Gillian McInerney she/they
Gillian is a Pink Training veteran of over 10 years and hails from The Big Schmoke (Dublin, Northside to be precise). She is a board member of Dublin Lesbian Line and currently works for TUDSU as a Student Advisor. Their topics of interest are lavender linguistics, sexual health, self care, and community building. Ask her about the ducks.
Alphabet Soup is an introduction to the words and phrases used by and about the LGBTQIA+ community, including what the acronym LGBTQIA+ means! This session will dive into the basics of the language you will be hearing over the weekend of Pink Training to ensure we all start on a level playing field since words and language can mean so many things to different people. If you have questions about words and terms please feel free to ask Gillian over the weekend!
Queer Health is an exploration of healthcare across Ireland including physical, mental and sexual health. We will chart the services that exist, look at where the gaps are and discuss our rights as patients and how we can advocate for ourselves when seeking healthcare.
Plus 101 is a dive into gender and sexuality minorities covered by the + in LGBTQIA+. We will take a look at the differences between romantic and sexual attraction, sex assigned at birth and gender identity, and queerness in general.
Neurodiversity and Queer Relationships will take a look at the joys and challenges of being neurodivergent and navigating queer relationships in a world that focuses on cisgender, heterosexual, neurotypical people. This session is inclusive of people on the ace/aro spectrum and will mainly focus on ADHD and autism however all insights from people in queer neurodiverse relationships will be welcomed if delegates want to share.
Self Care is a unique workshop which gives delegates space to decompress and recoup some spoons on the Sunday morning of Pink Training. We will have gentle music, colouring pages and pencils and space to chat about what we find works well as self care.
Oisín Putt He/Him
Disability and Identity
Historically, people living with disabilities within Irish society have been perceived as victims or dependents who live life and function completely differently from “normal people”. This workshop will be an opportunity to discuss how one’s identity is effected by their disability. Whether it’s gender identity, sexuality, sense of style or even one’s sense of place in the world. Does your disability effect your identity? Or is it just other people’s false perception of you? How do I learn to live with my disability regardless of other peoples perceptions? How do I communicate to people that being a person who needs help or does things a little differently because of my disability does not make me vulnerable or “child like”. These are the kind of questions we’ll be discussing at this workshop.
James Hudson He/Him
Film Club to Festival: Exhibiting Trans Film in Dublin
Over two years the monthly Small Trans Film Club has become a regular outing for Dublin’s trans community and paved the way for Ireland’s first festival of trans and non-binary cinema. This conversational talk from James Hudson (programmer for STFC, GAZE LGBTQIA Film Festival and Trans Image/Trans Experience Film Festival) looks at what trans films means to film makers and audiences, and why we need creative outlets for scary, horny, authentic queer art.
Dr. El Reid Buckley They/Them
Angels at the Table: Artistic Practices for Community Building
Community organising and movement building is a challenging process when identities and ideologies are involved. We live in polarising times where holding space can be challenging, and finding space is even harder again. Drawing on their work as a community organiser, artist and party-thrower, Dr. El Reid-Buckley will give a brief introduction to their interconnected interdisciplinary practices, before hosting a Long Table on queer community.
Tino Wekare from Haus of Schiaparelli
Queer Ballroom
Tino is an independent cultural producer, curator, and socially engaged artist specializing in community engagement and fostering inclusive spaces. They are also a victim and survivor of domestic violence. With a deep commitment to grassroots initiatives, they focus on using art as a powerful tool for social change. Tino co-founded the Black Queer Book Club, one of Ireland’s few dedicated spaces for Irish Black queer individuals, and established The Haus of Schiaparelli, Ireland’s only active kiki house promoting Black Irish Ballroom culture. Their work is centered on building joyful, radical spaces for marginalized communities, particularly Black queer people in Ireland. Most recently their efforts have expanded to creating spaces for Black alternative people as a response to racism existing within alternative subcultures of Dublin – the project is called The AV Club.
Lavender-Jane Gartlan She/Her
Transition Toolkit: Practical Tips for your Transition
After 10 years of experience being openly Queer and Trans, Lavender-Jane will be hosting an open space workshop on gender expression. From tucking to packers, from boobs to binders, she will discuss it all and hopefully you can take away some helpful advice. No one’s transition is the same, but a little guidance never hurts!
Gearóid Folan He/Him
OMG Gays Play Sports!!!!! or LGBTQ+ sports inclusion: how to make sports truly inclusive or Why rugby is the Gayest of all sports or LGBTQ+ sport in Ireland
Gearóid Folan is one of the founders of Sarsfields Rugby, the Midwest’s only LGBTQ+ rugby team. Gearóid is also the Deputy President of the Midwest for TUS Students’ Union and has previously served as Vice President for Moylish. As a business and sports management student and former head of the TUS Moylish LGBTQ+ Society, inclusion in sport is at the core of Gearóid’s sporting beliefs.
