If you hadn’t already guessed, this week sees the mark of the end of an era – the 30th Anniversary Year is coming to a close and, with it, the year of the 2012/2013 Q SOC Committee. We hope you had as much fun as we did this year – its been amazing, and from the bottom of my heart, I personally can’t thank you all enough for literally making my year!

To that end, however, this Tuesday, we have the Q SOC AGM. Come along and meet us in the GSU Common Room at 7.30pm, for what it bound to be a night filled with high drama, intense emotion, and lots and lots of nominations and speeches!

The positions up for grabs are;

Auditor
Secretary
Treasurer
PRO (remember to send in a sample of your work if you want to run for PRO!)
Liaison Officer
Inclusion Officer
4 OCM Positions

This AGM will also see two changes being made to the constitution of our society – that we’re going to abolish the role of Social Secretary, and change the name of our society, officially, to “Q SOC, the TCD LGBT Society”.

IMPORTANT NOTE; Remember to bring your MEMBERSHIP CARD if you want to vote!

We’re also going to have our annual GOSCAR celebrations at the AGM – you can find the nomination form here; https://docs.google.com/a/tcd.ie/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dDlqc1JaU2RmdzRsRzJEOHFqUXJ4Q3c6MQ

BUT THAT’S NOT THE ONLY THING HAPPENING THIS WEEK YOU GUYS!

Shortly before the AGM, we have the launch of the annual Q SOC Play! This year, it’s called “In Every Shape & Form”, and it’s directed by Paul Duggan, starring some familiar faces from the society!

Get down to the Player’s Theatre at 1pm on Tuesday to see what is sure to be an absolute masterpiece

As well as all this, we have our final Book Club of the year – it’ll be run on Wednesday in the Soc Room, and this week, it’s “The Blackwater Lightship” by Colm Toibín

That’s it for now guys – I hope you’ve enjoyed everything this year!

See you at the AGM!

I can’t believe we actually got away with it. Honestly, with some of the ridiculous stuff we were planning, I never actually thought we’d make it to the end of the year in one piece. But just being glad we survived is far from the last word on our 30th anniversary year. For the opportunities we’ve had, the people I have had the privilege to work with and the firsts. This year has been replete with the landmarks of many things at Q Soc, the Irish premiere of ’8′ the ground-breaking marriage equality play, the first large-scale reunion of alumni of the society, the first establishment of a transgender and queer protection policy college wide. The membership, the number of events, have never been higher. We won Best Publication, Best Fresher and Best Society at the CSC Awards; more awards than we’ve ever won before combined.There are many firsts that we have been lucky just to experience, more that we should be proud of putting in place. But just as important are the lasts, both definite and hopeful. This year hopefully marks the last time that the LGBT Society at Trinity is not taken seriously; the last time that people in campus are unaware of queer issues or queer students don’t know where they can turn for friendship, advice or second chances.

We have done so much this year, so much more than we ever thought possible. In particular I’d like to highlight how proud I am of our highly successful anniversary celebration with over 250 attendees and some rousing speeches from the likes of Senator Norris, our anniversary publication Ne Plus Ultra* which won Best Publication at the CSC Awards, our fantastic guest speakers like Donal Og, Scott Turner Schofield, our hosting of events like the USI contingent of the March for Marriage and TENI workshops. Our Pink Training and Pride delegations were the largest and most successful the society has ever seen and we were the only student representatives at the Rally for Gender Recognition amongst others.

Our trans* and ally awareness campaigns have garnered enormous levels of appreciation across campus as well as being reproduced in over a dozen universities around the world, as well as translated into Arabic. We have produced two separate plays, a radio show, a highly successful photography competition and so much more.

But to me, more important than the events we have put on is how we have changed the conversation. LGBTQ issues are now something that are taken seriously by the majority of campus, and beyond. The queer movement has taken a grip of the public consciousness and it is here to stay, with Q Soc right at the heart of it. College newspapers, authorities, psychology studies, other LGBTQ organisations all look to us as forerunners in the queer community and we have taken up the mantle given to us by our founders of being the representative voice of a new generation of queer students. Senator Norris, one of our founders himself said this, and highlighted the importance for future generations to be aware of their history but continue to be willing to fight, just as he had done.

Most poignantly, for myself and all the current committee, today is our last day. Now, as we celebrate the year we’ve had and look forward to the work still to be done, I’ve the enviable job of acknowledging those who have given so much of themselves.

