I love Cork and I am very patriotic about my home town, and events on Saturday made me love it even more. At the weekend my boyfriend was up from Kerry and he stayed around town on Saturday and we met up for lunch. At all times I was with him in town we were holding hands. Did we get a reaction? No
In fact most people registered no reaction especially Irish people. A few people stared and in fact two girls said "eww gays" and then burst out laughing! This is a major reason why I love Cork. I never get hassle about being gay or holding hands with guys. I have gotten hassle in other places, notable Dublin and Koeln, where I was shouted at, but it comes with the territory. ('Queer' in Dublin and 'Schwule' in Koeln).
Lots of foreign people ask me what it is like to be gay in Ireland and I must say being gay in Cork is grand as most Cork people don't give a toss! Which is also an attitude I have!
So I LOVE Cork!
Most gay people I know have simply claimed the word "queer" for themselves, thereby depriving it of any offensive connotations.
ReplyDeleteBy the same token, I continue to call my gay friends all sorts of offensive names, but they're used to me.
hey Bock, thanks for the comment! Personnaly hate the word queer, but the mention in dublin was hate filled which is hard to get across in text!
ReplyDeleteThe hate is in their heads. Challenging the words they use won't change it. They'll just find a new hate-word.
ReplyDeleteI know that! Been around long enough to learn it. but its not the word you use it how you use it. Take for example the two girls who said "eww gays" we knew they didnt mean it in a bad way but someone who shouts gay crossly uses it in an entirly different context...
ReplyDeletei think im getting that across right...
lol!!! you love it! :D
ReplyDeleteAh they're great fun. I'm the token straight.
ReplyDeleteHmm I have to agree Stephen, Dublin is far worse than Cork and not just for the gays. My boyfriend, as you know, has incredibly curly hair, and we have been the subject of serious hostility. Loads of 'people' have screamed things at us, 'get your hair cut, Jack Black, Afro man', all sorts of shizz and some people just point and laugh. It just shows off their severe lack of education and fear of anything different. Hair can be quite scary you know. But in Cork, don't think anyone really notices. That's why I'm glad we moved to London as well, you could walk buck naked down Carnaby Street and no-one would say anything. Am afraid the old attitude of unenlightened Ireland is still very strong, but surprising in the young people.
ReplyDeleteBock, you call everyone offensive names whether you know them or not. It's part of your charm.
ReplyDeleteStephen, Cork is grand out, it's no Kerry mind, but it's alright. Heading there this weekend in fact, sights to be seen and so on.
@eatersregrets yea Dublin is bad if you are any way *different*. which is strange for a a big city. London have never been there properly as in going out!
ReplyDelete@Dan Yea my BF is from kerry. You should see us when we are down there! Hes on one side of the road I am on the other!!! :P
@Bock take it easy :P
Ah, he loves me really. I'll tell him to his face at the weekend.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear bock!!! :D
ReplyDeleteI mean, I'll tell him he's ugly.
ReplyDelete(You listening, Dan? Catch you at Fla's for the Munster match, maybe).
Lol! you tell it like it is dont ya Bock!
ReplyDeleteThat will have to be this coming weekend Bock as we try to deal with the Frenchies again. I didn't trust myself to head out last Friday and be able to pack and head to Cork the following day. So watched the Manky league match on BBC Wales at home.
ReplyDelete