Love is Blind! Dublin Queer Marriage Equality Demo

dublin | gender and sexuality | feature Friday February 13, 2009 19:23 by Paul McAndrew - Cork WSM (personal posting) paul at queer dot ie

Brian Cowen's government has announced that the Civil Partnership legislation will be brought before the Dáil this spring, perhaps as early as Easter - now is the time to remind Mr Cowen that a second-class 'registration scheme' for gay couples is not acceptable in an egalitarian society.
Justice, like love, should be blind (hence the blindfolds!) and that means not creating arbitrary differences through discriminatory legislation.
There is one way to grant equality to same-sex couples: we should be allowed the choice to enter civil marriage.

So...come along to the Central Bank at 2pm this Valentine's Day and make some NOISE!

Love and Noise,

The Noise Team

A few words on Marriage and Civil Partnership...

Religious Marriage:

This is how different faiths recognise couples within their religion. It's optional. Most couples in Ireland opt for this, but 1 in 5 do not.

Civil Marriage:

This is how the State legally recognises couples, giving them rights, responsibilities and protections.

Civil Partnership:

This is the limited set of rights which the government will allow, possibly this year.
Civil partnership is a law for gay people only.

It says:
That we are strangers in law to children we raise;
That we and our children cannot even be called a family;
That gay couples must pay higher taxes.

This law is being written right now, but we still have time to tell the government that we will NOT be second-class citizens! There is only one way to grant equality - through the choice of civil marriage.

Separate is NEVER equal and NEVER fair!