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Jess Connor Interviewed by BeLonG To The amazing Jess Connor was interviewed by BeLonG To Youth Services on behalf of Bi+ Ireland over on Twitter on 26th June 2020 for Pride Check out the conversation here 🏳️🌈 https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1276447670576521217… 🏳️🌈 https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1276447963041140737… 🏳️🌈 https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1276448741592051713… 🏳️🌈 https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1276449414882701312… 🏳️🌈 https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1276450117936205826… 🏳️🌈 https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1276452058971934726… Photo description Screenshots of the tweets. More detail description to come.
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 Update We were so happy to have about 10 people young and not as young join us on our zoom watch party And we want ye to know we are having another zoom watch party for Dublin Pride Concert at 7pm zoom link opening at 6:45pm So feel free to join us Have a dance, we won't judge Leave your camera and mic off if you want Its your choice Original
Dublin Virtual Pride Parade is happening on Sunday 28th June at 2pm. We can’t wait to see what Dublin LGBTQ Pride have pulled together from all the submissions! We are sure it will be fabulous. During Dublin Pride Parade we would normally be together, so in the interest of providing that sense of community for those that wish it, tomorrow we will be there if you want company watching the virtual parade. For those of you that would rather see others faces, we will be hosting a Zoom watch party. In the interest of safety, we would ask that you fill out this form or PM the page for the meeting details. https://forms.gle/3dpf77dYPTN8Rr1D8 For those of you that are in our Facebook group who would rather watch via Facebook, we will be sharing the live link there for a comments watch party also. Zoom Details We will be using a paid version of Zoom so there is end-to-end encryption on the call. A link to the zoom meeting and its password will be sent via email. You are not required to download Zoom onto any device as you can access the meeting through any web browser. Nor do you have to sign up to zoom. At no stage are you expected to have your mic on or your video on, this is completely your choice. In the interest of consensual interactions we are implementing a "badge" policy, which we learnt from another group. Just rename yourself to include a the first letter of the colour badge you feel is appropriate. Eg: G -Cír, O - Irene, R - Owen
This is a Bi+ Ireland event and as such our guidelines are in play. Remember to respect each other, act in good faith and know that no racism, sexism or lgbt-phobia will be tolerated.
 Pride 2020 may be very different but in Bi+ Ireland we still here for our members and we want to make sure that the Pride season is still a means of connection for our members, old and new. Quick summary of things we are doing for Pride 2020 before we expand out our thoughts:
Now for the extended version: So what are our plans? Well our plans are still being worked on regularly over in the volunteer hub. We are so aware that Pride in Ireland spreads right across the summer months from late June to the very end of August, when we jump into Bi+ Visibility at the end of September. These 4 months are by far the busiest in the Bi+ Ireland calendar as we engage with the community group online, receive the most new members compared to the rest of the year, engage in outreach and education and host some events. While these are tasks we do all year round, there is a natural increase during June to Sept. But what about the plans we can share? Well…. Quiz Bi+ Ireland will be hosting an online quiz to test your general trivia knowledge (and some LGBTQAI+ specific knowledge) on Friday 26th June at 6pm. There will be prizes to be won so be sure to sign up at https://forms.gle/6j2CwdJsHY5yBtr29 For more details see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/sign-up-to-bi-ireland-pride-online-quiz Bi+ Pride Video Bi+ Ireland will be compiling a Bi+ Pride video. We would love for you to submit photos, drawings, quotes, whatever you want to represent you this pride season. This will be a public video so please keep this in mind if you submit something. Please be conscious of any identifiers. You can submit anonymously. Please submit your work through the following form: https://forms.gle/5tbsMnymVv42JH6b8 Shop Our online shop is open with badges and more to order. You can also order a free bi+enough card. To mark Pride 2020, you can get the card with no postage cost. This is achieved thanks to the generosity of our members. To visit our store see https://shop.biireland.com/collections For the bi+ enough card see https://shop.biireland.com/collections/and-even-more/products/bi-card Please note: All products are shipped from a smoke free home. There is a dog in the home but a lot of effort is made to try to minimise the risk of dog hair being on any product or envelope. Please be aware that this shop is run by a volunteer. All efforts will be made to do a weekly shipping of sales every Tuesday, but some weeks it may be fortnightly. For example our shop volunteer will be sending off 2 weeks of orders tomorrow (19th June). Virtual Prides There are many amazing virtual Prides happening across Ireland this year. We have already been