In 1972, Sweden made history as the first country in the world to legalise gender-affirming surgery. On Wednesday, April 17, the country made history once again as members of the Parliament in Sweden approved a motion to lower the age requirement for those seeking to legally change their gender to 16. Previously, legislation required trans…

The Cúirt International Festival of Literature is returning to Galway for its 39th year, filling its streets with literary galore as novelists, poets, writers, speakers and self-identified bookworms flock to the City of Tribes for the week. Cúirt is renowned for bringing a fresh influx of LGBTQ+ literary events each year and 2024 is no…

Following the publication of new guidance from Sport Ireland on the participation of trans and non-binary athletes in sport, Irish LGBTQ+ organisations have signed an open letter expressing their concerns and sharing a number of asks. In the letter published on Wednesday, April 17, the groups request more input from trans and non-binary athletes, as…

On Tuesday, April 16, Heartstopper star Kit Connor announced he will take the stage this fall as Romeo in the new Sam Gold-directed Broadway production of the classic Shakespeare play Romeo + Juliet. Alongside him, actor Rachel Zegler from the latest Hunger Games will play Juliet. The day before the official announcement, Connor and Zegler…

Sites of Dreaming, a new exhibition from Irish photographer Shia Conlon, is now on show in Dublin’s The Library Project. Running from April 4 to May 5, it captures trans tenderness in Finland. Born and bred in Ireland, Conlon is an artist and writer who now works primarily in Helsinki. Raised in the centre of…

New research conducted by Dublin City University has found that male-identified social media users are being disproportionately fed misogynistic and anti-feminist content on TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Using ten ‘sockpuppet’ accounts on individual unregistered smartphones, professors from the university’s Anti-Bullying Centre tracked the content recommended to five TikTok and five YouTube Shorts accounts. Researchers found…

Coachella kicked off last week, April 12, for its first weekend with a promising lineup for the queer community. Many LGBTQ+ artists like Renée Rapp and Chappell Roan took the stage at the annual Californian Music and Arts Festival for the first time, leaving the crowd gagged with their impressive, and very very queer sets.…

I’ve brushed shoulders with Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal separately before. While myself and Paul grew up not too far away from each other in Kildare, it was in fact in Malta where our paths first crossed, dining back to back in a fancy rooftop restaurant as he and Pedro Pascal enjoyed a break from…

During a press conference held on Tuesday, April 16, activists from several disability groups called for universal payments to disabled people and carers, as well as further action from the Irish government to ensure the rights of disabled people in Ireland are protected. The press conference came as a motion on Disability Justice tabled by…

Lesbian MMA fighter Jessica Andrade has set a new record as the woman with the most UFC wins after defeating Marina Rodriguez at UFC 300 on Saturday, April 14, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the fight, Rodriguez threw middle kicks, spinning fists, and jabs while Andrade fought back with low kicks…

India Willoughby made history on Sunday, April 14, as she became the first trans patron of a professional sports club, the Keighley Cougars rugby league team. Willoughby, known for her work as a broadcaster for BBC Radio 4, is a trailblazer for the trans community. In 2017, she became the UK’s first out transgender newsreader…

Since its publication on April 10, 2024, the Cass Review has been met with concerns from some trans activist groups across the world, who have raised questions about its methodology. The nearly 400-page report claims to advocate for more research, holistic care, and age-specific services, but also urges medical experts to take “extreme caution” in…

In celebration of Lesbian Visibility Week and their ongoing celebration of lesbian and trans-masc cinema, GAZE has partnered with Light House Cinema and the Irish Film Institute to announce a mouth-watering programme of events. The first event of note is a preview of the highly anticipated feature, Love Lies Bleeding, starring Kristen Stewart as Lou…

Activists from the Scrap the Green Paper coalition are celebrating the news that Ireland’s Minister for Social Protection will not implement the Green Paper proposals for disability payments. As reported by the Irish Independent on Friday, April 12, Minister Heather Humphreys said: “Based on the feedback I have received to date, it is clear that…

