by amyfairycakes » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:34 pm
I come from Ireland, and I have a ton of family in San Francisco, as a lot of my family emigrated there in the 60's/70's/90's.
Here in Ireland, we really look to America for example. Presently gays/lesbians have virtually no rights here. Suicide is highest among young men, and a reasonable amount of these suicides have been attributed to men being afraid to come out to friends and family. Here, being gay still holds certain negative connotations amongst older people, like my father, due to abuse suffered by children at the hands of Catholic priests, particularly young boys. I used to have a friend, and he came out as gay, when he was 16. He suffered a lot of bullying, and had to develop a very thick skin. As a result, I believe he became a nastier person carrying a chip on his shoulder. This is the kind of country Ireland is. But you guys in the States hold a huge amount of influence on us. I am certain that if non-religious same-sex marriages that granted same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples were embraced in the States, Ireland would follow suit, and introduce legislation to protect same-sex couples.
America was making so much progress, and now with Propostion 8 being passed, the movement has regressed. In a country whose foundations are built on freedoms, a country who proved last night that they are prepared to elect a president, regardless of race, it's sad that a minority have to experience discrimination.
I come from Ireland, and I have a ton of family in San Francisco, as a lot of my family emigrated there in the 60's/70's/90's.
Here in Ireland, we really look to America for example. Presently gays/lesbians have virtually no rights here. Suicide is highest among young men, and a reasonable amount of these suicides have been attributed to men being afraid to come out to friends and family. Here, being gay still holds certain negative connotations amongst older people, like my father, due to abuse suffered by children at the hands of Catholic priests, particularly young boys. I used to have a friend, and he came out as gay, when he was 16. He suffered a lot of bullying, and had to develop a very thick skin. As a result, I believe he became a nastier person carrying a chip on his shoulder. This is the kind of country Ireland is. But you guys in the States hold a huge amount of influence on us. I am certain that if non-religious same-sex marriages that granted same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples were embraced in the States, Ireland would follow suit, and introduce legislation to protect same-sex couples.
America was making so much progress, and now with Propostion 8 being passed, the movement has regressed. In a country whose foundations are built on freedoms, a country who proved last night that they are prepared to elect a president, regardless of race, it's sad that a minority have to experience discrimination.