23 May 2015 was an historic day, a traditional Catholic Ireland voted yes for the legalisation of same-sex marriage. I live in Northern Ireland and with much excitement I followed the news and promotion towards the referendum.
It doesn't make you less of a Catholic or faith-follower when you vote for equality for your fellow human. It proves you have a bigger heart, and that is the right thing to do even by Jesus, God or whatnot.
The day left me quite emotional, I am happy for Ireland but I am sad for Northern Ireland, the country I call home for two years now. We had our parliament vote against same-sex marriage for the fourth time and remember that appalling cake row, where Ashers Bakery refused to bake a cake for an organisation who fights for Equality. It ended up in court and after a year of fighting the judge ruled that it is not Ashers place to enforce their values when providing services.
I stopped going to Ashers, even though their sandwiches are grand and their cupcakes or delicious. I do not want some company to dictate their religious values on me, if I want that I will go to church.
I am not an Atheist, I was raised as a free Catholic. Oh yea got you there, a Dutch girl raised Catholic. ;) I will save that story for another time. After studying religion at university I find it beautiful that it gives people meaning in their lives, guidance. The wrong way of using religion to dictate other people how to live their lives. We see it all over the world, people are being murdered and prosecuted in the name of religion.
The statement above is wrong. I'll give you some examples why it is wrong.
Lesbian and gay couples conceive their kids through other ways than a regular family, either through adoption, sperm donors, insemination or surrogate mothers. If I missed another option, my apologies. They really want these kids and fight for it. I've met several of these couples throughout my life and I can say they are devoted and caring parents.
When I was in Derry~Londonderry earlier this month, me and my father donated for equality in Northern Ireland. You won't believe the lies some political parties spouted about same-sex parents, that their kids would also be gay and that all kids will be abused by their parents. I am sorry, what kind of crack have you been smoking?!
I am an advocate to licensed parenting. This is very controversial and you may dispute that with me but I have seen then and again people bringing children on this world who are incapable of taking caring of them. Child abuse by their own parents are at an all-time high, does the name Josef Fritzl ring a bell? And I am not talking about the mental and physical abuse cases. What about the Duggar family? That is a good Christian family, who failed to fess up that their oldest son abused 5 girls when he was younger. They preach about how God saved and has forgiven this piece of thrash, but common practice in the USA for repeat offenders is jail sentence. I am sorry when you have abused 5 girls, there is something wrong with you and it is not an mistake. You shouldn't be allowed near children for the rest of your life.
Back to the situation in Northern Ireland. The DUP again made sure that legalisation of same-sex marriages was rejected and listen what they have to say about this.
DUP Assembly member Peter Weir said: “This is not a serious debate. Clearly this motion is an attack on the symbolism of marriage and the institution of marriage and an attempt to redefine marriage.
“My party believes, and I believe also, that marriage is between one man and one woman and once you redefine that you lose the essence of marriage itself.
Symbolism of marriage? Don't make me laugh, society threw out the symbolism of marriage with all those divorces worldwide. Don't get me wrong, if you divorce because the love is over or abuse is involved you are allowed to in my opinion. I'd rather see people split up, than be miserable for the rest of their lives. Marriage is not some holy relic, not any more. It is a bond between two people who love each other. And don't give me this civil partnership crap, if you want to make the difference between them and you, you are an idiot.
When Ireland said yes to same-sex marriages, the sun still rose the next day and we didn't perish in a sea of flames of the Rapture. Surprise, surprise.
This video describes the situation the best. If someone in the past hadn't protested, my parents would have never been allowed to get married. And I am proud to be from a mixed race marriage, it gave me diversity and customs from both sides and made me who I am today. A person who believes in Equality.
I call out for everyone to join the fight for a better and more equal world.
