MaRiAgE pOuR tOuSSaMe-sEx mArRiAgEmAtRiMoNiO iGuAlItArIo

MaRiAgE pOuR tOuSSaMe-sEx mArRiAgEmAtRiMoNiO iGuAlItArIo

BoUm ! BaNg !#1 FrAnCe / IrElAnD / ArGeNtInA

BoUm ! BaNg !#1 FrAnCe / IrElAnD / ArGeNtInA

Boum ! Bang ! est un fanzine international qui traite de thématiques LGBT, queer et féministes à travers le monde. Chaque numéro traite d’une thématique dans 3 pays différents.

Parce que nos combats sont communs et qu’ils n’avancent pas de la même façon à travers le monde, parce que voir des dynamiques et façons de militer différentes est encourageant et inspirant, parce que donner à voir nos actions au public permet d’ouvrir le débat et de sensibiliser, parce que laisser une trace écrite de nos actions est important.

Boum ! Bang ! es un fanzine, sobre el tema LGBT, queer y feminismo a través del mundo. Cada número trata la misma temática en 3 países diferentes.

Porque nuestra lucha es una sola y ella no avanza de la misma forma por el mundo, porque ver diferentes maneras de militar es tanto inspirador como motivante, porque mostrar nuestras acciones al público permite abrir el debate y sensibilizar, porque dejar un rastro escrito de ellas es importante.

Para

nos

otro

s, u

n ni

ño n

unca

es

un accidente

For

us,

a ch

ild

is n

ever

an accident Nous sommes pour le mariage gay. C’est une

réalité et non une entrave à la libertéWe are in favor of gay marriage law

This is a reality, this is not a hindrance to freedom

Boum ! Bang ! is an international fanzine about LGBT, queer and feminist topics throughout the world. Each issue will deal with the same themes in three different countries.

Because we share common struggles and because they do not evolve in the same way everywhere, because seeing different ways to campaign brings power and inspiration, because letting people know about our actions allows for debate and raises awareness. Because putting our actions in writing matters.

Boum ! Bang ! es un fanzine, sobre el tema LGBT, queer y feminismo a través del mundo. Cada número trata la misma temática en 3 países diferentes.

Porque nuestra lucha es una sola y ella no avanza de la misma forma por el mundo, porque ver diferentes maneras de militar es tanto inspirador como motivante, porque mostrar nuestras acciones al público permite abrir el debate y sensibilizar, porque dejar un rastro escrito de ellas es importante.

Nous sommes pour le mariage gay. C’est une réalité et non une entrave à la libertéWe are in favor of gay marriage law

This is a reality, this is not a hindrance to freedom

Aucun hétéro n’a été maltraité dans la mise en place de ce mariageHay gente rectas heridos en la elaboración de este matrimonio

-Please sir, can I have some more?-

Gettin’ real sick of being told to be a good little gay so people will think I “deserve” my own

rights. Gettin’ real sick of being repeatedly told that I need to be the bigger person in the face of people who would honestly rather me dead. Gettin’ real sick of being told not to make too much noise just in case I frighten a soft maybe into a hard no. Don’t get upset, it’s just “debate”, why

can’t you be “reasonable”?

Gettin’ real sick.

Hollifo

As of right now, there are twenty countries in the world that allow same-sex couples to marry. Add two more countries where it’s legal in some areas (that’s the US and Mexico), and we’re up to twenty-two, more or less*. All but one of these countries brought marriage equality in legislatively, or through court decisions. Only Ireland had a referendum and won.

Why did it happen this way?In short: because we had no choice. Back in 2006, our Supreme Court ruled that our Constitution- which never mentioned same-sex couples explicitly- had intended marriage to be between a man and a woman. Because that same provision pledges the state to “guard with special care” the institution of marriage, it was impossible even for civil partnerships to grant the same rights and responsibilities as marriage. The only way to change this was to change the constitution. And the only way we can do that is through a referendum.*This text was written before USA accept same-sex marriage in all its states.

How did we get here?It was a long road. Many of them, in fact.After the 2006 ruling several groups- LGBT Noise, Marriage Equality and GLEN being three of the most visible- started specifically working to call for marriage. The introduction in 2011 of Civil Partnerships which left out 169 of the rights given to married couples did nothing to stem this- in fact, only adding to the outrage of LGBTQ people who saw it as actively enshrining our inequality in law.

