Growing Up Gay on RTE

eaglach

Just thought some people might be interested in catching this show on RTE next Monday:

A two-part documentary series exploring the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people growing up in Ireland.


As recently as 1993, homosexuality was illegal in Ireland. As the first generation born after decriminalisation comes of age, this series seeks to establish how much has changed in Irish society in the intervening years. For young people, whose lives revolve around school and the family, is it any easier to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender today than it was 17 years ago?


Filmed over 18 months, Growing Up Gay follows the lives of six young people and, in the process, captures the challenging and even hostile experiences which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people face in their everyday lives. The series also explores the more universal experiences of growing up - from the ups and downs of life at home and at school, to friendships and falling in love. By presenting the human stories behind labels such as 'gay' or 'lesbian', the series aims to alleviate the stigma surrounding various expressions of sexual identity.

Rick_

Is Derek Mooney presenting/narrating this?

oisindoyle

Eternal Wonderer wrote: »

Is Derek Mooney presenting/narrating this?

Why the funny face ?

Dr. Baltar

Eternal Wonderer wrote: »

Is Derek Mooney presenting/narrating this?

No, I think it's Gay Byrne :P

ElectricGirl

What time is it on at?

BeLonG_To

BeLonG To Youth Services has worked with Crossing the Line Productions and RTE on this for almost 4 years. We can't believe the first episode is airing this Monday!!

'Growing Up Gay' is a two part documentary series which portraits the real lives of LGBT young people in Ireland over an 18 month period. We think that the content of this documentary series, and the fact that it is being shown on prime time television, marks a huge shift in Irish society.

When we started our work seven years ago LGBT young people were all but invisible in Ireland, in their schools, communities and certainly in the media. Growing Up Gay brings their real life experiences into every sitting room in the country, and provides LGBT young people with a platform to voice what is going on for them.

Riyadh and Siobhan (two young people featured in the documentary) are on the Late Late tonight to talk about it and then the series airs on RTÉ 1 at 9.30pm on Mon 19th and Mon 26th April.

Exciting!

KnifeWRENCH

Eternal Wonderer wrote: »

Is Derek Mooney presenting/narrating this?

I fcuking hope not. Listening to that gimp is the one thing that would put me off watching it. :mad:
Besides, if RTE felt like they needed someone gay to narrate it, they'd probably go with Anna Nolan.

L1011

They'd definitely not go for someone who's closet-situation is so confused that nobody knows for sure if its confirmed or not; anyway.

Anna Nolan and Brendan Courtenay it is then!

rainbow kirby

This is starting on the Late Late show now, btw.

Heebie

Set the DVR for Monday & Tuesday.

TylerIE

Fair play to the two who did the interview on the Late Late.

Both of them were great ambassadors for "the gay community" in that they spoke clearly about situations that many people could relate to.

Furthermore for anybody who currently does not know anybody whose gay they may have learned that not all gay people are the typical stereotypes.... I look forward to the documentary.

Newport81

that girl on late late sayin she knew since she was 12 and wore a 'nobody knows I'm a lesi' tshirt to school the next day what a load of bull. u don't know your arse from your elbow at that age she almost to gay to function and she had that stereotypical lesbonic look, who Is she helping exactly?

rant over

rainbow kirby

Some people *do* know at that age, and do feel ready to come out very young. By appearing on the Late Late Show, she's sharing her experience and hoping to educate others.

TylerIE

smyths wrote: »

that girl on late late sayin she knew since she was 12 and wore a 'nobody knows I'm a lesi' tshirt to school the next day what a load of bull. u don't know your arse from your elbow at that age she almost to gay to function and she had that stereotypical lesbonic look, who Is she helping exactly?

rant over

I think for the many people who still are of the "lifestyle choice" or "someone fiddled with ya" mindset she likely helped plant the seed that "ya'know maybe these people don't choose to be like that".

Furthermore her praise for her school may cause teachers to reflect on how they handle LGBT issues - I'm sure many of us know kids who had to change school.

And while I'm in no way "demonstratively gay" I think her "nobody knows" tee really gives a message of "it's your problem, not
mine", and for some people that is a functional way of dealing with coming out....

phic

I'll be watching this, very glad to see RTE putting it on. Might make my parents watch it, as a bit of a warm up to coming out to them!

Fair play to the two people who appeared on the Late Late, it's not easy to represent a whole community to everyones liking. I think they did a good job!

Boston

smyths wrote: »

that girl on late late sayin she knew since she was 12 and wore a 'nobody knows I'm a lesi' tshirt to school the next day what a load of bull. u don't know your arse from your elbow at that age she almost to gay to function and she had that stereotypical lesbonic look, who Is she helping exactly?

rant over

She's stereotypically gay but also not gay because she's 12? As shocking as this may sound, at age 12 I was developing a definite sexuality. I hadn't thought about boys serious, but I was very interested in a woman's, breasts, lips, skin, smile, hair, smell, legs etc. Why wouldn't a girl develop such feelings at the same age or younger.

cooltown

I am nearly an 18 year old guy. I haven't come out yet.
My father is really homopobic. I hope if this is turned on he moght watch it and he might understand how hard it it for gay peple growing up.
I know now that he prob go on a rant about them being dirty and wrong. etc. I think it's so funny because he always blames the parent's. He think's there bad because they made there kids this war. So I suppose he's a bad parent.!

dickdick25

I'm kind of worried about this show being aired. I was at this gay prom thing in the mansion house in september 2008 and when we bought the tickets the website advised not to worry bout being filmed as the filming would be done in a seperate section.

