GCN’s digital festival of LGBT+ creativity In and Out returns with a very timely and important panel discussion hosted by Katherine Zappone on the upcoming US election and its potential impact on LGBTQ+ rights. Not just in America, but across the globe, the result of the American presidential elections will have a huge knock-on effect for LGBTQ+ people.

Katherine Zappone holds dual citizenship and has been a lifelong Democrat, is currently based in Massachusetts working on the Biden-Harris campaign, will talk to us about why she is involved in the campaign and why the stakes are so high. In and Out returns next Monday, 5th October at 5 pm and will be live-streamed on GCN’s Facebook page and Youtube channel.

Zappone will also share why Joe Biden and Kamala Harris of the Democratic ticket have earned our support, having previously described how “their words, and deeds, are beacons for the freedom of LGBTQ+ people in America, and indeed the world.”

Joining Zappone for this special In and Out returns event will be an array of hugely accomplished people who will share their call to action for Irish LGBTQ+ people to contact family and friends in the USA and get them out to vote.

Those on the panel will include:

From 1997 to 2011 Mary McAleese was the 8^th President of Ireland, the first person from Northern Ireland to hold that role. The theme of her Presidency was Building Bridges and throughout her 14 years in office, she worked to heal the fractured politico/sectarian relationships on the island of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain. She has been a longtime ally to the LGBTQ+ community, co-founding the Irish 1970’s Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform and participating in the Irish 2015 referendum campaign which led to same-sex civil marriage.  She expressed to Katherine Zappone while agreeing to participate in this event: 

“I was living in Indiana when its Governor, now Vice-President Pence tried to prevent same-sex marriage in perpetuity. What a depressing message of exclusion he sent to the LGBTI community and their families. He was unsuccessful because people who believe in equality of citizenship took him on.  As the mother of a very happily married gay son and mother-in-law of a fantastic gay son-in-law  I thank God for the principled egalitarian leadership of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. They are the future. We are family.”

Evan Wolfson is the founder of Freedom to Marry. Often referred to as the “godfather” and “architect” of the marriage movement in the US, he is a brilliant speaker and is known to us in Ireland as a strategist supporting marriage equality. He also advises around the world on LGBTQ+ rights.

Jon Hoadley has been a State Rep serving Kalamazoo for the last five years, where he has fought to invest more in education, build an economy that works for everyone, and protect our clean air and water. Jon believes that the US  “is facing serious threats to our economic security and that the politics and partisanship in Washington are making matters worse instead of better.” Jon and his partner Kris live in Kalamazoo with the world’s friendliest beagle, Benjamin.

Christine C. Quinn is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Win (formerly Women in Need), the largest provider of shelter, social services, and supportive housing for homeless families in New York City. A member of the New York City Council from 1999-2013, Quinn served for seven years as the elected Speaker of the Council, making her the first woman and the first openly gay Speaker in New York City history. Quinn is also the Vice-Chair of the New York State Democratic Party and serves on the Democratic National Committee.

In and Out returns to your screens after being selected as one of 51 awardees of Rethink Ireland’s Innovate Together Fund which will enable us to continue making quality digital content to educate, inform and entertain our Irish LGBTQ+ community.

Katherine Zappone is featured in the new issue of GCN talking about her work on the Biden-Harris campaign in Massachusetts, you can read it online here.

 The US Election and the global impact on LGBTQ+ rights will be live-streamed on the GCN Facebook page and our YouTube Channel on October 5 at 5 pm.

If you would like to support GCN, text “GCN” to 50300 to donate €4* 

*GCN will receive a minimum of €3.25 per text. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278.