School’s Out

at

shout out

eoin
Eoin O’ Liatháin and Shout.ie’s schools programme (top)

Eoin O’ Liatháin of youth LGBTQ group ShoutOut.ie writes

Just got a call from a Dublin principal [Colaiste Eoin, Stillorgan, Co Dublin] who has stepped in to cancel a ShoutOut workshop planned this morning because the board “feels that the other side needs to be heard”. What I ask is the other side of saying it’s ok to be young and LGBT?!

Anyone?

ShoutOut.ie

Eoin O’ Liatháin

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111 thoughts on “School’s Out

  1. Llareggub

    Wow. Dare anyone challenge the LGBTQ crew. Is there a group who go around canvassing on behalf of straight kids or are they just not special enough?

      1. Llareggub

        Kids get bullied for all sorts of reasons. Bullying is not gender specific. Can only gay people be victims?

        1. Ronan

          Thats why I said specifically because of their sexuality, also you seem to think, based on that response, that sexuality is a gender……

        2. Aido

          @LLareggub – get back under your bridge. And while you’re there read up on the difference between gender and orientation.

        3. smoothlikemurphys

          “Is there a group who go around canvassing on behalf of straight kids”

          That would be the normal, ‘don’t be bullying’ coaching that schools mete out. Pretty much along the lines of ‘The bully is the real coward’ or some other such bullshit. Unfortunately, these archaic teachings aren’t equipped to help people with things like homophobic bullying, hence the need for a specific session.

          If you really care so much, I’m sure you could organise a session for the straight kids that get bullied by the LGBT ones….

        4. LiamZero

          Aha, now your name makes sense! Llareggub to indicate you have ‘bugger all’ in the brains department and to show how backwards your way of thinking is!
          You total norom!

    1. JF

      It is not a question of challenging the LGBTQ or not. We have a scenario in Ireland where someone like a Minister has to come out and announce they are gay which is not the norm as the majority of the population don’t have to come out and say I’m straight. Is it desirable to create an environment where young people who are gay can feel as comfortable as the rest of the population? Straight are super special because they don’t to worry about that aspect of life….

    2. ahjayzis

      F*ck you.

      I’ve not attended school as a straight boy but I’m definitely not out of line in saying it’s a hell of a lot easier.
      And the suicide statistics back me up.

      I’m sorry if you were bullied, beaten up, excluded and made to feel like shit for the simple fact you cannot help, being heterosexual – you asinine wanker.

      1. JF

        It is good to see the internet is bringing out the best in you. It could be me or your articulation but your comments make no sense.

        “I’ve not attended school as a straight boy but I’m definitely not out of line in saying it’s a hell of a lot easier. And the suicide statistics back me up.”

        As far as I understand your comment, I agree with it. That was the point I was making but it sailed over your head.

        “I’m sorry if you were bullied, beaten up, excluded and made to feel like shit for the simple fact you cannot help, being heterosexual – you asinine wanker.”

        No idea where you divined this from. It is not a question as you should know of helping being heterosexual or gay. It is the way we were born, not something to be helped but to be lived.

        In terms of your language, honestly, if it makes you feel better to post like that, then knock yourself out….

        1. Mikeyfex

          You see the way your reply to him was indented, JF? Ya, that. His reply was to Llareggub’s comment at the top, charming as it was.

          1. ahjayzis

            Yeh soz hun
            Went ovr yr hed inanywyz hun
            2 of us innih hun

            Pretty sure it’s legible if you read it in the context of what it was actually responding to.

    1. ScareySarahCarey

      One of the Catholic church priests (who odds on is in the closet himself) has to come in and tell them being gay is morally wrong and shameful and that a life in the closet fighting their natural urges is much more theologically sound.

    1. rotide

      It’s been around a good while. There is an I as well which is even more confusing and as such doesn’t get used much.

      1. Aido

        The Q is supposed to be a positive reappropriation of Queer, but ‘Queer’ is more of a culture than a sexual orientation (like emo, but more flamboyant), though I’m open to correction.

          1. Spaghetti Hoop

            What about the ‘A’ as in asexual, the ‘U’ as in ‘Undateable’….albeit subjective…
            or the ‘C’ as in celibate?

            Or how about a workshop for ‘E’ as in everyone?

          1. rotide

            The genius that came up with Q for curious could have done with the group above to make sure he stayed in school.

      1. rotide

        I’m still not sure why there is an L and a G in a movement that is about equality, but I’m open to correction on that.

  2. Monahan Mangan

    I think at this stage, the fear is that everybody in Ireland will come out as gay, and there will nobody left to populate the species.

  3. Anomanomanom

    I can not take any one/thing seriously when they use LGBTQ. Stop lumping everyone under the same stupid heading.

    1. Nigel

      You literally can’t cope with a heading that covers more than one type of person. I’m not sure I can take you seriously.

      1. Anomanomanom

        No i don’t like the lumping together of different people. I can say from experience a Gay man does not have the same problems as a transgender. So stop lumping everyone together.

        1. Nigel

          Tell you what, find some of them, one example of each maybe, grab their hands and use them to slap there faces while you chant ‘stop lumping yourselves together!’ over and over again. Or whack them with an umbrella and say ‘stop expressing unity despite your varied individual experiences by expressing yourselves as a community using a shared umbrella term!’ over and over again.

