Know ME

KNOW ME ExhibitionMonaghan County Museum, working in partnership with the Equality Sub Group of the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) of County Monaghan, are proud to present Know ME. A unique and captivating exhibition exploring the challenges of discrimination and social exclusion in today’s society through the voices of those who experience it. During public consultation for the development of Monaghan’s Local Economic and Community Plan 2015 – 2021; Equality, Inclusion and Discrimination were issues raised frequently. It was identified that in the wider community of Monaghan and indeed, Ireland, there was a lack of understanding about social exclusion and discrimination.

The Monaghan Equality Sub Group working with Monaghan County Museum realised there was a need to create a greater awareness of social exclusion and discrimination by challenging stereotypes often linked to people in our communities. This exhibition, which features ten fictional characters based on real life experiences of discrimination and social exclusion in Ireland, reflects how we can often make a judgement about someone solely on how they look and the stereotypes associated with them. This lack of awareness can lead to discrimination and inequality in our society.  In this ground breaking display, we invite you to get to know the people in your community, and we challenge you to Know Me, not the Stereotype.

Irish Equality law protects people from discrimination under ten grounds set out in The Equal Status Act .These grounds are Age, Gender, Race, Religion, Sexuality, Disability, Family status, Civil status, Membership of Traveller community and Person in receipt of HAP (Housing Assistance Payment). What this means is that it is against the law to treat someone from any of the ten grounds differently to someone else in a similar situation. Discrimination can often occur because of stereotypes, sometimes in society people are treated differently because of stereotypes. This exhibition not only tells the story of how discrimination can affect someone but also asks us all to treat everyone as an individual not a stereotype.

This exhibition also encourages us to reflect on the progression of equality in Irish society and those who fought for equal rights in the past.

For further details, please contact Monaghan County Museum on (047)82928, email at comuseum@monaghancoco.ie, find us on facebook or check out our website www.monaghan.ie/museum