At this year’s National Student Media Awards (The SMEDIAS), a national student media award was dedicated to late queer journalist Joe Drennan, who was tragically killed in a hit and run on October 13, 2023. Joe was an incredibly talented and professional GCN contributor as well. The SMEDIAS are dedicated to recognising and celebrating the…

Legislators in Germany have voted in favour of the Self-Determination Act, making it easier for transgender, intersex and non-binary people to change their name and gender on official documents. After controversial debates, the law was passed with 374 delegates voting in favour, against 251 no-votes and 11 abstentions. The new legislation will allow people to…

Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) has issued a response to the Cass Review into Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People. The nearly 400-page report published on April 10 states that the NHS has failed thousands of transgender youth and it includes 32 recommendations advocating for more research, holistic care and age-specific services. In…

After a five-year hiatus, GCN’s much-anticipated ‘My Big Fat Gay Pub Quiz’ returned with a bang this Thursday, April 11, and the whole evening was a non-stop party. The legendary pub quiz is an exciting way to raise essential funds for Ireland’s free LGBTQ+ media and registered charity, GCN. Guests began pouring into the venue…

Now in its fourth year, The Autistic Art Club provides a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for neurodivergent people to come together and express themselves. After receiving her own autism diagnosis in 2020, founder Zoe McCormack wanted to connect with other autistic adults in order to learn more about herself. She explains, “I knew I…

On Tuesday, April 9, Madonna brought her Celebration Tour to Miami, Florida, where the iconic singer paid tribute to the survivors of the 2016 mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub.  Since Madonna kicked off her Celebration Tour in London in October of 2023, the singer has heavily featured LGBTQ+ performers in her act, including Bob…

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has defended Ireland’s hate crime and hate speech bill amid concerns from opposition. On Thursday, April 11, Minister McEntee appeared on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland to speak about the Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences Bill, originally drafted in 2022 under Leo Varadkar’s government. The Minister clarified some…

Following a European Union (EU) vote on Wednesday, April 10, Ireland, along with other member states, will soon overhaul its current asylum system. The vote approved a new EU-wide policy that would harden the trading bloc’s borders that have remained in deadlock since the implementation of the International Protection Act in 2015.  According to Irish…

A man accused of a fatal hit and run resulting in the death of journalist Joe Drennan has been charged with a further seven offences in relation to the incident. Kieran Fogarty (20) appeared in Limerick District Court on Wednesday, April 10, for a formal hearing of the additional charges. During the hearing, prosecuting Garda…

The first teaser trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux is now available, with fans getting a glimpse of Lady Gaga as the dazzling bisexual comic book icon Dr Harleen Quinzel, better known as Harley Quinn. Directed By Todd Phillips, the film is a musical sequel to the 2019 Joker film which grossed over $1 billion…

Launched on April 2, the Cinema for Gaza virtual auction aims to raise funds for Palestine by supporting the Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). More than 200 items and experiences were provided by celebrities in the entertainment industry, including some of our favourite LGBTQ+ icons. So far, more than £145 000 (€169,515,30) for Palestine has…

American Drag Race alum Katya Zamolodchikova has taken to Instagram to announce that she is postponing her tour with Trixie Mattel and checking into rehab to get sober. The queen rose to fame on RuPaul’s legendary show, in season seven when she placed fifth, and in season two when she placed second.  One part of…

On April 10, 2024, a nearly 400-page report was published, which suggests the NHS has failed thousands of transgender youth. Entitled the ‘Cass Review’ after its author Dr Hilary Cass, it includes 32 recommendations advocating for more research, holistic care and age-specific services. The Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service was established in 1989 as the…

Australia’s first-ever housing cooperative for trans women is to be developed following the sale of a City of Sydney council site in the inner-city suburb of Darlinghurst. The seven-property site close to Oxford Street was purchased “at a significant discount” for AUD$2.5 million (€1.5 million) by Common Equity New South Wales (NSW) in partnership with…

