Northern Ireland has been left behind when it comes to equal marriage. Civil marriage equality is legal in the Republic as of last May and has been legal in the rest of the United Kingdom since 2014.
Last year, there was a historic vote in Stormont Assembly, which passed a motion to see same-sex unions recognised in Northern Ireland.
Unfortunately, though, the motion was vetoed after the DUP used a “petition of concern” to argue that legalising same-sex couples to marry in Northern Ireland didn’t have a cross-community support.
The “petition of concern” can be used by either the Protestant or Catholic community if either political party feel one community may feel ostracised by a new law. The act was put into order following the 1998 Belfast agreement.
People have been fighting ever since.
Figurehead of marriage equality in the Republic, Panti Bliss
posted this photograph which sums up the frustration of the majority of the public in Northern Ireland who wish to see equal rights extended to their LGBTQ friends and relations.
