Latest news with #MarriageEqualityReferendum
RTÉ News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
"We must become unavoidable": 10 years of the Marriage Referendum
The Marriage Equality Referendum of 2015 changed things for the LGBTQ+ community, and reshaped Irealnd's conversation around love and acceptance, but a decade on, there are still many fights to be fought on the road to true equality. I spoke to five prominent LGBTQ+ individuals about the impact of the referendum on their lives, and what is to come next. President of Trinity College Dublin Students' Union, Jenny Maguire, is an LGBTQ+ activist who has spoken candidly about her experiences as a young trans woman growing up in Ireland. With marriage equality in place for much of her life, she reflects on the importance of reaffirming Ireland's support for the LGBTQ+ amid rising tides of oppression. What did the Marriage Equality Referendum mean to you at the time? During Marriage Equality I was in first year of secondary school, and it was significant for me because it brought the discussion and existence and lives of queer people to the forefront of the national conversation. When signs were going up and ads were playing and debates were happening, I could contribute without feeling like I was outing myself. I will never forget the memories of both of my parents bringing me to the polling stations and going in with me and voting yes. Getting to exist in that, celebrate that, and see all the public support after the fact, even now, I smile thinking about it. It was truly transformative to my own self esteem as a young queer person at the time. How do you think things have changed for the LGBTQIA+ community in the decade since? We can best see the change by looking not just at ourselves but abroad as well. If you look at the Rainbow Map, the UK in 2015 ranked number 1 in Europe for LGBT rights; they now place 22nd. I think this is indicative of a broader cultural shift, a focus and a concerted effort by [some] conservative groups to demonise the LGBT community overall by looking and targeting the trans community. When the first bathroom bills were introduced in North Carolina in the United States, sports associations and wide areas of public life boycotted events in the state; now it is a common occurrence. The dial has been shifted away from us and yes, we are seeing this in laws and attempts by various states to suppress the LBGT community, but the most damaging effect is the cultural impact it has, and the permission it provides to those wishing to cause us harm on the streets, in workplaces and every area of public life. The sense of hope and joy I had ten years ago is gone. Instead, my hope exists in spite of the world around me, not because of it. What do you think will be the most prominent issues facing LGBTQIA+ people in the next decade? We need to reacknowledge the political nature of our queer organisations. The tactics of how we are working and have worked over the past ten years has not been to defend our rights, we have been taking our rights as a given, whereas we now see that that needs to be restrategised. Prides need to be taking on protest matters, holding politicians to account, and advocating without apology for our community. This is something we have been doing, but it's something we need to step up and demand with our full chests. Whether it's full recognition of queer families in Irish law or LBGT healthcare, whether that is access to PrEP or trans healthcare, these are all issues that are not getting the national attention they need. During the HIV crisis, groups like ACT UP made themselves unavoidable. We must become unavoidable and unignorable. Zeda the Architect, aka Oyindamola Animashaun, is a visual artist, stylist, curator, and creative director working across Ireland's fashion, arts and cultural sectors. Intersectionality and diversity are key components in her work and something she hopes that institutions will fight for, not pay lip service to. Ten years on from the marriage equality referendum, what are the conversations we need to be having in 2025 that we were not having in 2015? In 2015, we were fighting to be recognised; in 2025, we should be talking about how we're being supported. Marriage equality was a massive step, but it didn't solve the layers of systemic discrimination that queer people - especially trans people, Black and POC queer folks, working class queers - still face every day. We need to talk about safety, healthcare access, mental health, housing, and how queerness intersects with race, gender, and class. Intersectionality, folks, ya know? I hope we all realise that visibility isn't enough if it's not followed by meaningful change. You create spaces for other people to thrive and support important causes and conversations via markets, talks and events. How important is Pride to you as a space for the community? Pride is complicated. It's joyful, vital and also irrevocably political. I love the sense of community it brings, especially for those who might not feel seen the rest of the year. But I also think Pride should be a time to reflect, hold space for those still on the margins and push back against the commodification of queerness. Looking at you, brands. For me, creating events and gatherings that centre real stories and connection feels like an extension of Pride, one that doesn't rely on sponsorship or rainbow flags, but on care and community. As someone at the forefront of the Irish fashion space, has the LGBTQ+ community informed your personal style? Absolutely, queerness gives me permission to be expansive. I think it's about refusing to shrink yourself or dress to make others comfortable. I'm drawn to fashion that tells stories, challenges binaries and honours both fluidity and tradition. Irish fashion is often seen through a very narrow lens, but there are so many queer designers, stylists, and creatives shaping the scene. My style will forever be a nod to that: playful, political, sometimes bold, sometimes soft, but always intentional. Where do you see Ireland moving in the next decade in terms of