Advocating for equity and justice for all LGBTQ+ people
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre has a long history as a hub for LGBTQ+ activism and advocacy, actively campaigning, joining coalitions, and amplifying the voices of our community. Our advocacy work is grounded in solution-focused policy positions that will impact on laws, policy, and practice, and improve the rights, protections, and lived experience of LGBTQ+ people.
We actively engage in many issues that impact the LGBTQ+ community and partner with many other incredible organisations to push for equity and justice for our community. Continue reading to learn more about the campaigns and issues we are currently advocating on.
LGBTQ+ housing and homelessness
Everyone in our community deserves a place they can call home. Recognising the urgent need, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre convened the LGBTQ+ Homelessness Multi-Stakeholder Group, a diverse group of advocates, government bodies, service providers, and community leaders with a shared commitment to tackling the pressing issue of homelessness within our LGBTQ+ community. We stand united in our work to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ people in need.
Our primary purpose is to secure the establishment of a dedicated shelter specifically designed to meet the unique needs of LGBTQ+ people facing and experiencing homelessness.
With strong collaboration and pooling our collective expertise, we strive not only to raise awareness of the struggles of LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness but also to advocate for comprehensive solutions that address this critical social issue.
LGBTQ+ restorative justice
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre proudly supports the LGBTQ+ Restorative Justice Campaign, an initiative established to support the work of the Department of Justice to exonerate those who were convicted under Ireland’s anti-gay laws, which were repealed in 1993.
Our partnership with this vital campaign underscores our commitment to acknowledging and rectifying the historical harm inflicted upon LGBTQ+ people who were unjustly targeted and convicted under discriminatory laws. Through commemoration and education, the LGBTQ+ Restorative Justice Campaign endeavours to honour those affected by these laws while building a deeper understanding of LGBTQ+ histories and experiences in Ireland.
To learn more about this important initiative, please visit the LGBTQ+ Restorative Justice Campaign page.
Trans and non-binary rights and inclusion
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre is a member organisation of the Trans Equality Together Coalition, a civil society coalition working to create an Ireland where trans and non-binary people are equal, safe, and valued. The objectives of the coalition are to:
- Promote positive attitudes towards trans and non-binary people;
- Counter the negative and false messages about trans people that have been circulating in recent years; and
- Advocate for policy and legislative changes that will improve the lives of trans people and make Ireland a more equal society for all.
Learn more about the Trans Equality Together Coalitions work here.
Hate crime, hate speech, and community safety
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre is a member organisation of the Coalition Against Hate Crime Ireland (CAHC), a civil society coalition whose members represent groups commonly targeted in hate crimes, including LGBTQ+ communities, minority ethnic groups, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and others, as well as academics and researchers working to advance the aims and objectives of the coalition.
Currently chaired by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), the purpose of the Coalition Against Hate Crime Ireland is to promote meaningful reform of the law, policy and practice as it relates to hate crime in Ireland, including, but not limited to:
- hate crime legislation;
- improving data collection in the reporting and recording of hate crimes and hate incidents;
- education; training and awareness-raising activities;
- hate speech;
- cyber hate crime;
- supporting victims of hate crime and assuring effective implementation of the Victims Directive.
In October 2024, the Oireachtas passed the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Bill 2024. While this is a significant step to ensure that our society and justice system stand against hate and intolerance, much work is still needed to address hate speech and reform the 1989 Act.
National government LGBTQ+ inclusion strategy
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre is represented on the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy Oversight Committee. Through this committee, we work to ensure that strategy is fully implemented and that government departments and public bodies are held to account for both the speed of and approach to implementation.
It comprises representatives from key government departments and public bodies along with NGOs, particularly those representing LGBTI+ people. The Committee reviews the implementation of the actions contained in the Strategy and agrees on indicators for monitoring progress toward the fulfilment of outcomes. The Strategy is a living document and in this regard, the Committee assesses whether or not further action is required on specific issues, in addition to making recommendations on actions to be added or changed in response to evolving priorities.
You can read the committee minutes here, and view the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 here.
Climate change and its impact on LGBTQ+ people
Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre made history on 29th June 2023 as it became the first LGBTQ+ organisation in Ireland to join Coalition 2030. This significant step establishes Outhouse as a member of a powerful alliance of 70 civil society organisations from the international development, environmental, anti-poverty, and trade union sectors working together to ensure Ireland keeps its promise to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both in Ireland, and abroad.
Addressing the momentous occasion, Oisín O’Reilly (he/him), CEO of Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, said, “LGBTQ+ people have been repeatedly left behind. Discriminatory laws, projects that don’t acknowledge our specific needs, and negative social attitudes have all combined to hold LGBTQ+ people back. The impacts of this are felt by LGBTQ+ communities all over the world. The Sustainable Development Goals are a shared responsibility of civil society, government, and the private sector. Outhouse is stepping up to ensure the needs and lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people are considered as we work towards achieving the SDGs.”
Echoing O’Reilly’s sentiments, Meaghan Carmody (she/her), Coalition 2030 Coordinator, said, “The evidence is clear that national and international development programmes which fail to take into account the specific needs of LGBTQ+ people adequately are not upholding the ‘leave no one behind’ principle underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals. The active involvement of Outhouse in Coalition 2030 will ensure that the specific needs of LGBTQ+ people and communities are heard and that no one is left behind.”
Lobbying
Per the Lobbying Act 2015 requirements, Outhouse CLG has registered as a lobbyist with the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPOC). You can view Outhouse’s latest returns to the register of lobbying online here.
Our latest policy submissions
We are committed to ensuring that the voices and needs of the LGBTQ+ community are represented in policy decisions that affect our lives. In this section, you’ll find our most recent submissions to public consultations, where we advocate for inclusive policies on healthcare, socio-economic equality, public safety, and more. By actively engaging in these processes, we strive to create a fairer, more equitable society for everyone.
