The introduction and disappearance of Queer

It is in front of my face, the inclusion of queer is teasing me, a few months ago and the LGB standing conference where LGBTQ students from across Ireland come together and discussion the next years campaigns through motions and amendments to the constitution. They said it couldn’t be done not to even bother but after 45 mins of debate to got both Trans and Queer added to the name of the national rights officer and the working group. There were smiles, shouts, hugs and perhaps a few tears. A few months later at the national standing conference of student unions I found that I was forced to argue my position one more time, apparently our autonomous campaign was not so autonomous after all, it was dependent on the mainly straight conservative student across Ireland to decide if we could have our democratic decision. They said loudly NO and I sat there in dismay—how did this happen where was the support. A few weeks later an the annual meeting of the LGB society it was passed 17-12 that we would change that name to LGBTQ, again hugs, screams and tons of smiles from all the trans and queer kids. But less then a week later it was contested since apparently we didn’t need just a majority for constitutional changes, we needed 2/3rds. So once again majority does not rule and queer disappears. I have written constitutional changes for the UCD rights officer to add both the T and Q. That is going through in the next few weeks, I can’t imagine any problems this time, I have talked to everyone in the union and they are all in support of it, they all voted for it at national congress so unless something unforeseen happens Queer will have a home is the UCDSU.

hummm, what now?

speed dating - do they not take it seriously!! I mean edward was stood up yesterday by a speed dater and I am being ignored. I finally got the nerve to email death and happily got an email back immediatly saying that she was out of town for the weekend but would email me monday to get together for coffee, she does email me and gives me here phone number. I text her the next day about when we can get together for tea (maybe thats my problem I said tea and she constructed me as a stereotypical lesbian and dosn't want to be involved). Now a full day has gone by and no text or email. I mean if you send an email you can expect a day or two delay, you don't know there access to email etc. But when it comes to phones most people have them on them at all times, and although you could be busy or have no credit or have a died battery at the moment, you can usually fix that right away. It possible that in some strange alternative universe that she didn't get my text. It has happened before, actually when I was texting ready about my speed dating results he never got that text and there have been a few other examples, but most likely it went through like it usually does. I suppose she is to busy, but if she is too busy for a text I don't think she will have time to get to know me and me her . . . so thhh! to speed dating and the unreliability of actually getting a date.

I have past the one year blog mark, as of the 23rd of march I am now able to look and see what I was thinking and writing about the year previously. It seems that a year ago was angela davis, I remember that so clearly, I was talking about sars, this artists against the war event, a party at kims and dairly minimalism vs veganism. Strange since I'm back into dairy minimalist mode lately. I said a year ago that I should not use the word vegan for respect of all the vegans who have a hard time having there option validated. I suppose I still believe that but sometimes it is just easier to day vegan. I have really broken from it though, I bought veggie burgers that have egg whites in them, these plain chocolate cookies that have dried milk protein and so on. I'm at the stage right now were I would rather not have dairy products but am less likely to not have them as I have been in the past.

I seem to have less of a life this week this year then last, I seem to have more school work to do right now. Angela davis that was great fun, I can't believe that was a year ago, I remember sitting in the red room afterwards with sal, marike, melissa, sunny, and kim. The boy with the beautiful blue eyes was sitting with all the ocap kids - we talked for a bit and he told me how he was in court that day for this time he was arrested at an OCAP event, he was speaking in the mega phone and was being a bit of a smart ass in the cops face. They ended up hitting him in the intarigation room. I cna't remember what came out of that. Strange memories, I do remember that sunny warned me about him after he went back to the OCAP crew. she told me something about him at a no boards meeting around race and repecentation and she also warned me that his phones may be bugged. that kinda freaked me out for a bit, but I figured that I would have to figure things out on my own. I'm sure he learned from his possible racist approach to the no boards events and phone taps were just a speculation, its not like we made any plans over the phone to through down the state.

so there you have it a year ago today . . . but alas what is happening this year? well I just finished watching spellbound which I enjoyed immencly. I'm writing two papers that are both using Paulo Friere as the foundation. I'm going to a talk this friday, which will be the third one of the year (accidemic that is) which is a change from last year where I was at almost all the transnational feminist talks, the women and war talks and so on. there was a day - I should look it up in my blog - where I went to three talks in one day, one of them was on famine in korea, then one on the movement of women for prostitution and then a women and war one where this philopean women made connections between harry potter and imperialism, she says the reason he won was that he was not scared to name the enemy.

I miss going for pitchers in bars like the redroom and going to talks where I recognize loads of friendly faces and having a great people around to drink those pitchers with at those trashy bars, and to talk about those talks and analysis the interactions of the people around us. I miss toronto, it really is different to dublin, I'm not saying better of worse just different.

my years of lifegaurding has finally paid off

I said this today to my mom - I'm sure she was expecting to hear about job, instead I told her how I'm doing these street medic workshops for the mayday protest. all she could say was "oh boy", she is already a bit weary of me going to all these protests and said to me while she was here not to taunt the cops. In her mind I'm sure she was thinking why do you need first aid if you are partaking in peaceful protests. Her "oh boy" reflected the thought that she is happy that I am active but is concerned that I am not be practical, that I will spend all my time organizing and protesting and not be thinking about a money and a career. Her "oh boy" I'm sure was accompanied with the shaking of her head as she thought that about the money she put into my lifeguarding courses over the years and now I'm using these skills for subversive means. I followed her "oh boy" with a "isn't it great, I have a skill that I can use to help out, with out resources or creative skills I tend to feel that I do not have much to offer other then my energy. and now I can give more to a community that I have taken much from in the past." she didn't respond to this other then an "oh" still concentrating on the fact that I said years of training has finally paid off so I can help prepare people for police brutality. I'm sure she wonders why I can't just be a hippy, promote peace but stay away from any form of direct action. I can hear her now "why can't you be a hippy like we were, I don't ask much from you, I don't expect you to be a full fledged capitalist like my friends kids, but can't you just sing songs and say things like make love not war?" sorry mom!!!