On Monday, April 8, the Vatican published a declaration setting out “grave violations of human dignity”, which included gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy alongside war, poverty, human trafficking and more. LGBTQ+ activists from all over the world are speaking out against the document, condemning the Vatican’s position on matters that directly impact the lives of queer…

Billie Eilish has announced her new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which will be released on Friday, May 17. Although artists often let fans stream a single or two before a new record comes out, shortly after announcing the project, Eilish confirmed that she will not be dropping any of the tracks before the…

On Monday, April 8, Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s first openly gay head of government, officially resigned as Taoiseach. His resignation comes shortly before Simon Harris is to be elected as the new head of government in the Dáil today. Varadkar’s first term as Taoiseach began in 2017, and he was then appointed a second time in…

What did it feel like to be an LGBTQ+ student in Ireland before homosexuality was decriminalised? Until the Employment Equality Act was passed in 2015, teachers in Ireland could lose their jobs for being gay, as schools claimed that LGBTQ+ identities undermined their religious ethos. While we’ve made substantial progress in the past several years,…

In a recent interview, actor Dev Patel discussed the inclusion of India’s third-gender community in his new action film, Monkey Man. The Slumdog Millionaire actor makes his directorial debut with Monkey Man, an action-revenge film inspired by Indian mythology, which focuses on an anonymous underground fighter and his path to avenge someone he loves. Underneath…

Beyoncé officially holds the title for the number-one country music album with her new record, Cowboy Carter, making her the first Black woman in history to reach the top of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Billboard confirmed that her newest album Cowboy Carter took the number one spot on April 7. Following the release of the…

Taking to Instagram, actor Oliver Stark condemned homophobic reactions to the latest 9-1-1 episode, aired on Thursday, April 4, on ABC. Titled ‘Buck, Bothered and Bewildered’, the 100th episode of the famous TV series features a kiss between Stark’s character Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley and Tommy Kinard, played by Lou Ferrigno Jr. In the scene, both…

Stefano Pappalardo has been appointed as the new Manager of Gay Community News (GCN). A valued member of the team for over seven years, Stefano joined GCN in 2017 as Digital Marketer, before becoming the Head of Digital, Marketing and Development the following year. He has been instrumental in helping GCN evolve into a multimedia…

Traditionally, representations of autism in TV and film have been predominantly led by cis heterosexual men, such as the character of Raymond (played by Dustin Hoffman) in Rain Man (1988) and Arnie (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). However, this trope is slowly beginning to change with more female, gender non-conforming,…

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will axe its long-standing ban barring gay and bisexual men from donating sperm in a landmark decision. The current FDA ban, established in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, bars men who have sex with men from donating sperm anonymously…

The enigmatic allure of Patricia Highsmith’s iconic character, Tom Ripley, has captivated audiences for decades. From his literary origins to multiple film adaptations, Ripley has remained a fascinating figure and now, with the release of the new Netflix series on April 4, Irish actor Andrew Scott steps into the role, offering a fresh and compelling interpretation…

Believe it or not, 2024 Pride season is just around the corner, and Dublin Pride is gearing up for an unforgettable 50th anniversary celebration.  Dublin saw its first-ever Pride demonstration take place in June of 1974, as a small group of activists marched from the Department of Justice on Stephen’s Green to the British Embassy…

Peach, a new pop-up party for queer women and their pals, is coming to Dublin on Friday, April 12. Ahead of its launch, we spoke to organiser and DJ Kate Brennan Harding about the new venture and what people can expect from its debut in Hen’s Teeth. What inspired you to create Peach? I love…

The United Nations (UN) has made a historic move to protect the rights of intersex people, with its Human Rights Council adopting its first-ever resolution specifically addressing discrimination, violence and harmful practices against persons with innate variations in sex characteristics. The proposal passed on Thursday, April 4, with the majority of member states voting in…

The finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 is creeping ever closer, but no queen will be crowned before the iconic series delivers at least one more major twist. While Sapphira, Nymphia, Plane and Q continue to battle it out for the number one spot, eliminated contestants are set to return for an unmissable lipsync…

Following a report last week by BBC News that disclosed leaked emails from senior executives at the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) raising serious concerns over the mismanagement of the closure of the Tavistock Gender Clinic in the UK, several NHS England whistleblowers have gone on record to reveal the full extent of the situation,…

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the introduction of a third gender option for Form N-400, through which people can apply for legal citizneship. With this revision, effective from April 1, non-binary and gender non-conforming applicants will now be able to use an X gender marker in the document. According to the…

The owner of the LGBTQ+ nightclub Pose in Russia was arrested on March 28 at Moscow Airport following a raid in the venue last month. The individual, who was not named, is the third person to be arrested as a result of the incident and is now in pre-trial jail charged with “organizing an extremist…

Uganda’s Constitutional Court has upheld the nation’s extreme anti-LGBTQ+ law, which includes capital punishment for “aggravated homosexuality”.  Deputy Chief Justice and Head of Court, Justice Richard Buteera, handed down the decision on Wednesday, April 3, closing the case brought by two law professors from Makerere University in Kampala. The petitioners, one of whom is Frank…

On March 31, Transgender Visibility Day, pop duo Tegan and Sara released an open letter through their foundation opposing anti-trans legislation in Canada. To raise awareness surrounding the risks of such legislation, over 400 Canadian and Canada-based artists in the fields of music, film and literature signed the letter, including renowned figures such as Neil…

On March 29, Beyoncé ensured Good Friday was a Great Friday by dropping her brand new album Cowboy Carter. Since then, the gays have been going buck wild, taking to social media to hoot and holler over the country-inspired release. Cowboy Carter is the second act in Queen B’s three-act project that started with the…

During a committee meeting in February, a senior official at Ulster University said that sending communications about Pride to its partnered Qatar campus is “highly problematic”. The staff member added that, while the university should celebrate Pride, it should also be “cognisant of different cultural expectations”. While Ulster University states that it is committed to…

Chief Executive of Libraries NI (Northern Ireland) Jim O’Hagan and the chairperson of the Library Board Bonnie Anley have released a statement to defend the presence of LGBTQ+ children’s books in their catalogue. In the statement, they argued that libraries should “meet the needs of the entire community” and the material on offer must reflect…

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act has officially come into effect as of Monday, April 1. The legislation consolidates existing law on crimes “aggravated by prejudice” and introduces strengthened protections for people vulnerable to being targeted based on characteristics including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or being intersex.  Inciting hate based…

Spring is well and truly underway and as the days get longer, our appetite for adventure and action grows stronger! If you’re looking for a way to fill up your free evenings in April, this list of queer events may just have the thing for you. Encompassing comedy shows, cinema screenings, pub quizzes and more,…

Ireland’s Eurovision entry, Bambie Thug, was among the artists who signed a statement released by British singer Olly Alexander following calls for boycott over Israel’s participation in the song contest. In the statement, the artists declared that they would not boycott Eurovision, sparking criticism and renewed calls for solidarity with Palestine. The statement comes after…

The first teaser for Emma Stone’s latest film Kinds of Kindness has dropped, and fans are thrilled to learn that Hunter Schafer is among the cast, marking one of her biggest roles to date. The project was filmed in 2022, and reports indicate that it will follow a three-part “sci-fi anthology” structure. Trans actor Hunter…

To mark Trans Day of Visibility 2024, TENI (Trans Equality Network Ireland) has released a heartwarming new video celebrating trans joy. The short film, Sharing Trans Stories, was created by Emily Kamalnathan, who interned with TENI in summer 2023. During her time with the organisation, she invited members of the community to share positive ways…

Same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland was first signed into law in December 2019 by then-Secretary of State Julian Smith. By January 13, 2020, the first same-sex marriages in the country were able to occur. Over the subsequent three years, as many as 800 same-sex marriages have been officiated in Northern Ireland, with even more LGBTQ+…

