Same-sex marriage will become legal in Australia after a historic bill was passed in the House of Representatives yesterday. Almost unanimously MP’s voted to change the current Marriage Act after their Senate also reached the same decision. There were celebrations in Parliament and across Australia. This had been a hard fought campaign by the LGBT community and its supporters. The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnball said “What a day for love, for equality, for respect, Australia has done it.” In Just a few days’ time their Governor General will approve the bill – paving the way to it becoming law.
Why does it matter – isn’t marriage less popular than ever?
But isn’t marriage just a piece of paper? Does it really matter? More heterosexual couples live together without marrying than ever before. So why is it so important? In one word – Acceptance. We all need to be accepted for who we are. I believe yesterday’s decision will make life a lot easier for many gay couples, their children and extended family. It will be harder to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation. However it’s the ripple effect that will have the most impact on society. When the Law says something is fair and just then society tends to accept that view over time. A child born today will never experience anything other than marriage equality in Australia. They will grow up knowing that same sex couples can marry just as heterosexuals can and Australian Law says that’s fair and just.
I know a £10 POM
I have an interest in yesterday’s decision. My maternal Uncle (now in his 80s), was a £10 Pom and left England for new beginnings at the tender age of 16. He met and married the love of his life, worked hard and raised a loving family. I have met many of my Australian relatives – there’s a lot of them! Other than the fact that they support Arsenal, they are some of the best people you could hope to meet and far more relaxed and gregarious than their more formal English ‘relos’.
Facebook is often the bane of a mediator’s life as it is can be used as a weapon in relationship breakdown. However, for my family it’s a window into our Australian relative’s lives. We get to see photos of the family gatherings and to see what a strong and loving family my Uncle created. My Cousin Elizabeth has 4 children; 3 boys and 1 girl. She and her husband are very family orientated and delighted in watching each of their boys form relationships and subsequently marry the women they loved. Elizabeth told me how sad she felt for her daughter who had also met the love of her life – as they were the same sex they couldn’t marry in Australia. I was outraged on their behalf, I hadn’t realised they couldn’t! What message did that give them and others? Surely it told them that their union was wrong as it couldn’t be acknowledged in law. So they flew to New York and they got married. The photos were beautiful and everyone was very happy for them – but they were denied choice. If they wanted to elope then good for them – but they should also have had the choice to marry in Australia.
Equality at last
Fast forward to life after yesterday’s decision and I understand they plan to have a marriage blessing with all their loved ones in Australia, now that they are allowed to be married in their homeland. They knew their friends and family loved and accepted them but now they know that the Australian legislature accepts them too. If my octogenarian Uncle can accept that the granddaughter he adores happens to love a woman, then so can the rest of Australian society. I say that with the greatest of respect to my Uncle who grew up in a world where same sex relationships were not common place. He has been fully accepting as he wants his granddaughter to be happy and her love for her wife has demonstrated to him that ‘love is love’. They have a small baby and that baby will grow up now in a much more accepting Australia because of yesterday’s monumental decision. Good on ya Australia! You won’t regret treating your citizens equally -only good can come from that.
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