in contact with a few to see where Bi+ Ireland could mark that Pride but we strongly encourage you all to support all the wonderful virtual Prides happening across Ireland. You can find Bi+ Ireland guide submission on page 69 of Dublin Pride Guide which you can see here https://dublinpride.ie/pride-guide/ We will be hosting a watch party for the Dublin Pride Parade both on zoom and in our facebook group www.biireland.com/news-and-events/zoom-watch-party-for-dublin-pride-parade One of our volunteers, Jess Connor was interviewed by BeLonG To as part of their Pride programme. http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/interviews-videos-by-bi-ireland-volunteers We are so happy to see so many virtual prides happening that we compiled a list of those events that we are aware of. You can see that list here https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3421009737922633&id=762500430440257 Bi+ Ireland Members As always we will be continuing to have conversations and facilitate a community space for adults that fall under the bi+ umbrella with a connection to Ireland. We currently have a close Facebook group “Bi+ Ireland Community” and a private Discord server. Please do contact us if you wish to join either. Finally Thank you for your continued support of Bi+ Ireland and Happy Pride. Bi+ Ireland links Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/biirelandnetwork/ Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/BiIRL/ Twitter account https://twitter.com/IRLBi Discord, message Bi+ Ireland Shop https://shop.biireland.com/collections Website https://www.biireland.com/ Email biirelandnetwork@gmail.com We had originally planned to host a quiz on Saturday 20th June. However, it has come to our attention that there is a fundraiser happening for MASI on the same night and after consideration have taken the decision to postpone our quiz until Friday 26th June. We feel that in the current climate we need to know where energy and attention should be directed to and at this time that is BLM and in Ireland grassroot organisations such as MASI. We would not wish for anyone to feel divided about which event to attend. We, Bi+ Ireland, shouldn't be taking the space of more valuable voices at this time. Please do support Irish Simpson Filth, for more details of their quiz please join their group, they ask that people read the rules and tag them instead of reporting something https://www.facebook.com/groups/2515581992104062/?ref=share Bi+ Ireland also knows that this is a hard time for members of our group and we could help support other organisations that specifically deal with these issues and keeping this is mind Bi+ Ireland will have a pool for MASI and trans support groups. Please remember you do not have to contribute to this pool to attend our quiz and likewise you do not have to attend our quiz to contribute to the pool. We will give all funds donated to MASI and trans support groups on 27th June, the day following the quiz. To contribute to the pool please see https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8qd2r9SwVo For entering the Bi+ Ireland pride quiz now taking place on Friday the 26th of June, please fill the following form: https://forms.gle/6j2CwdJsHY5yBtr29 This is your safe proud space for Bi+ folks no matter what, but we thought was a good idea to give you the option to support these two great causes. We encourage you all to participate in both, have fun and donate to the causes if you can. Thank you for your understanding, Bi+ Ireland Useful Links To enter the quiz please fill out the form https://forms.gle/6j2CwdJsHY5yBtr29 To see more details about the quiz please see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/sign-up-to-bi-ireland-pride-online-quiz To see the Facebook event please see https://www.facebook.com/events/245592906730352/permalink/252154289407547/ To see our original quiz ad please see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/bi_quiz To see all Bi+ Ireland’s Pride 2020 please stay up to date here http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events  We are at that time of year, again! Pride season! We are so aware that this pride season is unlike any other. One thing we are truly going to miss this year is seeing so many of you, joining us at pride marches across the country. We are going to miss seeing all the amazing outfits you choose to wear. We are going to miss seeing all the amazing signs you create. We are going to miss hearing the wonderful chants joining our voices. For us, the best bit of pride is seeing our wonderful bi+ community being vibrantly beautifully visible with immense creativity and togetherness. The Bi+ Ireland volunteers will continue to represent the organisation wherever we can but Bi+ Ireland is so much more than our volunteers. Bi+ Ireland at its very core is its members and we want your pride and your creativity to shine. It is for that exact reason we decided we wanted to publish a Bi+ Pride video. That's where you come in. We would love for you to submit photos, drawings, quotes, whatever you want to represent you this pride season. Please note this video will be published on our social media platforms and our websites. This will be a public video so please keep this in mind if you submit something. Please be conscious of any identifiers that may be present. However, anything can be submitted anonymously with no identifiers. Here are some of our prompting questions and thoughts that may help with your submissions.