A full autopsy report has been released following the death of Nex Benedict, a transgender teenager who died one day after being beaten by three students in a high school bathroom. The medical report expands on the partial report released on March 13 which indicated Nex’s death was likely a suicide based on a “combined…

Queer Asian Pride Ireland (QAPI) announced a new date for its exciting Queer Spectrum Film Festival (QSFF) after it was cancelled due to violence that broke out in Dublin last November. The event will take place on April 27 at Dublin’s Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar, taking you on a cinematic adventure showcasing the…

Marking the tenth anniversary since the introduction of same-sex marriage in England and Wales, beloved TV show host Lorraine Kelly has conducted Britain’s first live on-air gay wedding. Wearing a shimmery rainbow dress, the Scottish presenter officiated the blessing of Cardiff couple Luke Avaient and Gavin Sheppard live on her popular mid-morning chat show on…

Hari Nef will be returning to the screen after playing Doctor Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s acclaimed movie Barbie. This time, Hari Nef will take on the role of Candy Darling, an American trans actor who took New York by storm in the 1970s. Her story was told in a first documentary by her friend Jeremiah…

According to emails shared with BBC News, NHS hospital executives have voiced serious concerns over the Tavistock gender clinic closure, particularly regarding cancelled appointments and a lack of information about future patient care. The Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service was established in 1989 as the NHS’s sole care provider for trans and gender-questioning youth in…

Artists aged 20 and younger are invited to submit their art to an Irish nationwide competition titled “Being the Artist I Am…”, set to launch to celebrate the life of trans artist Jordan Howe. The winner’s work will be presented at the Millennium Court Arts Centre and featured in the Pride Issue of the GCN…

Legislators in the lower house of Thailand’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a landmark bill to legalise same-sex marriage. If signed into law, it would make Thailand the first country in south-east Asia to introduce marriage rights for same-sex couples. The vote took place on March 27, when the bill won the approval of 399 lawmakers, with…

On March 25, Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin released a powerful statement regarding the increasingly distressing trend of trans healthcare in Ireland, after the National Health Service (NHS) in England stopped prescribing puberty blockers to trans youth. Earlier this month, the National Health Service in England decided to stop prescribing puberty blockers to transgender youth…

Irish para-cyclists Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCyrstal made history this weekend when the two set a new national record at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  A total of 11 Irish Paralympic cyclists competed at the Track World Championships this weekend. Dunlevy and McCrystal, who’ve earned a number of gold…

Irish Higher Education Minister and incoming Taoiseach Simon Harris, who was recently appointed the new head of Fine Gael following Leo Varadkar’s departure from the position, has announced that he will not back down when it comes to moving forward with the new hate crime and hate speech legislation in Ireland. Harris, who will take…

Friends, family and the LGBTQ+ community are mourning the tragic loss of Alex Franco, a 21-year-old transgender man who was killed in the US state of Utah on Sunday, March 17. Alex was reportedly abducted on Sunday afternoon, with video footage showing him getting into a 2000s Jeep Liberty vehicle. Investigators believe that Franco knew…

The CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Nations League football final between the United States and Mexico was stopped twice on Sunday, March 24, due to homophobic chants led by fans. Sunday night’s match was played at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of a crowd of 59,471. During…

Following Leo Varadkar’s sudden resignation last week, Irish Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has been confirmed as the new leader of the ruling political party Fine Gael and is set to become Taoiseach in April. Aged 37, Harris will be the youngest head of government in the Republic of Ireland’s history. The leadership of Fine…

Love Lies Bleeding is receiving high praise for its portrayal of intimacy between queer women, and the film’s stars have recently shared some of the details involved in filming the sex scenes. Set in the 1980s, the lesbian bodybuilder thriller directed by Rose Glass is described as a “romance fuelled by ego, desire and the…

