Our panel of speakers will explore important LGBTQI+ issues, sharing their experiences and expertise. Our speakers will include:
- John Moran – State Representative, 9th Suffolk District
- Luke Gibbons – PhD Candidate in Law, Trinity College Dublin
- Julie Thompson – Trans Health Medical Director, Fenway Health
- Sean Cahill – Director of Health Policy Research, Fenway Health
- Elyse Cherry – Attorney and CEO, BlueHub Capital
Come join us for a morning filled with pride, empowerment, and meaningful conversations. We look forward to seeing you there!
Ireland’s path towards a more equal and accepting society was a long and sometimes difficult journey. For much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, many LGBTQI+ Irish people from previous generations emigrated and would find opportunities to live and love openly abroad. They were often drawn to places like Massachusetts where LGBTQI+ culture was more vibrant and visible and which, 20 years ago, became the first US state to provide marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004.
Over the past three decades, Ireland has undergone a journey of social change and transformation with respect to LGBTQI+ rights. In May 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to vote to provide for equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. The same year, the Gender Recognition Act 2015 provided for transgender citizens to self-declare their gender when updating passports and obtaining other official documents. The promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTQI+ persons, who continue to suffer disproportionate levels of violence and face systematic discrimination in many countries, is a domestic and foreign policy priority for Ireland.
To mark Pride month, the Consulate General of Ireland, Boston will host a special panel discussion breakfast event reflecting on Ireland and America’s journeys of social change and transformation with respect to LGBTQI+ rights. The event will celebrate and highlight the immeasurable contributions of LGBTQI+ individuals and communities to all aspects of social, political, and cultural life, past and present