A new task force, Equality For Children, has been mobilised through equalityforchildren.ie. LGBT+ Rights Campaigner Ranae Von Meding will meet with Minister for Health Simon Harris today at the Department of Health, Building on Baggot Street, Dublin 2. Before that, there will be a demonstration by LGBT+ parents who feel they have been failed by the Irish Government.
LGBT+ parents do not have the same rights as heterosexual parents. Only one person in an LGBT+ family can be a legal parent – leaving an unknown outcome for families in the event of bereavement, illness and more.
Almost five years on from marriage equality, all other LGBT+ family equality has stalled. The reality is that LGBT+ families, married and unmarried exist, but remain unprotected in the Irish state in spite of the marriage referendum.
Ranae von Meding said, “We’re tired of sitting idly on an unfulfilled promise by the State which has spanned years, and we’re calling out for help in making our point. Many people think that because we have marriage equality, that everything is sorted out – but it is not.
LGBTQ+ do not parents have the same rights as heterosexual parents. Only one person in an LGBTQ+ family can be a legal parent – leaving an unknown outcome for families in the event of bereavement, illness and more. https://t.co/t3zOrbZTHk
— Gay Community News (@GCNmag) October 21, 2019
“We saw how YesEquality brought people together in 2015 because love wins. Now we’re calling on the people of Ireland to get behind us to make magic happen once more,” she added.
Even the protections promised in 2015 by the government under the family and relationships bill dictating a very particular LGBT+ family makeup have not come to fruition in the last five years.
Another member of ‘Equality For Children’ Sarah Stone McDevitt said: “We started our family in 2017. We followed all the government’s rules, rules that excluded so many other LGBTQ+ families in the hope it would ensure our family would have protection. At the end of 2019, as a married couple with two children, we still don’t have the protection promised.”
Currently, the campaign has garnered support from people who are willing to help across social media, fundraising, lobbying, design and more, but the task group hopes to raise much-needed funds, along with getting more volunteers and support from influential people.
We’re at the Department of Health with @equalchildren in advance of @ranaevonmeding meeting with @SimonHarrisTD today to lobby for equality for the children of LGBT+ families who feel they have been failed by the government. 🌈 #equalityforchildren pic.twitter.com/21DOgEAEjq
— Gay Community News (@GCNmag) October 21, 2019
Ranae met with Minister for Health Simon Harris on Monday, October 21, but the mother-of-two has named this date as the first demonstration by Equality for Children, which launched the campaign outside the Department of Health, at 11.30 am.
Ranae von Meding recently launched a petition, calling for equal rights for same-sex parents in Ireland, which to date has received over 26,000 signatures.
The petition will be presented to Simon Harris during today’s meeting.
‘Equality For Children’ can be found at Facebook, Twitter and www.equalityforchildren.ie.
© 2019 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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