In a round about way, like the no voters, I am thinking of the children... although they're not ACTUALLY thinking about the children at all, it's a referendum about being equal *shakes head*... don't get me started... anyhoo... I'm thinking about the future children of Ireland... I don't have children, I won't be having children, but I have some super gorgeous god children (I mean they're mine, so of course they are fabulous!), and my friends children are the most beautiful on the planet ever, no really they are... and right now they are all children... they have no clue about relationships or sex or any grown up stuff, they want to eat sweets, play, complain about bed time and go to the zoo everyday... they are all wonderfully innocent... I adore every single one of them.. I mean some of them are going to be lucky enough to inherit my shoe collection! When you explain to them that someone is gay, they just go "OK.. NOW can we go to the zoo?!"... it is beautiful to see them accept things that grown adults can't... I want them to stay that accepting and open forever...
I'm all about the love... I love seeing people in love... I love public displays of affection... Holding someones hand is the most amazing feeling... just by touch you know they're on your side and no matter what they'll be there... I hate the fact that there are people in this country who are afraid... ashamed... scared to hold the hand of the person they love... afraid to peck them on the cheek when they say goodbye... fearful of shouting 'see ya later, love you' as they part...
I would hate to think, that when these beautiful children I know are all grown up, they would look at my generation, and wonder why we didn't think everyone in this country had equal rights... why we didn't believe that every Irish person is the same as each other... why Ireland decided that some citizens weren't good enough or deserved the same as everyone else... I would hate to think that in 30 years time, when I'll be rocking it in the old folks home, that they couldn't marry the person they loved and give me a day out... regardless of who they marry, I want them all to be happy, healthy and live forever... but I'm hopeful that, maybe not these children, I'm not that naive, but their children will live in a society where it doesn't matter who's hand you hold... that being gay or straight isn't an issue for anyone... that telling someone you love them out loud isn't something to fear...
No body decides to be gay... you are born gay... it just is... like being born straight... same thing... So shouldn't we all be treated the same and have the same rights? Gay people in Ireland have suffered enough in the past... pretending to be heterosexual, hiding their true feelings, living their lives in denial... even having the facade of a married life and children so they wouldn't be 'outed', make their family ashamed or be outcast from towns and villages, being beaten up for being who they really are, that they would be made feel less of a person because of who they loved, I mean even typing that sounds like the dark ages but even today there are young people who are scared and ashamed to admit who they really are and that makes me very very sad...
I am very non judgemental... except when it comes to eyebrows (I know I'm shallow in that department...) but everyone wants to fit in... being obese meant I didn't fit in... I wasn't included... and its a horrible feeling, no where near the same feeling of not being accepted because you love someone who society says you shouldn't! Society judges everyone... there are people alive who remember drinking fountains for 'whites only' in America... but with education and change and opening peoples minds, we've learnt as a race that everyone has got something to give... and when you meet someone, regardless of race, colour, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, height, eye colour.. take your pick... you can learn something from them... it's like the saying goes, there's no bad religion, just bad people... we've come a long way from the cave days, and this is the next step...
Honestly, if gay people want get married, good for them... if it affects my day then I might have a say about it, but why would it?! Two people in love and wanting to celebrate it is allowed in my book... The only real complaint I would have is their weddings would be even MORE fabulous than any of the ones I've been too...
For a country that is seen as modern and forward thinking, I mean a century ago women couldn't vote, we look back at those days and think it's kinda mad really... yet Ireland has already had TWO women presidents.. who could forget Mary Robinson's 'the hand that rocked the cradle...' speech?! So we can lead the change... I urge you all to go out and vote... it is only by lack of footfall to the ballot boxes that the 'no' campaigners, who are so desperate to keep us in the dark ages, will win and if they do, it will be a very dark day for the kids of the future in this country...
Love your weightloss blog but I could not change the laws of the state to give couples with same sex attraction the same legal footing as natural marriage if the constitution is changed same sex marriages will be given the same rights as married heterosexuals involving adopting children etc etc widowers benefits pensions etc etc who is paying for all that ? I respect every human being but same sex marriage is not a way of helping anyone ...
