many of them LGBTQ+. Here, in her own words, is a courageous young woman, Zarghona from Afghanistan, as told to her friend, Izzy Kamikaze.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

With the Olympics having just wrapped up, it’s now time for para-athletes to take the stage and compete for coveted bronze, silver and gold medals. Representing Team Ireland and Team LGBTQ+ is para-cyclist Richael Timothy, who spoke to Alice Linehan about her sporting story so far and her hopes for Paris 2024.

RED - ALERT

Do you listen to girl in red? The sapphic music icon released her sophomore album earlier this year, and ahead of her show in Dublin this August, she sat down with Alice Linehan to discuss music, mental health, and her fond memories of touring in Ireland.

ARE YOU A PERVERT

With an increasingly hostile environment threatening trans people's safety, community members become vulnerable to self-policing in order to fly under the radar. Iarfhlaith O’Connell explores the issue, highlighting the need to push back against oppressive forces, particularly when it comes to artistic expression.