Tips for a safe and happy Cork pride
Cork has been proudly sporting a hue of rainbow colours as part of it’s annual Pride Week.
Events have been taking place up and down ‘Pana’ this week and there’s still plenty more to come, from Ruby’s Return with the legendary Paul Ryder to the Pride parade.
As a majority of Pride events have taken place in June, you may feel like a Pride expert at this stage but just remember for some, it might be their first.
Going to your first Pride can be everything from exciting to stressful, exhilarating to panic-inducing, so to make sure everyone has a happy and safe Cork pride, we’ve taken tips from the queer-positive podcast, Popsessed.
Just before Dublin Pride in June, Holly Shortall and Conor Behan released their ‘Guide-to-Pride’ to a chorus of ‘Yaaasss queens’ - here are some of our episode takeaways.
1. Pace yourself
Eat something. Stay hydrated. Plan your day in advance.
Don’t do ‘amateur hour’ and get so wasted that your home having a nap and miss the whole day
2. Support all the letters
Pride is all about celebrating diversity and inclusion, most importantly all the letters of the LGBTQ+ acronym.
Support everybody, come out for everybody and be sound to everybody
Whether you identify as Bisexual, Transgender or Gay, please respect that Pride is a celebration for all letters and each is as important and valid as the other.
3. Get educated
This year also marks 50 years since the Stonewall rights in New York, which is marked on the cover of this year’s Cork Pride programme.
Back at home, the first Irish Pride parade took place outside Liberty Hall in Dublin back in June 1983.
Three months before this, people marched through the streets of Dublin demanding gay rights and protesting against the violence members of the LGBTQ+ community suffer from after Declan Flynn, a 31-year-old gay man was killed in Fairview Park in Dublin.
And this is just a small insight into a vast and important history of Pride.
However education doesn’t end there, Holly and Conor talk about googling or asking politely about aspects of the community that you may or may not know or find it difficult to understand.
4. Know your place
A tip for those who consider themselves as an LGBTQ+ ally.
Holly, who is an ally herself, suggests if you’re attending smaller events, take time to inquire if it is appropriate for members outside the community to attend.
Of course, the LGBTQ+ community prides itself on welcoming everyone, just be mindful that you may be taking the space of a community member that really needs the help and support.
5. Be sound
Remember, there are bar staff and volunteers giving up their pride for you to enjoy yours, just be sound.
6. Respond to homophobia with positivity
Sadly, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia still exist in today's day and age, especially on social media.
Holly and Conor discuss flooding the comments with positivity, stunning selfies and support group contact details instead of fighting back.
Not every homophobic tweet and sub-tweet requires a retweet
Share the good stuff, share the positive stuff, using the tag #CorkPride.
Additional tip: Buy yourself a portable phone charger so you can capture as many memories as possible.
7. Don’t forget to have fun
Although the duo talks about Pride being a protest they also remind people to have fun and find out what pride means to you, however, that may be.
They suggest tailoring the day to yourself. If you don’t like crowds, that’s fine. Check the programme for smaller events.
Have fun and stay proud - as Holly would say, deserved x
The hour-length episode also covers massive LGBTQ+ moments that have shaped us culturally. Have a listen here (and follow/subscribe while you’re there).
If you want to catch the gorge duo live, #POPSESSED is coming to the inaugural Love Sensation festival on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18.