Everything changed in 2013. That’s when the Constitutional Convention - a group composed of 1/3 political representatives and 2/3 randomly selected Irish citizens - voted overwhelmingly in favour of constitutional change after a weekend of arguments from both sides. This didn’t just mean that we’d get our referendum- which was then set for Spring of 2015. Four fifths of the convention voting in our favour meant that we could win.

Don’t Say The H-Word: Campaigning and “Balance”Anyone remember Pantigate? In January 2014 Rory O’Neill- aka drag queen Panti- appeared on a TV chat show. He was asked about homophobia in Ireland, and when he replied that it wasn’t a massive problem outside of some- named- opinion columnists, those columnists sued, and the broadcaster immediately paid out. While this wasn’t about marriage in January 2014, by Spring of 2015 it really, really was- with broadcasters so afraid of giving preference to the Yes side that they used stopwatches to give precisely equal time to people arguing for each side, no matter how factually inaccurate or harmful their arguments.

Outside of TV and radio, though, there were no such qualms- and still no focus on the actual issues to be debated. Posters and debaters alike brought up issues of surrogacy and parenting, actively questioning whether a same-sex couple could parent a child and threatening a future where wombs are hired to the highest bidder.

How did we win?With the campaign against us lacking in neither qualms about honesty nor financial or legal backing, how did we win?

The answer here was a massive grassroots campaign which emphasised small actions, conversations, door-to-door canvassing, crowdfunding, and a positive message of love and equality. Ordinary LGBTQ people shared their stories and hopes, as well as the ways that we are hurt by homophobia, in ways that we never had before. For this, we were accused of emotiveness and of bullying the other side. But we continued, and this small, local, personal and grassroots campaign worked. We won.

But it wasn’t that simple. In order to win, some stories- those that fit in with a particular idea of queerness and of love- had to be pushed forward at the expense of others. This campaign was spectacularly effective, but the personal cost both of sharing and of erasing extremely personal aspects of our lives- of having to beg the country to treat us as equals- was considerable.

Mural by Joe Caslin

Where are we now?We won. By a two to one margin- 62% in favour- we won. This referendum has changed Ireland in ways that pure legislation never could. The result was many things: it was a strong signal from Ireland to its LGBTQ people that we are a welcome part of the community. It was more than that: a sign that the Ireland run by the Catholic Church’s religious agenda has died, and that we advocate a new moral code. One based on equality and inclusion.

And it’s changed us in practical ways. In less than a month, we’ve seen moves to repeal the last areas where LGBTQ people can be discriminated against at work. And we’ve seen amendments to the Gender Recognition Bill, changed from one which would require

both a divorce and a gender dysphoria diagnosis to self-determination. This result hasn’t just given us marriage. It’s shown our government that the people- their constituents- want a more equal and inclusive society. A cowardly politician no longer has an excuse to not act, because they know that their job is more likely to be at risk if they don’t.

And we’re looking ahead. Calls for a referendum ending our constitutional ban on abortion were heard within days of the marriage equality result. This new Ireland isn’t one we’re going to wait for much longer.

And yet, the costs were high. Maybe they were worth it.

Aoife FitzGibbon O’Riordan

Mariage for All and Demonstrations for All*: key dates

When I have been asked to contribute to this fanzine to talk about Mariage for All in France, I realised that this sad period of debates and struggles, which was also the time of «Demonstrations for All» and is how we refer to it with my group of activist friends, had remained in my memory as a nebulous period. It has been long, psychologically violent and physically demanding. Rather than tell how I lived it, I decided to find key dates for those two years in order to seize the succession of demonstrations which punctuated our queer lives. Reading those dates, we rather could think that it’s wasn’t a big deal : 3 national demonstrations of «anti», a few regional counter-demonstrations in favour of marriage equality to which we contributed to with slogans, insults and actions. But this period created such an emulsion, we were all so engaged in this debate (either in militant activism or in ideas) that it remained, at least in my case, the memory of a real war with identified ennemies (Barjot, Boutin, Zemmour, Escada, Bougibault etc.) and mass of their allies («catholics», «fascists», and also often «catho-

fascists»).

*In France, as the bill was called «Marriage for All», those against the project had the good idea to call their response actions «Demonstrations for All»

2012

Spring : François Hollande, Socialist candidate for the French presidency, mentions in his program : «to ensure gender and family equality, we will open adoption and the right to marry for all couples».

