So proud GAA has showed how inclusive it is

By Valerie Mulcahy

How fitting it is that just two months after launching its Where We All Belong manifesto, the GAA, living up to and acting upon that assertion, will today walk in the Pride parade for the first time.

Back in April, the same month as the GAA unveiled their new manifesto, I did a TEDx talk at UCC where I welcomed the impending appointment of a GAA diversity officer and the progress this represented.

I then went a step further and said how amazing it would be if the GAA participated in the Dublin Pride parade. What a momentous declaration of support for the LGBTQ+ community that would be, I told the gathered audience at UCC.

That president John Horan, on behalf of the association he represents, has taken up the invitation extended to him by David Gough and I is such a positive and progressive step. In doing so, the GAA has taken up the opportunity to show what an inclusive and welcoming body it is.

People often ask, why the need for a Pride parade?

My reply is always the same: It’s important to celebrate how far we have come, but also to remind ourselves what we have overcome.

When you grow up in a world where being who you are is illegal, it’s important to mark your freedom and show that you can be a vessel for change.

No question but the GAA is the heartbeat of this country. Its presence and its pulse is felt in every city, town, and village. The GAA family is never found wanting when hardship knocks on the door of one of its members. And for any person who may be going through a tough time with regard to their sexuality or identity, and acceptance of such, this is the GAA and its membership showing their support.

Today will again put on display the GAA’s best traits and characteristics. Their actions are timely and in keeping with society’s progression, whereby acceptance and the opportunity to be yourself is constantly reaching new limits.

That ties into the other important message to draw from today — the many allies the LGBTQ+ community has. It is common place for those in a minority group to feel they don’t belong. That can affect health and wellbeing. Through its actions, the GAA is saying to those people, we are your ally , we look out for every member of our family. The last thing you want is for young people who are gay to feel they cannot play sports. Today is about reinforcing the message that no individual should ever feel discouraged from playing hurling, camogie, football, or ladies football because of who they are.

While I am very keen to strike a positive tone throughout this piece, I’m also conscious not to paint a false picture by claiming everything is rosy in the garden. At present, there is no current male senior inter-county hurler or footballer who is openly gay. There hasn’t been since Dónal Óg Cusack retired earlier this decade. We need to reflect and question why?

First off, it should go without saying that no person should feel the need to be open about their sexuality. I’d love to see a society where you don’t have to ‘come out’. I also appreciate that any current inter-county player who decides to live as an openly gay man will quickly have ‘role model’ status thrust upon them, from which stems demands.

That said, I remain conscious of the need for young people within the GAA community, who are gay, to have someone they can look up to, can relate to, can identify with. No more than today’s parade, visibility is so important. When I took that step and came out publicly, I encount-ered nothing but positivity.

For those who might be fearful of being openly gay, today is to show them there are openly gay people who take a hurl or football in their hand every Tuesday and Friday evening and go out training with their local team, people who live the most normal of lives. They are just being themselves. That is what we all want.

As more of us live our lives honestly and openly, we can expect a more inclusive society, which is crucial for anyone who is challenged with their identity and differences.

Opportunities position us akin to a white light with unlimited possibility, but as we pass through the prism of time, it is the actions we take today that determine where on the spectrum we land and what the future will look like.

While the significance of a GAA banner in today’s walk might be lost on some, I can safely tell you that for those in the LGBTQ+ community, myself very much included, it is nothing short of massive. We’re meeting for a photograph outside the Cusack Stand entrance of Croke Park at 12 noon and from there we will head into the city centre. To our allies and friends, I say, come join us. Walk, be proud, but, most importantly, be yourself.