acceptance? I see potential. I see younger generations who are bolder and more open. But I also see pushback from institutions, from conservative politics, from people clinging to a narrow definition of "Irishness." The next decade will test us. Are we willing to move from performative inclusion to actual transformation? Will we listen to queer people who are migrants, disabled, neurodivergent, older, or not in the public eye? If we can centre care, creativity, and intersectionality…then, maybe. But we can't be passive. Change needs to be fought for. PJ Kirby Galang married the love of his life, Jose, last year. One half of the I'm Grand Mam podcast, the Cork native reminds us that despite ten years of marriage equality, there are still essential causes to fight for when it comes to equality and recognition. What was the significance of the Marriage Equality referendum to you at the time? I moved to London when I was 20 and in the closet, and I came out that year because of the anonymity of the big city and I saw queer people being unapologetically themselves. I had gay friends for the first time, I had none of that in Cork. I had come out to my family and friends, and thankfully, they were accepting, but Ireland as a whole, I felt that London was much safer. After a difficult year personally, the campaign for the Yes Vote was happening, and I felt a little bit removed being in London, but I could feel the love for the community coming from Ireland. When the Yes came through, it felt like my home was saying, 'you are welcome back anytime and we accept you for who you are.' That was such a powerful thing. When I moved away, I thought I might never come back, but then when the referendum happened, it felt 'oh, maybe I could.' How do you think things have changed for the LGBTQIA+ community in the decade since? Speaking personally, I feel much more accepted, but I am also a white cis gay man, so I have a lot of privilege there. I think gay men in particular in the community have the most privilege and suffer the least homophobia, though that homophobia still exists and I do experience it, be it online or a comment on the street, but I generally feel safe. That being said, I have noticed a growing divide in recent years. Before, I would be able to speak to someone with homophobic views and have a discussion with them as to where that stemmed from, but now people are more radicalised, and there is more hate. We can't take anything for granted; just because we have made progress, it doesn't mean it can't be undone. What changes need to be made or issues need to be focused on for the next decade when it comes to equality and acceptance? The trans community is being singled out and villainised. Trans people have always been here, and they always will be here. It is ten years since marriage equality but it is also ten years since the Gender Recognition Act, but nobody is asking me questions about the Gender Recognition Act, they are all asking me questions about Marriage Equality - and maybe that's because I'm a gay man who has gotten married and won't shut up about it! But I feel like we made a huge step towards equality in that, and that should be celebrated this week also. Protecting our trans and non-binary members of the community is a focus we need to have, and banding together to stand up for those people. On the other hand, we also need to focus on equality for children. For the past ten years, while some members of government have been patting themselves on the back for marriage equality, LGBTQ+ parents across Ireland have been fighting so that their children can have an equal legal connection to each parent. In some cases, there is only one parent on the birth certificate, and the other one can't be on it because of the current legislation. A great non-profit organisation that's campaigning for change is Equality For Children, and we need to get behind them. All they want is equal rights for the children of LGBTQ+ families. Leanne Woodfull has found her voice as an activist through her social media platforms. Online political activism does not come without costs, especially when 'influencing' is so tied in with being a blank slate for brands. The Marriage Equality referendum was the spark that changed the trajectory of her work, with her online space reflecting her real life convictions. What was the significance of the Marriage Equality referendum to you at the time? The referendum was my first foray into activism in general. It shaped me as a person. I had a platform, and I knew I had to use it for good, and that was my first opportunity to hone in on that. I hate the idea of having a platform and only using it for ego, followers and monetary gain, I always had a drive to use it for good and for something lasting. I wasn't perfect; I was still learning a lot throughout the referendum, but it shaped who I am as a person. It's something I am quite proud of, the referendum changed my life as a lesbian and as an activist, and finding the confidence to stand up for what I believe in. Did the referendum cause any change in how you felt about your sexuality? It totally changed things. I was very detached from it, and thinking about my own sexuality during the referendum wasn't at the forefront of my mind. You'd think it would have been a trigger for that, but it wasn't! It took me a few years to begin exploring that side of myself, that reality. However, the safety, joy and hope of the referendum contributed to me eventually coming out. It contributed to feeling safe and secure. How do you think things have changed for the LGBTQIA+ community in the decade since? Things have changed so much, it feels like whiplash. Between the marriage equality referendum and the Repeal the 8th referendum, my early 20s were a hopeful era, a joyful few years where it felt like everything was going towards a more inclusive world, but that has not been the case. Now, the world, the politics and the people around me, as we all know, [seem to be] shifting toward homophobia, transphobia and far-right ideologies. It's difficult to articulate the feeling, but we were