Please submit your work by the 30th of June through the following form: https://forms.gle/5tbsMnymVv42JH6b8 Also note, if a submission is against Bi+ Ireland guidelines it will not be included in the video. Ensure that the submission is your own work and you have permission from all featured or involved.  Text reads What does Bi+ Pride mean to you! Calling all people under the bi+ umbrella to submit photos, artworks, quotes, etc to include in our public bi+ pride video. *Finish text* Underneath this is the Bi+ Ireland logo, that is the words Bi+ Ireland written in a pink to purple to blue gradient. Underneath the logo is the words Pride In Stand Bi. The background of the graphic is grey with illustrations around the border. The illustrations are of multiple people holding bi+ flags and a pan flag. Also is food in the bi+ colours and a pan coloured heart.  Bi+ Ireland Pride Online Quiz will take place on Friday 26th June 2020 at 6 pm. For privacy reasons we ask you to fill out this form if you wish to participate. On the quiz day, we will send you an email containing the link and password to join the quiz. While we have many spaces to participate in the quiz, we do ask that everyone that intends to participate fills out the form. This is to prevent the unlikely scenario that more than the participants limit is reached. While this is not a team quiz, we do understand there may be several people in the one household that would like to join in. If multiple people from the same household are participating, you could all, of course, join us on the one video call, but we do ask that each participant fills out the form as we have a participation limit on the quiz server we will be using. If there are multiple people joining from one household, only one person has to give their email address, the rest can just enter their name or an X, instead of an email if you wish. For the purpose of this event, we will be hosting over Zoom. We will be using a paid version of Zoom so there is end-to-end encryption on the call. A link to the zoom meeting and its password will be sent on the day. You are not required to download Zoom onto any device as you can access the meeting through any web browser. Nor do you have to sign up to zoom. During the quiz, we will be using AhaSlides. Each player must have individual access to AhaSlides. AhaSlides does not require an app download or any sign-up. You access AhaSlides by going to https://ahaslides.com/ or using the link used in the email that will be sent on the day. The quiz is multiple choice questions and from your device, you will be able to select the right answer. It’s important to note that each ideally household will have a laptop or phone or another device that is capable of using zoom. Additionally, each player must have access to a device so that they can input their answers using https://ahaslides.com/ While it is possible to navigate both Zoom and AhaSlides from the same device it is not ideal. Accessibility notice: all the questions will be both readout and available on the screen to read. To join the quiz please fill out https://forms.gle/6j2CwdJsHY5yBtr29 This quiz is open to all adults under the Bi+ Umbrella and their friends, partners, carers etc. At the event there will be a... - €15 One4All Digital Voucher for the Winner of the Quiz - €15 One4All Digital Voucher for the Most Visibly Proud, so whether you dress in your best Pride outfit or decorate your background, we want to see your proud creativity. What to expect during the Quiz
Rules for the quiz
Fundraiser https://paypal.me/pools/c/8qd2r9SwVo If you're participating in our Bi+ Ireland Online Quiz on Friday, June 26th - please consider giving a donation to our pool. It's 100% optional, so no pressure to contribute. Please remember you do not have to contribute to this pool to attend our quiz and likewise, you do not have to attend our quiz to contribute to the pool. All funds raised here will be donated to MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland) and local trans organizations based in Ireland. The host of this pool, Sharon Nolan, is a Bi+ Ireland coordinator based in Galway. Proof of donations, once completed will be available on request for transparency. We will give all funds donated to MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland) and local trans organizations based in Ireland on 27th June, the day following the quiz. Useful Links To enter the quiz please fill out the form https://forms.gle/6j2CwdJsHY5yBtr29 To see the Facebook event please see https://www.facebook.com/events/245592906730352/permalink/252154289407547/ To see our statement about changing the original date see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/update-bi-ireland-pride-online-quiz-2020 To see the original ad please see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/bi_quiz To see all Bi+ Ireland’s Pride 2020 please stay up to date here http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events  For the best experience please have 2 devices on hand during the Bi+ Ireland Pride Online Quiz 2020 on Friday 26th June at 6pm. One device for the Zoom call. One device on AhaSlides to answer the questions. Neither Zoom or AhaSlides requires signup or download. You can use both of them on the one device but it is not ideal. Many handheld devices offer split screen view options (an example of how this looks below). Another option is to jump between Zoom and AhaSlides when you wish to. If multiple people from the same household are participating, you could all, of course, join us on the one video call. However each participant must have their own device to access AhaSlides.  Date changed to Friday 26th June 2020 at 6pm. To sign up click here. Although Pride season 2020 feels different for so many reasons, Bi+ Ireland will continue to be there for its members. To mark Dublin Pride, Bi+ Ireland will be hosting an online quiz. We are currently still in the process of figuring out what that looks like, but once we do we will be sure to let you know. Do you want to test your trivia knowledge? You are in luck! Bi+ Ireland will be hosting a quiz online on Saturday 20th June at 6pm. Remember, it doesn't matter if you don't have the answers! Come and join us to have a fun filled evening of facts and laughs! We even have several prizes to be won! Looking forward to see you all there! Useful Links To enter the quiz please fill out the form https://forms.gle/6j2CwdJsHY5yBtr29 To see more details about the quiz please see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/sign-up-to-bi-ireland-pride-online-quiz To see the Facebook event please see https://www.facebook.com/events/245592906730352/permalink/252154289407547/ To see our statement regarding changing the original date of the quiz please see http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events/update-bi-ireland-pride-online-quiz-2020 To see all Bi+ Ireland’s Pride 2020 please stay up to date here http://www.biireland.com/news-and-events   We have some exciting online and IRL events happening in Bi+ Ireland to mark Bi+ Visibility Month.
