You’re probably thinking a motoring column is an odd place to find an opinion piece on the subject of gay marriage, and you would be right. But like all important issues, anywhere is the right place to be expressed.
The Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has thrown her support behind the cause. Federal Labor remains opposed. I watched Q and A on Monday night and several very sensible points were raised not the least being: For an organisation so obsessed with public opinion and opinion polls, they don’t seem to keen to actually listen to the public.
And this is the core of the issue, why in the 21st century are we still having a debate on whether a significant portion of the population are able to access an institution everyone else takes for granted? Even the gay “community” is divided and some ask why we would ever want to marry. That’s something straight people do. There are those on the other hand who simply want to feel equal and want to walk down an isle and want to have their relationships realised in law.
There are those, such as our Prime Minister, who chose not to marry but to move to Canberra with her boyfriend (please do NOT use that word “partner” around me. It is meaningless and insulting) into the lodge. That is her right, we must respect her decision, her choice. Thankfully we live in a country where that is the case. This would never happen in the USA and certainly not in the middle east.
Australia has developed a sensitive and resilient population where all views are respected, and all citizens are treated equally. But more than 10% of the population are not seen as equal. They are not seen as criminals, but being gay was still punishable under the law in some states well into the 1980’s.
If you come here and ask for asylum, the law demands you are treated with respect. If you have one leg, the law says you can not be treated differently. If you come from Africa or Asia, or any other country, it is not legal to discriminate against you. If you choose to marry someone from a different race you are treated just the same as anyone else. But if you are born here, and feel love in that special way for someone of the same sex, you can still be discriminated against and not only is it NOT against the law, the discrimination is actually the law! It is madness.
As the author of this piece, I personally have been fired from jobs for being gay. I was beaten at school and denied job promotions. In the 70’s, I chained myself to the gates of Parliament House in Brisbane to protest a new law. Loving a member of your own sex was illegal, but it was very hard to prove, so our state leader brought in a law whereby “sexual deviants” could not be served in bars. We were all punched and kicked by police for being “faggots” but now you can’t use that word, and the Police march in the Mardi Gras parade. How things have changed.
That bible-toting New Zealander is gone, his government disbanded and most of them have now died, but the essence of their hatred and ignorance lives on.
Discrimination is never OK. Bullying can not be tolerated anywhere or at any time. You should never be ashamed to say “I am gay” and you should never think it is not “normal” to hear “I’m a man and I want to Marry my boyfriend”.
Talk about it, write about it, shout about it, but never be silent about it, it is not ok.
Gay marriage? Just say “I do”.
Fight on! We all grow up wanting marriage – maybe it’s all those happy families on TV – and some of us have more than one helping. Of course gay marriage should be recognised legally and it’s a damn shame that our politicians wish to deny this protection to their constituents. The government talks a big talk about welcoming new thinking and improvements but they can’t let go of the old thinking that holds Australia back – and this is rife through government agencies too. Keep fighting and wear the bastards down.
I appreciated your post. Gay Marriage is at the forefront of New York politics, here in The States. It is anyone’s guess – but every day is looks like more foot-dragging. The Assembly passed it: now, we have a Senate to convince, and that by a matter of about 3 votes. It is very close: New Yorkers can almost taste the sense of valuation that comes from legalization.
Our Federal government has a long way to go: religion and politics are all mixed up: no matter what our Constitution says.
As I see it, Australia is in a better position. More relaxed, farther away from England and the origins of The Church, there is real hope Down Under. I have seen Australia – you are right – remarkable: resilient. Like the bush.
Thanks for adding your voice to the 10% of us, worldwide. -sylvester, New York City
Sooner or later the world will see us as more than just people with good taste!