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To my friends, lovers, and fel­low dykes. "To begin with, I address myself to lesbians, dykes, queers, Marys, those who say they are sure, those who think they are sure, Saras and basically every butch/fem bulldozing dizzy dyke who reads this i.e. women. The first thing I'd like to ex­ plain is my opening salut-ation. Especially if you fall in the cat­ egory of being either of those who say you are sure or those who say you aren't, because frankly my dears I don't give a damn. Please do not misunder­ stand me. We spend so much time telling or not telling that we're lesbian, that coming out becomes at least for some, putting a gloved hand just out­ side our own little closet. So even if some day the glove is snatched a hand is all that is exposed. It is very common to say that lesbians are not seen and not heard for obvious rea­ sons such as losing jobs, friends, family, face, need I go on? Yes, we should. Personally I must say that I'm happy to be with a woman, without pushing my sexuality on her if she natu­ rally does the same. But where does that leave us. On the one side we could all rave on about our sexuality (but for one reason or another I doubt I'll ever see the day that seeing two women hold hands, gloved or bare, is a regular occurrence. To some this could be classed as raving but even the British women can do better and on the other we stay as we are, but either way noth­ ing will change. We, Irish lesbians, have so much to learn and so much to give I am not surprised that the laws in this country do neither condemn nor condone nor do they even recognise us, as we are for the most part invisible. Even when asked for support, most women demonstrate read­ ily, but for fear of being classed as lesbian, they also demon­ strate the fact they are feminist. Surely we are all women first and our sexuality need not come into play when support is called for. It is only a disgrace to themselves, to those women who firstly say I'm not lesbian and then wage their support. Take, for example, the women demonstrating at Greenham Common. For the most they are ordinary women. They are har- rassed to say the least, called ""dirty lesbians."" But, of course, they know there is no point in denying being lesbian. After all there is a little bit of dyke in us all. So if I end saying I'll be back on a lighter note next month with a story of love, lust and laughter, I hope you'll be yourself as this could be the be­ ginning of dare I say it, a meaningful relationship. Cheers to queers and those who are not sure." "To begin with, I address myself to lesbians, dykes, queers, Marys, those who say they are sure, those who think they are sure, Saras and basically every butch/fem bulldozing dizzy dyke who reads this i.e. women. The first thing I'd like to ex­plain is my opening salut-ation. Especially if you fall in the cat­egory of being either of those who say you are sure or those who say you aren't, because frankly my dears I don't give a damn. Please do not misunder­stand me. We spend so much time telling or not telling that we're lesbian, that coming out becomes at least for some, putting a gloved hand just out­side our own little closet. So even if some day the glove is snatched a hand is all that is exposed. It is very common to say that lesbians are not seen and not heard for obvious rea­sons such as losing jobs, friends, family, face, need I go on? Yes, we should. Personally I must say that I'm happy to be with a woman, without pushing my sexuality on her if she natu­rally does the same. But where does that leave us. On the one side we could all rave on about our sexuality (but for one reason or another I doubt I'll ever see the day that seeing two women hold hands, gloved or bare, is a regular occurrence. To some this could be classed as raving but even the British women can do better and on the other we stay as we are, but either way noth­ing will change. We, Irish lesbians, have so much to learn and so much to give I am not surprised that the laws in this country do neither condemn nor condone nor do they even recognise us, as we are for the most part invisible. Even when asked for support, most women demonstrate read­ily, but for fear of being classed as lesbian, they also demon­strate the fact they are feminist. Surely we are all women first and our sexuality need not come into play when support is called for. It is only a disgrace to themselves, to those women who firstly say I'm not lesbian and then wage their support. Take, for example, the women demonstrating at Greenham Common. For the most they are ordinary women. They are harrassed to say the least, called ""dirty lesbians."" But, of course, they know there is no point in denying being lesbian. After all there is a little bit of dyke in us all. So if I end saying I'll be back on a lighter note next month with a story of love, lust and laughter, I hope you'll be yourself as this could be the be­ginning of dare I say it, a meaningful relationship. Cheers to queers and those who are not sure."

