I’m married. To a man. It could be argued – in fact it is being argued by some – that giving all Australians the same rights I have to marry will somehow affect my marriage. Diminish it. Change its meaning or definition.
It won’t. It absolutely and unequivocally won’t.
This argument is bollocks and must be loudly refuted and rejected by all of us who are legally allowed to marry the person we love. Did allowing indigenous Australians to vote in 1965 make anyone else’s vote count less? Did allowing women to vote 100 years ago affect men?
Listen: Mia asked Malcolm Turnbull about marriage equality during an episode of No Filter.
Marriage equality won’t make anyone who is married today less married tomorrow. It won’t make anyone who is straight today, more gay tomorrow.
What it will do – what it must do – is ensure that all Australians are treated equally under the law.
I have children, three of them. I have no idea whether any of them will come out as gay or lesbian one day. No parent does.
So consider this: if you have children or want to become a parent in the future, don’t you want your kids (real or imagined) to have the same rights no matter who they choose to love?
Of course you bloody do.
This is not a fringe issue. This is not a distracting issue. This is not an issue we must leave our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and mothers and fathers and workmates and friends to fight for alone.
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I dislike the basic unfairness of the current status. They go on ad nauseum about children, but the fact is, at 59 years of age and wayyyyyy past menopause, I could get married tomorrow and I would receive a Marriage Certificate and the congratulations of many. No one would say it was somehow wrong for me to marry, on the grounds I wasn't going to have children. Just like childless couples are not told their licences will be revoked. When couples go through the trouble of IVF, their children are not accidents, like so many are in a heterosexual relationship. All Australians should receive Equal treatment under law. And given that the Australian Bureau of Statistics stated that in 2014, 76% of marriages were performed by Celebrants - not in a church - rather points to the fact that Australians are overwhelmingly non-religious. Which makes it particularly painful that so much of this heat is emanating from the religious right. Vile threats of political consequences are not Christian. Personally I do not think a mail ballot, a plebiscite vote, or anything that involves the ability of one person to say "No. I've never met you, but I am going to vote against you and make far reaching consequences for your entire life." is in any way appropriate. Get out of peoples bedrooms. It is none of your concern if a couple is gay or lesbian or straight. None. I am straight, now widowed but happily married for 23 years, have two children (who are straight so no, this is not me pushing my own barrow in any way) and I support the right for every Australian to marry. Marriage Equality NOW.
What if one of your children grows up to be a devout Christian or Muslim and rejects homosexuality as a basic article of their faith? You can't tell, no parent can tell.
What then if they run a dress shop or a bakery or a florist and are approached to cater for a SSM? Should the SSM couple be able to sue them?
I hope SSM passes, but I'd very much like all the implications to be clear for all of us before we have to vote.