Billy

Although my partner’s co-workers have started a collection for our wedding, for me, and for many LGBT Irish people, the outcome of the up-coming referendum has much less to do with a big day out, but with positive visibility in our community, and recognition by the state as equal. I’m very fortunate that, although being raised in a rural Irish village, and coming out at a relatively young age, I have never faced overt homophobia. And even though I’ve had it very easy, compared to many, it’s still taken years of doubt and obsessing and self-analysis for me to be able to say with 100% conviction that my sexuality is healthy and natural, and not a perversion, or a dysfunction. I’m quite sure that I have given the subject much more thought than the people that so freely wield those terms.

I left Ireland at 25 to continue my studies, and the subsequently work abroad, but looking back it was mainly because I never settled there. I never saw much of myself reflected in mainstream Irish culture. This I only realized when I saw the mural by Joe Caslin a few weeks ago. There, 50 meters tall was an honest reflection of what ‘gay’ is to many people; two people that allow themselves to be intimate with each other, physically and emotionally. My cultural and sexual identities have always been distinct and separate aspects of myself because growing up there was no LGBT visibility in Ireland, let alone positive visibility. There was nothing that was both Irish and gay. I don’t know if I would have stayed in Ireland if things were different, but I am sure that I would have much more of a complete sense of a national identity. There is a whole campaign that is shouting about how we must think of the children, and I whole-heartedly agree. A YES vote would send a clear message to the Irish youth that you country values you and wants to give you the same opportunities as everyone else, even more so because it will be passed by popular consensus. A part of me feels that societal equality is too fundamental to be left to popular vote, but I hope that the Irish people will listen to reason, and try to see through the underhanded arguments of some of the NO campaigners and vote for a fairer, safer country.