Wini Hannigan English & Pam English Hannigan

This is my story of what marriage means to me...

As I was growing up, getting married was never something that I thought much of. I wasn't against it, but it just didn't mean anything to me yet. This all changed on the 26th of June 2010 when I met the woman who is now my civil partner, Pam English.

We had our civil partnership on the 23rd of September and told our families of the injustice behind civil partnerships. They were shocked and appalled that we could be treated so unfairly by the government.

Marriage and marriage equality now matter to me because I have found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with and that is truly the most wonderful feeling I have ever experienced. I want my partner and I to have safety and security when it comes to our lives, our home, our finances and the children we may have. I want us to naturally be able to adopt each other's surnames and I want people to hear that I am married and for them to know that there is no difference between my marriage and a heterosexual
one.

This may sound like high hopes for us homosexuals but for heterosexuals it is taken for granted and it is a given that their marriage is one of total equality.

It is my wish, hope and dream that myself and Pam will be allowed to walk down the aisle and with each step we take come closer to signing a register which allows us full rights. I don't feel like I'm asking for too much and with the state of today's world and economy, why not give people a reason to celebrate!

Three cheers for marriage equality!

Wini Hannigan English and Pam English Hannigan

(First lesbians to enter into a civil partnership in Tipperary)