A Cork-based charity has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the racism queer men of colour and Travellers experience from within the LGBTQ+ community.
Ireland is seen as one of the most progressive countries in the world, but for LGBTQI+ People of Colour and Travellers, it can be a very different place. Proud AF is a campaign by us here at the Gay Project which aims to highlights racism amongst GBTQI+ men in Ireland.
The national Proud AF campaign, which is government-funded, platforms Queer men of colour and Queer men who are Travellers, making them loud, proud and visible across the country in washrooms, digital screens, video content and a social media campaign. Gay Project encourages People of Colour, Travellers and their community allies to share their experiences and stories on social media using the hashtag #ProudAF.
Taking part in the campaign are community activist and art director Pradeep Mahadeshwar, drag queen Viola Gayvis, law student and asylum rights advocate Bulelani Mfaco, TikTok star and mental health advocate Darren Collins, and Delroy Mpofu, who has just begun his studies at UCD.
Queer men of colour and Queer men who are Travellers experience both homophobia and racism in Ireland which can lead to isolation and feelings of invisibility in our generally white, settled GBTQI+ communities. We are proud that Ireland is seen as one of the most progressive countries in the world for GBTQI+ but POC and Travellers are often not accepted and included. Through storytelling and lived experience, this campaign will explore the racism, bias and exclusion that is hurting our POC and Traveller siblings, such as sexual racism, racial profiling, objectification and fetishisation, cultural differences and discrimination perpetuated by white and settled GBTQI+ people.
Find out more below about how our LGBTQI+ family are harmed by racism, bias and exclusion. #ProudAF is a call to action that asks the wider community to examine their own behaviours and change them to make our community more accepting and inclusive. Read here