Act of Humanity: 10 years of Marriage Equality in Ireland. What it teaches us.

In May 2015, Ireland made history by becoming the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote. 
On that day, 62% of the Irish electorate voted “Yes” in a national referendum, amending the Constitution to state that “marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.” Ten years on, the Marriage Referendum stands as a landmark moment in the ongoing journey toward equality and human rights in Ireland.
As a young queer person who was involved in campaigning for a yes vote in the referendum, I saw the good and the bad of the campaign. 

There were incredibly moving acts of humanity, like when thousands came home from every part of the world in order to lend their hand to the yes vote. 
Unfortunately there were also acts of ignorance and hatred which cause a lot of hurt to the LGBTQ+ community. 10 years on from that historic vote, Ireland remains a two sided coin, we continue to change our laws to be more compassionate and embody humanity, but we also have a rising problem with discrimination towards minorities such as immigrants and refugees. 
This juxtaposition reminds us that there is still work to be done to ensure an equal and kind country for all of our citizens. 

As Italians go to the polls to vote on Key civil rights issue, these historic days should be remembered. The results of these votes will live in history forever and when we look back in 10, 20 or even 100 years we should be proud of the results of those votes and how humanity triumphs over wilful ignorance and exclusion.