Northern Ireland : biggest submission ever?‏

Only 24 hours to go before the end of the public consultation on a proposed anti-gay law in Northern Ireland. Nearly 150,000 of us - including you Luc - have added our names. If we can get to 200,000 signatures before tomorrow, this could become the biggest consultation submission a political party in Northern Ireland has ever received. And our petition has been covered by the Belfast Telegraph, one of the most influential newspapers in Northern Ireland. Can you ask 3 friends to sign before tomorrow? Together we are showing that refusing service to gay people isn’t OK. Not in Northern Ireland. Not anywhere.  Not on Facebook? Forward them the email below : -------------------   Lawmakers in Northern Ireland want to make it legal to refuse service for lesbian, gay, and bi people. The consultation closes in 24 hours. Sign now to show them that anti-gay laws are NOT OK - in Northern Ireland or anywhere. Dear Friend, Imagine being refused housing because of who you are. Or told you’re too gay to stay in a hotel. Or turned away from a restaurant on a date. That’s what Northern Ireland would look like if the powerful Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) were to get their way.They want to add an anti-gay clause to equality laws that would allow businesses to refuse service to lesbian, gay, and bi people. Now All Out members have a chance to help.The DUP has asked for feedback on their anti-gay amendment by February 27. A huge global outcry will show that refusing service to gay people isn’t OK. Not in Northern Ireland, not anywhere. The consultation closes in 24 hours - can you help?go.allout.org/en/a/northern-ireland Pro-equality politicians from Sinn Fein and other parties have teamed up to stop the anti-gay amendment. But it will still go to a vote. A huge response to the DUP’s call for feedback could push more Assembly Members to vote for equality. And it’ll put off anti-gay parties - from Northern Ireland and around the world - from proposing anymore anti-gay legislation. The clause states that businesses could refuse service where someone feels they are required to “endorse a same-sex sexual relationship in violation of his/her faith identity.” This means that a gay couple could be refused the rental of a house or be kicked out of a restaurant, just for being in love. The deadline is February 27 - sign now: go.allout.org/en/a/northern-ireland Last month 166,551 of us signed All Out's petition against the anti-gay bill in Virginia. This law would have allowed doctors, teachers, and all companies to deny service to gay, lesbian, and bi people because of “religious and moral convictions”. Our partners in Virginia delivered all our signatures straight to the head of the voting committee - and they heard us. The subcommittee voted against the bill unanimously, so it will never see the light of day. When we stand together for equality we win - will you push back against another scary anti-gay law?go.allout.org/en/a/northern-ireland Thanks for going All Out, Andre, Guillaume, Lucy, Oscar, Rose and the rest of the All Out team. P.S. Anti-gay bills are popping up all over the place. All Out members helped defeat one last month in the US state of Virginia and now a politician in Northern Ireland wants to let businesses refuse services to gay, lesbian or bi people. If enough of us stand up for equality in Northern Ireland, this could put off politicians around the world from proposing more of these anti-gay laws. Sign now:go.allout.org/en/a/northern-ireland     SOURCES: Protest held against DUP's 'conscience clause' bill, BBC - 31 January 2015 Sinn Féin 'will block conscience clause bill' in assembly, BBC - 19 February 2015 Stephen Fry says DUP conscience clause bill is 'sick', Belfast Telegraph, 17 December 2014

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All Out is mobilising millions of people to build a world where no person will have to sacrifice their family or freedom, safety or dignity, because of who they are or who they love. Our mailing address is: All Out Action Fund 115 Fifth Ave New York, NY 10003