I only discovered half was through the event that the whole thing was being recorded. I was really annoyed with the organisers that they had misled people regarding this. I spoke to one of the organisers and we were moved tables nevertheless the camera was all over the place. I was even more annoyed with the girl with the camera who knew we didn't want to be filmed and just kept walking around our table smiling while recording.

I don't want family work etc knowing I'm gay so really don't want to see myself popping up on this show.

Does n e one know if the mansion house recording of the gay prom made the final cut and if so is it just the six people the show was following that will be shown? I would really appreciate if someone could let me know about this and put my mind at ease for the next week or so!

Heebie

He might not be a bad father.. rather a man with flaws like everyone has flaws.

Does he love you? Do you feel he's given you good advice? Do you feel he's protected you & helped you learn to protect yourself?

There are a million things that are part of "how good" a father he's been to you.. try not to look at only one little piece of who he is.

My Dad had a very bad moment when I was maybe 12 or 13 and told me "If I ever find out you're gay, I'll throw you out of the house."
Now.. he'd written in his journal several years before "I think Todd might be gay." so he'd had plenty of time to be used to the idea.. but still, in what was probably a weak moment for him, said something that terrified me for several years before I was outed to my parents. It was an awful pain to carry around thinking that I'd get thrown out of the house.
I was lucky and it didn't happen. My Dad handled it much better than my Mom when I was outed. Since then he's offered an apology but to this day says he doesn't recall telling me he'd throw me out of the house.

I hope, when you choose to come out, that your father's attitude changes, and that he realises just how much hurt he may have caused you by acting that way. It can take a LONG time for some parents to adjust.

I hope yours adjust quickly when you decide it's time!

Sorry all if this is a bit off-topic.

cooltown wrote: »

I am nearly an 18 year old guy. I haven't come out yet.
My father is really homopobic. I hope if this is turned on he moght watch it and he might understand how hard it it for gay peple growing up.
I know now that he prob go on a rant about them being dirty and wrong. etc. I think it's so funny because he always blames the parent's. He think's there bad because they made there kids this war. So I suppose he's a bad parent.!

cooltown

dickdick25 wrote: »

.I.Does n e one know if the mansion house recording of the gay prom made the final cut and if so is it just the six people the show was following that will be shown? I would really appreciate if someone could let me know about this and put my mind at ease for the next week or so!

Ok!
From what I know it's about six GLBT teens growing up. It focus on there coming out experience at school and in the home. It focuses on good and bad coming out experience, They also interview the peoples parents and how they found it.
So I would say that you should be safe!

cooltown

I think my father loves me but he doesn't understand being gay. He is nearly 61 and he was brought up in a different world. He is a very religous man and he has a bad opinion of gay people. He once told one of his friends that all of those f*gs should be shot. SO I think he loves me but as a straight guy.

Annasopra

cooltown wrote: »

I think my father loves me but he doesn't understand being gay. He is nearly 61 and he was brought up in a different world. He is a very religous man and he has a bad opinion of gay people. He once told one of his friends that all of those f*gs should be shot. SO I think he loves me but as a straight guy.

Well, Your father can change over time, in 1993 an Irish politician went on the late late show and said gay people should be hung - he now supports his gay son and is very friendly and warm towards his sons partner

CTLFilms

Hi there,
Don't worry - you won't be shown. I'm the woman who was filming that day. I'm going to private message you my contact details now and can put your mind at ease.
Thanks

anotherlostie

I didn't see the LLS interview, just their introduction at the start so don't shoot me if my concerns were allayed during the show. The one thing that struck me was, well, how gay they were. I wonder if some of the other 4 being followed will be less stereotypical.

I make this point because a lot of gay people are far from this stereotype, and I hope the documentary doesn't give confused kids watching the notion that this is what all out gay people must be like, potentially forcing them to continue denying their sexuality if they're not comfortable with that idea. I suppose most of the 'under the radar' (not in the closet, but not shouting about it either) gays would not be confident enough to appear on a show like this at the age of 18. Hell, I still wouldn't be at twice that age:P

Of course if they watched Dónal Óg's interview, they will already know this.

The_Minister

Johnnymcg wrote: »

Well, Your father can change over time, in 1993 an Irish politician went on the late late show and said gay people should be hung - he now supports his gay son and is very friendly and warm towards his sons partner

Who was this now?

Dr. Baltar

This is starting now.

TheReverend

Dr. Baltar wrote: »

This is starting now.

Hate not having RTé

fozzle

I cannot believe the guts of these kids. The lassie in the first half summed up how I felt at their age - it was okay for people to be gay, but for me it was a bad, wrong thing. Smart kid. I don't care if these kids are stereotypically gay or not - to have the courage to o this show is incredibly impressive, most people I know (myself included) didn't have the guts to tell THEMSELVES they were gay at that age, let alone the whole nation!

Fair play.

Michellenman

fozzle wrote: »

I cannot believe the guts of these kids. The lassie in the first half summed up how I felt at their age - it was okay for people to be gay, but for me it was a bad, wrong thing. Smart kid. I don't care if these kids are stereotypically gay or not - to have the courage to o this show is incredibly impressive, most people I know (myself included) didn't have the guts to tell THEMSELVES they were gay at that age, let alone the whole nation!

Fair play.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

kraggy

That Riyadh lad seems very together. Fair play to him. Wish I was as mature at that age.

Freiheit

Just in,I assume it'l be on rte.ie for a while?