Saturday, September 21st Thanks to the brilliant drag entity Avoca Reaction, a raffle in aid of Bi+ Ireland is happening at Coco & Avoca's Queer Cabaret: Back To School Special in Drop Dead Twice from 9pm. While this isn't an official Bi+ Ireland event, as it is being organised by Avoca Reaction, several of us will be there on the night to support the work of a bi+ artist and show runner. Tickets for our raffle will be on sale at the show for €2 for a strip or 3 strips for €5. Tickets for Coco & Avoca's Queer Cabaret: Back To School Special are available from their official event page here. Monday, September 23rd Throughout the day we are running an online raffle-also known as a dip-in our Facebook group for the chance the win €50 worth of merch from our shop. Each entry costs €2 with 100% of the money going to support Bi+ Ireland. Join us for our Dublin Bi+ Vis Meet Up in The Generator Hostel, Smithfield Square from 6-9pm. Expect lots of chats and laughs over chips! Bi+ Ireland has taken the decision to have a presence at both Dublin LGBTQ Pride and Alternative Pride and we encourage anyone who falls under the bi+ umbrella (bisexual, Panromantic etc) to join us at whichever event you are drawn to. Regardless of if you were at Alternative Pride or Dublin LGBTQ Pride or neither, all bi+ people are invited to join Bi+ Ireland in the Iveagh Rose Garden at approx. 3pm for a community picnic. Bi+ Ireland at Alternative Pride Bi+ Ireland at Dublin LGBTQ Pride Want a new flag for the event? Head on over to our shop!  We want to let you know everything that’s been going on and the reasoning behind why we’re planning on doing things the way we are, and this is a profoundly complex issue.
We- the Bi+ Ireland volunteer team- have been listening deeply to the conversations you’ve been having as a community around Dublin LGBTQ Pride and Alternative Pride. Many of the volunteer team have taken part in those conversations as well, and have shared our often nuanced, always deeply-held views in those conversations. We as a volunteer team hold deeply to our responsibility towards all of you as a community present here, and also towards the bi+ people in Ireland who aren’t currently part of this group. We know that we have a duty to always be mindful of the fact that we are an immensely diverse group. We do our best, and always work to learn to do better, in being a group which is inclusive and accessible and who puts the needs of our multiply-marginalised members at the front and center of our decisions and practices. And we are profoundly concerned, as are many of you, by the decision of Dublin LGBTQ Pride to invite the Garda Siochana to march in uniform as a group this year. We also agree that the inclusion of RTÉ- who only a few months ago gave their platform to a notorious transphobe, and whose remit requires them to air the views of homophobes, biphobes and transphobes- is simply not appropriate nor respectful to the people in our community harmed by those bigots. This is where things get difficult. Because this is where our responsibilities towards our community send us down two conflicting paths. You see, we have a responsibility to be present at Dublin LGBTQ Pride. We are, as you know, the only organisation on the island of Ireland with the goal to specifically represent all of us under the bi-plus umbrella. That umbrella is one which, we know, makes up more than half of the LGBTQIA+ population. Dublin LGBTQ Pride is the biggest and most visible gathering of that population. And every year when we march and are visible, something magical happens. We see faces in the crowd who see our flags, our colours, our big bi+ logo and their eyes light up and they point to us and grab their friends and wave like their lives depended on it. We see people coming up and asking can they march with us, who are so damn excited to finally see other out, proud, happy bi+ people. And we see people- every year- who come to us because somewhere else in that parade someone said or did something biphobic to them. And then they saw our flags. And they knew that we would give them somewhere safe to be. We have an absolute responsibility to be present and create that space for the bi and pan people who may need it this year. Because there will be people who need it, and we can’t let them down. At the same time, we have an absolute responsibility to the bi+ people who do not feel that they can attend Pride because of the presence of uniformed Gardaí amongst the marchers. Those of you who, due to multiple marginalisations, experience the Gardaí not as a safety net, but as a deeply threatening and sometimes traumatising force. There are those of us within our volunteer team who share this feeling and these experiences. We feel that it’s important that Bi+ Ireland are present at Alternative Pride. We want to be a strong, visible voice for the bi+ community there. We want to be clear that