New South Wales has become the latest state in Australia to ban so-called “conversion therapy” practices. The NSW Upper House passed the bill today, March 22, with 22 votes in favour and four against after debating the issue in an overnight marathon session.  The legislation will criminalise all conversion therapy practices within the state. It…

Authorities in Russia have arrested two employees during a raid at a queer nightclub that was hosting a drag show. While other individuals have been charged with misdemeanour in the past months, this is believed to be the first criminal “extremism” case of its kind against members of the queer community in the country since…

An Oklahoma district attorney has decided not to file charges against the teenagers who allegedly assaulted Nex Benedict, a transgender student who died one day after being beaten by three older female students in an Owasso High School bathroom. Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said that after reviewing the police investigation, he considers the…

Stormont Minister Andrew Muir has shared his concerns over the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) backtracking on LGBTQ+ issues. The comments came as part of his interview on the BBC programme Spotlight – Blood on the Dancefloor, an adaptation of the podcast of the same name which retraces the murder of gay police officer…

A team of laboratory scientists researching HIV in Amsterdam have successfully removed HIV from cells using a gene editing tool for the first time ever. The study proves that it is possible to completely eliminate all traces of HIV in a laboratory setting.  Scientists searching for an HIV cure targeted HIV DNA using a gene-editing…

New York’s LGBTQ+ community is mourning the loss of Malachy McCourt following the announcement of his death, confirmed by McCourt’s wife, Diana, on Monday, March 11.  He was 92. While McCourt will be remembered for many things, including his acting, writing, political career, and brotherly connection to Angela’s Ashes author Frank McCourt, New York’s Irish-American and…

Former Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Sean Gunn, who competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, has received widespread praise from both the LGBTQ+ and sport communities alike after publicly coming out as gay in an interview with OutSports published on Monday, March 18.  In the interview, Gunn said that he’d already been out with his friends,…

Leo Varadkar has announced that he has tendered his resignation from his role as Taoiseach and as the head of the political party Fine Gael in a shock announcement made at a press conference this morning.  The announcement comes just weeks after Varadkar’s government failed to pass twin referendums earlier this month. With the EU…

The Mother team has just unveiled the lineup for the 2024 Pride Block Party, and it’s full of a stunning array of local and international LGBTQ+ talent. Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 29, because you won’t want to miss this epic celebration! This year’s Mother Pride Block Party is returning to the glorious grounds…

On Sunday, March 17, New York’s Staten Island borough successfully hosted their first alternative LGBTQ+ inclusive St Patrick’s Day parade. New York City lifted the ban on LGBTQ+ participation in the Manhattan St Patrick’s Day parade in 2014, but Staten Island refused to let queer groups march, claiming gay people do not belong at an…

Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce, more popularly known as the drag performer Shangela, is under fire after multiple men have come out against the queen with allegations of sexual assault. Pierce, who joined the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 2 in 2010, rose to popularity over the years due to his infectious personality and humour,…

Ireland’s national treasure, Panti Bliss, used her platform as the Grand Marshal for London’s St Patrick’s Parade on Sunday, March 17, to speak ‘truths about Ireland’. The legendary drag queen and LGBTQ+ rights activist led the annual parade down the streets of the city lined by over 50,000 people from Hyde Park to Piccadilly and…

When most people hear the word “drag ”, one idea immediately comes to mind: a hyper-glamorous drag queen sashaying across a stage with a huge wig and a tuck, but drag kings are an important genre of this incredibly artistic and gender-bending world. The term “drag king” was first cited in print in 1972, but…

Life of Kai: A Documentary Following a Trans Boy’s Journey centres trans teen Kai Fuller’s life during his ten-year transition from the ages of nine to 19. Growing up, Kai remembers telling his mother that he wanted to cut off his chest because it didn’t belong. He remembers being a kid who “hated looking down”…

There has been a surge of new queer music releases over the past few weeks, and we can not stop listening to some of these bops. From a guitar-driven single courtesy of Irish queer band Pillow Queens to a hopeful record from UK protest singer Grace Petrie, these releases are perfection and, dare we say,…

