Sinn Féin 'promoting anti Christian agenda'
Caitriona Ruane's call (Newry Demo Aug 7th) for a stepping up of the campaign for the right of gay people to be married in my opinion is not in keeping with the thinking of the majority of her constituents in South Down.


I fidn there is a justifiable level of acceptance in most of society for all to have a level of equality regardless of whether they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.  To deny equality is to deny the right to participation in civic society and that should be a given right.


But to engage in providing man made laws that would sanction and legislate for gay marriage is in my opinion a step too far.  Marriage is a binding agreement between a man and a woman, an indissoluble contract to provide for the begetting and educating of children.  The natural contract of marriage was raised by Christ himself to the dignity of a sacrament.


Sinn Féin's promotion of gay marriage legislation is floated without a great deal of thinking and playing the equality trick will not fool as many as they may have us believe.  Imagene if it did become law that gay people could marry then our priests, religious ministers and custodians of Christian principles would be compelled under law to carry out such meaningless God defying acts.


Sinead Challinor
SDLP Derryleckagh Branch

In publishing her thoughts, Sinead Challinor has displayed what my mother would call 'a halfwit' approach to the issue. Had Mrs. Challinor examined further the issue that is obviously so close to her heart that she feels the need to protest it (Why that is, I have no idea, as it doesn't affect her in any way, shape or form) she would have realised that under existing legislative framework, same-sex marriage laws (if they were passed) would not infringe on the rights of religious bodies to refuse to grant marriage ceremonies to same-sex couples. In this instance Mrs. Challinor has made a fool of herself, and of her party, by not being in full possession of the facts and has no doubt embarassed those members of the SDLP who voted in favour of marriage equality motions recently submitted to local councils.

I call on the SDLP leadership to condemn the disgusting bigotry and callousness towards the LGBT community in her letter and by not letting this kind of hair brained homophobia to infiltrate party policy.

I thought it would have been a quiet weekend, with Belfast Pride behind us and Foyle Pride parade kicking off next Saturday, I really wanted a weekend to chill out and not do anything, then I bought today's copy of the Irish News. On page 8 is a story that is known all too well by members of the LGBT community in NI, Unionist politicians becoming medical experts overnight, contradicting concrete medical evidence and suggesting that homosexuality is a 'disease'. Pictured is an extract from the paper and quoted is UUP Magherafelt Cllr Jackie Crawford.
To add insult to hate crime, an 'unknown party' left homophobic leafelts on the seats of Sinn Fein and SDLP Councillors ahead of the debate on an equal marriage motion proposed by Sinn Fein. The leaflet itself details how those in the gay community choose to be gay, that we long to change our 'lifestyle' and that we 'long to be free'.

I just want to clarify something. The only thing that me and my friends and loved ones in the LGBT community want to be free from is people like Jackie Crawford and his ilk. What has been said in these leaflets and by Mr. Crawford is tantamount to hate crime, and I hope the matter is pursued by Sinn Fein Councillors as well as statutory organisations within the LGBT sector. I know that there are members in the UUP who are LGBT advocates, who speak up for us and who want to enshrine equality for us in law, and people like Jackie Crawford do them and their community a disgusting disservice. They are not befitting of the title of 'public representative' and it is a disgrace that they are allowed to broadcast hate speech in a public forum.

The UUP leader Mike Nesbitt has, according to the Newsletter, agreed to meet with Cllr Crawford. If Mike is serious about ensuring 'equality for all' then the outcome of this meeting should be nothing less than expulsion or suspension from the party. Anything less will be seen by those in the LGBT community as further pandering to homophobia and a green light to ill-informed and bigoted politicians who will fear nothing more than a slap on the wrist for comparing people like me, my partner and an estimated 10% of the population to child molesters.

We are not sick, we are not diseased, we are not child abusers, we are not perverts. We are people, entitled to the same rights, privileges, responsibilities and protections as anybody else.

My feet are sore, my throat is dry from shouting so much and my bank account is a little worse for wear but I have to say that yesterday seen over 25,000 people attend the best organised Pride yet! Hats off to all of the organisations and revellers who took part and made it such a fantastic day. Belfast Pride have outdone themselves once again and without them there would be no Pride at all so well done to those guys and a massive thank you for all their hard work.

I have added a slideshow above of some of my photos from yesterday, enjoy!

I can't take credit for the headline, that I give to Alex Kane, who only this morning referenced the now visible internal division that is taking place within the SDLP on the issue of gay marriage.

Cllr Mary Ellen Campbell

Having spoken to individual SDLP members this morning I have had an encouraging response to the idea that the party will come out in favour of equal marriage, and I would be surprised if it decided otherwise. Given that two SDLP Cllrs walked out of the equal marriage motion proposed by Sinn Fein's Mary Ellen Campbell in Belfast City Council last month and that Alliance abstained, it has been seen as weakness by others that both parties do not have a position. As of this moment, only the Greens (Of whom I used to be a member and chair of their LGBT Committee) and Sinn Fein have declared their support for the move, while Michael Copeland has assured the audience at Pride Talks Back that the UUP will support it eventually, but this is yet to be confirmed by the party itself.