we do not shove the concerns of our people whose experiences of the gardaí are traumatic ones, nor the experiences of those of us who have been harmed by RTÉ’s platforming of biphobes, transphobes and homophobes, under the rug. And- let’s be honest- there are simply some of us in the volunteer team who don’t feel comfortable personally attending Pride this year and who still want to be with our bi+ community that day. So we’ve made the decision that we would like to handle this in classically bi+ fashion: we realised that we can do both. We still want to have a group marching in Dublin LGBTQ Pride. We’re going to be visibly bi+ to the biggest audience that this country offers us, and we’re going to offer that safer space to the bi+ people out for Pride who need it. And for those of us who aren’t comfortable going to Dublin LGBTQ Pride this year: we’re also going to have a group behind our banner at Alternative Pride. We will also have a picnic following both prides in a seperate location (Iveagh Rose Gardens) that provide a space for our entire community to gather as one. We hope you can understand and appreciate how difficult a decision this was for us to make and we can only hope that we have made the best decision of all of those in our community and those who have not yet discovered Bi+ Ireland. We hope to see many of you on the day! Happy Pride.  Our friend Jon Hanna passed on Monday the 11th of March 2019. We are heartbroken. Jon was a parent, a husband, an activist and so much more - to so many. Jon was a coordinator with Bi+ Ireland, and as a community we are deeply saddened by his passing and still reeling from this news. In his ‘We Exist’ story, Jon tells us he was “Bisexual, Irish, cis, white, male, pagan, witch, parent, kinky, pro-choice AF, occasional depressive, rape survivor, of a working-class Northern Irish upbringing”. Jon Hanna was uncompromisingly and unapologetically himself. He was a leader for our communities, someone who led the way for many of us, whether literally at a march giving us sun cream, badges and a sure stride to follow, or inspiring with reassuring words in our community spaces, both on and offline. It’s hard to believe that Jon won’t be at Pride this year, or the March for Choice. Jon, who inevitably had a child in one arm and the other arm free for a hug. Jon who would be ready to chat, and ready to march with his children by his side, who would proudly carry a flag while pushing a pram.
Jon was also an incredible active member of RQR - Radical Queers Resist. He worked tirelessly in partnership with them in the lead up to the referendum on the 8th amendment. Jon and his leather jacket and Repeal jumper was synonymous with him making a space safe for the all of us  This Saturday (March 16th) at 2pm we will gather at Newlands Cross Crematorium to say goodbye to Jon. At the request of the family, please no flowers - donations can be made to Abortion Support Network or Rape Crisis Centre. - rip.ie. If you can, please wear your Repeal jumper or Free Safe Legal tshirt, or a Bi+/LGBTQIA pin or flag.
We know that people may have all sorts of different reactions, and they are all valid, and it's ok to let yourself have those feelings. Whether you knew Jon for a decade or met him once, or just chatted with him online, your grief is valid. Everyone is welcome to the funeral. If you want would like to join our community to attend the funeral, please do. There is a group meeting at 12 pm on Saturday at the Olympia Theatre, Dame St, and getting the bus to the crematorium. Bring bus fare and look for the bi flags. A paypal has been set up to help his partner and their kids with the practicalities of these difficult times. If you would like to make a contribution you can do so at https://paypal.me/pools/c/8cXeElETIG. If you wish to add your condolences or share your memories of Jon, we’re collecting them here and will pass on to his family. We are all struggling with this news, and know that we will for some time. Please take the time to seek additional support for yourself if you feel like you might need it, and know that our community will be here for you now and into the future. For additional supports: LGBT Helpline 1890 929 539, https://lgbt.ie/ Samaritans 116 123, https://www.samaritans.org/ireland/samaritans-ireland/ Dublin Rape Crisis Centre 1800 77 8888 http://www.drcc.ie/ Pieta House 1800 247 247 https://www.pieta.ie/ |
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This organisation is run 100% by volunteer coordinators. We welcome donations and promise 100% transparency with our spending. Learn more here.
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Bi+ Ireland is a network of people who fit somewhere under the bi+ umbrella, and who have close ties to Ireland. We are community group run by volunteers. You can reach us at biirelandnetwork@gmail.com.
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