Filming for Season 3 of Heartstopper has concluded, and fans are anxiously awaiting the return of the LGBTQ+ teen drama. But until then, here’s everything we know about Season 3 so far! Netflix’s adorable adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel follows LGBTQ+ teens through their high school experiences. Praised for its portrayal of queer joy and…

Paddy’s weekend is upon us, and with it comes Cultúr Club, Mother’s unmissable multi-stage celebration of queer dancefloor culture headlined by none other than Irish-born DJ and producer, Saoirse. Saoirse is also the Co-Founder and Music Director of Body Movements, a UK-based festival uniting the creative minds and movers of the LGBTQ+ dance music scene. Through…

A new partial autopsy report released on Wednesday, March 13, has disclosed that transgender teenager Nex Benedict died by suicide. The 16-year-old passed away on February 8, a day after being involved in a physical altercation in the girls’ bathroom of their Oklahoma school. According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Nex died…

Popular LGBTQ+ bar Street 66 has been forced to lower its decibel levels following a noise complaint from residents living above the venue. Siobhan Comny, the owner of the bar on Dublin’s Parliament Street, appeared in Dublin District Court earlier this week where the decision was handed down.  Tommy Bergin and his wife Mai Bergin,…

The University of Limerick (UL) has unveiled a new competition in memory of the late journalist and GCN contributor, Joe Drennan. The award, developed in partnership with The Irish Times, was announced on Thursday, March 14, and in the spirit of the 21-year-old aims to recognise work platforming the voices of marginalised communities. Open to…

Ahead of Cultúr Club at the St Patrick’s Festival, Mother co-founder Lisa Connell explains why queer spaces remain incredibly important. The need and relevance of queer spaces remain pivotal for the LGBTQ+ community, and we must fight and work to ensure they remain open and thriving. We have witnessed much change in the landscape of…

Yes, you read that right. GCN’s My Big Fat Gay Pub Quiz is finally back! Assemble your friends and grab a table for a chance to win the greatest LGBTQ+-themed quiz in all the land. For many years, My Big Fat Gay Pub Quiz has been a fun way to raise funds for Ireland’s free…

46 years after publishing the first novel in the Tales of the City series, Armistead Maupin returns with the long-awaited tenth instalment, Mona of the Manor. Having become the heir of Easley House, a romantic English country manor, the latest episode follows the exploits of Mona Ramsey as she and her adopted son attempt to…

National Health Service (NHS) England has decided that children will no longer be able to access puberty blockers at its public gender identity clinics. After reviewing data from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), an NHS spokesperson said: “We have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or…

Save the date! On August 17, 2024, Meath Pride returns to Duleek Courthouse promising an amazing line-up of events. Meath LGBT Support Group is an important local non-profit organisation. With its weekly and monthly support groups, it contributes to building a safe and open environment for the people of Meath and surrounding areas. This year,…

ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, recently published its 13th Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People in Europe and Central Asia alongside a statement warning of increases in transphobic rhetoric throughout the EU.  The annual report, which outlines current LGBTQ+ human rights situations throughout Europe and Central Asia…

Four teenagers have been charged for their roles in the brutal stabbing of an 18-year-old trans girl in London. The victim was attending a birthday party with friends at Harrow Leisure Center Roller Rink in northwest London, at approximately 7pm on Saturday, February 10, when she was reportedly approached by a group of teenagers who…

All Irish acts scheduled to perform at South By Southwest (SXSW) in Texas have officially pulled out of the festival. The artists have withdrawn in solidarity with Palestine after it emerged that the event is sponsored by the US Army and other military groups. The boycott was ignited by Kneecap who confirmed they would not…

After a young transgender couple was violently attacked by a mob of more than 100 individuals in Greece on Saturday, March 9, a coalition of activists, women’s groups and student organisations gathered for a march against hate the following day. The pair were pursued in the city centre by a large group who subjected them…