Young gay man’s public stance tackles problem of homophobia

GAY community leaders have praised the public stance taken by a young gay man to highlight the persistent problem of homophobia in towns and cities.

Martin O’Sullivan, manager of the Southern Gay Men’s Health Project yesterday welcomed the brave decision of Joe O’Hara of Kilworth, Co Cork to go public about his own experiences as a gay man in his native Fermoy. He said Mr O’Hara’s decision to go public was very positive in raising awareness about homophobic attitudes in Irish society.

Mr O’Hara, aged 22 contacted several newspapers and radio stations to detail years of “pure hell” he had suffered because of his sexuality. He described how he had been subjected to regular verbal and sometimes physical abuse when he lived in Fermoy.

Joe, an unemployed man now living in Kilworth, Co Cork, said he was overwhelmed by the positive reaction to a letter he had written which was recently printed in his local newspaper, The Avondhu.

“I’m a bit taken by surprise but it’s been brilliantI thought things might get a whole lot worse,” said Joe who admits he is still afraid to go into Fermoy on his own.

He was particularly delighted at the kind words he received from elderly people who commended his bravery as well as the strong support of his family and friends, including his parents, Brigid and Gerald.

Joe also praised the editor of The Avondhu, Liam Howard for taking some criticism for a note accompanying his own letter which invited readers to examine their own conscience on the issue of homophobia. The young Corkman said he had no reluctance about identifying himself as he believed it was time he stood up to speak out about hate crimes against Ireland’s gay community.

“We have a problem and it needs to be dealt with before many more people have to be subjected to the disgusting abuse that I continue to face,” said Joe. However, he stressed that his comments were not directed at the ordinary citizens of Fermoy but rather “the sick group of people who make my life difficult.”

Joe said he had been inspired to go public about his own experiences having seen a TV programme on Rosa Parks, the Alabama black schoolgirl who became a civil rights heroine after refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white girl.

The Southern Gay Men’s Health Project said the publicity surrounding Joe’s candid account of homophobia was important as it reminded people that many gay people still suffered abuse despite living generally in a more tolerant society.

“It’s very important that people are still appalled by the sort of behaviour which Joe has suffered,” said Mr O’Sullivan.