5,000 march for gay rights

Date:

Sunday, August 9th saw over 5,000 demonstrators in Dublin take part in a march in support of 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 Workers Solidarity Movement.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 against gay couples, and it would have significant repercussions for inheritance and adoption. 


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 one of the marchers, WSM member 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.”


This article is from Workers Solidarity 111 September 2009

Download the PDF file of WS111