  4. Dubloony

    Other side? the teens who believe that the “intrinsic disordered” should be ok with who they are as long as they don’t actually form any intimate relationships?

  5. Jock

    This is nothing short of gay recruitment.

    Is what I’d say if I wanted a nice troll. Really though, these visits are a great idea because I can imagine it’s d to still very difficult to struggle with your sexuality at school.

    1. Dubloony

      Problem with a lot of schools is that they don’t deal with sexuality at all, of any sort let alone the subtle nuances of variation.

  6. Joxer

    Can the school name be published? if that could then the principal could be asked what other side is that he is referring to?

  7. Zarathustra

    On a related note; I enter online writing competitions, and some of the application forms I’ve completed contained questions about ethnic origin, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. I don’t understand why this information is relevant to my submissions, how could it be?

    1. Don Pidgeoni

      Its not relevant to your submission, its checking the diversity of people who submit to make sure they get a range of people, not just straight, white, middle-class folk. It generally says this on the form.

      1. Zarathustra

        Thanks Don, but if that’s the case, does it mean that those minorities who are accepted as finalists are awarded their positions purely on the basis of them being in a minority group, as opposed to individual merit, based on the quality of their submissions? I’m genuinely curious as to how the system works, most of the competitions are international, so there would be a diversity of applicants.

    2. Jane

      They probably want to show that they’re not discriminating against any groups and consider submissions from a variety of sources.

      Some also use this information to highlight where there are gaps so they can identify where they may be unconsciously biased in terms of how they word their requests for submissions, or where they are requesting submissions.

  8. ivan

    lookit – these workshops can only be a good thing. When initially the marriage referendum thing was discussed, I’ll admit it, for a time, i had that Iona thing in my head about ‘what about the kids?’

    Not because of any belief that two men, or two women couldn’t provide love or anything like that for a child that they’re raising, but rather that, say, when kids go to school and they’re collected by Dad 1 or Dad 2, that their classmates – kids in general – can be cruel. And y’know, I stand by that, and I guess the only way to try and correct that is hope that adults are more enlightened, and pass on such enlightened views to their kids. I dunno what values ‘this’ generation of adults are passing onto their kids about acceptance of others, but I can only think that workshops like this would mean that adults of tomorrow would be *more* accepting of others.

    I do hope my turns of phrase here don’t cause ructions. Short comment – Boo for cancelling this – these things can only be good.

  9. Just sayin'

    I think its important for schools to act as gatekeeper to various organisations with agendas who wish to access children. I’m not too sure they made the right decision in this case but its good they’re being vigilant. The parents’ wishes would need to be taken on board too.

    1. Nially

      And if they have a legitimate reason for turning away the workshops (which have been performed in dozens of other schools to, as I understand, pretty universal approval) then let them say it. Cancelling it on the day of, when the volunteers were already at the school, with no explanation beyond “balance” (and a refusal to explain that further) is pretty shitty.

  10. ScareySarahCarey

    Well seeing as the law still hasn’t been changed, the principal could be legally fired simply for allowing the group to have the workshop in the school seeing as it is completely counter to the Catholic Church’s ethos on homosexuality.

      1. ScareySarahCarey

        I wonder if some “concerned” parent got involved.

        Very hard for a principal to continue to let the group have access if some parent points out that they are directly opposed to the “ethos” of the school, when his or her job is on the line.

        One God squad hard-line looney of a parent can cause massive problems for principals and teachers due to the Catholic ethos nonsense.

  11. newsjustin

    With the “both sides” comment, it feels like someone has gotten themselves in a muddle, thinking this anti-bullying workshop, albeit with a particular focus, is actually part of the referendum campaign!

  12. Kieran NYC

    Much better they run the risk of some kid killing themselves.

    At least then they just have to worry about possibly dealing with one set of upset parents.

    Handy, like.

  13. PPads

    No coincidence this has happened given the referendum coming. The scare mongers have lost the ‘think of the children’ argument because now adults of same sex parents are coming forward to have their say. So guess what? Different tack but same old. What the hell is wrong with these people that they so full of fear?
    Teaching a child to be happy in who and what they are is a far better education than any book and no its not just LGBT. It could be the black, or small, or fat, or skinny or whatever else is to be picked on but tackling LGBT bullying by default raises the bar for everyone. There is nothing in Catholic school ethos to prevent that, apart from prejudice.

  14. Chickenhead

    No one seems to have commented on how much of an absolute ROIDE that Eoin O Liathain is. Well, he IS!

    1. Disgraced Former Minister Frilly Mickie Keane

      Ya durty walloper ya

      He’s hardly 15
      Look at ‘I’m
      I’ve got shoes older than him

  15. Brown dogg

    And broadshett says that the church indoctrinates the young! Gimme a break! More brainwashing from “progressives” ahead of the vote. I really freaking hope inequality wins the day. (Heck! I love freedom of thought and expression)

  16. Soundings

    “On this particular occasion, however, the Board of Management have received written communications from a number of parents outlining their concerns regarding the workshop.
    “In this context it was incumbent on the Board to address all issues and to seek the advice available from Catholic management representative bodies available to secondary schools.”

    Extract of statement from Colaiste Eoin, a state-run school.

    1. Don Pidgeoni

      Could they not still run it and the kids with the weird parents who think it is not appropriate can go somewhere else?

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