Who do the Irish gays vote for?

Donnaghm

I'm just curious, as a political hack, who you guys vote for in national elections?

Donnaghm

Holy ****, i forgot the Shinners! Anyone know if it's possible to edit a poll?

L1011

Not without losing the results generally.

Labour, I suspect, are going to win this overwhelmingly.

rainbow kirby

Donnaghm wrote: »

Holy ****, i forgot the Shinners! Anyone know if it's possible to edit a poll?

Done

I'm a Labour voter, my politics tend to lean that way in general and they have consistently shown more support for the LGBT community than pretty much anyone else.

CoalBucket

David Norris I assume

Annasopra

Some GCN research a few years ago suggested that it is mostly Labour

Donnaghm

It seems people of the homosexual orientation are more intelligent voters than the rest of the population as there is no Fianna Fail supporter among us.

Yup, very unsurprising that the majority of us are Labour supporters. Are gays generally left leaning or is it because the Labour Party is more vocal on gay issues?

I'm personally a member of YFG and FG. We could certainly be stronger on the issue. I'm just economically right of centre and I wouldn't fit in in Labour at all at all at all.

Sorry

Donnaghm wrote: »

It seems people of the homosexual orientation are more intelligent voters than the rest of the population as there is no Fianna Fail supporter among us.

I hate FF, but that's kind of silly to say. Some people would say that about FG voters! Me, I don't believe there is any credible political leadership in this country. Labour are the best of a bad lot though.

Donnaghm

Sorry wrote: »

I hate FF, but that's kind of silly to say. Some people would say that about FG voters! Me, I don't believe there is any credible political leadership in this country. Labour are the best of a bad lot though.

I was kinda joking. I should have stuck an "lol" or something after it.

Marshy

Sorry wrote: »

I hate FF, but that's kind of silly to say. Some people would say that about FG voters! Me, I don't believe there is any credible political leadership in this country. Labour are the best of a bad lot though.

Its true about there being poor leadership but the parties themselves offer little choice. There's the two major centre-right parties and then a whole grouping of parties on the left.

The demise of the PD was a shame in many ways as they at least offered an alternative on the right.

I'd vote Greens.

L1011

Donnaghm wrote: »

It seems people of the homosexual orientation are more intelligent voters than the rest of the population as there is no Fianna Fail supporter among us.

Yup, very unsurprising that the majority of us are Labour supporters. Are gays generally left leaning or is it because the Labour Party is more vocal on gay issues?

I'm personally a member of YFG and FG. We could certainly be stronger on the issue. I'm just economically right of centre and I wouldn't fit in in Labour at all at all at all.

I'm left-leaning but I stick with Labour (despite their blind devotion to "Europe") mostly due to their fairly solitary stand on gay rights

Former Labour member, left over Lisbon, was a potential local election candidate prior to that...

Kanoe

I tend to vote for the candidate who best represents me

Annasopra

Donnaghm wrote: »

Yup, very unsurprising that the majority of us are Labour supporters. Are gays generally left leaning or is it because the Labour Party is more vocal on gay issues?

I think it's both reasons - LGBT people are in my view generally left wing voters because they see FF/FG as being much more conservative on social issues (some older gays still can't forgive FG for the behaviour of Deputies McGahon and Mitchell in 1993)
As well as that Labour LGBT has done quite a lot of work of publicity and visibility - e.g. Last year the Labour LGBT banner was visible at every Pride Parade on the Island. No other party has achieved that visibility

sitstill

Johnnymcg wrote: »

some older gays still can't forgive FG for the behaviour of Deputies McGahon and Mitchell in 1993

What was their behaviour in 1993? Did they campaign against decriminalisation or something?

Annasopra

sitstill wrote: »

What was their behaviour in 1993? Did they campaign against decriminalisation or something?

Brendan McGahon railed against decriminalisation (although from what I know he ultimately abstained in the Dail vote) and Gay Mitchell spearheaded an attempt by FG to have an unequal age of consent which would have meant that the age of consent for male female sex was 17 and male male sex was 21, the other thing is that decriminalisation would not have happened in 1993 without the Labour Party being in government - The PDs had demanded it in the 89-92 government after the Norris decision but it didn't happen until Labour demanded it and there was a very brave FF Minister for Justice in office

crotalus667

tbh i vote for local guys that are going to do the best job in the area (excluding the shinners and the reds) glbt does not really come into it

Donnaghm

Johnnymcg wrote: »

I think it's both reasons - LGBT people are in my view generally left wing voters because they see FF/FG as being much more conservative on social issues (some older gays still can't forgive FG for the behaviour of Deputies McGahon and Mitchell in 1993)
As well as that Labour LGBT has done quite a lot of work of publicity and visibility - e.g. Last year the Labour LGBT banner was visible at every Pride Parade on the Island. No other party has achieved that visibility

If I remember correctly, Current minister for justice and equality, Dermot Ahern, agreed entirely with McGahon crazy opinions.

