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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Roisin Butler

Calls for continued LGBT advocacy seven years on from Ireland equality referendum

LGBT advocates have reflected on the nature of the marriage equality referendum on its 7th anniversary, arguing that homophobia still remains a considerable issue in Irish society.

Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same sex marriage through a referendum on the 23rd May 2015, a day after the votes were cast. Almost 2 million people turned out at the polls, with 62% voting in favour of same sex marriage.

However, some social media users have said the campaigning for the referendum enabled homophobic discourse in everyday life, and that homophobia still remains a significant problem nationwide.

“Ireland voted yes in the marriage equality referendum. But marriage equality did not end discrimination against the LGBTQI+ Community. There has been significant progress in Ireland, but there is still much more work that needs to be done,” advocacy group LGBT Ireland said in a statement on Twitter.

The passing of the referendum resulted in a joyous celebration within the grounds of Dublin Castle, attended by the LGBTQI+ community, campaigners and government ministers alike. All constituencies, bar Roscommon-Leitrim, voted in favour of marriage equality, with the ‘Yes’ vote exceeding 70% in the Dublin area.

The social impact of the referendum was evident, with former Archbishop Diarmuid Martin saying that it was a “wake up call” for the Catholic Church.

The marriage equality referendum was also marked by a high turnout, with tens of thousands of people registering at the ballot for the first time in order to cast their vote.

A vote on reducing the age barrier placed on presidential candidates from 35 to 21 was also held in conjunction with the marriage equality referendum, but was ultimately rejected.

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