Irish senator calls for ‘open debate’ on whether same-sex marriage would ban Mother’s Day
An Irish senator has called for an “open debate” about same-sex marriage – after claiming Mother’s Day could be banned if it becomes law.
The Republic of Ireland is set to vote on proposals to legalise civil same-sex marriage on May 22.
Independent senator Fidelma Healy Eames warned yesterday: “Happy Mothers’ day all! Hope we can continue to celebrate it after #SSM passed. In some US states Mothers & Father’s Day banned #pcgonemad.”
The senator was ridiculed for her comments – as no state has ever tried to ‘ban’ Mother’s Day, and indeed the day is marked by LGBT activists and same-sex couples.
Ms Healy Eames defended her comments to the Irish Examiner, saying: “My tweet was very much to say ‘Happy Mother’s Day. Gosh I’d never like to see this happening here’. Let’s hope we can celebrate it after same sex marriage is passed here. Obviously that’s if it’s passed.
“You know, I did make one error in the tweet which I want to acknowledge.
“I said ‘in some US States’, I meant ‘in some US schools’. All I’m saying is this, let’s have an open debate.”
PinkNews found one tabloid report from 2001 claiming a private New York Reform Jewish school, Rodeph Sholom Day School, opted not to celebrate the holiday in favour of Jewish traditions, but could not verify that this was the case. Same-sex marriage was not legal in New York in 2001.
Nova Scotia is in Canada – not the United States. In 2013, Astral Drive Elementary school in the province opted to celebrate ‘Family Day’.
