The last few months have been a wild ride, and for a lot of us, this is our first proper experience of a Referendum (what was that Lisbon thingy a few years ago? We don't remember, either). It’s been a real eye-opener, that's for sure. So, before we hit the polling stations, and find out the real results of the Referendum, let's take a look at some of the outcomes that we've seen already.
1. The Irish LGBTQ+ community is strong as hell.
It's not like this was ever a secret, but members of the LGBTQ+ community have seen an increased level of publicity as a result of the Referendum, and continue to be as impressive and classy as always. Here, here.
2. There's a lot of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Allies to the community have always been loud in their support, but the Referendum has cranked up the volume x1000, and we love it.
3. There are also a lot of people who aren't so supportive.
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For better or worse, the Referendum provides a format for people to express every opinion that enters their minds, and naturally there's a lot of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment floating around out there as a result. Not so cool.
4. Some of the Yes voters aren't helping matters either.
I can't say that the vandalism and tearing down the Vote No posters is too upsetting to witness, but it hasn't come free of consequence. The No campaign have jumped at the chance to paint the Yes campaigners as bullying and immature, as well as opening a painstaking dialogue about their 'right' to vote No. We hope you enjoy your right to deny the rest of us rights, in that case...
5. Mentioning 'the children' is an effective distraction device.
No matter how many reassurances we've received from the appropriate authorities, the No side continue to insist that the referendum concerns children. The scary thing is, it's having a serious effect on how people vote. Does this sneaky, misleading tactic remind anyone else of the school bully?
6. Young people are becoming more interested in politics.
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The majority of young people have little to no interest in politics, but an overwhelming percentage of us have registered to vote because we want a say in the Referendum. Having the ability to vote on an issue as important as this has already started to encourage young people to become more informed, and to be more active in politics.
7. People really hate being called homophobic.
I can't count the amount of times in the last few months I've heard or read the phrase "I'm not homophobic, but…" followed by a homophobic statement. I don't doubt that everyone is going into the polling stations with the best of intentions, but it's interesting to see people react to being called 'homophobic' as though they've just been scalded by hot coffee. Try being open-minded and accepting of others and perhaps you wouldn't be so shocked, just a thought....
8. The yes campaign has been inspirational.
We've registered to vote, we've canvassed, we've had our portraits taken, we've even broken a world record. The Referendum has inspired people to create beautiful works of art and write heartfelt pieces, poems and songs in support of a yes vote, which can really only be a good thing.
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9. The Referendum has hurt members of the LGBTQ+ community.
This Referendum is a major and ultimately positive step forward, and has inspired wonderful support for the LGBTQ+ community and for equality on a more general scale. However, there’s no escaping that it hurts to have our human rights, the validity of our relationships, and our ability to parent, debated and voted on. The mental health of many LGBTQ+ people has suffered as a result of the Referendum and will not be magically fixed overnight.
10. And it's not just LGBTQ+ people who have been targeted.
The Vote No posters are offensive to a number of groups: intentionally or not, they also criticize single-parent families and opposite-sex couples who have availed of surrogacy or adoption. The posters suggest that people who have gotten themselves and their children out of abusive situations have failed their children, and that women have a duty to raise any child they bear. Stupid, backwards and majorly insulting to many, whatever way you look at it.
11. People are discussing LGBTQ+ issues, even if they normally wouldn't.
Ever wondered how your mother or your great-aunt or the local shopkeeper felt about LGBTQ+ rights? There's never really been a not-awkward way to ask, but there is now thanks to the Referendum. Some discoveries have been disappointing, but most have been pleasantly surprising.
12. This won't fix everything.
I know we'd like to think that if same-sex marriage becomes a reality, we can all shut up and get on with our lives in peace; sadly, this isn’t the case. Many problems exist in the LGBTQ+ community which won’t be solved by marriage equality. The constant references to 'gay marriage' and 'gay' or 'straight' couples is enough to show the continued invisibility of bisexuals and other members of the LGBTQ+ community who are not gay or lesbian. However, while marriage equality isn't everything, it's still a pretty great place to start.
13. There's going to be one hell of a party on May 23rd.
We've poured our hearts and souls into the Yes campaign, and we've heard the opinion of everyone in a ten-mile radius and frankly, we're emotionally drained. There'll only be one thing to do on Saturday, regardless of the outcome: get rip-roaringly drunk. With the Referendum results conveniently coinciding with the beauty that is Eurovision, we're crossing our fingers for a good night. We're excited!
