Irish Government to finally speak on gay marriage

Ireland’s one of most prominent LGBT voices Michael Barron speaks on why Ireland needs marriage equality and the need for changes in other social rights fields.

  

There are only 1 day left before the Irish Government officially responds to the “Recommendations of Convention on the Constitution on Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples”.

 

KaosGL.org uses this opportunity to listen to Ireland’s most prominent LGBT figures in order to highlight demands for various other social rights.

 

Set up in 2003, BeLonG To is Ireland’s national organisation for LGBT young people, working to combat homophobic bullying and youth suicide and make schools

safer places for students. It organizes trainings for teachers and works with the Department of Education to develop school curriculum and national anti-bullying policy.

 

Michael Barron is co-founder and Executive Director at BeLonG To. He plays a key role in significant national policy change in the areas of education, suicide prevention and drug and alcohol use.

 

Asked to comment on the upcoming marriage equality change and debates, Barron stated: "It’s important to see Marriage Equality as part of a broader LGBT Human Rights movement in Ireland. Our communities are working to improve Trans rights, to end homophobic and transphobic violence, to change our education system, and to improve the status of LGBT people who live at the intersections of prejudice such as LGBT Asylum Seekers and Refugees.”

 

“I think it’s vital that we don’t mistake ’marriage equality’ for ’Equality’ and see it as a piece of the jigsaw not the jigsaw itself. Having said that, marriage rights are so important for so many same sex couple in Ireland. The movement has also raised the profile of LGBT issues in mainstream society and has rallied the community in a way that has never happened before."

 

Michael Barron will be one of the key guests during Kaos GL’s “2nd Symposium Against Discriminations” on December 13-14, 2013.