(Left to right) Gavin Robinson, Martina Anderson, Anna Lo, Steven Agnew, Conall McDevitt, Michael Copeland

There is a difference between an unwillingness to declare a position on equal marriage and having a robust, internal discussion on the matter. Those who are opposed to the move should not be labelled as bigots, either. Outright condemnation of individuals who have concerns about same-sex marriage or are perhaps less informed about the subject and thus reluctant to support it/condemn will only alienate them from supporting it and slow progress. All political parties contain members who are opposed to the measure, and members who are in favour of it, I would bet even within the DUP ranks there are members who fit both categories. While both the SDLP and Alliance are in the midst of internal discussion, (discussions as an Alliance member I am part of) I would encourage all parties who have not declared a position to clarify where their party position lies, and if debate is taking place, where they are currently at, as this will reassure the LGBT community that we are being considered, acknowledged and respected.

Photo by Phil O'Kane

Last week as I attended Northern Pride in Newcastle Upon Tyne, after the parade in the blazing sun I took a walk round Exhibition Park to have a look at the many stalls that were handing out information on advocacy services, advice for same-sex couples and safer sex packs.
As I headed towards the ice cream van I was handed a leaflet for free HIV and STI screening at the men's health tent. I thought I should go along and get myself checked out for the sake of my own health. I had put getting a test off for a while as I have been in a relationship for nearly two years and didn't see the need to have one, but having worked with the HIV Centre and the Rainbow Project I know from experience that it is always better to know than not know. With 2 people diagnosed every week with HIV in Northern Ireland, sexual health is not something to be ignored or ill-informed about.

The staff were friendly, helpful and besides the little sting of the needle, the process was relatively painless and quick. I was tested for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and other major sexually transmitted infections as is normal practice. "7 to 10 days" I was told would be the maximum amount of time to wait before I would receive my results via text message. Time went on and I flew home to Belfast after a brilliant weekend, forgetting all about the test.

Today, however, I received a text message from the sexual health centre telling me to "Call immediately to discuss" my results. At 9am in the morning this is the last kind of text you want to receive, and my heart immediately began thumping like a jack-hammer. My thoughts turned to the worst imaginable, I had been so careful and I had been sure that I was fine, and here I am panicking.

I called the number and I go straight into a hold queue, waiting for around 20 minutes while listening to the dulcet tones of some keyboard cover version of classical music, constantly being reminded that they were experiencing a 'high volume of calls' and that I my call was important to them. Never mind them! This call was important to me! Finally I got through to someone, a lady with a strong Geordie accent who asked me for my name, date of birth and my address. This is where it gets interesting.

"Okay, so there's no need to panic..." she said with a sharp intake of breath, "I have your results here and you were clear for Hepatitis B and C..." there was a long pause and my heart began racing again, "But...you were also tested for HIV and I have the results here..."

My mind was in overdrive at this point. How would I tell my partner? How would my family react? What would I do next? Finally she spoke after rustling around with papers in the background and said: "Your test results were all clear but you need to get vaccinated against Hepatitis B." She said it so quick that I had to think about it for a second before I realised what she had said.

"So I don't have HIV?" I asked,
"No, you're all clear. We dealt with everyone who was positive yesterday." she replied.

With that I said my goodbyes and thanks and ended the call. So I was right about my health and I don't have HIV/AIDS, absolutely brilliant news, but something didn't sit right with me. For starters the manner in which I was told was inexcusable, if they already knew I was fine could they not have said that in the text message? Why did the worker on the other end of the phone feel the need to tell me 'not to panic?' which by the way is a sure fire way to make someone panic. What struck me as crazy was that she had said they had spoken to people who were positive the day before.  Which means that young men had actually tested positive for HIV...in 2012...in the UK.

The thought stuck with me for a while this morning. After listening to Scott De Buitleir's show last night on the stigma surrounding HIV in Ireland, I couldn't help but think that all those would-be thoughts that had went through my mind as I was awaiting my results were now going through the minds of those men who had been given bad news. It is possible to live a full and healthy life with HIV, provided the right treatment is administered early enough you can enjoy life as you did before, but certain things are limited to a small degree. But the stigma is still there. Even as I thought about what would happen if I was given bad news I realised that the stigma is also alive and well in my own mind, despite working in the sexual health sector myself.


Sexual health is no joke, and neither is the stigma surrounding it. It doesn't take a minute to get yourself checked out, and safe-sex packs and information are available from most GUM clinics and sexual-health centres such as The Rainbow Project or the HIV Support Centre. Stigma needs to be challenged wherever it raises its head, and there can be no room for taboo when talking about your health. Getting a sexual health screening is no more embarrassing and no less important than if you had went to the GP with a lump on your breast or testicle. More needs to be done within local communities to educate and understand the risks and responsibilities surrounding unsafe sex, sexually transmitted infections and the people that live with those conditions every single day. HIV is not just a 'gay disease' as it used to be known, nor is it the only thing that can be transmitted through unprotected sex.


Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia are just a few of the most well known STIs that are prevalent amongst young adults engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners. Only through encouraging schools, colleges and community organisations to promote the idea of safe sex, sexual health screening, contraception and the responsibilities that come with being sexually active can we end the stigma, the rising numbers of young people and adults with sexually transmitted diseases and of course save lives.

Fight the stigma, be safe, be responsible and spread the word.