Write a commentThe Newry Rainbow Community is stepping up its demand for the introduction of equal marriage in the province and are hosting a volunteer recruitment evening on 9 February.
According to Newry Rainbow Chairman, Rory Rafferty, legalising marriage for gay people is a fundamental human rights and equality issue.
"Some people wonder what all the fuss is about and point to the fact that there are provisions for civil partnerships. Civil partnership is not the same as marriage. It is different in many ways. Although civil partnership does offer some rights and protections, it is not equality and it does not extend all the same rights to same sex couples as marriage would, including rights in relation to children and other critical legal rights.
"The benefits that people ascribe to opposite-sex marriage - greater commitment, a better place to raise children, a more fulfilling and satisfactory existence etc. - ought to be available for same-sex partners who want to get married. There is no evidence, outside the opinions of certain pundits and propaganda from Churches and the right-wing, that a marriage between two women or two men is less beneficial to society than a heterosexual one. This argument has been accepted by the US Supreme Court, most of Western Europe and across these islands – except here in Northern Ireland!"
Mr Rafferty concluded "The forthcoming Assembly election is another important opportunity to make sure that those who are elected, and who will form the next Government here, no longer hide behind false promises about equality, but actually deliver."
The Newry Rainbow Community hosts the event in Rainbow House, 28a Monaghan Street, Newry on Thursday 9th February from 6:00pm to 9:00pm
If you are passionate about equality and want to get involved in the campaign for Equal Marriage go along to find out how you can help.