I’m grateful for the immeasurable support we have been given by the Students’ Union. Together we have shared the responsibility for representing queer students, and without a strong union that job is so much harder. We could not have asked for a union that was more genuinely concerned with queer students, not just for the votes involved but out of their own sense of justice and equality.

In particular I would like to thank Aisling Ni Chonaire, the Welfare Officer who has set the standard for all to come afterwards in terms of her constant, genuine interaction with the society and selfless contributions for all students, not just queer ones. We are grateful beyond what she could be aware of for how she has helped us from day one.

We’re also incredibly grateful for the efforts of Eoin Silke, the LGBTRO. Having the difficult task of putting together a successful representation of students despite only taking over the role a few months ago, Eoin has been gracious and helpful at all points and has given of his time and experience to integrate his years of experience within the community with the needs of students today. Students at Trinity could be glad to have an RO who truly represented and worked for them, for his help in dispelling the cobwebs, and raising the standard of LGBT representation we are thankful.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to point out that we have enjoyed more successful and collaborative relationships with other LGBTQ organisations this year than we have for many years beforehand, of particular note is Transgender Equality Network Ireland who have been firm partners with us this year in a unified goal of safety and happiness for all people, particularly those of non-traditional gender. This has been a heartening connection to have made, one which we’re very hopeful will continue.

First in my heart for their tireless contribution are my committee. It might never truly be known how much they have done for others, so much of it was behind closed doors or in the background of events. The mark of this committee will always be the sacrifices they made in the dark, the decisions they made that were difficult and would never garner them praise or popularity, the things they did for one another and for the well-being of other queer students not because they were fun, but because it was the right thing to do. This society, this college will be a much better place for a long time to come because of the example set by this small, determined group of people. They went so far beyond what could ever be expected of a student society, a hobby. They gave of themselves so fully to make Q Soc a community, and a cause, that we can all be proud of.

In no particular order then, I would like to thank Emma Chubb, Adele Morrin, Jessica Bernard, Samuel Riggs, John Connor, Elaine O’Connor, Conor Duggan, William Quill and Sinead Reilly. I hope you are as proud of your year as I am of you.

There’s several committee members I’d like to thank for their extremely dedicated contributions. Our Librarian Brian Moyne took over a position that until now has been the nominal maintenance of our library and the running of the Book Club. He took that role and transformed it into the most creative wing of the society, inventing and running our Queerative Writing class all year, which eventually developed into the Q Soc Play. He applied the same fervour to his Book Club and in both, gave both class time and his personal time to help people develop their understand of queer literature and challenge themselves, never accepting the answer that anyone “just wasn’t good at English.” He also directed, filmed and edited a number of video campaigns for the society throughout the year, the quality of which surprised everyone and raised the bar for the society and campaigns like this everywhere. He has, in short, given a lot of people the chance to believe in themselves. A conservative estimate of the man-hours he contributed would be 250, for a fourth year student particularly, his efforts have been irreplaceable.

Our Liaison Officer, Katie Biggs had the task of taking over her role late into the year and I don’t think anyone was more surprised than myself at the immense dedication and productivity she brought to the campaigns in the society. In addition to galvanising the campaigns group and organising a number of high profile political events, as well as developing a lasting connection between the society and S2S peer support, Katie also developed of her own volition Q&A training, which was a training session that taught peer supporters and other staff on how to deal with issues affecting queer students. This initiative brought the needs of queer students very much into the forefront for the college authorities and lead directly to the development of a transgender and queer protection policy for the college, something which will change the lives of many vulnerable people at college.

Our Inclusion Officer, Naomi Coyle, pioneered the role this year, a position that was developed from the impetus given by her own and others’ frustration with the lack of support for health science, mature, international and other minority groups of students. Never an easy role and one that many would have predicted as too intense for a student, Naomi gave generously of her kind and welcoming nature to ensure that the most vulnerable and shy amongst us felt as at home as any other. Many people would not be in the society today if it wasn’t for Naomi, I am grateful as are so many for how she’s made Trinity a safer place.

Our Treasurer, Conor O’Shea is someone whose job is often seen as clerical and who doesn’t have the luxury of being in the spotlight of the society. In addition to ensuring, by hook or by crook, that we’ve always had the funding necessary to achieve even our most ambitious projects, Conor is someone who has been with me since our very first week as idealistic and argumentative first years, and has ensured over the years that this society could and did become all that it could be. He has always done the right thing and always done everything he could for others. I could not be prouder or more grateful to have worked with such a kind and resourceful man, and this society is in a much better state for his counsel.