Magnus Hirschfeld Awards Honours Supporters of Gay Community "The Magnus Hirschfeld Award, which is given each year in recognition of service to the gay community in Ireland, was presented to Marie Seligman and Fr Bernard Lynch last month. Marie Seligman was well-known for the many gatherings she hosted in her home in Rathmines, at a time when gay people had few spaces for themselves in the late 60's and early 70's. Fr Bernard Lynch made a strong impression on thousands of television viewers - helping the level of understanding of gay people in Ireland in the process - when he described his work for AIDS sufferers in New York over the last few years. The awards were presented on behalf of the Gay National Federation by N.G.F. President Tonie Walsh, at a ceremony in the Clarence Hotel in Dublin on February 13th. Describing Marie Seligman's help to the gay community, he said: ""Years ago, when there were no support systems for gay people, no Hirschfeld Centre, and nowhere where gay people could feel comfortable with themselves, she threw open the doors of her house to them. She gave gay people support as a friend, and as a counsellor, and even earned herself the title of 'the Fairy Godmother'. Accepting the award, Marie Seligman said that she had thoroughly enjoyed the many wonderful times there had been in her house, and that they were the happiest days of her life. Fr Bernard Lynch, who is originally from Ennis in Co Clare, also expressed his thanks for the award. ""It's not lightly that a person chooses to oppose their church or society,"" he said. ""It's far more appealing to be loved and respected by our compatriots than to be ostracised and alienated by them. There are moments in life which made it worthwhile, and this in one of them."" ""I am grateful and happy to receive this award. It has always been my profound wish to do for my own Irish people what I have worked on for the gay and lesbian community in New York."" ""It would be my dream that human rights for the gay community would come about in my lifetime. We do what we do for our children. We do it for the gay and lesbian children already born who need a light telling them it's alright for them to be gay, it's God's way for them to be gay."" ""What we are simply saying to society is that we are you, and you are us."" he went on. ""Our oppression is your oppression. In the end, it is the slave who sets the master free. Time is on the side of love. So we need to go on living and go on loving, even 'the enemy'. For the enemy even more than us needs to be set free."" Fr Lynch was recalled from New York when his work with AIDS sufferers was publicised here, and is currently on sabbatical in Rome. He was visiting Ireland in response to over 300 letters which he had received, asking him for his support in connection with the work he did on AIDS in New York. The type of work Fr Lynch is to undertake after the sabbatical year is currently under review." "The Magnus Hirschfeld Award, which is given each year in recognition of service to the gay community in Ireland, was presented to Marie Seligman and Fr Bernard Lynch last month. Marie Seligman was well-known for the many gatherings she hosted in her home in Rathmines, at a time when gay people had few spaces for themselves in the late 60's and early 70's. Fr Bernard Lynch made a strong impression on thousands of television viewers - helping the level of understanding of gay people in Ireland in the process - when he described his work for AIDS sufferers in New York over the last few years. The awards were presented on behalf of the Gay National Federation by N.G.F. President Tonie Walsh, at a ceremony in the Clarence Hotel in Dublin on February 13th. Describing Marie Seligman's help to the gay community, he said: ""Years ago, when there were no support systems for gay people, no Hirschfeld Centre, and nowhere where gay people could feel comfortable with themselves, she threw open the doors of her house to them. She gave gay people support as a friend, and as a counsellor, and even earned herself the title of 'the Fairy Godmother'. Accepting the award, Marie Seligman said that she had thoroughly enjoyed the many wonderful times there had been in her house, and that they were the happiest days of her life. Fr Bernard Lynch, who is originally from Ennis in Co Clare, also expressed his thanks for the award. ""It's not lightly that a person chooses to oppose their church or society,"" he said. ""It's far more appealing to be loved and respected by our compatriots than to be ostracised and alienated by them. There are moments in life which made it worthwhile, and this in one of them."" ""I am grateful and happy to receive this award. It has always been my profound wish to do for my own Irish people what I have worked on for the gay and lesbian community in New York."" ""It would be my dream that human rights for the gay community would come about in my lifetime. We do what we do for our children. We do it for the gay and lesbian children already born who need a light telling them it's alright for them to be gay, it's God's way for them to be gay."" ""What we are simply saying to society is that we are you, and you are us."" he went on. ""Our oppression is your oppression. In the end, it is the slave who sets the master free. Time is on the side of love. So we need to go on living and go on loving, even 'the enemy'. For the enemy even more than us needs to be set free."" Fr Lynch was recalled from New York when his work with AIDS sufferers was publicised here, and is currently on sabbatical in Rome. He was visiting Ireland in response to over 300 letters which he had received, asking him for his support in connection with the work he did on AIDS in New York. The type of work Fr Lynch is to undertake after the sabbatical year is currently under review."

"The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches invites you to a showing of our video ""GOD, GAYS AND THE GOSPEL"" Followed by open question time at the Clarence Hotel, Wellington Quay, Dublin 2. Saturday 2nd April 1988 at 4.00 p.m. Admission Free. Our message is that God has a special place in his heart for all gay men and lesbian women. Want to know more, ring our pas­tor on 842486."