Why won't we give Ireland's LGBT community a sporting chance?

SMALL PRINT:A FEW weeks back I received an email asking me to participate in a charity calendar, aiming to promote tolerance in Irish society towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people. The organisers were attempting to raise funds to secure a licence for Ireland's first LGBT radio station, Open FM. They also planned tp donate part of the proceeds to HeadsUp, a suicide prevention charity. The project was to involve 12 heterosexual Irish males from the world of media, arts and sport, posing (clothed) for photographs to be taken by photographers including Raymond Jordan and Conor Byrne.

To be honest, I first wondered if it was really something I should agree to be part of. My mind was back in the schoolyard and projecting forward as to how the publication of the calendar would be received. It was a momentary thought, and counteracted by friends I have in the LGBT community. I also want my son to grow up in a society where discrimination on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation or race is exposed and tackled, rather than tolerated.

Seven people – including singers Damien Dempsey and Mundy, and model Kamal Ibrahim – had already agreed to take part.

But, I was both surprised and dismayed to learn that since starting the project two months ago, they have not been able to get an Irish male from sporting circles to participate.

Several were invited, including Nicholas Roche, Bernard Dunne, David Gillick, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Peter O’Leary, Shay Given, Damien Duff, Brian O’Driscoll, Jamie Heaslip, Darran O’Sullivan, Finlay Hanley and Cian O’Sullivan. They also approached Donal Óg Cusack, who dealt with his own homosexuality in his 2009 autobiography. Few responded. I’m sure many of them have good reasons for not participating, for example contractual responsibilites. Brian O’Driscoll’s representative said the rugby player was “unavailable for any promotions other than for his own sponsors”, for example. Damien Duff politely declined, and Jamie Heaslip’s agent promised to discuss it with him. The calendar organisers are still awaiting the outcome of this discussion.

The fact that not one Irish sportsman has agreed to participate in an opportunity to tackle homophobia in Irish society seems to highlight the need for a calendar like this. The response from the world of sport contrasts sharply with that from those contacted in media or arts, where most people did at least respond.

Calendar organiser Mario Danneels is losing hope that he will get a positive response from any sportsman he has contacted. “I understand Ireland has come a very long way in terms of the acceptance of LGBT people,” he says, “but this experience would suggest to me, at least, that this community is still more tolerated than it is accepted.”

For more information on the calendar, see openfm.ie