Sir, – Your readers will be aware that the constitutional convention is to examine provision for “same-sex marriage” amongst a number of other issues. (Enda Kenny and Éamon Gilmore, Opinion, July 11th).
I am recommending to Government that the convention should instead examine the issue of “marriage for same-sex couples”. I want to point out that I am not in a “gay marriage” or a “same-sex” marriage. When I married Dr Ann Louise Gilligan in Canada in 2003, I was given a certificate for marriage.
The constitutional convention will be examining and debating whether civil marriage should be open to same-sex couples as it is for opposite-sex couples. The enactment of civil partnership exclusively for same-sex couples has already created a separate and unequal institution; Ireland does not need another separate institution called “same-sex marriage”.
Language is important in this debate as it is in shaping the reality of broader social change. – Yours, etc,