Finally, on committee, I would like to thank my Secretary Paul Duggan. I have never met an angrier, more determined, less apathetic person. Bullheaded, idiosyncratic and a damned pain in the ass though he was, it has been a privilege to see someone pull this society, and himself, from gutter to glory through sheer force of will. Paul has been the ideas man, he has been the heavy lifter, he has shouted at people and comforted them in turn, depending on what was needed. He believes, without reservation or pause, in what this society means and in how important it is that it exists and does its job well. It has not always been easy, but he has given without a moment’s consideration of his own needs, of his intelligence,kindness and stubbornness. He’s saved my ass from the fire on more than one occasion. This society was lucky to have him and I’ll never be able to thank him properly for all he’s done.

And finally, of course, this society would be nothing without its members. The community, the life blood and family that makes this, in my opinion and in the opinions of others, an easy candidate for the best student society in the country; maybe one of the best in the world. Where else would you get a membership so friendly, so honestly committed to this society, who make all our myriad events be they fun or serious, creative or in protest, such a success. Q Soc has a name on campus, it has recognition. We have that because of our members, our members who make it worth it, our members who believe in us, in this society and make us all on committee so glad that we did this at all. Thank you for that, and please, don’t stop.

It is so easy to be cynical, so easy to give up and to believe that things will never improve. This year, this society is proof that that is not true. Change is coming, we are living in exciting times and I’m glad that we have the opportunity to be on the right side of history. Continue to be involved, continue to care, and to hope. Take the risk of letting something into your life, take the risk of committing to something without being sure of where it’s going. We have always been the holders of far-flung hopes, and so many of them have been realised. Now more than ever, in 2013, in this college, in this one life that we have, you have the opportunity that has been denied to so many people. You can show the world, and yourself, that you do matter.

I am so proud of all of you, and of everything we have done. Thank you for giving me the opportunity, for giving me the best year of my life. Please take everything you’ve done this year and bring it with you into the wider world, because it definitely needs more people like you. As David Norris said “Trinity Queers, long may they last.”

So here is to Q Soc, the society that showed that being safe, and being happy is possible. Even for people like us.

Joel McKeever
Auditor 2012/2013
Q SOC
Trinity College Dublin

I wondered what I should write about, what would be unique or interesting but I found I wasn’t
actually that creative, so instead I will right about me, my journey and Qsoc’s enormous part in that
journey. Some of this you may have heard from me before, or perhaps some of this echoes within
yourself, I hope at least I leave you with the knowledge of how this great Society has changed my life
forever.

Not so long ago I lived in a quiet, dull and admittedly unfriendly rural town in Mayo. It wasn’t an
entirely supportive place to live for someone who is gay, and because of that I only revealed to my
family and close friends who I really am. I had no reason to publicly be out, I had nothing to gain. For
a long time it seemed like I was alone, the odd one out, and while I had vast knowledge of the Queer
community, it seemed like a world away, a world I would never get to experience. Then I came to
Trinity, and everything changed. After years of waiting, I wanted to get involved; involved in College,
in Societies, in making friends and finding people I can share the best parts of myself with. And so
like every fresher, I navigated through the crowds in the main square, until I found the one society I
wanted to join; Qsoc. After nervously circling the stand several times, I decided to sign up and that
same evening I went to my first event, a decision that I now realise was one of the best, and most
important of my life.

So where am I now? I’m nearing the end of my first year in Trinity, and what an amazing experience
it has been. Qsoc has become the single most important community in my life, a diverse and vibrant
community that has shown me the kind of love and acceptance I could have never imagined. So
many times I have been made feel at home, at events, in the Soc room and any time I meet a
member, Qsoc has made Trinity my home. Each and every member have shown me what it means
to be selfless, to be kind and to be loving, and I have never felt so loved by so many people before
in my life. The quality of acceptance and friendship I have been shown is the kind I can only hope to
emulate with everyone I meet throughout my life.

