A Tipperary LGBTQI+ activist says taking to the streets for pride is more important than ever.
Saoirse Mackin from Ballyporeen is the co-founder of Transplus Pride Cork and says that while pride festivals are often a celebration now, their inception was Stonewall and are an act of rebel associated with political unrest.
She told Tipp FM they started their group to rally against a radio station which held three days of debate about the Trans community and feels marches are crucial to acknowledging the inequality still present today.
Saoirse says that 5 years ago violence against Trans people in particular had decreased, however she says it is on the rise again now and people have to speak out against it.
“It has always exited it has always been there but it was becoming much less it, it was becoming quite minimal but nowadays it is become much more prevalent I often hear of cases of violence only one of my friends experienced very server violence recently, it is definitely on the rise so it is more important than ever that we are coming to the streets a protesting against that.”
Saoirse also told Tipp FM that we should strive for acceptance and that extends to the discrimination she is now seeing within housing and employment.
“A big issue at the moment is discrimination in housing and employment. So those are things that are difficult. Housing right now is difficult for everyone because of the way the housing situation is, it is even more difficult for trans people you know, I know people who are trans and who aren’t trans and it is always my trans friends who experience way more difficulty in getting housing and employment and things like that.”
