UCC Hosts LGBT Pink Training Weekend | Margaret Perry

Last weekend, UCC hosted Pink Training 2012, the largest LGBT training event in Europe.  The event was organised by the Union of Students of Ireland (USI) and spearheaded by USI Equality and Citizenship Officer and past UCC student Laura Harmon.This year is the 20^th anniversary of Pink Training, which began in 1992 at a time when there were “no national events for LGBT students”, Harmon said.  Cork’s size and reputation as an LGBT-friendly city made it the perfect location for the conference, which was attended by 370 delegates from universities all over Ireland.All LGBT students and allies attending USI-registered Irish universities are eligible to attend and this year’s event also offered a limited number of places for delegates from non-USI-registered universities such as DCU. Open to both LGBT students and allies, Harmon, described the Pink Training weekend as a “safe space” for students to learn, network and share their ideas and experiences. The weekend combines workshops and speakers with evening social events.This year, Pink Training was opened by TD Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State for Disability, Equality and Mental Health, and was attended by local TD and LGBT advocate Jerry Buttimer.The weekend featured a wide range of workshops on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, including a number on coming out, LGBT mental and sexual health, lobbying and media advocacy and being an LGBT ally. The weekend’s speakers included Heather Wilk, co-founder of the high-profile U.S organisation Straight But Not Narrow, Brendan Walsh of Dublin-based LGBT activist group LGBT Noise, and Laura Finlay, a member of the Board of Directors for Transgender Equality Network Ireland.  Several previous and current UCC students also spoke at the event, including UCC’s LGBT Society’s auditor (and Express Features Editor) Annie Hoey.This year’s Pink Training had an increased focus on trans issues, running an introduction to trans issues workshop, “Trans 101” and including a space for a “preferred pronoun” on delegates’ identification cards. Harmon explained that this enabled trans students to perhaps test out a new pronoun for the first time in a safe and supportive environment.The cost for the weekend was 75 euro per delegate, which included food, accommodation and entertainment as well as Pink Training’s 20^th anniversary dinner on Saturday night. Since its founding in 1992, Pink Training has gone from strength to strength and has become the largest student training event run by the USI, an organisation that Harmon explained “continues to campaign for equal access to civil marriage in Ireland and respectful and inclusive gender recognition legislation.”