I had the privilege of joining the Qsoc committee as Social Secretary and it has been such an
extraordinary experience. I was given the opportunity to do what every fresher wants to; make
friends! It is what I love to do, more than anything, and for it to be a “purpose” of my role; I
could not be happier. I have had the joy of working alongside such amazing people on this year’s
committee, who have become the kind of friends I wish everyone to find; friends who support you
through the good and the bad, and no matter how they may feel, go that extra distance to pick
you up when you are feeling down. I owe them a lot because they have taught me so much about
College life, the Queer community, and most surprisingly, they have made me rediscover who I am
and who I want to be. I’ll never forget the contribution they have made, and I hope to show the
same quality of caring and thoughtfulness to all my friends.

I think the purpose of this reflection is to persuade people who have not yet joined to take those
first steps, because they are the same steps I walked not too long ago and I have never looked back.
I think it is to encourage people who feel the same way about this society, and want to contribute,
to run for a position on the committee. I think it is to show all of the members in Qsoc and the
committee how they have made me feel welcomed, how they have made me feel at home, and why
I am honoured to call them friends.

This year has truly been extraordinary, a first year of college I know anyone would be happy with.
Qsoc has been one of the greatest influences in my life and I have every intention to continue being
part of this wonderful community for as long as I can.

Thank you all.

With love,
John Connor.

This week, Q SOC will be bringing you a multitude of amazing events, in coalition with a diverse range of college societies and institutions!

Where do I even BEGIN?! Lets go chronologically!

TUESDAY

On Tuesday, we have a Coming Out Discussion, facilitated by the absolutely wonderful Naomi, on at 5pm in the Q SOC Room.

After this, from 8pm, we have the traditional Rainbow Week play – this year, it’s ’8′, a play about the Californian rejection of the Same-Sex Marriage bill – get down to the Stanley Quek Theatre in the Biomedical Building to see this play, starring some famous faces from around Trinity!

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday, we start off with another SPAM (staff, post-graduate and mature) Coffee Morning! It’ll be held in the GSU Common Room from 11 until 1, in association with the Postgraduate Union.

On Wednesday afternoon, at 1pm, Tonie Walsh, the curator of the Irish Queer Archive, will be giving a Walking Tour of Historically Gay Dublin! Meet him at 1pm at Front Arch to take part

At 7pm, Jason Keegan, renowned zoologist, will be giving a talk entitled Rainbow Animals in 3074 of the Arts Block, about how humans definitely are NOT the only species to exhibit some queer behaviour!

And finally, at 7.15pm, we see the annual queer debate, in associate with the Hist! Come along to the GMB Debating Chamber to see what is surely to be one of the most heated debates around – this year’s motion is “THB The LGBT Communities Should Try to Change Society Rather than Try to Seek its Acceptance.”

THURSDAY

At 1pm, in 4047, we have a post-graduate seminar titled “Who Am I To You?: An Exploration of Homoprejudice”, in association with students Daniel Maguire and Desmond O’Mahony of the School of Psychology.

From 4.30pm to 6pm, we have an event in association with S2S and TCDSU, called “Speak Out!”. Come to the Hist Conversation Room to see mental health discussed in relation to queerness, with contributions from Jessica Bernard, Pamela Connolly, Rory O’Neill and David Norris himself!

At 5.15pm, we have an honourary Evensong, with guest speaker Katherine Zappone, in memory of the victims of homophobic violence – come to the Chapel to see this humbling and haunting ceremony.

At 6.30pm, we have a seminar titled “On The Margins, Defining Ourselves; Queer Studies Today”. Chaired by Rev. Darren McCallig, and held in association with the Graduate Students’ Union, it’s going to be sensational! Arts Block, 3074.

At 7pm in the Ui Chaidhn Theatre of the Arts Block, some representatives from Google will be giving a Q&A Session on their groundbreaking LGBTQ friendly workplace, and how it has influenced other business in the world today!

And finally, at 8pm in the Ui Chaidhn Theatre, there’ll be a screening of the amazing, drag-culture documentary “Paris Is Burning”.

FRIDAY

At 12pm on Friday in the Q SOC Room, we’ll be having the second Coming Out Discussion, hosted by Inclusion Officer, Naomi Coyle.

And finally, to wrap up this amazing week, come along to room 3051 in the Arts Block, to hear Dairine Bennett give her AMAZING talk on the reasons to ‘Cheer for Being Queer’

——————————-

PHEW! It is a PACKED week!
We hope you enjoy every minute of it – a HUGE thank you to everyone who’s taking part, and making all this possible as well!

