Over the weekend, the people of Ireland voted overwhelmingly to pass a national referendum legalizing same-sex marriage.
Ireland became the first country in the world to pass marriage equality through popular vote on Friday. The final vote was decisive, with over 1,201,607 voting in favor of the referendum and 734,300 voting against it. Reuters estimated that “more than 60 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot, the highest turnout at a referendum there in over two decades.”
This high voter turnout was reflected in international social media trends as well as “Vote Yes” campaign strategies. The hashtag #HomeToVote was trending on Twitter on the day of the election in Ireland, as those living abroad discussed traveling home to cast their ballot in this historic vote.
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the outcome of the vote “disclosed who we are — a generous, compassionate, bold and joyful people.”
Ireland, a largely Catholic country, has a complex history with its LGBT community, and only decriminalized homosexuality in the 1990s. One “Vote Yes” campaign volunteer discussed the rapid shift in the nation’s view on the issue over the span of his lifetime. “When I was born and was a teenager I was illegal as a homosexual in Ireland,” volunteer Ross said, “…and [now] we’re voting to make us equal in our constitution.”
The country has had a turbulent relationship, too, with abortion, which remains illegal in Ireland. Earlier this year the Human Rights Commission in Northern Ireland called for a judicial review on the region’s restrictive abortion law. Currently, abortion law in the area has abortion illegal in all cases except when a pregnant person’s life is at risk or when there is the risk of permanent or serious damage to the pregnant person’s mental or physical health.
Media Resources: CNN 5/23/15; NPR 5/23/15; HRC Blog 5/25/15; Feminist Newswire 2/3/15;