A JOINT PARTY

Irish people all over the world are marking 10 years of Marriage Equality this year, and for those in Canada, it’s a double celebration. Conor Galvin, President of Vancouver Queer Irish (VQI), fills us in on the community group’s event and reflects on the meaning of the momentous occasion.

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Queer people in Ireland, as unfortunately is the case in much of the world, have historically had a difficult time. For most of us over the age of 25 (and for many still), growing up in Ireland and facing the realisation that we were queer came with a feeling of fear, a constant question of whether we’d be accepted, and an endless worry about the future. And so, for many of us, May 22, 2015, felt like more than just a referendum on marriage. For the first time in our country’s history, the people of Ireland were being asked: Are LGBTQ+ people accepted and supported here? Do you see a future where we are treated as equals?

I remember well the nerves walking into the polling station, fortunate to be surrounded by friends and family who wanted to join me in saying ‘Yes’, and then the knot in my stomach that night. The votes were cast, the campaigning was done, and the decision was made. All we could do was wait, suspended in that strange space between hope and fear.

Now, 10 years on, we get to celebrate that Ireland overwhelmingly said ‘Yes’! Yes, we do accept and support you. Yes, you are entitled to show and celebrate your love, just like we do ours.

Here in Canada, we had double cause to celebrate this year. Not only is it the 10-year anniversary of the Marriage Referendum in Ireland, but it’s also the 20-year anniversary of the passing of the Marriage Equality Act in the Canadian House of Commons, a landmark law that secured the right to marry for all 2SLGBTQ+ people across the country. And celebrate we did! On May 24, at the Museum of Vancouver, Vancouver Queer Irish hosted over 100 community members for an evening of food, drinks, music and performances (as is Irish tradition!) to celebrate these two monumental moments in the queer histories of Canada and Ireland.

We were also honoured to be joined by Bill Siksay, a former MP for the area. In 2004, Siksay became the first openly gay non-incumbent man to be elected to Canada’s House of Commons. That same year, Siksay introduced a bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression, a bill which would eventually become law in 2016. When the Marriage Equality Act was introduced in February 2005, Siksay passionately and publicly debated its opponents and became one of its most committed champions. The bill was eventually passed, providing LGBTQ+ individuals with the right to marry.

But alongside celebration must come a call to action. Queer people who have gained certain privileges— whether through social acceptance, legal protections, or economic stability—now have a crucial role to play in supporting others within our community, especially our transgender and gender-diverse siblings, and the queer youth of today, many of whom continue to face heightened discrimination, violence, and systemic barriers. Solidarity and affirmative action within the LGBTQ+ community are not only needed, they are essential to ensuring that the progress we’ve made benefits all members of our community, not just those most accepted by wider society.

Thankfully, with the support of the Irish Consulate here in Vancouver, as well as many local Irish-owned and Canadian businesses, our Marriage Equality Anniversary event was not only a celebration, it also raised funds for three wonderful organisations supporting the queer, trans, and two-spirit communities here in Canada and abroad.

So, let’s all celebrate our wins. Let’s hold those feelings of joy and acceptance close. But let’s also make sure we’re working to ensure our entire community gets to share in them!

Stay up to date with Vancouver Queer Irish on Instagram at @vanqueerirish.