The year that was 2016
I’ve not been writing that much of late, life had been a bit bumpy and the mood a bit dark. So I am going to treat myself to a 2016 round up post to remind myself of the nicer things which happened this year.
This year I tried to do one thing which was new or scary to me each month, most months I managed more then 1 thing.
In January I sat my exams and pass officially moved into being half way through my degree in DCU.
#freesafelegal #ge16 @freesafelegal
A photo posted by JanetOS (@janetos_) on
In February I took part in two photo shoots, one for the X ile Project and the other for Trinkets Jewelry. I was also being ahem present at the GE2016 TV debates
In March I was doing Promotions for a wonderful Arts event, which was an installation, musical play and discussion on giving birth in Ireland. http://4elements.ie/projects/daughters-of-the-revolution/
A photo posted by JanetOS (@janetos_) on
In April I had the absolute honor and privilege of preforming a wedding ceremony for two dear friends.
May was all about getting assignments in and my end of end year exams.
In June I was an invited speaker at the The 2016 Tom Johnson Summer School
July I was at #Longitude and worked 3 days at the Abortion Rights Campgain stall, running the twitter and instagram account, talking to the oh so many wonderful people who came over to get leaflet, sign petitions and by badges and t shirts.
August I was a speaker at the Galway Pride Festival about the intersection between lgbtqi rights and reproductive rights. I was also on TV3 as a spokesperson for the Abortion Rights Campagin as part of a debate on National TV as well as being on Dublin City FM for the Nerdy wordy girlie section of the Kitchen Table show.
September was very, very busy. I was delivering training in Cork, working on the March for Choice,
from the press conf to doing media spokes person stuff, which involved going out to RTÉ today’s in a row to be interviews by the BBC, BBC Gobal and BBC 2. Doing interviews with media outlets. Then helping with coverage of the March on the day, and taking part in the Speak Out.
#Octocon2016 www.octocon.com 14th to 16th of October
A photo posted by JanetOS (@janetos_) on
October was OCTOCON! I was pro and Vice Chair! I got to be on some amazing panels, take part in some excellent discussion and help make the national SFF convention happen! We got some lovely coverage on Newstalk, Irish Examiner and Dubiln City FM. I am really looking for today next year as I am to the Convention director and two of my Fav writers are coming over as Guests of Honour!
November was thankfully a bit quieter after October and September. I was an invited speaker out at UCD Labour to talk about repeal the 8th as an ARC spokes person and to GIGSOC in GNUI to talk about reproductive rights. I also did one of the hardest, most panic inducing things of the year, applying for a passport. It was a mess of red tape, involving 4 different governmental departments.
Soo there were some tickets for tonight gig… So we are going again. #TheCure
A photo posted by JanetOS (@janetos_) on
For in December having a passport meant I left Ireland for the 1st time in 18 years, boarded a plane and headed off to the UK, where in Wembley I got to see The Cure play, twice.
2016 has been an eventful year (what I have listed is barely the tip of the iceberg), the last 1/3 of it have been a struggle at time, but looking back has helped. Still can’t believe the BBC 100 women thing! We got through this year, here’s to getting through the next one.
Human Rights Day 2016
Today is #Humanrightsday lgbtqi rights, reproductive rights, womens’ rights, migrant rights, sex workers rights, disability rights, children’s rights are all part of Human Rights.
Unfortunately we are denied them on grounds of being ‘other’ and we do need to call out that ‘othering’ which means using labels to identify the struggles and attitudes which prevent us from having and exercising our human rights.
While cultural/societal attitudes and systemic oppression via legal systems, government systems and other institutions refuse us our Human Rights we have to keep identifying the issue and that means using the labels we have, because they don’t see us as being full Human if they are denying our Human Rights.
SFF and Diversity
This post is brought to you after I read this on facebook https://www.facebook.com/joch.mcarthur/posts/10103074134267273
The diversity in SFF (Science Fiction & Fantasy), what ever the medium comics, film, Tv, books and video games is why I am a fan. I have had people wonder how my feminism, parses with my interest in SSF, what I have read, watched, played and loved as frankly fed my feminism.
Helped me dream of the world being a better place and of people dealing with each other with compassion. Helped me figure out what I would do in horrid situations, let me explore possibilities.
SFF has never been prefect, it won’t ever be, it is created by flawed humans, but it has never been the preserve of cis white hetro men not from the very beginning.
Yes as it has become mainstream and those looking to target the biggest section of the market for profit have started to present it as being of and for cis white hetro men, but that is spin.
SSF has always been diverse, women and girls have always created, organised, wrote, drawn, been the back bone of fandoms.
Yes Fandom and conventions are not perfect either, but they are a hell of a lot better then they were 20 years ago in my experience.
Which is why I am proud of the conventions I have been involved with, Shamrokon and Octocon and the work done to try and reflect that diversity and the joy SSF brings.
Hope to see many of you this weekend in the Camden Court Hotel for Octocon.
March for Choice 2016
Not all crises pregnancy agencies are the same.
They want to keep us Ignorant.
#Repealthe8th is an #LGBT issue
I am delighted to have helped with an OP Ed by the Abortion Rights Campaign in this months GCN on why #Repealthe8th is an #LGBT issue.
This was published after I traveled to Galway to be part of a discussion on this very issue as part of Galway Pride Festival.
The wonderful @sharmander_says @Sharrow_ie and @Feckinq speaking at the @galwaypridefest reproductive rights talk pic.twitter.com/vZUljxrVFs
— Siobhán (@WellNowUniverse) August 18, 2016
I got to meet a so many people, who had a range of sexualities and gender identities and I got asked to sign a cast.
I you want to know more click through to this months CGN issue and to page 16.
4 years ago
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2012/09/26/the-abortion-aircoach/
This popped on on my memory feed on Facebook, 4 years ago I took part in this photo op, which was for the 1st March for Choice. We have come a long way as the preparation for this years March for Choice (on the 24th of September) is in full swing.
If someone had of told me then, there would be donuts, people clamoring for jumpers, Farmers for Choice, a Fantasy Footy League and a growing number of pro choice TDs, I would have found it hard to believe.
We have come a long way in 4 years, and that is due to all of the hard amazing work people have put in to the Abortion Rights Campaign, putting in hours with skills they have, sharing those skills and learning new ones as we keep pushing for a referendum.
I am very proud of what has been achieved so far, but there is so much more work needing to be done. See you at the March starting at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square from 1.30pm. 
Throwback Thursday: Someone you know
I wrote this 11 years ago.
Back then I did talk about being prochoice online on forums and communities, I didn’t disclose I was ‘Someone’
So many people have come forward in the last few years, it is becoming clear that ‘someone you know’ has had an abortion.