Oh, and this week, Q SOC will also be running EXTENDED Coffee Hours, from 12-5 every day! And don’t forget the stand either – there’ll be one in St. James’, in the Arts Block and the Hamilton – go along, learn something new, and don’t forget to pick up an Ally Band and sign the Pledge either!

Enjoy it, guys, and we’ll see you on the other side!

Apologies for the lack of website posts recently – if you’ve been keeping track of us at all, you’ll know we’ve had a few crazy and hectic weeks recently! But, now that the CSC Awards are over, we’re back on track!

First and foremost, a HUGE thank you to absolutely everyone who supported us this year – not only did we get Best Fresher (Elaine O’Connor) and Best Publication (Ne Plus Ultra*), we also won the Societies’ Choice Award, giving us an amazing 25% of all awards given out on the night! Well don, thank you, we are so proud of you all!

So now, on to the events this week!

This week is ALLY WEEK here at Q SOC. We’re looking to garner support for the LGBT* Community amongst the college community – to that end, we’re running a few different things this week!

First and foremost, we have a week-long Photo Campaign, which you can see the beginnings of on our Facebook HERE; https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151483269524679.1073741826.93385974678&type=1
If you know a willing Ally, bring them to the Q SOC Room, get them to make a sign, and then they’ll be put in the album showing their support! If you’re one of the busy bees around campus, come and get a sign off us, sign it, and send us in a photo at info@trinitylgbt.com

We’re also filming an Ally Video this week in the Soc Room – if you’re a willing Ally, or know any who want to star in it, come to the Soc Room in House 6 between 3 and 6pm TODAY to film!

We’re also running an Ally Talk in Halls this Wednesday – it’ll be held in the Blue Room of Oldham House, and you can find the event HERE; https://www.facebook.com/events/278784605586098/

As well as all this, Q SOC are going to Parliament this week! Katie Biggs, our Liaison Officer, is bringing a Q SOC Contingent of the Campaigns team to meet with John Lyons in the Dáil this Tuesday at 7.30pm!

Book Club and Campaigns Meetings will also be run this week – keep your ear to the ground for more details!

And of course, Coffee Hours every day from 1-3, and TV Tasters on Friday too!

It’s all go-go-go here, even in the lead-up to Rainbow Week!

Five hundred and sixty. That’s the number of days it’s been since I
first confessed to a friend of mine that I was having feelings for a girl. That’s
less than two years. Add a couple of weeks on to that number, and that’s
when I began having those feelings. Compared with the 7937 days that I’ve
been alive, 560 days is not that long an amount of time. I’m 21 and this
gigantic crazy life-changing experience only happened when I was 20.
It is for this reason that even though I wanted to join QSoc this year
and felt confident enough to do so, I still remained quite anxious about it.
My late in life discovery, as I tend to see it as, made me think that perhaps I
didn’t quite belong in the LGBTQ community as others did. What did I have
in common with the first year who makes joining their LGBT college society a
priority, when there I was in first and second year never having a reason to
join myself? And who was I to hear stories of people coming out to their
parents, when I hadn’t done so? When I still didn’t know what exactly I
should even say to mine, what label to use? I didn’t share the common
experiences of being bullied in school because of my sexuality. I’d never
faced jeering or abuse when holding hands with or kissing someone of the
same sex in public. I hadn’t been through a struggle with the outside world
and honestly, I never went through an internal struggle either. So who was I
to belong in this community?

Well, I was everything to belong there. To belong here. I became
sure of that after the first QSoc event this Freshers’ Week that took place on
the Monday night. And I was reassured with the next event, and the next
and the next. By Friday of that week, I felt more at home than I had in the
longest time.
If you are in QSoc, you’ll know that the assumptions I made just aren’t
true, that there’s no such thing as someone not belonging there, and if you
aren’t involved with QSoc, well I hope you can trust me when I tell you that
they’re not. Nothing I thought about fitting in came even close to being true.
As I’m coming to the end of my Final Year, I can’t help but reflect on
these past four years at Trinity. Nostalgia is hitting me in a big way. I’ve met
incredible people and I’ve had some truly amazing experiences since walking
through Front Arch in September 2009. I’m not the same person that I was
then. I’ve lived in four different places during my four years and none of
them have been the home that Trinity has been. And QSoc… Qsoc has been
a home also this past year. A home within a home. It is probably the best
decision I’ve made and the best thing I’ve done for myself in these last four
years.

