Taryn de Vere
Bisexual Fashion Activist / Performance Artist / Writer
Taryn de Vere is a Bisexual fashion activist, performance artist, and writer living in County Donegal. Originally from Australia, Taryn first moved to Belfast in early 1998 and later settled in County Donegal, where she has lived since 2004. Taryn comes from a family of activists and recalls going to school with a 'No nukes' sticker on her lunchbox, aged six. Her family was involved in Indigenous rights, women's rights, and environmental issues, all subjects which remain important to Taryn. "My goal is to tread lightly on the earth and leave little trace that I was here," says Taryn. "I was shocked that no one recycled when I first came to Ireland, and that people didn't seem to know much about the environment or climate change. Thankfully that's all changed and there is much more awareness now."
Taryn was one of the founding parents that set up Donegal's first multi denominational school, Letterkenny Educate together National School. The school now has over 300 students and has been running for over 15 years. Taryn says, "Being involved in creating the school was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. Every time I see people dropping their kids off there, I feel a huge sense of pride. It's one of those things that has affected the lives of thousands of people, I was so fortunate to be able to contribute to it happening."
Taryn has been involved in various campaigns for social change, including the repeal referendum, decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland, the fight to make the National Maternity Hospital publicly owned, housing rights, disability rights and migrant rights. One of the ways that Taryn becomes involved is by the creation of activist headpieces and outfits. "I jokingly say that I started making these because my arms got too tired holding signs," laughs Taryn, "however with my background in PR I know what will appeal to a photo editor so I knew that the quirk-factor of a headpiece would make it into the papers and thus further the cause that I believe in. It was never about me being in the papers, it's always been about the cause. I'm delighted that some other people are now doing similar things and it's not just me in the papers all the time." Taryn calls these creations 'fashion activism'. "I use how I dress and the pieces I make to tell a story visually. Sometimes I add a performance art aspect, like with the Pro-choice Princess, who handed out cards granting the bearer bodily autonomy." Some of Taryn's fashion activist pieces are now in the collection of the National Museum of Ireland.
Taryn came out as Bisexual aged 40. "I had had a lot of sexual experiences with women but I never put two and two together until I was talking to a friend and she said it sounded like I was Bisexual. I felt silly for not realising it sooner. I think it was the internalised biphobia, that I just assumed I was heterosexual, as I grew up in a heteronormative society. I've always been attracted to women, I just never examined it very closely. Now I'm out and proud." Taryn is involved in LGBTQIA+ rights, especially trans rights as she is the mother of a trans child. "In all the activism I take part in, I'm trying to build a fairer world for those of us in it now, and those to come. I want a better world for my children."
Taryn has been married eight times. "The first time was a conventional marriage, the last seven times I've married the same person. Our first wedding was a surrealist themed wedding ceremony. All the guests had to wear a surrealist head. We basically wrote a piece of surrealist theatre, with an Irreverand who married us, a Responsorial Salmon hand puppet and a Eucharist of cheese singles. Following that we wrote vows based on equality and freedom, removing all obligation and we now get married in front of strangers. We put into our vows a commitment to grow as people, and so when we have both grown and changed we ask ourselves and each other if we still choose the relationship, and if yes, do we still choose the marriage. If it's yes then the new 'me' marries the new him. We walk the streets of a town or city, dressed as a bride and groom and we invite people to our ceremony. We get married somewhere public, like a gallery or a park. At the ceremony, we work at communicating the sense of love we have for each other. People tell us they find our weddings very moving. Some people cry. It's always really beautiful."
Taryn describes herself as 'probably the most colourful woman in Ireland' and is especially known for her colourful and outlandish attire. Her creative projects and outfits have appeared in media around the world including tv appearances in Hollywood and on Iranian TV. Taryn is currently working on her first book and her project #365daysOfJoy, where she is dedicating a year of her life to joyful practices.
You can find Taryn as @TaryndeVere on all platforms.
Thank you very much to Taryn for taking the time to share her story with us.
Want to read about historical LGBTQ+ women? See our photo essay here.