My son has endless love from his mothers, help give him security

I love my newborn son. I did not give birth to him, his other mother did. Yet I love him dearly, just as any mother would. We are a family unit of three.

We eat together, laugh together, cry together, play together and of course; pray together. We do all the things that a family unit can and should do together, except one thing.

Unfortunately his two parents are currently unable to get married in this country within the eyes of the law. They have not been allowed to declare their love for each other through the sacrament of marriage.

Yesterday I came across a leaflet entitled ‘Sounds of Sodomy’, calling for the people of Ireland to lobby together in an effort to prevent the ‘innocent children’ of same sex couples from being ‘exposed to beastly obsession with unholy acts and unholy homosexual unions’ whilst attempting to reinstate that ‘marriage is between one man and one woman’.

As I read these words I ask myself over and over how did we come to this? How did we forget about the true teaching behind all religions; that being pure unconditional, unjudgemental love.

That life is simply about learning to love each other more. That family is about fostering comfort, stability, security and happiness.

As I gaze proudly into my son’s eyes I can wholeheartedly say that he does have comfort, stability and happiness but due to current Irish law he does not yet have security.

Although I did not carry nor give birth to him, I have this inbuilt primal mothering instinct that wants and needs to protect him. But I cannot protect him from these words of hatred, judgement and distaste.

However, the Irish people this coming May will finally have the chance to protect him and finally have the chance to help his two mothers to feel accepted as a family unit.

I can truly tell that our little boy is not concerned that a family unit should comprise of one man, one woman and their children. All he knows is that his two parents would do anything for him.

Yet, after all this judgement and cruelty, after all this offensiveness I am proud still to call myself a Catholic as I do in fact still believe in love. I do also believe in forgiveness and I forgive these words of heartlessness.

Therefore, I beg the people of Ireland to protect our family unit and please vote yes in the Marriage Equality referendum in May.

Fiona Ryan

Brittas

Boher

Co Limerick