Thread by @cmcgettrick

Behold, a DCYA official feeling sorry for Br**a O'Br**n because of something I said.

If you've figured out (or suspect) who the official is, PLEASE don't mention the person, because an extremely important point needs to be addressed here. 1/

This runs to the heart of what's wrong with how the Irish State responds to both historic & ongoing human rights abuses. 2/

By way of background: This CB Live programme aired in 2015. I was in the audience, Br**a was on the panel. I called her out for pitting one marginalised group (LGBTQ) against another (adopted people), because the usual 'what about the children' argument was being trotted out. 3/

I also pointed out that hetero couples use assisted human reproduction too, but Br**a et al seem unconcerned about these children. So I made the point that really this is not about concern for children, this is homophobia (cue audible gasp from the audience). 4/

For the record, contrary to what the email said, I wasn't 'unnecessarily hostile', but perhaps my use of the word 'homophobia' was perceived as such - homophobia was going through an unpopular phase at that time. 5/

The important point here is not the CB Live debate, it's the DCYA official's reaction and what that means. 6/

I am an adopted person who grew up under Ireland's closed, secret, forced adoption system. On a personal level, I have spent my entire life putting back together what the Irish Church & State tore apart. 7/

On a professional/activist level, I have spent the last two decades uncovering the system behind the human rights abuses perpetrated against women, children & adult adopted people. 8/

According to its website, part of the DCYA's vision is for Ireland to be a place 'where the rights of all children and young people are respected, protected & fulfilled...where their voices are heard'. dcya.gov.ie/cat/EN/DCYA-St… 9/

I'm not a child, but adopted people fall under the remit of the Dept of Children & Youth Affairs (not that the DOJ would be a picnic either). In other words, the DCYA is supposed to by MY department - that vision is supposed to apply to me, to every adopted person, right? 10/

So how does the DCYA vision square with an official taking the time to email their colleagues from their iPhone (at 11.47pm) about my appearance on a television show? 11/

What does it say about the DCYA, that my (child-centred) contribution to a television show was viewed as 'unnecessarily hostile' to the extent that the official felt sorry for a representative of a group with zero track record on (actual) campaigning for children's rights? 12/

Are my rights being 'respected, protected & fulfilled' in that email? Is my voice being heard? 13/

I don't make the points above for the sake of being sarcastic. I make them to demonstrate the attitude of the dept that is supposed to represent me as an adopted person. 14/

The DCYA is the commissioning dept for the Mother & Baby Homes Commission of Investigation. The email was sent in 2015 so the official in question was part of the administration setting up that investigation.... 15/

Does the email above depict a person seriously interested in getting to the bottom of human rights abuses perpetrated against adopted people and their mothers? 16/

What does the email above tell us about the culture in the DCYA towards adopted people? 17/

This is the dept in charge of legislating for my rights.

This is the dept which is coming perilously close to taking my rights away through a discriminatory bill.

That email gives me no reason to be hopeful.

(Ends)