Laura Harmon

Laura Harmon (born 1986) is an Irish LGBT activist and politician, with links to the Labour Party. She is a former President of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). She was the first woman to fill the role in twenty years.

Contents

• Usi president laura harmon speaking at the launch of the labour party marriage equality referendum
• Laura harmon for seanad
• References

A graduate of University College Cork, Harmon served as Vice-President for Equality and Citizenship of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) from 2012-2014. While in this role she co-signed a letter sent to Russia's ambassador to Ireland Maxim Peshkov, titled "Re: Torture of Russian LGBTQ* teenagers".

Harmon would go on to become President of the USI and, in what was described as an "unprecedented move", USI later endorsed her 2016 candidacy for the Seanad. During her tenure as USI president, Harmon played a prominent role in the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage. Following this, she was made a board member of the Higher Education Authority (2014/2015)

The Labour Party appointed Harmon as its Women and Equality Officer in September 2015, ahead of the 2016 general election. She used this role to work on repealing the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, in which she is also interested. Harmon was a candidate for the NUI constituency at the 2016 Seanad election. She polled an impressive 4,663 votes placing her in the top five from thirty candidates. She announced her decision to contest the election on 2 March of that year and media reported her as having succeeded, the following 27 April.

The eldest of five daughters born to Ted and Mary Harmon in the Gaeltacht of Ballyvourney, County Cork, Harmon is openly gay. She was educated through Irish.