Marriage Equality's October Advocates of the Month

6 Oct 2011

"Just Love?" couples and families

They're an important feature on our website, you've probably seen them on our reports and publications, and most recently some of them have been on billboards and posters around Dublin city. October's Advocates of the Month are the couples and families featured in our "Just Love?" campaign!

Earlier this year we put out a call for couples and families to get involved in a photographic media campaign. We were blown away by the level of interest in the project from people all across Ireland! Shortly afterwards we held an open day for couples and families to come to Dublin, have a few photos taken and learn more about our campaign.

The result was an amazing series of beautiful photos (with thanks to our photographer for the day, Ronan Healy!) They've been used on our website, in our reports and as part of our revamped Out To Your TD kits.

3 couples (and one adorable baby) then agreed to take part in a photoshoot with fashion, beauty and advertising photographer Barry McCall, whose work has been featured in Vogue, Elle, Rolling Stone and Conde Nast Brides, as well as national publications The Gloss, Tatler and Image. The beautiful images, with the help of our designer Julie Horton, became our "Just Love?" posters, billboards and an ad-mobile that toured Dublin on the day of our "Missing Pieces" launch (October 4th).

3 posters

We really can't thank the couples and families enough for taking part in our campaign. They have given us the opportunity to show the human faces of the fight for marriage equality. These couples make people understand that the continued discrimination faced by same sex families despite civil partnership is not a theoretical one. It's real - our families exist and they deserve equality. Our brave couples' and families' faces make the fight for marriage equality powerfully real to the general public, law makers and policymakers.

You are all wonderful advocates for Marriage Equality! Because of the part you have played in the campaign, we are even closer to achieving our goal of equality for same sex couples, our families and our children.

Thank you!