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SAM BLANCKENSEE WANTS to become the first-ever transgender election candidate in Ireland.
The 21-year-old Wicklow native said the lack of political representation of trans people is “a real barrier to positive visibility within the community”.
I got involved with politics to amplify the voices of marginalised communities and to represent young people and give them a voice.
Sam, who is a member of the Labour party and active in student politics at UCD, started the transition from female to male at the age of 18.
He is considering running in the general election but would likely be up against Anne Ferris if he decided to do so. With this in mind, he said running in the next local election in 2019 might be a more realistic prospect.
Sam is one of 30 potential election candidates (aged 30 or younger) taking part in Youth:Elect – a project developed by Future Voices Ireland that aims to boost youth involvement and interest in politics, particularly among those from marginalised backgrounds.
Mairead Healy, CEO of Future Voices, told TheJournal.ie the programme is “about giving the Dáil new life and making our political landscape much more reflective of the modern and diverse society that Ireland has become”.
The young people that we work with on our other programmes in Future Voices deserve role models in politics who are from their areas, are from diverse backgrounds and care about issues that affect their lives. Through the Youth:Elect programme we aim to give our young people representatives that they can relate to.
Ciara McPhillips (28) has been a Fine Gael councillor in Monaghan since 2011. She attended UCD through the ACCESS programme to study law.
Ciara said there has “rightly” been a lot of talk about gender quotas in recent times, but pointed out that “young people are equally under-represented” in politics.
“An absence of young people in any profession or vocation can lead to inertia and a repetition of the same old ways. Additional young persons in our council chambers and the Houses of the Oireachtas will not only benefit young people but all of our community – as a new energy and enthusiasm is infectious,” she stated.
Shane O’Brien (29) is also a councillor, representing Killiney/Shankill on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
The Sinn Fein member plans to run in the general election to “help give young people a voice”.
“It is my aim to act as role model for other young people who may consider entering politics in Ireland. Young people are simply under-represented in Dáil Éireann,” he said.
Emma Murphy (30) is from Ballyboden in Dublin. She ran as a Fianna Fáil local election candidate last year.
“Coming from a local authority background myself and also as a woman in politics I think that Youth:Elect will enable me to challenge the obstacles which can arise for young people in attempting to enter politics or to participate in political life,” Murphy noted.
All images c/o Future Voices
Youth:Elect will be launched at the Mansion House in Dublin at 6pm today. More information is available here.
Ehhhh…. They’re tomato plants in the image….
Seems to be a small Indica peeping through though….
cannabis is scientifically proven not to be addictive, not a gateway drug, doesn’t kill anyone. A plant green from Mother Earth with medicinal qualities. Why are we still wasting Garda time and resources on anything got to do with cannabis!
Ok I see nothing wrong with smoking it but cannibis has been proven to be addictive just like any drug like alcohol, nicotine, codeine etc. saying otherwise is just wrong….anyway the journal is fu**ed up to be honest. Go to an article about ecigs been smoked anywhere and the majority of people r against it( for health reasons) but an article about weed and it’s like what’s the problem,
Cian there is actually an article here somewhere about the pros of e cigs. And Cannabis is not really addictive especially when compared to cigarettes, booze or other drugs. People don’t have withdrawals from cannabis, they can be a little annoyed for a few minutes if they can’t get it but they can get over that as opposed to drugs which actually cause physical withdrawal. Like the shakes with booze. People have just been trained to believe alcohol isn’t dangerous, I doubt most people who drink recognize that in drinking any amount of alcohol you are actually causing blood poisoning and that a hangover is due to excessive blood poisoning because while cannabis is a plant alcohol is actually poison.
But I better add, I have nothing against anyone who chooses to drink. Especially people who choose to drink responsibility. People who drink too much and cause issues to others or themselves well they have the CHOICE at least. I believe that with all the positive research on cannabis people who choose to use it deserve to not be criminals no more than drinking.
Cian, anything pleasurable can be addictive such as:
gambling, sex, cakes, exercise.
People can get addicted to all of these due to their own personal issues, banning the symptom of people’s problems does not solve the problem. It just criminalises everyone else who enjoys these relatively harmless (in moderation) pursuits.
It’s not fair, all this beautiful weed is going to be destroyed for no purpose! Makes me furious
You should turn up at the Garda auctions grab your self a deal lol
A waste of garda time, a waste of tax payers money and most importantly a waste of good weed. Anyway, nicely baked here on the east side, peace! :)
oh .. just legalise it and tax it.. let a bunch of stoners cover me property tax..
More weed please not less
It’s not the weed that should be destroyed. …
The world is a safer place! Not…
Wish it was mine alll mine Muhuhahaha
Unless I’m very wrong this is a tomato plant!!! Jaysus I’m in big trouble!!!
Tomatoes are the scurge of the narcotics world
started on tomatoes when i was 12, by the age of 15 i was injecting 5 tomatoes a day and prostituting myself for money.
Jesus man dude, we all know you were a cannabis fiend back in the day http://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/jan/06/science.religion
Four men arrested for owning a type of plant.
Guys if you feel strongly about this sign and share….even use a fake name if u need to….come on let’s do this lets be heard for once let’s make a change
https://www.change.org/p/the-irish-government-put-the-cannabis-bill-to-a-public-vote
I didn’t set it up
I’d also encourage people to join NORML Ireland, who will be working on many campaigns throughout the year in the hope of reforming the laws surrounding cannabis, get involved and let’s make things happen!!
Thats a lot of weed!!!!!!
Good result.
What is good about it?
Some peoples lives ruined for growing relatively harmless plants.
What else is the result of this seizure?
John dope no doubt ur a crusty
And you clearly don’t have the brains to make a rational argument.
Is that not lots of tomatoes plants surrounding one herb plant???
Pronounced a can of piss cannabis
Gardaí said that, “Drug seizures play a critical role in targeting the livelihood of criminals and reducing their ability to carry out illegal activities.”
The public says ‘Current drug policies play a critical role in targeting people and increasing their ability to carry out illegal activities.’
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Go water your plants there john good boy.
200.000 = 5 plants X-)
have your say