Pansy Project to Mark that Homophobia is Gay Across Belfast

The other day I was the victim of homophobic, verbal abuse, me being me there is a blog post mentioning the incident*.

Next month as part of the Outburst Queers Arts Festival here is Belfast there will be part of the Pansy Project. It is being sponsored by Unite Against Hate, the Rainbow Project and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

The idea started by artist Paul Harfleet is to plant self-seeding pansies in the nearest available soil source to act as living micro-memorials to this abuse and operate as an antidote to it. After an individual planting, the pansy’s location is named after the abuse received, photographed and added to the artist's website.

I will be adding the site of the incident during the week to the list of venues.

Of course while the Pansy Project is a lovely and pun filled way to mark such sites, there is action that can be taken. Anyone has been the victim or a witness of any hate crime in Northern Ireland, you can report this to the PSNI in one of three ways:

1. telephone the police on 999 if it is urgent;
2. telephone the police on 0845 600 8000 if it is not urgent;
3. report it online using the Hate Crime reporting form.

This is what I did the other night.

* Please note not written by me.