on a forward trajectory as a minority, and now there has been this bounce back. You see people's rights being taken away and a regression happening around you. I'm a white, cisgendered femme-presenting woman so the privilege is there, but I don't feel as safe walking around Dublin holding hands with a woman as I did a few years ago. What do you think will be the most prominent issues facing LGBTQIA+ people in the next decade? Changes have occurred in so many pockets of the community, globally, not just in Ireland. The sentiment of Pride being a protest is more prevalent than ever at the moment with rights being taken away in every corner of the globe at the moment. I don't want to instil fear in people, but we need to be aware of how fast these ideologies are spreading and affecting our rights and the laws that protect us. Allyship is essential, and allies need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Arriving in Ireland as a teenager, Meri Hernandez found her place in the LGBT+ community on a journey of self-discovery, as she pushed back against outdated ideas about women who love women. She has gone on to create a safe space online for members of the community under her handle @Irelandsfavouritegay Having moved from Spain to Monaghan as a teenager, how did growing up in a small town shape your experiences with coming out? Growing up in a small town like Monaghan after moving from Spain as a teenager presented both challenges and unique experiences in my journey of self-discovery and coming out. When I was 15, I already had my first experience with a girl, but I remember rationalising it by telling myself, "I am only in love with that one girl, I do not find any other girls attractive." It was a way to deny and not fully accept myself. After finishing school, I moved to Letterkenny in Donegal to study Law, and during college, I kept my attraction to girls largely to myself. That was until one day, a lecturer discussed the Marriage Equality Referendum and assigned us to write about it. Writing that piece was nerve-wracking because I feared that being too outspoken would "out" me as a lesbian. Can you describe what you remember most vividly from the Marriage Equality Referendum in 2015? When the day of the referendum arrived, and our lecturer asked what we thought about it, I was amazed and relieved to see how open and supportive my classmates were. Seeing their enthusiasm and support for the referendum, and then witnessing the joy when it passed, made me feel like I was in a safe space to explore my identity. This pivotal moment empowered me to join the LGBTQIA+ society at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, where I finally found my tribe. You have documented a vibrant life in the LGBTQIA+ community via your TikTok, what have the highs and lows of this been? I wanted to ensure representation for the LGBTQIA+ community in Ireland and to be a source of support and visibility for others on a similar journey. Unfortunately, the hate I've experienced has been frightening at times. However, the highs have far outshone the lows. Thanks to the platform I've built, I've created a community that is incredibly supportive, teaching me that embracing who you truly are is the most powerful and liberating thing you can do. As I reflect on my path, I am reminded that authenticity breeds strength, and in the face of adversity, living your truth not only transforms your life but also inspires others to do the same.
Sunday World
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sunday World
Senator ‘doesn't regret voting against same sex marriage' on 10th anniversary of referendum
In May 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise gay marriage through a popular vote. Senator Ronan Mullen says he doesn't regret voting against same sex marriage as activists celebrate the 10th anniversary of the historic referendum. 'The more things started kicking off, the more I felt that there were arguments that were more persuasive for keeping the definition of marriage based on the relationship between men and women,' he told Newstalk Breakfast. 'I felt and still think that has a particular social function as the social ideal for the upbringing of children. 'I felt there were other ways of respecting other people's private lives and personal choices - for me, it certainly was never about not respecting private lives and personal choices,' he continued. Mullen said he thinks a lot of people voted in favour to send a message of love and solidarity to gay people or as a 'social atonement for past cruelties.' 'I just felt those instincts were generous but it was the wrong answer.' He also said he views 'progressivism' as a 'failing ideology.' 'I think people are seeing that all of these claims for rights are actually in the long-term letting people down.' The Independent senator said he would still campaign for a 'no vote' if the referendum was held today. Celebrations following the result of the Marriage Equality Referendum in 2015. Photo: Brian Lawless 'I would reiterate that I wasn't for or against anybody or their private life or personal choices. 'Everybody is expected now to conform to a particular view - this is what we call woke culture,' he said. 'We see it in the way people are made to feel cancelled if they have the wrong ideas. Mullen said he would support a 'no vote' by making the same argument he made before. 'I would say, 'Marriage is ideally about the upbringing of children and therefore men women relationships matter for that purpose in a way that society should acknowledge. Senator Rónán Mullen News in 90 Seconds - May 22nd ''But let's look at how we respect the private lives and the needs and the rights of people - including same sex couples, in fact anybody who is mutually dependent and caring for somebody else.'' In May 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise gay marriage through a popular vote. 62% of voters said yes to the thirty-fourth amendment of the Irish Constitution. The act came into force on November 16th 2015, with the very first same sex marriage taking place the following day.