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to agree to disagree.. I believe everyone should be treated the same, regardless of sexual attraction, race, religion, skin colour.. but that's just me and my opinion... I don't think I have the right to stop anyone doing what they want, especially if it's OK for me to do it... Just my tuppence on the whole thing... x
DeleteGod forbid people want the same rights as other people, right? And it'd be the same people paying for it as pays for the current marriage rights: either themselves, or the rest of the country. Why be willing to pay for one person's happiness, but not another's?
DeleteDoll, obviously you know where my stance is on the whole thing, and I commend you on this post. I think it would be amazing if a country that's seen by the world as Ireland is (i.e. so extremely religious) would be the first to VOTE for same-sex marriage rights. I think it would be so, so incredible if the vote passed. I'm pretty excited by the prospect of it. PEOPLE saying, "we want equal rights for these underrepresented people."
And that's pretty neat.
So thanks for bringing this up. :)
I dunno doll it's hard enough to commit to weightwatchers never mind marriage .. Let's agree to disagree
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness Ireland is certainly not a religious place anymore every other person is separated or living with someone no one I know goes to mass on any kind of regular basis .. Marriage is not a permanent way of life people leave when they want to .. It's the children that suffer always from the choices of their parent .. Doing what we feel like doing isn't always the right choice ..
ReplyDeleteMy thinking on that is doing what you feel like isn't always the right choice for you.. But it's your choice... Some people don't have that choice and I have no right to something that isn't fair and equal to everyone... I know children from broken marriages who never got the start in life they deserved... I also know gay couples raising children in loving homes... But it's not about raising children.. It's about getting the same right to get married no matter what your sexual preference... We'll just have to disagree, but I think using children as a reason to vote no based on how they'll be raised has nothing to do with this referendum... Gay couples will still be family units no matter what the outcome,... But discrimination isn't something I support... x
DeleteHi Doll ... As I said I love your blog and you inspire me every day to keep going with my weight struggle .. I think you should have your own tv programme r something ! Your great .. I also think Ireland is in a stage of upheaval with the rest of the world really .. Everything we believed before is being turned upside down .. We r now being told we don't really have a gender we can choose what we want to be ourselves ... Babies are something to be created in other women's wombs donor eggs donor sperm ... Men should marry men women should marry women .. Nobody seems to believe in any kind of God I'm amazed at how many people feel their lives mean nothing because they are all just 'worm food' it all seems so crazy to me ... I'm sure the referendum will pass because that's the mindset everyone seems to be in .. But I will stick to my traditional way ... Maybe I'm getting to old for all this !!! Thanks again doll for letting me rant ... And keep up the great work :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe everything that was believed before was wrong... 'god' hasn't done much good to a lot of irish people, Magdalene laundries, child abuse etc... there's no bad religion but bad people who hide behind it... like I said I'm not getting into a debate on it but I thought it was important to say how I felt about it all... We'll have to agree to disagree... x
DeleteThe 'people' who committed and covered up those atrocities were not living or practicing their faith they just wore the outfit and did whatever THEY wanted to do ... Because they could ) To believe in what the faith teaches I look to the people who practiced it ......Mother Teresa of Calcutta ...Padre pio ... St Vincent de Paul aswell as the great unknowns who give up their lives to look after the poor and the sick I would not ever look to those who abandon God and get pleasure from beating women in laundries and raping young boys as any marker of a person of faith ... Mother Teresa was the first person to look after AIDS patients in India ... While others spat on them in the street .
ReplyDeleteMother Teresa eh? Educate yourself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65JxnUW7Wk4
DeleteWe can't let all those good people be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteto be honest I think you're twisting my words.. so again... we'll just have to agree to disagree... this is my post, on my feelings about equality the of Irish Citizen and I totally get there are people in the world who think differently but I'm not going to have an argument with you here... I feel very strongly about there being a YES vote on Friday... you don't... I'm just going to leave it there.. x
DeleteBrilliant post. Beautifully said.
ReplyDelete