Workers Solidarity Movement

Sunday, August 9 saw over 5,000 demonstrators take part in a march support of an equal marriage status for gay couples. The ‘March for Marriage’ was organised by lobby group LGBT Noise, and was supported by the LGBT community, heterosexuals, and political groups, including the Worker’s Solidarity Movement (WSM).The demonstration took place in order to highlight the inadequacies of the Civil Partnership Bill for gay couples. The proposed legislation has been criticised for institutionalising discrimination for gay couples, and it would have significant reprocussions for couples seeking to adopt and share inheritance.

According to Liam Connolly of LGBT Noise, “the government insists on introducing a civil partnership bill which, by its very nature, is unequal. It is unequal because it is separate. Even if its provisions were identical to marriage, it would still send out a message that same sex relationships are inferior, that our love and our families don’t count and that gay people do not deserve an equal standing in society.”

The WSM fully supports the introduction of equal marriage rights for gay couples. According to member of the WSM, and demonstrator at the march, Donal ó Fállúin, “equality means equal rights for everyone regardless of sexuality, gender or race. Our fight for a better society means that we support any effort to reduce inequalities and discrimination amongst the working-class.”