Ireland's Referendum Will Show How Catholics Feel About Gay Marriage

On Friday, the Republic of Ireland will hold a nationwide referendum on gay marriage. Voters will respond “Yes” or “No” in regards to whether the following phrase should be added to the Irish Constitution: “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with the law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.” If the “Yes” vote wins, the country will be the first in the world to make gay marriage a constitutionally-guaranteed right. Eighteen countries and several U.S. states have legalized same-sex marriage, but none have accomplished that feat through popular vote and none of those nations have the law written into their constitution. Given Ireland’s Roman Catholic population and history of conservatism, the country is poised to be an unlikely leader in this civil rights issue.

Most polls thus far have predicted that the “Yes” vote will win. According to the Telegraph, last weekend’s polls showed that between 63 and 73 percent of voters were in favor of same sex marriage. According to NBC News, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny supports the “Yes” movement but has deemed the race too close to call. “Marriage is a public statement that two people want to spend their lives together; it is an institution that our society values and affords status to,” Kenny said to the USA Today. “This is what the referendum is about: equality. Everyone should have the right to marry the person they love.” Several other prominent Irish names and politicians — including, of course, Bono — have voiced their support for the movement.

The support for marriage equality in Ireland is surprising for several reasons. The nation only decriminalized homosexuality as recently as 1993. A similar referendum to allow divorce in the country — again, opposed by the Catholic Church — only narrowly passed in 1995. Civil unions for homosexual couples were officially recognized in 2010. Abortion is still illegal.

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