You don't get to choose who you love.

I made this comic for the amazing Ztoical's visual campaign ahead of the Irish vote on marriage equality in May. 

It was nice to have this impetus to make a comic about something I believe strongly. 

And a marriage is a marriage is a marriage, whoever you are and whoever you love, that promise is the same and should have the same name. 

And the other thing too, that monogamy is a choice. I've never believed in soul mates or love at first sight or any of that, and I think that's a big part of why I've managed to be one half of an excellent relationship that has lasted almost 14 years and one and a half of marriage so far. But the faith thing is true too. Monogamy is like dieting. You can only do it if you believe in the back of your head that you deserve the rewards and that they are worth it. Not faith in a fairytale ending, faith in a continuing adventure.  

I wrote the words before I had thought of the visuals, and it's a little bit cheesy. 

The hardest line to illustrate was the 'sometimes it should end' line, and I want to issue a disclaimer that I absolutely do not think that mothers are the only victims of domestic abuse, or that domestic abuse is the only valid reason for giving up on a marriage or relationship. There are lots of reasons relationships should end. It's ironic that in a piece where I'm actively aiming to show many sides to the story of love and subtly subvert clichés that having only one panel to show an idea can put one in danger of the opposite.

But I absolutely do believe in marriage equality, and if you are in a position to vote for or support it, I wholeheartedly urge you to do so. 

And to follow the tumblr campaign this kicked off here.