This week, ahead of Christmas, Equality for Children have renewed their pledge to ensure that progress is made to achieve equality for all children of LGBT+ families.
By Christmas 2021, the grassroots group hopes to achieve 100% parental rights for all LGBT+ families. Sadly, however, this is not the case today.
Five years on from the Marriage Equality referendum, many children in Ireland still don't have the same rights as their peers. Currently, only 40% of LGBT+ families have the same rights as heterosexual couples.
If you're doing the math, then that means a staggering 60% of children in Ireland are still not having access to full legal parental rights.
However, we are stepping in the right direction. Some LGBT+ parents in Ireland now have the same rights as heterosexual parents, but the figures still speak for themselves. Unfortunately, many Irish families still fall outside of any legal framework. This means only one person in an LGBT+ family being a legal parent to their children. This grey area can leave many families facing an unknown outcome in the event of bereavement, illness and more.
The Equality for Children grassroots campaign was launched in October 2019, which campaigns for equality for all children of LGBT+ families in Ireland. It was started by a collective of concerned parents and allies who were tired of waiting for their families to be given the recognition they deserve.
The campaign has garnered support from people across social media, fundraising, lobbying, design and more besides. The task group is asking people to support them through volunteering to join them in the fight for full equality.
Ranae von Meding, CEO of Equality for Children, said of these eye-opening figures: "The protections promised in 2015 by the government under the Children and Family and Relationships Act dictate a very particular LGBT+ family makeup. They finally came to fruition earlier this year and the first parental orders were issued early in the summer. This has been a source of enormous relief for hundreds of families. However, it is not enough.
"This Christmas we think of all the children of LGBT+ families who have been left behind."
