McDowell to open Dublin's Lesbian and Gay Film Fest 2005

damien

http://www.gcn.ie/dlgff/index.html

Gay and Lesbian Film Fest details unveiled

The programme for the 13th Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival at the Irish Film Institute has been unveiled.

The festival will take place from 28 July to 1 August. The theme for the festival will be Family Values, looking at diverse combinations of families and equality.

This year's opening film will be 'Cockles and Muscles'. Directors Jacques Martineau and Olivier Ducastel will introduce the film.

Other highlights include screenings of 'Jeanne and the Perfect Guy', 'All About Eve' and a series of short films.

Booking is open now and further information is available from the IFI or on their website at www.irishfilm.ie

Lineup:
http://www.irishfilm.ie/cinema/season2.asp?PageID=59&SID=83


Friday 29 July 2005
Sugar 10.30
Drag Kings on Tour 10.30
That Man, Peter Berlin 2.30
Playing a part & Immortal Muse 4.30
Drôle de Félix 4.30
Garden 6.30
Prey For Rock & Roll 8.30
Le Clan 8.30

Saturday 30 July 2005
That Boy 10.30
Written on the Soul & Give or take an inch 12.30
Cockles and Muscles 12.30
Animated Shorts 2.30
We Are Dad & Die Trauernde 4.30
Women’s Shorts 4.30
Jeanne and the Perfect Guy 6.30
Summer Storm 8.30
Wanted! 8.30

Sunday 31 July 2005
Men’s Shorts 2.30
Little Man 2.30
Child I Never Was, The 4.30
Sex Life in L.A. 6.30
Till I hurt you 6.30
All about Eve 8.30

Monday 1 August 2005
Butterfly 2.15
Andrew and Jeremy Get Married 2.30
Family Matters Shorts 4.30
Queer Parents 6.30
Queer Boys and Girls on the Bullet Train & Irene Williams 6.30
Bear Cub 8.30

Boston

Hmm, I would have expected bad education to be on that list. Any recommendations damien.

Annasopra

the festival is also being controversially launched by Michael McDowell

Boston

Johnnymcg wrote:

the festival is also being controversially launched by Michael McDowell

What has he ever done to harm gay rights?

Annasopra

appointed a person (who vocally opposed gay marriage) to the board of the equality authority

supported the government in legislating to overturn a case where a gay man had won the right to receive a bus pass for his elderly partner

supported the seanad in delaying/postponing the civil partnership bill 2004

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=SEN20050216.xml&Node=H9&Page=13

damien

Was part of the cabinet that first mentioned same-sex couples in Irish legislation but only to state that same-sex couples could not marry.

Boston

Whats his personal view points on LGBT issues. The above could be attributed to not caring about them, rather then actually having a policy on them.

damien

The above could be attributed to not caring about them, rather then actually having a policy on them.

Would, could, should, bollox. The man has gone on record as Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform as saying inequality is good. The man has as a Minister appointed someone to the Equality Authority who is against giving same sex couples the same rights as opposite sex couples. No woulds, no coulds, no "maybe he's misunderstood", just facts.

Stark

Liouville wrote:

Please provide the facts then. I'm not coming here from a point of view of support for McDowell. I just have this nasty habit of questioning why I should hold people in contempt. I find it a paradox that he would show such distain for the lgbt community and then wish to involve himself in it. Maybe certain overly liberal people seek to create our own "American republican" style bigot out of this Mc Dowell character.

I don't think opening the film festival makes him a saint, it makes him a hypocrite. Your arguments above don't vindicate him, rather they show that he was perfectly happy to bring in legislation robbing gay people of their rights but not willing to allow blame to fall to him. This public appearance by him will be nothing but a cynical vote grabbing ploy. I hope he gets the protest he deserves.

Boston

Stark wrote:

I don't think opening the film festival makes him a saint, it makes him a hypocrite. Your arguments above don't vindicate him, rather they show that he was perfectly happy to bring in legislation robbing gay people of their rights but not willing to allow blame to fall to him. This public appearance by him will be nothing but a cynical vote grabbing ploy. I hope he gets the protest he deserves.

