Why is having fun in a world that despises you a radical act?

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This week's guest is, the inimitable, Ms. Panti Bliss. Panti is considered to be Ireland’s foremost drag queen, “gender discombobulist” and “accidental activist.” Panti was the forerunner in Ireland's ‘Yes’ campaign for marriage equality and in February 2015 she took to the stage of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre to deliver a ten minute speech that was described as ""the most eloquent Irish speech"" in almost 200 years. It garnered support from RuPaul, Graham Norton, Stephen Fry, and Madonna. She is the recipient of a host of awards including the Award for contribution to Irish society - at the People of the Year Awards in 2014. In 2015 Panti’s alter-ego Rory O'Neill was awarded an honorary degree from Trinity College Dublin for his contribution to LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality. In 2016, following a reported 160% increase in HIV positive tests in Ireland between 2005 and 2015, as an advocate for others and small business owner, she turned the basement of her self named Panti Bar into a HIV testing center in a bid to help protect a new generation of young gay men. Panti was most recently on the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars, where Panti, aka Rory, performed out of drag, making Irish TV history with Ireland's first same sex dance couple appearing on screens across the country. Join us where we’ll discuss Panti’s activism, advocacy, and contributions to the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland and beyond.