I hate to rain on the marriage equality parade, but Irish society is not one to be celebrated yet.
From the rainbow highlighting the Liffey to scenes of exhalation and joy, the passing of the marriage equality referendum in Ireland on Saturday was something to be proud of.
This tiny country has taken a momentous step forward. And it’s a step Australians wish they could follow.
It was heralded with delight.
“A kinder, more accepting Ireland has awoken.”
“It has reshaped forever the republic in which we live.”
“A turning point. The future bright and open.”
All of this is true. Ireland has taken a huge leap forward. At the same time however, the country is just as oppressive and just as brutal for women as it has always been.
Not enough people know that Ireland is a country where the government retains control over women’s bodies; where a woman’s rights to her own body are dictated by legislation.
To see social media reactions from the referendum, see below. Post continues after gallery.
My Dublin born mother, her two sisters, and their daughters, my ten female cousins – strong, happy women – are constricted by a law which says they have no right to abortion unless there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother.
It is not even legal to have an abortion in the case of lethal foetal abnormality in the Catholic country that everyone has been celebrating over the weekend.
An Irish senator proposes to her partner live on air after the Irish vote comes down as Yes. Post continues after video.
The law in the Republic of Ireland says that even women who are raped or women who are victims of incest can access safe abortions.
The last attempt to change abortion law in Ireland was in 2002. It proposed removing the threat of suicide as grounds for legal abortion, but was defeated. It was one of five attempts to change the law in the last 30 years.