I agree that it doesn't make him a saint, and that its just a vote grabbing ploy. I do think calling him a hypocrite is a fair comment, reguardless of any arguement he didn't show support for the LGBT community, and to claim so now, is very hypocritcial. As for legislation, that is true, as is it of others. As for protests, I'm sure if there are any, they will be claimed by a multitude of left wing organisations bearing no relations to the Issues raised here.

Annasopra

LiouVille wrote:

Is that a direct quote, if so could you provide it. Or lacking that, back up what you're saying

http://www.irishexaminer.com/text/story.asp?j=26172080613&p=z6y7zx8yxyz&n=26172081071

Just because he appointed her, doesn't mean he supports her view point on that particular issue. It is that Mary one your talking about yes?

No

http://www.gcn.ie/newgcn/news/full_story.asp?id=231

http://www.gaire.com/e/f/default.asp?nav=1&parent=148201&page=view

So I ask, why is he suddenly a hate figure, and has he, as an individual, done anymore to harm or hinder LGBT rights then any other member of his cabinet

you might find some other info here

http://forum.gcn.ie/index.php?showtopic=3463

solice

Mcdowell appointed somebody to the Equality authority who does not believe that Ireland is ready for same sex civil unions and people are not happy with this?

You would swear that this person was the only person in the Equailty authority. Im sure there are plenty of other people there that support the campaign for civil partnerships.

How could the equality authority truly be a voice for equality if it does not have a representation or view or opinion from every sector of the community. Yes the homophobes\biggots\fundementalists need to be represented as well. Because in their opinion they think they are right, just the same as you think you are right in your opinion.

Reverse the situation, you are a heterosexual who does not believe that gay men should be allowed to join in a civil union and receive all the benefits that come with it. The minsiter for Justice Equality and Law Reform comes along one day and appoints Graham Norton (as a for instance) to the Equality Authority, would you be up in arms and annoyed because the opinions of a gay men are being expressed?

Maybe its a simplistic approach and maybe i know absolutely nothing about the situation.......

damien

solice wrote:

Maybe its a simplistic approach and maybe i know absolutely nothing about the situation.......

Both correct statements. Using your rationale on the matter would mean they should appoint a known racist to the panel to give his views on ethnic minorities.

Annasopra

How could the equality authority truly be a voice for equality if it does not have a representation or view or opinion from every sector of the community.

well they don't have a gay person on the board

Thanks, Reading through your links now. What exactly did that Bob Quinn say on the late late, didn't seem to be directly quoted. It's probably quoted in one of the other links, but that will have to wait untill after lunch.

There was a panel of young people involved in political parties

They were asked lots of questions such as;

"do you believe cannabis should be decriminalised" and "do you think we should introduce gay marriage"

Bob on the gay marriage question said and this is almost a direct quote...

"even though I'm a liberal I'd have to say no"

rsynnott

This is, IMO, COMPLETELY inappropriate. Who invited him? Might as well give it over to Mary whatsername and be done with it!

Boston

Right I've read through all the links posted, even the bloody examiner. I see nothing pointing to the Bob fello being homophobic, to say that he vocally opposed gay marriage, while acurate seems to be a tad bit mis leading, unless theres been more then that one instance. That said he didn't retract his statements as much as he went on to pratel about how civil partnerships are better cause of this that and the other, and basically because a party could support them without directly supporting gay rights. Complete cop out imho.

As for this comments about inequality being great. I think the context of his statement was that in soicety there will always be the haves and the have nots, and that is a neacerry bi-produce of the reality of the world we live in today. It was more an acceptance that it exists and will continue to exist as long as there are winners and losers. Now I'm not to sure I buy into that.

And rsynnott I'd imagine the IFI invited him,

rsynnott

LiouVille wrote:

As for this comments about inequality being great. I think the context of his statement was that in soicety there will always be the haves and the have nots, and that is a neacerry bi-produce of the reality of the world we live in today. It was more an acceptance that it exists and will continue to exist as long as there are winners and losers. Now I'm not to sure I buy into that.

That's an extremely dangerous attitude. Yes, inequality exists, and will always exist. And society should be fighting it every step of the way, not sitting back and saying "oh, look, inequality, how nice". Although it will always exist, the DEGREE to which it exists can be reduced significantly (I'm particularly thinking of our government's hear-no-evil approach to economic inequality here).

LiouVille wrote:

And rsynnott I'd imagine the IFI invited him,

Maggie Thatcher must have been all booked up.

