Yes in May - Village Magazine

February 2015 41

GAY MARRIAGE POLITICS

N many ways the coming out of

Minister Leo Varadker was the start-

ing gun for the marriage equality

referendum campaign. His announce-

ment brought the forthcoming campaign

to the attention of the media and the pub-

lic in a manner few expected. On a yet to

be determined Friday in May the Irish

electorate will get to vote on whether or

not they want lesbian and gay people to

be able to marry the person they love.

This is a referendum that is about rec-

ognition – recognition of the love and

commitment that gay and lesbian cou-

ples have for each other; recognition that

some of them want to get married so as to

have Constitutional protection for their

relationships and families; and recog-

nition that they should have the right

to choose to get married like all other

citizens.

A successful Register to Vote initia-

tive (YesEquality) has been organised.

Some 40,000 new voters put their names

on the electoral register. These mostly

young, ﬁrst-time voters will be a crucial

cohort in May. All recent polls on voting

intentions show that a majority will vote

Yes, but until now those being polled have

not been engaged with the campaign.

Younger voters are hugely supportive

of the proposal. Ensuring that the youth

vote is mobilised and informed is a key

challenge. Student and youth organisa-

tions are already launching initiates in

this regard.

Irish society has come a long way since

decriminalisation of homosexuality in

1993. Civil Partnership in 2010 was a

milestone on the road to equality for

same-sex couples. Civil marriage equal-

ity will bring equal recognition before

the law for lesbian and gay people.

If you suppor t the ca mpa ig n, you cou ld:

Start conversations: Conversations

about the referendum at home or in

the work place are important. Ask

others how they are thinking of voting.

Encourage them to check the register and

to vote. Explain your reasons for voting

Yes. (see www.marriagequality.ie for

information).

Donate: A fundraising initiative

(#sharethelove) asking people to give

small personal donations or organise

fundraising events for the campaign has

been launched. If you text Love to 51500

you will get a text back telling you how to

make a donation. Encourage your friends

to donate too.

Get organised locally: Join or form a

local group interested in canvassing in

the run up to the vote. Identify the spaces

in your locality where people gather,

and where you could canvas their vote.

Groups are forming, targeting train

stations or simply planning to knock on

doors with campaign leaﬂets.

Note the date: Make sure you put the

referendum date in your diary when

announced. Vote Yes on the day. Tell ten

others about the date and organise to

go together to vote or give a lift to those

who need support to get to the polling

station.

Many civil society organisations are

gearing up to support the campaign,

including the Trade Unionists for

Civil Marriage Equality, USI’s #make-

gráthelaw, students for marriage

equality, and Faith in Marriage for people

of various faith communities who intend

to call for a Yes vote.

A coalition campaign for civil mar-

riage equality will soon be launched.

ICCL, GLEN and Marriage Equality will

play leading roles in co-ordinating it.

This grassroots-led, grassroots-targeted

campaign will be looking for local com-

munity groups and bodies who support a

Yes vote to ensure that as many doors as

possible are knocked upon and as many

Dart/Luas/train stations and football/

sporting occasions as possible have a

Yes campaign presence.

The Children and Family Relationships

Bill (2014) is being debated in the

Oireachtas. It will bring greater equal-

ity for diverse family types including

addressing issues of guardianship,

parenting and the right to apply to be

adoptive parents for same-sex couples.

Voters must see clearly that the refer-

endum is not asking people to judge

whether or not lesbian and gay people

make good parents or should be allowed

to parent. Lesbian and gay people already

make wonderful parents. This issue is

likely to be raised by the opposition and

voters must understand that what they

are being asked to vote on is the right

for lesbian and gay people to enter the

institution of civil marriage. We want to

live in a country where you can marry the

person you love. •

A toolkit for marriage-

equality campaigners.

By Grainne Healy

Yes in

May

We want to

live in a

country where

you can marry

the person

you love

“