168 days. That’s the number of days that I’ve been a member of
Qsoc. I’m the happiest, most comfortable and most confident me than I’ve
ever been and it’s all down to joining this society. Since joining I’ve come
out to my parents (who were simply amazing!) and when I went through a
really bad experience coming out to another family member, Qsoc was there
for me. I’ve begun to dance in clubs which I’ve always hated doing and to
generally just be content to be my very weird but at times wonderful self. I belonged. I belong. And really, absolutely everyone does.

When I sat down 560 days ago to email my friend and tell him that
I wanted to kiss a girl, I wasn’t able to see very far into the future. To see
relationships with girls, my family knowing, or even my Granny asking about
my girlfriend. (!!) But if I had worried about the future, that’s what I would
have thought about. I never imagined and never foresaw that in getting
ready to leave Trinity one of the hardest and saddest parts about leaving
college would be leaving QSoc also.

I’ve met some the most inspiring and beautiful people I believe the
world has to offer. I’ve laughed the hardest and smiled the widest. I’ll
always treasure the year I spent in this society and I urge everyone who is
scared, anxious, shy, etc. to take a deep breath and just do it anyway. We’ve
all been there and we all belong here.
My experience of QSoc has been this – it’s nothing to do with your
sexuality and everything to do with who you are. Be who you are.

Now, as you know, occasionally Q SOC gets some AMAZING special guests in to work with us, give us a talk, or, in this case, perform for us.

We’re delighted to announce that this week, that special guest is highly acclaimed trans* performer, Scott Turner Schofield! Having won a multitude of awards around the globe, touring with his one-man shows, this week Scott is paying a visit to Q SOC!

Come along, and watch him perform at 7.30pm in the Emmet Burke Theatre on Thursday! It’s going to be absolutely marvellous!

Scott will also be running a workshop the day after, Friday, in 4050B of the Arts Block! Don’t miss it – it’s going to be wonderful! Keep an eye out for the e-mail for a time

As well as this amazing event for the week, we’re also running our ever-popular Queerative Writing Class at 7pm in the Soc Room on Monday – it’s never too late to get involved with this, so make sure to join us for it!

And finally, this week also sees the return of our Coming Out Discussion Group, facilitated by our ever-wonderful Inclusion Officer, Naomi. If you were inspired to get involved by the Inclusion Campaign, or you just want to discuss your experiences with coming out in a safe environment, make sure to come along to the Soc Room at 5pm on Wednesday.

That’s it for this week, folks! But remember, Coffee Hours are on every day from 1-3pm in the Soc Room, and TV Tasters are on from 4pm on Fridays. (this week it’s Skins! Yay!)

Much love,
Your Q SOC Committee

So this week is gonna be exceptionally fun, as per usual! However, there is a serious note to it as well.

First and foremost, we have our Campaigns Meeting with new Campaigns Co-Ordinator Katie Biggs at 7.30pm in the Soc Room on Monday – come along and get involved, and make sure to join the Campaigns group on Facebook!

Secondly, don’t forget that this week marks the beginning of the Students’ Union campaigns, where plenty of lucky hopefuls start vying for your votes to win a place on the SU Council next year. It’s like X Factor, but actually democratic, and with, regrettably, a lot less Nicole Scherzinger. To this end, the annual LGBT Hustings will be taking place in the Thomas Davis Theatre in the Arts Block on Wednesday at 5pm! It’ll be an opportunity to grill the candidates on their positions on any LGBTQ related questions that affect you as a student. The facebook event is here, come along and be involved https://www.facebook.com/events/290159481112002/?fref=ts

Finally, our main event for the week is a return of our much-loved Discussion Circuit! If you didn’t come last time, it was absolutely amazing, with loads of excellent talks taking place which you will get the chance to choose, out of a hat of your own suggestions no less. A reception will be included. It’s on at 7.30pm in the GSU Common Room of House 7 – followed by a night-out to F.A.G. in Andrews Lane Theatre ! It’s going to be excellent, as ever, so make sure to come and get involved!

There will also be more auditions for the QSOC Play this week – they’ll be on Tuesday at 3.30-5pm and Wednesday at 6.30-8pm in House 6.
As per usual, Coffee Hours are 1-3 every day, and TV Tasters from 3 on Friday

Have a great week everyone!

Much love,
The QSOC Committee.

