In May of 2015, Ireland has scheduled a national referendum on same-sex marriage, the outcome of which will determine whether or not thousands of her residents can tie the knot. But actor Colin Farrell, whose brother is gay and was forced to marry in Canada, is not waiting to make the case.
In an op-ed for the Irish Sunday World, Farrell argues for same-sex marriage in terms both simple and heartfelt. “It’s about giving our lesbian and gay sisters and brothers back a right that should never have been stolen from them in the first place. Speaking out in support of equality in all its forms is a moral necessity if we’re to have a society where peace, compassion and kindness become the ruling classes.”
Farrell, the mercurial star of such remakes as Fright Night, Total Recall and Miami Vice, goes on to argue on behalf of the fairness and tolerance that, in his eyes, the Irish are well-known for. “Only ink on paper can truly prove that the Irish people are who we’ve held ourselves proudly to be – a people who, in the majority, are deeply feeling and have a natural and abiding lean toward inclusion and fairness, heart and hospitality. This referendum is a chance for us to arise. To wake up to the conviction that true love from the heart of one being to another cares not for the color, nor the creed, nor the gender of who it chooses to share that path with. We have a chance to effect a change that’s about recognizing no one love is greater than another by virtue of tradition. We have a chance to simply tip our hats to love in all its kaleidoscopic and majestic forms.”
Colin’s older brother, Eamon, is married to artist Stephen Mannion. They have reportedly been married for seven years. Farrell is not immune to causes important to the LGBT community. He has also lent his support to the anti-bullying campaign Stand Up! organized by the Irish LGBT youth organization BeLonG To in March 2012. The actor appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show two years earlier to increase awareness of the subject.
