Panti Bliss took to Twitter this morning to call out Gemma O’Doherty, a right-wing journalist who put in a bid for this year’s presidential election after she shared a photo criticising a Christian Brothers’ school for celebrating LGBT+ inclusion.

Panti shared an email sent by O’Doherty in which she appeals to the Drag Queen for support in her campaign. The message reads:

“Hi Rory,

I hope you’re keeping well.

I hope you don’t mind me contacting you but I was wondering if I could have a word with you at some point if you had time.

You may have heard that I am seeking a nomination to the presidency.

One of the key messages of my campaign for a presidential nomination has been freedom of expression and speech. This is why as a journalist, I have throughout my career supported the rights of minorities in Ireland including transgender communities, gay families, Travellers, Muslims and victims of state injustice.

I admire your talent hugely and found your speech about our repressive society inspiring.

If you have a minute to spare, would you mind giving me a call?”

Repost cos original inadvertently revealed phone number:
When trying to get support for her failed presidential bid @gemmaod1 contacted me a number of times to impress upon me her continued support for the LGBT community.
It was bullshit then and it's bullshit now. pic.twitter.com/Ij4PGJ5xLc

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) December 10, 2018

Panti shared the message with a screenshot of O’Doherty’s tweet about the school’s inclusion day, in which O’Doherty wrote:

“Catholic schools holding LGBT days for pupils. This is CBS Nenagh. The ‘Christian’ Brothers have quite a record to be fair. Parents who tolerate this only have themselves to blame. At least there appears to be a few Yellow Vests in the crowd having none of it.”

The image shows schoolchildren wearing the colours of the Pride flag.

In her tweet Panti said:

“When trying to get support for her failed presidential bid @gemmaod1 contacted me a number of times to impress upon me her continued support for the LGBT community. It was bullshit then and it’s bullshit now.”

https://twitter.com/gemmaod1/status/1071509960155193344

In response, O’Doherty said:

“I contacted Dr Panti because the hard left refused to support my nomination as I disagree with FG’s insane proposal to let children under 16 change gender without parental consent. I was ignored. I also believe people who defend paedophiles should not be giving talks in schools.”

Additionally, Panti called out O’Doherty for conflating LGBT+ people with paedophiles, urging the conspiracy theorist to delete her account:

Bullshit. Where in your post about the school does it say anything about self ID or pedophiles? And as for conflating pedophiles with LGBT…🙄 delete your account.

And BTW, I ignored you out of kindness, but you've exhausted mine now

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) December 10, 2018

Other social media users were quick to highlight the hypocrisy of O’Doherty’s rhetoric:

Sure Gemma, cos attacking inclusiveness is they way forward. Meh! And thanks as always to @PantiBliss for using her platform for the greater good. 😘😘

— Lady Fifi Fondue (@ladyfififondue) December 10, 2018

Isn't it weird how Gemma is now retweeting alt right agitator Lauren Southern not long after Southern visited Ireland? I'm curious if Gemma is taking these extremist positions after any contact with these activists? Has she received any funding from overseas organisations? pic.twitter.com/2gVK9HeA1T

— Casey Explosion (@CaseyExplosion) December 10, 2018

O’Doherty attempted to seek nomination for the Irish presidency earlier this year but garnered only one nomination from the Laois County Council. During this time, O’Doherty claimed that Veronica Guerin was killed by the state. Jimmy Guerin, the brother of the murdered journalist, called O’Doherty’s claims offensive and upsetting.