iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Pay Curtis Coburn using PayPal.Me

We are a team of 4 volunteers that currently receives zero funding, we will strive to keep our events free to attend for all. You can choose to donate if you’re in a position to do so: but attending our events and spreading the word helps as much. PayPal; www.paypal.me/RainbowConne...

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Go to paypal.me/RainbowConnectionsNI and type in the amount. Since it’s PayPal, it's easy and secure. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worries.

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FB Group: www.facebook.com/share/g/1EYE... Insta: www.instagram.com/rainbowconne...

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We’re also launching a new queer book club in the autumn called Book-ed & Busy. 📖

graphic for book-ed & busy coming this autumn, queer book club ran by rainbow connections ni: contains a graphic of books on a bookshelf & red font text.

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So yes we’ll be hosting another picnic in the park event on August 8th in Antrim Castle Gardens - trying to diversify locations to reach as many new people as possible. Also making the most of summer before it ends.

Graphic with bright colours and flower illustrations & a rainbow for upcoming picnic in the park event on August 8th.

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So you have no idea the joy it brought me when they were able to attend our picnic in the park event at botanic to eat as much as they wanted, have a beverage & socialise in a non judgemental community space. They were so emotional & thankful afterwards.

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Made to feel like an issue for having no money, or made to feel like they shouldn’t be taking when contributing nothing. Catch a grip of yerselves for making a young, homeless, non binary young person feel like this btw & do better.

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One person spoke to me about their experiences with homelessness in sheltered accommodation, their lack of money to be able to provide basic necessities for themselves within their hostel and spoke about feeling looked down upon when attending another queer owned venue in Belfast.

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And that’s in no way to take from the incredible work they do, but there’s only so much they can do with dwindling resources. That’s why I wanted to try fill in the gaps with this, it was so interesting to hear from people who feel increasingly isolated from queer spaces locally.

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We’ve already managed to secure hundreds of members and we held our first in person social event, “Picnic In The Park” at Botanic Gardens in Belfast on July 11th. This was such an incredible day, and highlighted to me the volume of people that some of our service providers have missed.

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alt-DUP @duponline.eurosky.social · 10/07/2026

Hi peeps, because I seemingly hate having free time 🤣 I recently established Rainbow Connections NI - a new LGBTQ+ social group for adults in the north. We prioritise connection & strengthening sense of community in what can feel like an increasingly divided world. 🧵 More to follow in this thread.

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Reposted by Curtis

In DUP-land, in 2026, you might deserve whatever happens to you because of how you dress.

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Reposted by Curtis

mseviechops.bsky.social @mseviechops.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

I see Ann Widdecombe has died. When she was Home Secretary I showed her round Drake Hall womens’s prison. There was a pregnant woman on a bed in the early stages of Labour and she asked the prison officers why she wasn’t handcuffed to the bed. That’s the kind of woman she was.

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Curtis @curtislee.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Clacton voters you have the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever, you won’t, but you should.

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Curtis @curtislee.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Fuck George Galloway and his homophobic and transphobic “Workers Party” - vile odious little man.

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Reposted by Curtis

Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 25/06/2026

Everybody knows who these people are yet they always seem beyond the reach of the police or anyone who could do anything to curtail them [read down the thread for more Northern Ireland fascism]

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I’ll finish with one of my favourite clips from Saturday 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🩷

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As I say, when all else fails the power of love will always win. The past few months have indicated we still have much work to do. Uppa queers. Uppa MEA Pride. We’ll be back in 2027 with our third annual event & we’re getting started on our national lottery application to sicken those fuckers x🤪

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I was delighted to have several queer civil servants at the head of our parade - it felt like an act of defiance. Showing up when they were made to feel like they should be hidden away. I hope all other local prides follow suit. 🩷

Civil Service: I was informed last Thursday night that the LGBTQ+ association of the civil service would have to withdraw from our parade & all NI prides in 2026. I find this a deeply alarming development & know the worry & despair this has caused to my friend who chairs the LGBTQ+ organisation.

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I mean - as sad as it is the response to stickers in comparison to us essentially being followed and observed by an organised hate mob didn’t sit right with me. Rather stickers than slurry I guess. 🙈

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So the tear down process began, hundreds of these lil fuckers😭🤣 I’m still not sure if we managed to get them all. We were still finding more on the Saturday morning - the policing response was that it would be kept on file & investigated. Evidence was gathered.

QR Code Gate: 24 hours before parade kick off we started to get word that Stickers placed directly along our parade route titled simply as “Pride” weren’t as innocent as they seemed. People actively started scanning them thinking they were put up by us on the pride committee. To be met with this.

Then their online spin on the event as a whole happened. Deeply entertaining read all the same. BAN THE WHISTLES.

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We have evidence to suggest that these exact individuals form some of our biggest online trolls - from angles of pictures posted from right where they were stood on the day on the exact same accounts who harass us on a regular basis.

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It was organised between this fascist group who was instrumental in the racist pogrom seen in Ballymena last summer that they would send observers down to monitor our speeches & follow our parade. This led to incidents including a member of a trade union to be verbally harassed by this trio…

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Ballymena R*action Group: When speeches began something felt off, with three certain individuals in the corner. Not engaging, not interacting, just stood in an intimidatory manner. Turns out these people form the Ballymena Reaction Group - formerly “Concerned Residents of Ballymena” TBC…

Myself, other activists and other NI pride organisers wrote to the parades commission - asking for extra protections to be put in place, so direct face-to-face contact could be avoided. Despite numerous letters & emails of support this was rejected. Attached is my email to the parades commission:

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Parades Commission: When consulting with parade participants last year, one concern was repeatedly raised. The protests at the bandstand in 2025 were face on with the parade, this allowed for racial & homophobic comments incl *p*do* to be yelled at participants & onlookers. So fast forward to 2026.

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