Equal marriage campaigner tells Northern Irish politicians to ‘respect the will of the people’
A campaigner for same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland has said politicians there should respect āthe will of the peopleā.
Una Mullally, equal marriage campaigner, said the people of Northern Ireland āoverwhelmingly support marriage equalityā.
She spoke ahead of Amnesty Internationalās Belfast Pride Lecture which took place on Tuesday evening.
āOne of the things we need to work on as an island as a whole, is greater solidarity and communication between communities north and south. This is acutely apparent in how the LGBT communityās rights have been divided on the island,ā she said.
āIt is absurd that a lesbian or gay couple can get married in Dundalk but not Newry, Letterkenny but not Strabane, Clones but not Enniskillen. It is absurd too, that politicians continue to veto the equality and rights of people in Northern Ireland, disrespecting the will of the people, who overwhelmingly support marriage equality in the North. On what basis is this being done other than prejudice?
āMarriage equality is not just an issue for lesbian and gay couples, it is not just about weddings, it is not just about extending access to an institution to people who have been excluded from it. It is about recognising that all of us are equal and deserve to be seen and treated as such.
āThe politicians who oppose marriage equality need to reflect on the impetuses that are pushing them to do so. Prejudice, discrimination, meanness, and a lack of charity and fairness are not Christian values.ā
The Irish Times columnist also authored āIn the Name of Love, an oral history of the movement for marriage equality in Irelandā.
She also campaigned for same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland which saw same-sex marriage legalised in 2015.
The Northern Ireland Assembly is not currently functioning, due to the collapse of the power-sharing agreement between the DUP and Sinn Fein.
The DUP is strongly opposed to LGBT equality, and has employed peace process powers to override democratic votes in favour of equal marriage in the Northern Irish Assembly.
Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK where same-sex marriage is not legal.
The DUP last week met Theresa Mayās backing for equal marriage in Northern Ireland with a frosty reception.
The Prime Minister penned an op-ed for PinkNews yesterday to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality.
