‘Yes’ side engaging in aggressive secularism

On the streets of Waterford on May 16, I was abused while canvassing for a ‘no’ vote in the marriage referendum.

To disagree with the ‘yes’ campaign is to be considered homophobic, prejudiced, bigoted and hateful. One young lesbian described me as a “disgusting person” and a gay man accused me of being “full of hate”.

This has been a shameful characteristic of this debate. Aggressive secularism is a sad reality both of public and private discourse. Characterising traditional marriage as prejudice is itself prejudice.