Equality…What Equality!!?? November 3, 2009
Posted by Donnacha Maguire in Education, Equality Issues, Irish Politics, LGTB Issues, Sport.Tags: Equality, LGTB, Portmarnock Golf Club, Supreme Court, Teachers
6 comments
The Supreme Court has today upheld the right of Portmarnock Gold Club to exclude women from full membership of the club. Following a 3-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that “Portmarnock was not a discriminating club because its principal purpose was to cater only for the needs of a particular gender”. A section of the Equal Status Act allows groups that cater for only one gender to be exempt under the legislation.
The Equality Authority has welcomed the ruling as it gives clarity to the legislation. It has also called on the Oireachtas to review the Equal Status Act with respect to this section. For more info, please visit RTE.ie.
I think the Government and Fianna Fáil in particular need to look at this issue very carefully and to also address some of the other anomolies in legislation. Did you that at present, a gay or lesbian teacher can be fired from his or her position if the school authorities feel it goes against the ethos of the school? As far as I am concerned, once the salaries of a school are being paid by my taxes, then no one should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation. Would it be ok for a school to fire a non white person if the school changed its ethos to reflect that?
Gay People in Sport October 20, 2009
Posted by Donnacha Maguire in LGTB Issues, Sport.Tags: LGTB, Sport
3 comments
Donal Óg Cusack has recently come out. For those of you who dont know him he is the Cork Senior Hurler who has previously won 3 All Ireland medals. While in itself, it is nothing but a personal issue for Donal, it highlights an important question. Why are there not more openly gay sports stars?
We know that 1 in 9 people or roughly 11% of the population are either Gay, Bi or Lesbian, so why dont the various social layers in society represent this figure, and in particular the world of sport?
I’ve played competitive sport for the past 13 years and in my time I’ve never met another gay handballer; perhaps they are than I and would not have socialized with them to find out but still, where are they? Is it that gay people dont like handball (no jokes please) or that gay people dont play GAA, Soccer or Rugby?
I dont think it’s the case at all that Gay people dont take part in sport. In UL where I did Phys Ed, I was not the only gay or lesbian student. I estimate that there were at least 6 out of our class of 75 who were gay or lesbian. Now while lower than the national average, it does show that gay and lesbian people like sport, take part in sport and want to work in sports education.
Then why oh why do we not see a gay player on every sports team in the country? Unfortunately, I do believe that it is incredibly difficult to be an ‘out sports star’ in Ireland. By an large, male sports are dominated by over active hormones known as Jocks. They would I believe make gay players feel uncomfortable. No one minds a bit of ribbing ( i’ve been known to be quite good at it) but there is only so much one can take before it becomes unbearable. The stigma of being gay in a changing room is some thing I believe worries a lot o teenagers who when they eventually come out in their late teens cannot continue with the sports they love. They migrate to the individual sports pursuits such as going to the gym, playing squash against a fellow gay or going for a lonely run. While all of these are sound in terms of physical training, they do leave an absence of camaraderie and general socializing.
Donal Óg, over the past number of days has struck a blow for gay people who like him love sport. It shows that it is possible to reach the top of your game, represent your county or club with pride and still be who you are. I commend him.
