Meet the President

Seumas Bracken (He/Him) is the chairperson of the LGBTQ society in TUD city campuses. Affectionately referred to as Mr. President by the other members of the society, Seumas is a 3rd-year culinary science student.

Seumas has been a member of the LGBTQ society since he first joined TUD in 2019 when he originally studied a level 6 higher certificate degree in food science and management which he finished in 2021. However, as in person society events were cancelled due to covid Seumas "lost interest" saying that would "rather be in the general presence" of the other members rather than being all online. "So I didn't do work or get involved with the society for about two years," Seumas said about the period of COVID lockdowns.

So the first year back after the lockdowns Seumas started attending society events again where he met the previous chairperson of LGBTQ soc, Alex Reddy (who at the time they met wasn't the chairperson). For the next few years, Seumas spent time as the society "pet" which is a term used to describe someone who spends a lot of time around the committee and doing things for the society but doesn't have an official role and never goes for one. I used to be the society pet because commitment scares the life out of me but now I'm here writing this so it could be worse. Seumas then claims he was "Shanghaied" into becoming the Secretary of the society last year by Alex. Seumas officially became the Chairperson of the society this year at the EGM when he ran unopposed.

Seumas is a gay man (if you could not tell) and in my interview with him, I asked about his experience and his journey. "I think always knew on some fundamental level that I was gay," he said. However, he points to a time in his life when he was "12 or 13, starting secondary school" when he was totally aware of what he was and now knew how to describe it. When asked if that time in his life was easy he said "I found it easy enough but I'm very lucky that I grew up in a very accepting family". When asked if he had any negative experiences relating to his sexuality Seumas recounts a story in which, leaving secondary school one day a group of lads rolled down their car window and screamed a slur at him. As Seumas describes this made him feel like "EUGHHHHHH what the hell?" as it was completely unprompted. Seumas hasn't let things like that change his incredibly funny and caring personality however, when I tell you this man is the greatest hugger on earth I mean it.

(P.S be careful to not tell him what year you were born he's delicate about his age.)