Politics, pop culture and entertainment news of interest to the LGBTQ community
A new poll by Sunday Independent/Millward Brown shows 62% of voters in Ireland plan to vote in favor of marriage equality in May. Only 16% oppose legalizing same-sex marriage.
With such solid support, activists worry supporters will become complacent and assume the measure will pass.
One marriage equality activist had this to say: “The biggest threat is our supporters taking these figures as fact and bowing out of voting.”
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Appearing on national broadcast television in Ireland last night, actor Colin Farrell passionately announced his support for the upcoming May referendum to legalize same-sex marriage.
During his statement, he referenced his gay brother who had to travel to Canada to marry his partner.
Via Gay Star News:
‘To see them every day live their lives as a happily married couple is an amazing thing, and to think that they had to leave their own country to do that is sad and disappointing and just grossly unfair, I feel,’ he said.
Farrell also responded to concerns about gay couples becoming parents.
‘It’s too easy for heterosexuals to be parents, if you want the truth. It’s too easy. There are too many of us who find it too easy to have a kid,’ he said.
‘Too many parents around the world don’t parent their kids, because it was a five-minute thing… and there it is.’
The anti-gay bully campaigner then gave his full support to the national referendum on gay marriage confirmed for May.
‘I carry Ireland with me everywhere I go, and I love my country deeply,’ he said.
‘This is my “coming out of the closet,” as it were, publicly and saying that I support this vote with every fiber of my being’
Watch his remarks below:
A new poll by Red C shows support at 76 percent for marriage equality in Ireland ahead of the upcoming referendum on the issue this May.
From The Journal:
It shows that 81% of women and 72% of men polled supported marriage for same-sex couples. People aged 18 – 24 were most likely to support it, with support generally declining as the age of those polled increased.
The news has been welcomed by Ireland’s human rights watchdog, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. Its director, Mark Kelly, said that the poll ”is further evidence of the deep repository of goodwill amongst voters in Ireland towards full equality for same sex couples.”
Labour Party TD for Dublin North West and Co-Chair of Labour LGBT, John Lyons, also welcomed the poll.
“Today’s poll builds upon consecutive national polls which show consistent support to afford gay and lesbian couples the right to civil marriage,” he said.
The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and Marriage Equality Ireland and LGBT charity BeLonG To have released this ad targeting young voters, urging them to register to vote by November 25th so they can take part in a historic vote to bring marriage equality to the Republic of Ireland.
Via Pink News:
Michael Barron of BeLonG To said: “We know that Ireland is ready for this change and that Irish young people really want a fair and equal society.
“Irish young people have always been agents for progressive change and today we are reaching out to all young adults aged 18-25 to say – this is your opportunity to create the society the you want – this is your generation’s decision.
“By registering to vote by 25th November and coming out to vote for civil marriage equality you will help our country turn over a new leaf and create the modern society that you deserve and can be proud of.”
Early polls show strong support for marriage equality in Ireland.
The Irish pro-equality group LGBT Noise gives us this terrific, over-the-top parody video playing out the fears of paranoid straight folks who think marriage equality will change their world bringing about a dreaded “Armagayddon.”
Set in the near future of 2017, Mary and John have barricaded themselves (and boxed up their son – literally) to protect themselves from the “unbelievable weddings” that occurred after the passage of same-sex marriage in Ireland.
Pretty funny. Watch below.
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| Rory O’Neill aka “Panti Bliss” |
Ireland’s “most fabulous” drag queen has spoken out against homophobia at the Irish national theater, the Abbey, with such passion it got even Madonna’s attention.
Rory O’Neill’s (aka Panti Bliss) inspirational call to those who bully gay people has touched people around the world.
“Sometimes I hate myself. I f*cking hate myself, because I check myself when I stand at pedestrian crossings. And sometimes, I hate you for doing that to me.”
The statement came about due to an appearance last month on the Saturday Night Show when O’Neill alleged that the Institute and several associated journalists were homophobic. Irish Communications Minister Pat Rabbite had warned against using the term “homophobe” to describe opponents of equal marriage, saying it was “too loaded” a term to describe opponents of marriage equality.
As such, Ireland’s state broadcaster RTÉ has been forced to pay out €85,000 (£70,000) in damages to those journalists and members of the Catholic Iona Institute who were accused of homophobia.
More at PinkNews
(tipped by TRR reader Karla)
Right on the heels of England and Wales passing same-sex marriage, a new survey shows that a strong majority of Fine Gael members in Ireland’s Lower House, the Dail Eireann, support marriage equality. The Irish Examiner reports:
An overwhelming majority of Fine Gael backbenchers support a referendum extending marriage rights to same-sex couples, a new survey reveals.
The findings blow apart the widely held view that the backbenchers act as a conservative anchor on social reform within the Coalition, and will increase pressure on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to finally state where he stands on the issue.
With 43 of the 50 non-ministerial Fine Gael TDs responding, 79% back holding a referendum on gay marriage, with 19% opposed, according to the Newstalk Breakfast survey.
Factor in that fact that the recent constitutional convention strongly supported marriage equality and that 75% now support marriage equality, next year’s vote looks very good for the LGBT community.
(via Irish Examiner)
By a vote of 79-18, the Irish Constitutional Convention has approved a referendum for marriage equality according to the Irish Examiner.
Convention Chairman Tom Arnold announced the results of the vote to enthusiastic applause.
“I would like to thank all of the participants who contributed to the Constitutional Convention’s same-sex marriage discussion,” Mr Arnold commented.
“I am very pleased that proceedings were conducted in a fair and transparent manner with all sides getting an opportunity to make their respective cases.
“This weekend’s discussions have been both passionate and thoughtful, both heartfelt and rigorous.”
A report will now be drafted and sent to the Government, which will have four months with which to respond. If the Government agrees with the recommendation, a timeline for the referendum will be decided and scheduled.
A 2012 poll shows strong support for marriage equality in Ireland – 75% approve of making civil marriage legal for same-sex couples. In addition, the same poll shows 2 out of 3 polled say same-sex marriage will strengthen society as a whole.
In Dublin, Ireland, the city council has passed marriage equality by a vote of 38-4.
Via press release:
Two motions in support of marriage equality were put forward – by councillors from Labour and Sinn Féin – and passed at last night’s council meeting, having been considered jointly. Dublin City Council joins Cork City Council and Belfast City Council, who passed similar motions in June, as well as Omagh, Down, Moyle and Magherafelt District Councils who passed motions during the summer months.
“This is a wonderful step by Dublin City Council to raise awareness of this important issue at a local level. We’d like to thank the councillors from both Labour and Sinn Féin for their initiative, and our supporters in Dublin who spoke to their councillors over the last few months about raising the issue,” said Marriage Equality Director Moninne Griffith.
“Marriage equality is not just a national issue, it’s a local one. It’s about respecting and protecting loving couples and families who are part of our communities and treating them as equal. That is why putting the issue on the agenda at local level is so important.”
Dublin City Council has strongly supported lesbian and gay inclusion in Dublin city over many years, including the second-largest public parade – Dublin Pride – each year, and support many other LGBT cultural events.
Recent polls show marriage equality supported by 73% of Ireland.