So we are back in complete full swing for the year! It’s week 3, and we hope you’re all having an amazing time with QSOC so far this year! We know we are!

With the excitement over the election of a new OCM committee member last week, this week we have more social activities planned, as well as some great things coming your way in terms of getting involved and having fun doing it!

First and foremost, we have our Queerative Writing Workshop on Tuesday at 7pm in the Soc Room – the group is gearing up to get ready for the QSOC Play, and things are hotting up! Make sure not to miss it if you’re in the group!

Auditions to take part in the play will also be happening this week – get to the Soc Room at 4.30pm on Thursday to try out for a part in what is sure to be an amazing production, with another set of auditions the following week

Secondly, we’ll be having our main event, a restart of our ever-popular Film Club, this Wednesday at 7.30pm in the Swift Theatre of the Arts Block – we’re showing the amazing Brokeback Mountain, so don’t miss that! And we’ll be going out to The George afterwards for a bit of a night-out too, so make sure to come along!

On Thursday, FLAC will be holding a talk in allegiance with QSOC around Introducing Gender Recognition to Ireland. You can find all the details on the Facebook event here; https://www.facebook.com/events/292496834186481/

And finally, this Friday, our Inclusion Officer Naomi will be holding an Introductions Coffee Morning – if you’ve been too nervous to come to QSOC before, or you just haven’t found the time to get to Coffee Hours or an Event, come along to meet her and some new, fresh faces – it’ll be happening in CUP on Nassau Street at 12pm on Friday, and all are welcome, whether you joined up at Freshers Week and just never made it along, or you’re a brand new face looking to join

Finally, as part of our Introductions Campaign starting this week, we filmed this video (or rather, our Librarian Brian did an amazing job of filming, producing and directing it all himself); check it out!

Gay: A sub-term of the Queer Umbrella. Gay refers to the physical, emotional and sometimes gravitational attraction to another being who identifies as the same gender to oneself and who is also of the same species as oneself.

Coincidentally the inhabitants of the Betas Star System use queer related terminology for completely unrelated meanings. For example a homosexual is a juicy fruit that resembles a pomegranate. This has led to catastrophic misunderstandings in Galactic History, the most famous being ‘The Big Queer Misunder-Transing’. The event arose when a team of chefs from Betas were hired to cater for the 150^th LGBTQ Interstellar Ball.  Panic and rioting broke out Head Chef Gordon proudly announced that “tonight’s special is a delicious six-hour slow cooked gay, served on a bed of refried les-beans with a creamy genderfluid sauce”. It is vitally important that the Betas cookbooks such as ‘Allies in The Oven’ and ‘The Cooked Queer’ are thoroughly translated to avoid accidental acts of cannibalism.

The Queer community have also become increasingly studied because some scientists are beginning to consider them the best kept secret in the field of renewable energy. The Cosmic Transport Firm Ltd and associated scientists have unveiled the prototype for a vehicle called the ‘Pride Prowler’ that can run on a 50:50 mix of ethanol and genderfluid. The vehicle has showing extensive difficulty in driving in a straight line and on the first test drive the Prowler circled a roundabout ecstatically till it meet an unfortunate end with the oncoming traffic. LGBTQ spokescyborg McKeevabot 2.0 released a statement saying “it is encouraging that queers are now the 3^rd most sought after commodity behind coffee and burritos, but hopefully we can improve our standing in the coming years. I for one am eager to have my fluid available for purchase.”

Ancient historians tend to have a general reservation against the queer community as they have hypothesised that the glamour of some LGBTQ persons led to the destruction of the greatest barbarian civilisation that ever existed. The legend goes that King Arnold of Fornast, a great Viking leader, was deceived into glamourizing his armies rather than actually training them. The battle axe swapped for a make-up brush, thick boots replaced by Gucci heels. And so followed the decimation of Arnold’s legions as his folk were defenceless against the hordes that invaded from the East. Time Magazine considers the event as ‘the most Glamorous Genocides in Human History’ and describes how ‘even the prisoners were shown no mercy, being executed by ‘lethal beautification’’. The popular phrase ‘get the London look’ stemmed from this atrocity and was originally used to describe someone who looked near death.

The Guide accepts that some of the information it has gathered can be uncanny and as hard to swallow as a bowl full of pistachios with the shells intact. However it is important to note that The Guide is definite. Reality is frequently inaccurate.