A month has passed since Ireland's marriage referendum. Today (24th) last month, I was terrified. I feared for Irish society that Ireland would vote 'no'. I knew people who had voted 'no'. My own mother had voted 'no'. I knew that from the moment the referendum was announced that I was voting 'yes'. Not only for my LGBT friends and future generations, but also for myself. I am 20 years old. I do not know if I am lesbian, bisexual or straight. What I know, right now is that I do not want to get married. I have the choice to get legally married or not. Before last month, none of my LGBT friends or family could be legally married in Ireland. They did not even get the choice.
A month ago, every Irish citizen got the chance to decide if they wanted to get married or not. Marriage is not for every one. But having the choice to, is.
In the years to come, when asked where I was when Ireland announced that they legalised same-sex marriage I will answer "I was standing in the kitchen, terrified that we had voted wrong. I cried as I watched Dublin Castle scream with joy. I cried as I watched two women who were so deeply in love, get engaged on national television. I cried with pride for being Irish."
