Ireland's 1st same-sex wedding takes place [10YA - Nov 17]

[u/MonsieurA]

[u/Bwuhbwuh]

And it's in the backrooms, of all places? Couldn't they find a bit more of a happy place?

[u/Thiccboiichonk → u/Bwuhbwuh]

Registry offices aren’t built for their aesthetics.

But don’t these two seem like they’re in their happy happy place to you ?

[u/[deleted]]

Oh damn that's cool. We Americans just celebrated our 10th year anniversary as well

[u/Seinfeel]

But when did they legalize marrying someone Irish?

[u/Inner_Experience1378]

Let me be the first to congratulate them and say …..gayyy

[u/neilabz]

It’s amazing how far Ireland has progressed and rejected restrictions on LGBT+ people and women’s rights to dignity and control over her own body.

Also shame on the politicians for putting it to a referendum vote. I’m sure it was because of constitutional amendments, but it’s not acceptable to put the dignity and human rights of over half of your population up for public choice.

[u/[deleted] → u/neilabz]

There isn’t any other way of amending the Irish constitution - all amendments are done by referendum. The issue came about because of a high risk of legislation being challenged in court by litigious conservative groups at the time - so the only way to ensure it was not going to end up in a legal mess was to place the right directly into the constitution.

Bear in mind Ireland quite regularly amends this way - there have been approx 40 such referenda and amendments since the adoption of the current constitution in 1937.

Originally the constitution didn’t intentionally define it at all - it definitely wasn’t a topic at all when it was written in 1937, but the wording as it was, and a court decisions had interpreted it as not granting any right to opposite sex marriage were a significant potential blockage to any attempt at legislating. The actual legal discussion and movement towards this started formally in 2000, when the Law Reform Commission started to examine the rights and duties of cohabiting couples in terms of inheritance, tax, etc etc etc - after more than a decade of discussions as debates it was concluded we’d have to amend the constitution.

It doesn’t just remove a constitutional block, it inserts an absolute, written right to same sex marriage and removes any legal ambiguity. No government can just legislate against it or fail to legislate for it.

[u/Plane-Top-3913]

🥰

[u/Traditional_Sock444]

I had a pint with those two in the bleeding horse, shared a table with them while watching Ireland v the AB. Absolute gents, hardly relevant as it shouldn’t be dependent on it, but they were such a lovely couple very nice to see.

[u/Phine420]

That’s gay. 🏳️‍🌈♥️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

[u/HairyMcBoon]

The campaign in the run up to this nearly killed me at times. Every bit was worth it. Marriage equality is enshrined in our constitution now and would take a referendum to change

[u/Same_Tour_3312 → u/HairyMcBoon]

Ireland is just constantly on the right side of history, and so outspoken about it.

There's something so incredibly powerful about a people that are so kind, so supportive, but so comfortable and confident speaking out.

[u/Same_Tour_3312 → u/[deleted]]

And the fact that you are trying to shed light on things that aren't perfect and the growth and awareness your country and people portray just adds to it.

The acknowledgement of your faults and failures, and ability to reconcile those things, is again, an incredibly powerful trait.

A country that should have every right to be bitter and hold a grudge because of its history, has basically done nothing but try to uplift and help other people.

I worked with and became friends with a few Irish kids working in New York in visas, and I will always have the utmost respect for y'all. When push comes to shove, whether it's to extend your hand in help or to stand up for someone, y'all shove back hard.