Chance for a more equal society
SIR, As a Kerryman living in Dublin for the past 10 years, I would like to urge all eligible voters in the Kingdom to vote Yes on May 22 in the Marriage Equality Referendum. I hope that people take this opportunity to send out a very positive message of support to gay people, past present and future. This is about children, gay children, your gay children, your gay grandchildren, your gay nieces and nephews and your neighbours’ children. This is our chance to make Ireland a better and equal society.
I would urge people to consider the arguments very carefully and to note the following as stated by the Independent Referendum Commission, this referendum will not change the constitutional status of marriage.
Marriage is an important societal institution, what’s so wrong with allowing more people access this institution? This referendum offers us a chance to debate the type of society that we want, do we want all children of the nation to be cherished equally or not? I certainly do.
I know that when I was growing up in the early ’90s in a rural area near Tralee, I despised myself for who I was. I was bullied, harassed and hated my life and how I felt. Do you think that any little boy /young girl should feel that way about themselves? Society and the messages we send out informed my view of myself at that time. I believed that being gay was wrong, sinful and that I was less than everyone else. I didn’t do anything wrong, I was just being me, the person I was born. That damaged me for a long time.
Moving to Dublin and the passing of time helped change all of that for me and I had great support from two loving parents and siblings. For the past eight years, I’ve been in a committed and loving relationship with a wonderful man, a man I want to marry, a man that I want to call my husband. Please help me with this simple request and vote Yes. Remember the little boys and girls growing up now and in the future and how this constitutional amendment will help them to feel better and confident about themselves. Sincerely, Richard Deane, 14 Bulfin Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.