Tag Archives: Miss Panti

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The Pet Shop Boys featuring Miss Pant’s [Rory O’Neill’s] ‘Noble Call’ speech from the stage of the Abbey Theatre last month.

Pet Shop Boys release new song based on gay rights speech (NME)

Meanwhile…

Dr David Robert Grimes writes:

“Another major reason for the persistence of homophobia may be a defensive reaction, rooted in fears and discomfort about one’s own sexuality. A 1996 study by Henry E Adams et al at the University of Georgia in the US took a group of self-identified heterosexual men and split them into two groups according to whether they openly expressed homophobic sentiments. The groups were then shown heterosexual, lesbian and gay pornography while bloodflow to the penis and erectile changes were recorded.

“While both homophobic and non-homophobic groups experienced increases in penis circumference when exposed to the heterosexual and lesbian pornography, only the homophobic group showed an increase in response to male homosexual porn. Furthermore, when asked to rate how arousing the material was afterwards, homophobic participants declared it had no effect, despite their penis saying otherwise.

“This led the authors to conclude that “Homophobia is apparently associated with homosexual arousal that the homophobic individual is either unaware of or denies.”

“In a similar vein, a 2012 study found that individuals who experienced low parental approval were sometimes motivated to conceal same-sex attraction, leading to exaggerated defence mechanisms including homophobia.”

Similar vein eh?

FIGHT!

Why is it proving so hard to root out homophobia? (David Robert Grimes, The Guardian)

Previously: Dear John

stephen donnellybill

“Earlier this year the scandal known as Pantigate erupted. It was kicked off by comments made by Rory O’Neill on the Saturday Night Show. It was escalated by the response of those branded homophobes who consequently threatened RTE with litigation. RTE capitulated and paid over €85,000 to six individuals. Maybe they should and maybe they shouldn’t have paid out, but they did so because of a serious flaw in the current Broadcasting Act.

“Here’s what RTE’s managing director, said in a letter to staff: “Having regard for broadcasting compliance issues, the seriousness of the legal complaints, and the decision by the complainants not to accept RTÉ’s proposed remedies, we decided that a settlement was the most prudent course of action. Senior counsel was consulted and confirmed that the legal position was far from clear.”

“This bill is an attempt to clarify one legislative issue at the heart of the Pantigate episode. That is, the removal the term “offence” from Section 39 of the Broadcasting Act. As legislators, we have a duty to show the LGBT community, and society at large, that free speech is something that the Oireachtas values. Something that we can – and will – protect.

“The existing Act requires broadcasters to not broadcast ‘anything which may reasonably be regarded as causing harm or offence’. This Bill removes the wording ‘or offence’. I do not believe people should be censored for saying offensive things, whether or not that offence is reasonably caused, or not. Determining what might be considered offensive – by anyone in our society – is a pretty hefty obligation to put on our broadcasters. It’s especially difficult when it comes to live broadcasting. TDs know that offence is something some people are determined to take no matter what the topic. Legislation that molly coddles those likey to take offence – regardless of what they’re offered – gags free speech, Harms public debate, and makes uncomfortable truths, invisible truths.

“The Act as it currently stands, and the recent scandal, will undoubtedly cause broadcasters to err on the side of caution.

“As a result, if we don’t make this change, free speech will begin to suffer right away. And litigious bullies can shut down any conversation they deem inconvenient.

“What this bill proposes, therefore, is to remove the reference to offence. Section 39 (1) (d) would therefore read: Every broadcaster shall ensure that “anything which may reasonably be regarded as causing harm or as being likely to promote, or incite to, crime or as tending to undermine the authority of the State, is not broadcast by the broadcaster.”

“We’ve heard in the press the minister is thinking about changing “harm or offence” to “harm or reasonable offence”. Any qualification of the term offence still hamstrings our broadcasters.It is also potentially troublesome in relation to European law.

“Article 11 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights makes no reference to offence. Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which deals with freedom of expression, makes no reference to offence. RTE’s statement on respecting diversity is also at odds with the inclusion of ‘Offence’ in the legislation.

“Here’s what the statement says “As Ireland evolves into a more multicultural and ethnically diverse nation it is important that RTÉ reflects these changes. But equally programme-makers must be sensitive to areas of public opinion that are absent from public discourse because of the reticence of some people to express their views”.