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Marriage equality 10 years on: Referendum future-proofed same-sex marriage in an uncertain world
On May 22, 2015, over 62% of voters said 'Yes' in the marriage equality referendum, which led to the legalisation of same-sex marriage. Reflecting on this historic event a decade on, the positive, affirming referendum result takes on a whole new significance. Today's world is one in which the rights of minorities, including the LGBT+ community, appear to be increasingly under attack, even in a number of our fellow EU Member States. In recent years, Hungary's government has restricted adoption to opposite-sex couples, thereby interfering with LGBT+ couples' right to found a family through adopting a child. Also, due to a recent law which prohibits the public portrayal to children of "divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality", all public LGBT+ events like Pride are banned there, frustrating the rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression of the LGBT+ community. In Italy, when it comes to the provision of goods and services, national anti-discrimination laws do not extend to the LGBT+ community, and while some Italian regions have passed local, LGBT+-inclusive anti-discrimination laws, in many other regions, LGBT+ people can still be discriminated against on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity by providers of goods and services. Further, since 2023, when a female same-sex couple has a child through donor conception in Italy, only the biological mother can be registered as the legal parent on the birth certificate – the child's second female parent cannot be registered, a regressive measure taken by Giorgia Meloni's government that attracted significant international condemnation. Needless to say, neither Italy nor Hungary permit marriage for same-sex couples. Just last month, in our neighbouring jurisdiction, the United Kingdom, the trans community was dealt a significant blow when the UK Supreme Court declared that, for the purposes of equality legislation, the terms 'woman' and 'sex' refer only to biological women and biological sex, respectively. The scene at YES Equality Cork campaign HQ at North Mall, Cork City, after Ireland said 'Yes' to the proposed change to the constitution in the Marriage Equality Referendum. File picture: Larry Cummins While all of this makes for depressing reading, it also contrasts with the success of the marriage equality referendum, which enshrined same-sex marriage in the Constitution, and copper-fastened the fundamental right to marry for LGBT+ couples here in Ireland. Essentially, because the Constitution can only be changed by a successful referendum, only the Irish people, through a future referendum, can vote to remove same-sex couples' right to marry from our Constitution and our laws. Thus, the referendum result provided far greater legal protection for marriage equality than ordinary legislation would have. Indeed, in other countries like the UK and Australia, where marriage equality was introduced through ordinary legislation, this could hypothetically be repealed by a future, right-leaning, anti-LGBT+ administration. In 2025, this is not beyond the realm of possibility, as just last week the UK Labour government unexpectedly pivoted somewhat to the right on the issue of immigration, most likely as a knee-jerk response to the significant successes of the right wing Reform UK party in recent local elections there. In 2015, the significance of the marriage equality referendum in future-proofing one's right to marry a person of the same sex from the type of anti-LGBT+, right-wing politics that appears to be on the rise, and might eventually find its way into the mainstream here in Ireland, would have gone largely unappreciated. Couple Steff O'Leary and Tracy O'Riordan in Cork after Ireland said 'Yes' to the proposed change to the constitution in the Marriage Equality Referendum. File picture: Larry Cummins Today, in an increasingly polarised and uncertain world, this could be regarded as the greatest legacy of the referendum result. This is not to say that, as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of marriage equality, the then government's decision to hold a referendum on whether to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples is now beyond criticism. A national vote to decide on a human rights issue that affects a minority group was crude, because it forced that historically oppressed minority to have to rally together and literally plead with the majority for access to the institution of marriage. The phenomenal 'Yes Equality' campaign literally had members knocking on doors nationwide for months prior to the referendum to get the Irish public on side by putting a human face on the issue of same-sex marriage rights. There was also a very active 'No' campaign that had a profound effect on LGBT+ people. A survey of the