Give equality a chance
IT’S a few years now since the marriage equality issue was first raised, and here we are spending millions on an issue countless other countries have accepted and moved on from, including churchy Ireland, and our Kiwi cousins.
Why anyone feels the need to prevent two consenting adults from making their union legal is, to me, still a head- shaker.
But while my attitude of “live and let live” and “let love rule” means I’ll be voting a definitive “Yes”, I read something this week that questioned my assumption that society has evolved since the days of calling shacking up with your boyfriend, “living in sin”.
A Bulletin columnist wrote that the term “marriage equality” is misleading, and suggested that for true equality, “activists should be demanding all types of marriages be recognised under the act, including animals, multiple partners, and children”.
The last time I checked, paedophilia, bestiality and polygamy are illegal for obvious reasons and have nothing to do with a union between two consenting adults, key words here being two, consenting and adults.
It doesn’t help when organisations like The Australian Marriage Forum state on their website, “We observe the inevitable expansion of alternatives to natural marriage, such as polyamory and legalised incest …” Incest? This kind of misinformation is breathtaking in its ignorance, as is the assumption that children are disadvantaged by having two mummies or daddies rather than one of each.
What about single- parent households? Should we call in Child Services?
Perhaps if those in these tightly- knit circles of prejudice and fear practised the Christian value of tolerance, their lives could be enriched by meeting some of these modern families.
But why is it that Australia gives religious lobbyists so much say and so much sway over a society that is increasingly rejecting religion?
The 2016 Best Countries rankings polled 16,000 people in 60 countries, and found Australia is perceived to be the least religious country in the world.
Actually, we’re the 12th least religious, so what gives?
Our recent Census revealed those who ticked “no religion” is steadily rising, from 16 per cent recorded in 2001, to 19 per cent in 2006, and 29.6 per cent in 2016.
The 18- 34 age range reported the least interest in religion yet are the most likely to be affected by this vote, while those aged 65 or over are the most religious yet the least likely to be impacted.
Where is the equality in this equation?
Most of us would have a friend, workmate or family member who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer ( LGBTQ).
If you don’t, they probably just haven’t told you. Members of our community who simply want to legalise their love for each other and have the same rights in life and death as heterosexual couples do.
So will society collapse if we allow it? We’ve come a long way from those “sinful” days of fear and shaming. Or have we?
A “Yes” vote probably won’t impact your life, but it will impact those who want it, God willing.
And if she existed, I bet she would be.