Irish women’s rights referendum victory

This photo shows an Irish trade union pro-women’s rights banner. Today, campaigns like this turned out to have won in Ireland.

For decades, the Roman Catholic church, especially the most right-wing tendencies of its hierarchy, was very powerful in Ireland.

That led to the most restrictive anti-abortion law in Europe. It led to scandals. Like forced labour by young women, the ‘Magdalene sisters‘ scandal. Like massive sexual abuse of children by priests, covered up by bishops and by the Vatican. Like mass graves where bodies of children, killed by ill-treatment at religious institutions, were dumped into.

When scandals like that became public, the grip of the Roman Catholic hierarchy on the Irish people weakened.

That showed in the results of two referendums. In 2015, a clear majority of Irish voters voted for equal marriage, including for LGBTQ people. This in spite of…