“So we’re asking RTE not to broadcast anything that could cause offence, but at the same time to represent minority views, which we don’t often hear – which for whatever reason, may cause offense to some people in our society.

I look forward to seeing what the Minister brings forward, and hope to be able to support his proposals. However, the legislative process takes time. Were the Government to accept THIS Bill, it would almost immediately fix one of the biggest flaws in the legislation, and send a strong signal to broadcasters, minority groups, and those they offend, that Ireland values free speech.”

Independent TD Stephen Donnelly introducing an amendment.to the broadcasting act today.

FIGHT!

Thanks Steve Dempsey

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[Rory O’Neill/Miss Panti on Channel 4 News last week]

And they’re magnificent.

But that’s not important right now.

What’s it been like out and about?

…What is also enjoyable about the last week though is the fact that regular Dubliners are making their support for him known on the street. Between being stopped for conversations with “Dublin blokes” who have gay children or by those who just want to lend their support and pose for a photo, O’Neill firmly believes that ordinary people are on his side; “in the first few weeks, unless you had seen the broadcast people probably thought ‘there’s no smoke without fire, he must have said something awful’. But now they’re being super nice and that’s lovely”.

“They’re trying to paint a picture that it’s some Dublin 4 media concern, which is total bullshit because I know from walking on the streets and into Tescos that ordinary people do care, ordinary people have a sense of justice about it and ordinary people know gay people in their families. Ordinary decent Irish people are not ideologues and they saw my side of the story as a real human story that affects real human people.”
Rory O’Neill in conversation with Matthew Mulligan of Trinity News.

PantiGate: An Interview With Rory O’Neill (Trinity News)

Why the world is talking about this Irish drag queen (Shawn Pogatchnik, Associated Press)

 

tri

Panti is featuring on BBC News today.

Anne-Marie Tomchak gave the background earlier.

Meanwhile…

 

#BBCtrending: Panti Bliss homophobia speech goes viral (Cordelia Hebblethwaite, BBC News)

Previously: Meanwhile, At The Abbey

Headshot-Smiling

[Brian Finnegan, editor of GCN]

Would you feel entirely safe holding your same-sex partner’s hand on the street in Ireland?

Jane Casey writes:

GCN/TheOutmost.com’s editor Brian Finnegan, will be discussing homophobia in Ireland on RTE’s Prime Time tonight. He will appear on a panel alongside Labour’s Ivana Bacik, The Iona Institute’s David Quinn and blogger Paddy Manning.We are collecting results for Brian to bring to the debate on RTÉ this evening {below)

Vote here

Gay Community News

BfuLTTeIgAABV4t

Available in all sizes.

Miss Panti tweetz:

Limited ed Team Panti tees on sale from Pantibar [7-8 Capel Street, Dublin] + @Outhouse [105 Capel Street, Dublin]. €10 and 100% goes to BeLonG_To youth services…

Outhouse

Update:

Order your t-shirt quick! We’ll stop taking orders at 1pm on Monday 10th February!

belongto

Pantibar

Previously: Stand By Your Man

90195545[Glenn Killane]

“Colleagues,

Over the last week a number of people have approached me questioning RTÉ’s apology to John Waters and members of the Iona Institute following the receipt of six legal complaints and you will, no doubt, have seen the ongoing debate on this subject.
I want to reassure you that RTÉ explored every option available to it, including right of reply. Legal advice was sought and all avenues were explored, including an offer to make a donation to a neutral charity.
However, based on the facts of what was broadcast, and having regard for broadcasting compliance issues, the seriousness of the legal complaints, and the decision by the complainants not to accept RTÉ’s proposed remedies, we decided that a settlement was the most prudent course of action. Senior counsel was consulted and confirmed that the legal position was far from clear.
As a dual-funded public body, RTÉ should not knowingly progress to defend an action when it is advised, internally and externally, that such a defence is unlikely to succeed before a jury.
RTÉ has not engaged in censorship, but has rather fallen foul of Ireland’s defamation laws. The topic reopened over the weekend and RTÉ will continue to cover this and related issues, as evidenced by last week’s Late Debate, coverage of the protest in Dublin city centre on Sunday, today’s item on Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1 and last weekend’s debate on the subject on The Saturday Night Show.”

Glenn Killane, Managing Director Television, to telly staff at RTÉ.

Thanks anon.

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)