From Wiki: "During the debate on decriminalisation of Homosexuality in the Dáil in 1993, he agreed with a statement by Fine Gael TD, Brendan McGahon which reads: "Homosexuality is a departure from normality and while homosexuals deserve our compassion they do not deserve our tolerance" and who described homosexuals as being "like lefthand drivers driving on the right-hand side of the road."
Ahern himself added: "Will we eventually see the day in this country when, as has happened in the USA, homosexuals will seek the right to adopt children? We should think seriously about this possibility". Following his appointment as Minister responsible for equality, Ahern has refused to be drawn on this matter and has not given an answer as to whether he still holds those opinions"

But I think FG is now a very open organisation, at least YFG is anyway. Our current president is openly gay, as were some of his predecessors. But still no excusing that gob****e, McGahon. Incidentally, I believe FG were the first to call for civil partnership?!

ixoy

Originally I looked to Labour for their stance on LGBT issues. More recently though I've moved away from them due to their economic policies - their stance on LGBT issues is not enough for them to get my vote.

Donnaghm

ixoy wrote: »

Originally I looked to Labour for their stance on LGBT issues. More recently though I've moved away from them due to their economic policies - their stance on LGBT issues is not enough for them to get my vote.

What economic policies lol? Apart from Government bashing and populism, they don't seem to have any!

Annasopra

Donnaghm wrote: »

But I think FG is now a very open organisation, at least YFG is anyway. Our current president is openly gay, as were some of his predecessors. But still no excusing that gob****e, McGahon. Incidentally, I believe FG were the first to call for civil partnership?!

Oh yes agreed Fine Gael has significantly improved in the area of LGBT rights by being the first to actually come up with a full policy document on civil partnership (not the first to call for it), however that document is now very outdated and FGs own stance on that document is somewhat strange. On the one hand the likes of Creighton and Varadkar (who are definitively not supporters of LGBT rights) keep going on about civil partnership for brothers and sisters on isolated farms and then Charlie Flanagan is astoundingly pro LGBT rights and in particular the rights of children being parented by same sex couples which is completely ignored in the policy

Annasopra

Donnaghm wrote: »

What economic policies lol? Apart from Government bashing and populism, they don't seem to have any!

Sigh - "Labour doesn't have any policies" is just Lies spread by FF/FG - They are easy to find - It's just that lazy journalists accept the propaganda

http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/12714435522041601.html

http://www.labour.ie/policy/listing/12640713258531996.html

http://www.labour.ie/policy/listing/125992305075080.html

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/a_new_deal.pdf

http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/12714435522041601.html

Marshy

ixoy wrote: »

Originally I looked to Labour for their stance on LGBT issues. More recently though I've moved away from them due to their economic policies - their stance on LGBT issues is not enough for them to get my vote.

Yeah thats right. Even if they promised to introduce same-sex civil marriage, I'd be afraid they'd let the public sector get out of control again.

Annasopra

Marshy wrote: »

I'd be afraid they'd let the public sector get out of control again.

I don't see how when they have proposed a government department and minister for public sector reform

oisindoyle

FG aint no better FF when it comes to gay issues .Just this issue of Hot Press Leo Varadkar said he was opposed to gay marriage ,,,

Marshy

Johnnymcg wrote: »

I don't see how when they have proposed a government department and minister for public sector reform

Never mind public sector reform, surely all parties recognise the need for that, but Labour were very tentative in agreeing with the need for any pay cuts in the last budget.

ixoy

Marshy wrote: »

Yeah thats right. Even if they promised to introduce same-sex civil marriage, I'd be afraid they'd let the public sector get out of control again.

That'd be my worry as well. They've always aligned themselves with the PS and I don't think they'd take the hard economic stance we need to make there and, of course, elsewhere across the country. Of course we're diverging into Politics forum territory now! *Mod warning to self*

Dr. Baltar

I am a Labour voter and expect them to be the minority in the next government. Hopefully we will have full same-sex marriage by then.

Donnaghm

Dr. Baltar wrote: »

I am a Labour voter and expect them to be the minority in the next government. Hopefully we will have full same-sex marriage by then.

Sure what about all this Gilmore for Taoiseach malark!

Not at the pace Dermot the arch conservative Ahern is going at we won't.

Besides, the government is a ticking time bomb, it can't last much longer.

Red_Marauder

I don't think I would allow sexuality weigh too heavily on my political opinions. Personally, perhaps ironically, I believe in keeping the work of Government as far removed as possible from personal living, therefore I would most naturally shy away from the likes of Labour and be inclined to vote Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in that order.

oisindoyle

Red_Marauder wrote: »

I don't think I would allow sexuality weigh too heavily on my political opinions. Personally, perhaps ironically, I believe in keeping the work of Government as far removed as possible from personal living, therefore I would most naturally shy away from the likes of Labour and be inclined to vote Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in that order.[/QUO


Er,,, when it comes to equal rights for all ,then it HAS to be an issue

Epicurus

I'd normally end up going for whoever gives me the most during the canvassing; normally ends up being labour. I would go green though if ever someone ran in the constituency

Red_Marauder

oisindoyle wrote: »

Red_Marauder wrote: »

I don't think I would allow sexuality weigh too heavily on my political opinions. Personally, perhaps ironically, I believe in keeping the work of Government as far removed as possible from personal living, therefore I would most naturally shy away from the likes of Labour and be inclined to vote Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in that order.[/QUO


Er,,, when it comes to equal rights for all ,then it HAS to be an issue

Don't confuse sexuality and things like the right to marriage. They are seperate; not all gay people agree on the need for gay marriage or other 'equal rights' issues.

Stark

Reluctant Fine Gael voter, lesser of evils and all that. From a gay rights point of view, I think Labour are the best party in that regard, but their economic policies would send us down the same road as Greece imo.