His talk will provide insight into the long history of LGBTQ+ people in sport around the world, with a particular focus on Ireland. The talk will explore how the LGBTQ+ community can find a home in sport and how, as a community, we must stand together to confront the intolerance of bigoted sporting bodies. He will also discuss the extensive network of LGBTQ+ sporting clubs across the island of Ireland.
Whether you’ve never played sports before, only played as a kid, or are just starting out, this talk will equip you with the tools and inspiration to join your nearest LGBTQ+ inclusive team—or even start your own.
Eppnoggia Mutetwa
Decolonising Queer Identities : Strengthening the movement to counter the anti-rights rhetoric
The global movement has grown and made so much progress in the last couple of years, however due to lack of intersectionality and inclusion we have a large group of LGBTQI+ people who are still excluded and not being represented and whose needs are still not being met. This workshop will look at the importance and value of decolonising queer identities, interrogating systems of white supremacy within movements for social change and how anti racism conversations and work are essential in strengthening the movement particularly in countering the anti-rights and anti-gender movement.
Kyran Keogh
Questioning Your Identity
Gender? In this economy? Join Kyran on a trip full of ups, downs, sexy times, existential times, acceptance and understanding. Questioning Your Identity is a workshop discussing gender, a look into what gender can mean for people, and what connecting to the community can feel like when you’re questioning. Welcome to anyone looking to support someone questioning, questioning themselves, or wanting to learn more!
AJ Shipley They/Them
How Not to Have Sex: Spectrums of Love and Attraction (Hint: There’s a lot of grey area!)
The ways we experience sexual and romantic attraction are as beautifully varied as we are, but often those of us who don’t experience them at all or experience them in ways that are different from the ‘norm’, can feel like we must be the only ones in the world to feel this way. This session is for anyone who feels attraction differently, up to and including not experiencing it at all. I’m here to show you that you’re not alone (in a hopefully fun and informative way!).
Aoife Murray She/Her
Kink 101
An intro. to kink and the BDSM community.
Learn about risk-informed kink practices, the link between the BDSM and LGBT+ communities, and dip your toe into the scene. This session also includes how-to guides for bondage and impact play.
Did you attend this talk last year? Never fear. I’ll have a few new tricks to keep you entertained.
Open to all genders and sexualities. There will be specific references to asexual kinksters.
Brace yourself for a spankingly good time!
Sex on The Peach
Join us for a peachy time discussing anal play. You’ll learn about exploring anal pleasure in a fun and risk-informed way. From douching to dildos, we’ve got you covered.
Open to all genders and sexualities. We’ll discuss a wide array of play options that account for all identities and anatomies.
Did you attend this talk last year? Never fear. I’ll have a few new tricks to keep you entertained.
Fair warning – you’ll have to tolerate Aoife’s peach related puns!
Robbie Lawlor He/Him
Thriving with HIV
Did you know that approximately 8,000 people are living with HIV in Ireland today, with gay and bisexual men being most affected? While HIV has long been a public health issue in our community, the way we understand, treat, and live with it has transformed dramatically.
Join me as I share my personal journey of living with HIV and dive into key topics that matter to queer health, including the rise of chemsex. Together, we’ll challenge outdated narratives and explore how those of us with HIV aren’t just surviving—we’re thriving.
Let’s reshape the conversation and celebrate the strength, resilience, and vibrancy of our community.
PrEP, PEP & Queer Sexual Wellness
There is an estimated 1,000 people in Ireland living with HIV who do not yet know their status. In our relatively small queer community, we still face challenges in breaking the chain of new transmissions, although progress is being made.
In this interactive workshop, we’ll dive into the stats on HIV, both at home and globally. More importantly, we’ll explore the tools at our disposal to protect ourselves and each other, like PrEP and PEP – how to access them, what they can do, and where we need to push for more.
You’ll also get the lowdown on STI testing: what to expect, how to make it routine, and even how to access at-home testing kits for maximum convenience. Together, we’ll equip our community with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to own our sexual health, while continuing to enjoy safe, pleasurable and fulfilling sex lives!
Bio: Dr. Robbie Lawlor is a prominent HIV activist in Ireland and actively contributes to several international health organisations. He is a member of both the European AIDS Treatment Group and the UNITAID communities delegation. As a co-founder of Access to Medicines Ireland and a co-host on the award-winning PozVibe Podcast, Robbie is deeply involved in pivotal discussions and policy campaigns aimed at enhancing health equity. He has a master’s degree in Sexuality Studies and has earned his PhD from Dublin City University, where his qualitative research focused on HIV and Hepatitis C treatment activism in Ukraine.
Ollie Bell He/Him
Pride Without Profit: Organising Trans Prides for True Liberation
Attacks on trans healthcare, the rise of the far right, the genocide in Palestine. With the multiple crises facing the LGBTQI+ community globally, it’s time to reclaim pride as the radical protest it once was! In this workshop, you’ll hear from Ollie Bell, founder of Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin, about organising a grassroots, radical trans pride. They’ll share tips on funding outside of corporations, making pride more accessible, and, safety. This workshop promises to be interactive, participants will be encouraged to share their opinions on pride and what makes a pride radical. This workshop is for anyone interested in protest and community organising.