Date: Thursday 5th May 2011
Venue: Europa Hotel Belfast
Time: Cocktail reception from 7pm; Meal from 8pm

Entertainment is going to consist of Quoir, who will sing some fantastic numbers for us during the reception, with a DJ for the party! Miss Roxy Tumbledryer will be in attendance, offering up a live cabaret performance and making the night fabulous. After the meal, we will all head to the Shoe Factory for the after party (entrance is free – the venue is booked exclusively for QUB LGBT – please bear in mind that the Shoe Factory is an Over-18 venue).

You can buy your tickets (price only £35) in person from Nicholas Young (nicholas_young21@hotmail.co.uk) or this Sunday from union Street during Sunday Bingo Show and afterwards in Kremlin. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket online with a credit or debit card at tinyurl.com/lgbtformal and bring your booking receipt on the night to redeem your ticket! Ticket sales end 2nd May 2011.

Make sure you get your ticket before they’re all gone – the night promises to be a unique and rare opportunity, so not one to be missed!

So, Mondays are back to normal here at GLYNI now, with our usual weekly mix of session work on Mondays and social fun on Fridays. Both nights we open at 6pm, with the session work running 7:30 – 9pm on Mondays with a mid-session break for all you smokers!

This term we hope to have an exciting array of sessions, with particular focus on having one-off speakers in on alternating Mondays to give talks and discussions on what interests YOU. Our calendar >>>>>>>>>>>>> will soon be updated with an agenda, so keep calling back!

No matter how careful you are (and you should be careful everybody!) sometimes you might, through no fault of your own, catch some sort of STD. In partnership with Rainbow Project, we will have sexual health clinics operating on other weeknights, usually once every couple of weeks. Rainbow Project workers will administer any checks you need, as well as offer vaccinations against some STDs such as Hep-B. It is obviously discreet and anonymous. A valuable service indeed if you are even slightly worried you might have caught something… unpleasant. Again, details of this will be posted on our calendar!

Final announcement is to just remind people about our upcoming residential and activity weekend – 22nd – 24th October! There are limited places available and the price is £20 a head, but this is great value – activities include Kayaking, Canoeing, Abseiling, Archery, Climbing Wall, and more! Plus, we have been promised that the volunteer team will be performing a GLYNI Cabaret act! Not to be missed – speak to Mark ASAP to book your place!

Peace, out!

- Matt

GLYNI will be on as usual on Fridays, and throughout August we will be opening our Monday evenings as an additional summer drop-in. So come along, whether you are old or new! Would be great to see some new faces from Pride!

Peace, out!

The event is being held in the Black Box, and begins at 7pm. There are no age restrictions!

The documentary covered the history of Belfast Pride, and I was particularly impressed with some of the old footage from years gone by. With contributions from many members of the Pride committee past and present, as well as high-profile political leadership views from former Mayor and current MP for East Belfast Naomi Long, as well as current Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, the documentary covered all aspects of Pride, from the reasons, to the organisation, to the protestors, to the fun and events… it really is not to be missed!

It is getting a second showing on Tuesday at the Northstar Science Fiction Night Pride Event, which is at The Roost bar on Tuesday 27th, at 8pm, where you will also get to watch a science-fiction triple feature of Doctor Who, Star Trek: Voyager and Family Guy Star Wars!

Pride 2010 has begun!

The bill, which grants almost all of the rights of marriage, passed in the Dail last week and was approved in the Seanad last night after two days of debate.

It passed with the support of 48 senators, with just four voting against, and will be sent to President Mary McAleese, who can approve it or refer it to the Supreme Court if she believes it may be unconstitutional.

All parties strongly welcomed the Bill in their closing statements in the debate.

Senator David Norris in his closing statement: “I am proud that this day has come. It is a massive, overwhelming victory. It is a victory, not for gay people nor for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Labour or the Independents; it is a victory for decency and for this country.”

The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network has welcomed the change in law, although it has repeated concerns that there is not enough recognition and support of children whose parents are gay.

The rights the bill will give include protections and obligations across areas such as protection of the couple’s shared home, domestic violence, residential tenancies, succession, refugee law, pensions, taxation, social welfare and immigration.

All parties supported the bill, although some individual politicians attacked it.

The first ceremonies are expected to be held in January.

Ireland decriminalised homosexuality 17 years ago.

Ashling O’Brien, a Masters student in University of Ulster, is carrying out research for a dissertation in Applied Psychology. Her research is focused on social support, in-school victimisation, self-esteem and self-identified sexual orientation. She is carrying out this research via an online survey with participants who are between the age of 18 and 21.

Please click on any of the  url

https://www.demographix.com/surveys/3Y9Q-VHRX/37XLDP3J/?IEghn or

www.emis-survey.eu

Many thanks

Identify as lesbian, bi, gay or trans?

GLYNI’s newest group starts on Monday 24th May in Community Network Craigavon, Church St, Portadown 7pm. If you’re interested in joining, come along.

Email craigavon@glyni.org.uk for more information!!

Come along and get involved, be the founding members of our newest group.

Hope to see some of you there!!

GLYNI