Shona McGarry
Societies
What’s The Story?
Another week, another visit to the Hist Conversation Room. This time I was up for quite a different experience: an interactive exhibition about secrets and letting go of them, run by the ever-busy Q Soc. Indeed, the society is known for being one of the most active societies on campus, and a quick chat with the secretary, Paul Duggan, confirmed it. He told me that the society run three events a week – one big one, like a film screening, and two small ones, like their just-launched book club which ‘covers queer literature’, or their creative writing club. According to their PRO, Sam Riggs, who also designs their eye-catching posters, they have coffee hours every day in their room in House 6. These kids sure are busy. And as if all that isn’t enough, they also have a campaigns team who work on issues that concern the LGBT community at large. Last year their deal was marriage equality, something that concluded with their uber-successful mock marriage. This year, says Paul, the ‘constitutional convention’ is the main thing on their radar, but the marriage referendum still remains on the list of top priorities. For a committee that numbers just thirteen, they’re not doing too badly.
Ok, ok, but what’s the event all about?
It’s fair to say that the society took a rather unique approach to Fourth Week. Unsatisfied with a simple film screening or trip to the pub, they put their committee to the test and came up with something totally original. The theme? Secrets. I was greeted at the door by Paul, who explained how everything worked. Everyone was given a sheet with the committee members’ pictures on it, surrounded by anonymous secrets. During the evening, they dropped hints about their own secrets into conversation. The aim? ‘To cut out the pressure,’ says Sam, ‘and be more open about things’. The pressure he mentions is to do with last week’s National Coming Out Day. They feel that that puts too much pressure on individuals, and believe that, after all, ‘it’s personal, whether you want to come out or not’. So the evening was all about playing around with secrets, and making your own decision on whether you wanted to own to them or not. It was hard not to find it all pretty endearing. While we guessed about whose secret involved dinosaurs or dreams, we got to get to grips with paint, sticking our handprints on a huge sheet of paper, accompanied by our own secrets. Of course, the wine was also flowing, and the crowd mingled and made merry while dropping more tidbits into the Box of Secrets. This kind of event encourages participation without demanding it, but it seemed that everyone was more than willing to scribble down a secret or two during the course of the evening. And I don’t think I’ve had as much fun dipping into primary-coloured paint since playschool.
How do I find this Q Soc thing?
Everywhere. As well as being active in terms of events, Q Soc also makes itself heard across Facebook, Twitter, and on their website, www.trinitylgbt.com . Their blog is set to become more important than ever this year – the aim is for an article a week on an LGBT topic. With thirteen on the committee and over 450 members, this is a society that thrives on volunteers, something that’s obvious from the number of people helping out at the event last night, and from the demand for coffee hours, clubs, and thrice-weekly events. They’re practically begging you to get involved!
I missed this event, will there be any more?
That is an absurdly laughable question, friends. November sees Q Soc celebrate their 30th anniversary, and there are some very special events planned for the occasion. Their old pal David Norris is going to stop by for a visit, and they’re also hoping to put together a publication chock-full of interviews with members from the beginning to today. But next up, for the moment, is the staggeringly popular Rocky Horror Picture Show, in association with Film Soc. February rings in the visit of Star Trek’s George Takei, something which, according to the chair, Joel Anthony McKeever, is going to be one of their biggest-attended events ever. Looking forward to it.
