This is a marriage referendum

It is unfortunate that a small but well-organised and vocal segment of the ‘no’ campaign have attempted to frame the marriage equality debate as a child protection issue. 

Rather cynically, they have exploited the general public’s relative unfamiliarity with gay families to suggest that they are not real families at all, and may even pose a danger to children.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The gay parents that I know are loving, caring, and protective of their children, perhaps especially so because they know what it feels like to be rejected and discriminated against by society.

I would urge those who are intent on vilifying gay families to spare a thought for the damage their words are doing to those children in whose name they purport to speak. I also urge the electorate to send a clear and unambiguous message that such prejudice will not be tolerated in our society by voting ‘yes’ in the forthcoming referendum.

Dr Laurence Davis

College Lecturer

Department of Government

University College Cork