Speech at the Formal Handover of Christopher Robson’s photographs to the National Photographic Archive
National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar, 15th December, 2015
Is mór an pléisiúir dom a bheith i bhur measc san áit álainn seo, agus cnuasach ghrianghrafadóireachta Christopher Robson á bhronnadh go foirmiúil ar an Chartlann Náisiúnta Ghrianghrafadóireachta.
[It is a great pleasure to join you here in the wonderful surroundings of the National Photographic Archive on the occasion of the formal handover of the photographic collection of Christopher Robson.]
Today we remember, not only the long journey towards gay and lesbian rights that was undertaken in this country, but the central and courageous role played by Chris Robson during that journey.
Chris was a determined, brave and active crusader for equality and human rights for many years, and his commitment to the values and content of equality in all its forms was central to many landmark achievements in our society including the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1993, and the introduction of civil partnerships in 2010.
As a GLEN founder and lifelong member he was a significant leader and comrade to those who shared a long and difficult journey which saw slow and gradual change from a society where many of our citizens were forced to engage with their sexuality in an environment of hostility, distrust, secrecy and ignorance, to one where lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender citizens were granted an equal voice in that society. But as always bear in mind those for whom those changes came too late, many forced into emigration, forced to live lives of fear, intimidation, blackmail and repression.
There can be no doubting the pivotal role that Chris played in the campaign to bring about broad-ranging equality legislation. As a founder member, not only of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, but the Dublin Lesbian and Gay Men’s Collective and the Campaign for Equality he will be remembered as a pioneering and courageous campaigner. His role in the development of the European response to the AIDS crisis through the European Council of AIDS Service Organisations was a critical and important one. We, as a nation, can be very proud of his central contribution to the campaign ensuring that the EU Amsterdam Treaty included lesbians and gay men in its equality provisions.
While there can be no doubt that Chris has already left a deep imprint on the landscape of this country, his extraordinary collection of photographs, which has now been digitised, will serve as a peopled and colourful record of a long struggle for equality and recognition.
As a contributor to the art form of photography itself Chris displays, in these two thousand or so photographs, all the creativity and ingenuity of the true artist. Not only does he bring us deeply in to the many individual moments that would later join together to create an overall experience spanning many years; he also enables us to imagine that which is taking place behind the chosen images – allowing us, after all as outsiders, some insight into the hurt and pain and exclusion inflicted upon, and felt, by so many in our society across those years – and the importance, too, of the comfort achieved in the strength of mutual support and solidarity.
Today, we live in the unfinished project of achieving a more enlightened and tolerant society where all hate and exclusion will no longer be acceptable. There will, I hope, be many happy endings to the stories glimpsed in this collection. Like all profound change, progress did not happen easily. It was, like all rights, no easily experienced evolution and it happened because of tireless years of effort by Chris and many of you here today, in raising public awareness of the issues of discrimination faced by the LGBT community, and to challenge old preconceptions and attitudes.
I thank all who have been involved in this emancipatory and life-enhancing work which has helped us move closer to a society where every person is not only treated with dignity and respect, but allowed to experience the fullness of their lives.
Sadly, Chris did not live to see the day when Irish citizens would vote to change the Constitution to extend civil marriage rights to same-sex couples. May 22nd of this year would have been a very proud and joyful day for Chris, a day which owed much to his persistent advocacy across many decades.
For those who were his closest friends no words of mine could be significant but now you can know his work lives on in the beautiful expression of his talent. I know, however, that he remained very much in the hearts and minds of many people on that joyful day, a day which owed so much to his efforts.
Today we celebrate the donation of a remarkable collection of photographs to the National Photographic Archive where they can take their place in the records of our nation’s history. It is thus reassuring that this collection of photographs will be safely preserved, enabling us to not just look back and see from what we have come, the obstacles and the ignorance overcome, but look ever more purposefully and confidently into the future as a progressive, fully inclusive and modern nation.
We also celebrate the memory and legacy of Christopher Robson, a man who has played a profoundly humane and generous role in that history.
Thank you very much. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.