Was it a good or bad election for the nation’s million or so gays and lesbians? Here’s my verdict, published by the National Times today(a joint venture of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age). It’s going strong with the most comments of all opinion pieces today.
The start could hardly have been worse. Tony Abbott felt threatened by us, a Family First candidate linked gay marriage to child abuse, and Penny Wong sounded weak in defending Labor’s policy against marriage equality. Things started to look up when Greens’ vocal ‘equal love’ campaign was rewarded with a record vote. When Andrew Wilkie tabled a conscience vote on marriage as a priority the picture looked even better. Now the Labor-Greens agreement now leaves gays waiting (hopefully) at the altar.
The way forward is clearning a conscience vote on a Private Members Bill – but let’s not kid ourselves how tough that campaign will be …
Now here is tantalising proposition (just one, not ’8′) … Lady Gage performing gay marriages during her shows.
According to On Top, who get their information from Heat magazine (can you hear my skepticism?), Gaga is taking courses in California to be ready for final approval of gay marriage there.
There may be truth in these rumours – The Reverent Gaga does after all talk about marriage equality and gays at nearly every opportunity. The latest gem: “God put me on Earth for 3 reasons: To make loud music, gay videos and cause a damn raucous.”
If you want to be the first gay or lesbian couple to marry mid-air (in a business class cabin turned wedding hall) – sign up here with SAS.
The two marriages (one each way) will be created mid-air between Stockholm and New York on 6 December. The captain will marry you (let’s hope his/her deputy is still in control of the cockpit)
SAS is partnering with VisitSweden and Stockholm Gay & Lesbian Networkto pull off this stunt. One European couple and one American couple will be the lucky winners. You get a honeymoon in California, New York or the very cool Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden.
One of the most powerful arguments of US civil rights campaigning was invoking the banning of African-Americans from using the drinking fountains of white Americans. Was is about disease, pure symbolism – ? – who cares, it was arbitrary and a disgrace. It was segregation.
This video highlights another drinking fountain situation… our marriage rights or lack of them. And it stars a Stuart and John, a great couple I interviewed this year!
Alberto Sánchez Fernández and Alberto Linero Marchena, Reuters
I’ve beeing sunning myself in Spain these last days, thinking how lovely it is be holding hands in little villages with boyfriend, and marvelling at how local gay restauranteurs seem to be welcomed in leading roles in their local churches.
But all is not perfect in Mediterranean paradise … as this story of a sacked Spanish soldier shows. The full facts will be revealed in litigation, of course – but it doesn’t take a genius to see that Alberto Linero’s gay marriage might be part of the military’s problem with him… Continue reading →
For a while it seemed like a bad election for Australia’s million or so gays and lesbians. Tony Abbott felt threatened by us, a Family First candidate linked gay marriage to child abuse, and Penny Wong looked weak in toeing the party line against marriage. With the Greens now potentially holding the balance of power in both houses of Parliament gay marriage has never been closer to the political centre stage.
The question concerning supporters of marriage equality is whether the Greens will reward their faith while negotiating with Labor. Is gay marriage a core promise, we wonder? Continue reading →
Stay tuned for a big piece on the incredible position of Obama next week … it’s the same in Australia … thanks again to Rex Wocker for making this point.
PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
-Dick Cheney
-Ted Olson
-Laura Bush and Cindy McCain
-Glenn Beck
-Ken Mehlman