August 15th : On the occasion of Assumption, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, President of the Conference of Bishops of France, sends to every diocese a «Prayer for our country», intended to be read at the office. This is the beginning of the controversy. Indeed, the text stands out in the following passage : «for children and young people ; we shall all help each of them to discover their own way to progress towards happiness ; that they cease to be objects of adults desires and conflicts to fully benefit from love of a father and a mother.». In addition to the direct reference (and unequivocal opposition) to the socialist program, this «prayer for

France» revives an old tradition initiated by Louis XIII who placed himself, his crown and his subjects under the protection of the Virgin Mary . The symbol is the shocking thing : André Vingt-Trois used August 15th (Marian feast) and not July 14th (national day) for his prayer for France (which is usually the date). If, in the Catholic Church, a universal prayer is said every sunday, it is rare that a President of the Episcopal Conference of France diffuses his prayer to all parishes. This double fact therefore feed the controversy : Catholic religious institutions don’t seem to have evolved in their methods, and the act gives the impression that «Catholics» are united behind this official position of the Church of France.

October 23rd : first demonstration of Alliance Vita, association against mariage and adoption for same sex couples. Entrance of the famous «bird» with

flocked wings «dad» and «mom» who staggers between two separate groups of men and women wearing colorful t-shirts. Alliance Vita is an association which describes itself as aconfessionnal and apolitical, though founded in 1993 by Christine Boutin (who needs no introduction since her sketch with the Bible in the National Assembly during the debates on the PACS in 1999). This spectacular action marks the beginning of the (excessive) media broadcasting of the «anti».

November 7th : The draft called Taubira’s law «opening marriage to same-sex people» was adopted by the Ministers’Council.

November 17th : First «Demonstrations for All»

which gather from few hundreds to few thousands of people in French big towns, organised by a collective of associations. First aberrations in counting demonstrators.

December 16th : First demonstration in Paris with pro-marriage equality. Some of them gathered behind the banner «Believers united for rights equality». Gap in the counting of demonstrators similar to the one of «anti» (between 60 000 and 150 000). BFM TV, which had endlessly broadcasted the hate speech of «Demonstration for all», simply relays the arrival day of the Route du Rhum (a boat race)...

2013

January 9th : Government’s withdrawal of the text opening to assisted reproduction for women couples. This backpedalling is perceived as a weakness sign by pro-marriage people. This was deferred in the debate on a future

«Family Law» (we’re still waiting for).

January 13rd : first Demonstration for All in Paris (between 340 000 and 800 000 people). Lefebvrist priest and Civitas, which unites behind its banner the magma from the ultra Catholic right, traditionalist and fundamentalist, intends to fight against «homocraziness». This separated procession is highly fed by the far Right of all stripes and gathers from 8000 to 50 000 people according to different counts. Towns and villages are methodically covered with stickers as colorful as repugnant.

From January 2nd to January 12th : discussion of the bill in the National Assembly. One hundred and ten hours of debate, day and night, review the 499 amendments tabled by the elected representatives of «The Parliamentary agreement for the family», united behind the UMP elected Hervé Mariton (I’ll spare

you the puns on his name). After that vote-marathon, the text was approved 329 votes in favor, 229 against and 10 abstentions. Small spontaneous gatherings in several cities in France to celebrate the event.

February 26th : the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (EESC) considers inadmissible the petition for a referendum on the subject, though supported by a petition initiated by the collective Demonstration for All, which brought together nearly 70 000 signatures, despite a major pro-marriage trolling.

March 24th : second national Demonstration for All gathers between 300 000 and 1.4 million people (LOL).

From April 4th to April 12th : Final adoption of the text during the Senate vote. Big big disappointment of «anti», who cry out against scandal, injustice, dictatorship, and the destruction of the society by the (famous) LGBT lobby etc.

April 21st : third national Demonstration for All. Less participation than in the previous one, but optimum coverage before, during and after. «Anti» successfully optimized an organization system they already widely used (organization of big events like pilgrimages, youth camps, major parties) to mobilize and simply and effectively allow travel of their supporters.

April 23rd : solemn passage of the law to the Assembly. Incidents broke out in Paris and Lyon; police carry out fifty arrests.

May 17th : the Constitutional Council, the last hope for opponents of the law definitively validates marriage equality.

