National LGBT Federation (Formerly NLGF) celebrates 35 years of supporting LGBT rights and equality
The National LGBT Federation, formerly the NLGF, is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Founded in 1979, and one of Ireland’s oldest NGOs, the group has played a proud role in all the major efforts to improve the rights of LGBT people in Ireland.
Olivia McEvoy, Chair of the National LGBT Federation, stated:
“This important anniversary provides the opportunity for us to reflect on our campaigning and activism over many years and our joining with many other progressive civil society groups in helping Ireland realise the true values of a Republic committed to full and equal citizenship for all.
Our achievements over that time include the founding of the Irish Queer Archive (IQA) which we have now handed over to the National Library, the publishing of magazines and periodicals including the present day Gay Community News (GCN), and the commissioning of detailed research into the needs and priorities of our LGBT community, which we unveiled through the ‘Burning Issues’ survey.
“However this anniversary is not just about looking back. It also allows us to take stock of our current goals at a time of great challenge and excitement for the LGBT community in Ireland. Part of that process has resulted in a new name for the organisation – The National LGBT Federation – which we believe better reflects our commitment to serving everyone in our community, and standing in solidarity with our Transgender friends and colleagues as they campaign for basic rights and recognition, denied to them by the Irish State for far too long.
Other commitments of the National LGBT Federation include securing equal access to civil marriage for same-sex couples, which we will vigorously campaign for in the 2015 referendum, the repeal of Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, which enables discrimination against LGBT Teachers in particular, and also seeking to support those LGBT communities abroad who find themselves being targeted for state sanctioned homophobic persecution might just split that sentence above.
We are also looking forward to hosting the fifth annual GALAs (Gay and Lesbian Awards) on March 1st, which honour all those groups and individuals who are committed to advancing equality and social acceptance for LGBT people in Ireland.”
For more information on the work of the National LGBT Federation, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and on our newly unveiled web-site – www.NXF.ie “
Press