negative social and psychological impacts of Ireland's 'No' campaign, subsequently conducted by Australian academics at the University of Queensland and Victoria University in conjunction with Irish marriage equality activists and LGBT+ groups, found that of the 1657 participants, 71% reported that they often or always felt negative in the months leading up to the referendum, due to this campaign's activities. Evan Murphy and Michael Keogh, and YES campaign supporters enjoying a party at Sober Lane in Cork City in 2015 after Ireland said 'Yes' to the proposed change to the constitution in the Marriage Equality Referendum. File picture: Larry Cummins Nonetheless, in 2025, one cannot help but conclude, with the benefit of hindsight, that our record of being the first country in the world to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples on foot of a popular vote is laudable, because it speaks to our values as a nation. On May 22, 2015, a sizeable majority of us chose to insert Article 41.4 into the Constitution, to demonstrate that Ireland is tolerant and LGBT+-friendly, and to expressly guarantee for present and future generations that, in our country "marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex". For that, we should be proud (pun intended). Happy tenth anniversary, marriage equality. Dr Brian Tobin is Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Galway and the author of ' The Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships: Emerging Families in Ireland and Beyond ' (Oxford: Hart, 2023)
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Same-sex marriages account for 3.3pc of all ceremonies annually since 2015 referendum, finds CSO
To mark a decade of marriage equality in Ireland, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today published data on same-sex marriages over the first 10 years in Ireland. Almost 6,000 same-sex marriages have been registered in Ireland since the Marriage Equality Referendum, which marks its tenth anniversary tomorrow. The referendum took place on May 22, 2015, when just over 62pc (1.2 million people) voted in favour of amending the Constitution so that marriages, regardless of the sex of the partners, would be recognised. Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce same-sex marriage by popular vote, with the first marriages taking place in November 2015. Seán O'Connor, a statistician in the life events and demography division, said that between November 2015 and 2024, 3,178 same-sex male marriages and 2,778 female marriages took place. 'Overall, same-sex marriages accounted for 3.3pc of total marriages annually since 2016,' he said. After the change in the legislation in 2015, there were 1,056 same-sex marriages registered the following year. Four years later, 314 same-sex marriages were registered in 2020, with ceremonies being affected by COVID-19 restrictions, and 688 ceremonies last year. Mr O'Connor added: "Civil ceremonies were the most popular form of ceremony for nearly two-thirds (63.7pc) of same-sex couples.' In 2016, there were 490 civil ceremonies taking place for same-sex male couples, followed by 60 ceremonies held by the Humanist Association, 36 by the Spiritualist Union of Ireland, and 20 by other religious denominations. ADVERTISEMENT It was similar for females that same year, as 360 couples opted for civil ceremonies, 37 couples each went for the Humanist Association and the Spiritualist Union of Ireland, and 16 for other religious denominations. That changed slightly last year, with a decrease in the popularity of civil ceremonies and an increase in couples choosing other religious denominations. In 2024, just over half (52.2pc) of same-sex marriages were civil ceremonies, with 10.8pc choosing the Spiritualist Union of Ireland, 10.2pc people going for the Humanist Association, and 26.5pc opting for other religious denominations. Leinster recorded the highest number of female same-sex ceremonies in 2016 with 298 marriages, followed by 97 in Munster, 35 in Connacht and 20 in Ulster, with similar rates in 2024. It was the same for males in 2016, as Leinster also recorded the most same-sex marriages with 460, followed by 87 in Munster, 34 in Connacht and 25 in Ulster. In 2024, there were 194 ceremonies for male couples in Leinster, followed by Munster with 72, 35 in Connacht and 24 in Ulster. Meanwhile, the average age of the older male groom was 43.8 years in 2016, which fell slightly to 43.7 years in 2024. For the younger male groom, the average was 37.2 years in 2016, which increased to 37.7 years last year. The average age of the older bride in a same-sex marriage in 2016 was 43.3 years, which decreased to 41.6 years in 2024, with the average for the younger bride at 38.8 years in 2016, compared with 37.8 years last year. In 2016, 86 men and 43 women aged more than 60 years tied the knot in a same-sex marriage, while last year, 35 men and 39 women in the same age group got married.
