• Marriage isn’t enough

    I’ve been asked recently by a lot of people whether I’m pleased that the new legislation has gone through allowing same-sex couples to get married. I am pleased, of course. I helped to work for it and I’m delighted to see happy smiling faces of couples I know who are now as hitched as anyone else.

    However, to ask whether I am satisfied would get a different answer.

    You see, I face direct and threatening discrimination at work if I marry. Couples who want to marry in churches like mine can’t do so. And in any case, it isn’t just about marriage anyway.

    You see, marriage isn’t enough.

    We want to be able to hold hands too.

    Can you imagine being allowed to be able to go to the registrar to arrange your own marriage but be frightened to hold hands walking through George Square on your way to do so? Some people reading this will say yes to that question – most won’t even have thought of it.

    Panti Bliss, the Irish drag queen is currently continuing the great tradition of drag queens telling the truth about discrimination.

    Here she is, and if you’ve never worried about holding someone’s hand, do take a look.

3 responses to “St Andrews Debates”

  1. Allan Ronald Avatar
    Allan Ronald

    Delighted to learn that so much progress has been made at our Alma Mater (I graduated MA in 1971). Gaudeamus igitur, indeed.

  2. Zebabee Avatar
    Zebabee

    There were signs of change in 1999 when I departed from St Marys. Delighted that the progress has gathered pace over the years and is now so much improved.

  3. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    When I was there (I left in 75), it was understood that nobody in Gaysoc spoke about who else they had seen at a meeting – it was still not safe to be ‘out’ in public. That was at a liberal-minded University. Of course there were people who were out, some notably gifted. Indeed, thank God for it.

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