Boston

rsynnott wrote:

(I'm particularly thinking of our government's hear-no-evil approach to economic inequality here).

I do believe that what he was hinting at as well. Tbh it's a policy which has screwed us, as a people, over more then once and is fairly short sighted.

Boston

The guy was asked his opinion and he gave the party line, something we all know is true that the goverment would rather "handle" this issue through civil partnerships rather then directly with marriage. In away I feel it's very reasonable, any would benefit allto mroe people then gay marriage would, but in another way I think it's taking the issue and spliting into something it's not. It would take care of most if not all the pratical problems associated with being in a long term homosexual relationship, while ignoring the fact that these types of relationships are more then just co-dependent relationships.

Surely society should to strive at all times the incidence of "have-nots" as opposed to accepting that they exist and thinking that it's just great that they do exist?

There will allways be those that have more money, better house, bigger car, more stuff, better education then others whatever. It's an indeniable fact of the capitalist system we live it. The important thing is that everyone starts out with the same or similiar oppertunities in life, and that everyone is assured of basic rights and a decent quality of life.

Annasopra

The guy was asked his opinion and he gave the party line,

He didn't - at the time there was no PD party line , he gave his own opinion

Stark

Split the thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=280405

I've tried to strike a balance between keeping posts that were somewhat on-topic and splitting posts that were just attacking posters. There was some overlap, so there may be some incorrectly placed posts.

Also edited this thread's title to reflect the thread's content.

thatkindofgirl

What I don't get is how everyone seems to be arguing that McD hasn't done anything, so what's the fuss?

I do not expect the minister for equality and justice to be benign at best. I expect the minister for Justice and Equality to be the one pushing an equality agenda and ensuring that people are treated justly in society, by the government and by the courts. Alas, the one we have has done more about his planning permission kerfuffle than about anything justice or equality related in the years I've lived here anyway.

Amnesiac_ie

Well he made some new noises when opening the festival...

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/07/29/story214018.html

Let's hold him to his words as fiercly as he is holding the Provos to theirs.

damien

The Minister for Justice said last night that he was committed to legislating on equal rights for same-sex partnerships and that it was a question of "how", not "if".

Lying sack of sh1t. A question of how? What utter bollox, how many fcking reports does this man need before he allows me to be treated as an equal in this country. The election is early next year and he is already starting his campaigning to keep the LGB community on-side.

Which Lesbian and Gay Community representatives welcomed this photo op? Did they question McDowell as to why he keeps ignoring advice from the Law Reform Commission?

rsynnott

Amnesiac_ie wrote:

Well he made some new noises when opening the festival...

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/07/29/story214018.html

He is a politician, you know. They lie. Lots.

Amnesiac_ie

rsynnott wrote:

He is a politician, you know. They lie. Lots.

As Irish politicians go, he strikes me as being pretty honest. I don't always like what he says, but I do trust him more than I would trust most government ministers. I'd like to see a transcript of what exactly he said on the matter. Was anybody at the festival?

dahamsta

I wouldn't trust McDowell as far as I could throw him. Although to be fair, I'd like to throw him quite a long way. From the top of a large building for preference.

adam

damien

Amnesiac_ie wrote:

As Irish politicians go, he strikes me as being pretty honest.

There's a difference between honest and being outspoken. McDowell is always good at being honest with Government "intelligence" about Sinn Fein and the IRA. Wow, what a shock when he said Adams was on the Army Council. Never saw that one coming, and just before the British elections too.

He is not being honest though when he says he is committed for legislating for equality. The last time the Law Reform Commission came back with a solution of sorts he said he'd have to have another report first and then he brought about the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution.

But even that isn't taking the biscuit. What takes the biscuit is his attitude toward the gay community where he makes it sound like he is doing us a favour by giving us our deserved rights. Wow, thanks there Herr Flick.

rsynnott

dahamsta wrote:

I wouldn't trust McDowell as far as I could throw him.

Not far, then. He's one of our higher-displacement politicians.

Tho in fairness he has been good at standing up to SFIRA.

dahamsta

rsynnott wrote:

SFIRA

:rolleyes:

Stark

As someone mentioned on another forum, if the government is so committed to equality for gay people, why is it still actively opposing the Catherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan case?

Wouldn't be the first time McDowell has told a bald-faced lie.