May 26th : last huge Demonstration for All in Paris, marked by significant violences on the fringes of the procession, mainly because of far-right militants, of which 96 will be arraigned. Police put 231 people in

custody, of which a large part of young Catholics who refused to leave the esplanade of the Champ de Mars at nightfall, despite the summons. It’s also the start of disagreements between the organizers, including on the follow-up to the movement after the promulgation of the law.

May 29th : celebration of first homosexual mariage.

Protesters against gay marriage who are willing to use their children for political purposes.

Picture by Serge Klk

Reading again this chronology, I realize that «key dates» that have marked this shit period for LGBTQ people are not so many. But they had such a big media resonance that they poisoned concerned people’s lives. The outbursts of hatred, clichés, and even physical violence that accompanied these two years sadly regularly show that much remains to be done before reaching equality and to place our bodies, our lives, our choices, our asses acceptable in the field for many of our fellow creatures. Those recent events also remind us how difficult it is to mobilize, how much we’re few people to act, from any level to another, for some rights and a place in our society, which anyway aren’t those who are dearest to us, each in our individuality. I can only lament the small number of queer activist that took part in the movement into my town, when the big local association refused «to be dictating a schedule by «anti».

- Assisted reproduction for all women- Adoption for every couples

- Biphobia transphobia enough !- Civil status conform to my gender !- Homophobia lesbophobia enough !

Same sex marriage in Argentina. Five years of equality.A few weeks ago, the global LGBT movement was celebrating. The highly expected decision of the Supreme Court put an end to the demands of American segregationist groups related to the Evangelical Church and the Republican Party.

The vote was just as divided as the one on the legalization of abortion in the Roe vs Wade case in 1973 (where the decision was made by a narrow majority with a 5 to 4 vote). The North American Court ruled on a debate that society had already settled on (because in the USA more than 65% of the population is in favor of same-sex marriage) but the Congress couldn’t come to an agreement on it because the Republican majority had never approved the law despite high social, media and political support it had gained.

A few weeks earlier, Ireland made history by becoming the first country to legalize gay marriage by referendum. The Supreme Court of Mexico pronounced a similar decision to the one of the United States, but it hasn’t had the media and social impact it deserved.

All those events, still so present in our minds, reminded me this cold morning of July 15th 2010 when thousands of people were waiting for the decisive vote of the Argentine Senate with joy and high expectations. It’s a huge pride to think that our country reached equality for all families a long time before countries considered as socially advanced. Even countries such as France, Finland or Norway came after us ! Today, they are still debating on laws about identity rights, such as attempting to pass laws on gender identity similar to the ones that exist in Argentina.

Passing this law before others and having helped write the history of equality in the world (Argentina’s been the 1st country of Latin America to pass this law) is a real pride, but this pride mainly comes from the process that allowed for this law to take place. If one used it for personal ends or implemented it in any kind of political space, there would be a complete misunderstanding of the truth of this law.

Today, the law for equal rights in marriage, as it has been named here for the first time, is a distinctive seal of the LGBT movement worldwide. It has been and remains a collective work carried out by several political parties and several social movements from different sectors (arts, medias, education, culture and even religion).

This law for equality belongs to everyone. It has been made, conquered and acknowledged as such by the vast majority of our society. However it is also fair to note that the adoption of this law would not have been possible without the support of determining social actors and without the coordination of the LGBT Argentinian Federation.

This organization, founded in 2005 and that started as a program of actions which main claims included equal right in marriage and gender identity, gave a national and transversal dimension to claims that became more

and more widely popular and called for the support of associations in order for the law to pass.

Today, five years have passed since this historical morning of July, 2010. More than 10 000 same-sex couples have been married and many of them are even parents as of today. Legal equality has been acquired ; however many questions remain pending. Indeed, no law suffices to automatically change realities that have been internalized for centuries, even after five years of existence, even with a strong social support. But now we have the possibility to fight the battles necessary to deeply change the culture and society on an equal footing. No doubt that by extension, each right gives us the means to become better. We improve as individuals, as a collective and as a society. And I sincerely think that equal right in marriage is one of the best human rights’ improvements. This is one of the best

because, without taking anything away from anyone, it offers rights to a part of the population that did not have these not so long ago. Thus does it make us better, give us dignity and make society more decent.

Acknowledgments

AoifeAnn Lys

Ciara PowellDaniel Arzola

(nosoytuchiste.tumblr.com)Esteban Paulón

Le LoutreO2

SupertankerMaria

Hollifo