Wallabies rugby star Dave Pocock, who is boycotting marriage until there is equal love in Australia
It is not realistic to ask male-female couples to do this, but I find it very touching when such couples do make a stand like this. It’s a big sacrifice, and when it comes from a famous rugby player like Dave Pocock it makes a doubly strong point.
It’s been a big month in Australia – I am just sorry my day has left this blog mostly silent (though I do have a chapter in the new Australian book “Speak Now”!)
The latest news includes, a departing State Premier (South Australia’s Mike Rann backing equality), the Acting Premier of Queensland (basically our Texas) backing federal marriage equality and proposing a state civil union scheme in the meantime, and the national President of the ruling Labor Party saying she also backs equality.
None of this means it’s more likely to happen in the national Parliament this year – but all the momentum is positive. Keep reading for more details Continue reading →
A massive round of applause is due to Australian Marriage Equality and GetUp for finding this pair of brothers and producing such an obvious and moving story. Can’t fail to have an impact.
Donate if you want to get it onto more TV screens in Australia! Click here to write now to MPs.
We know her simply as a happy, brave songstress of pop and disco hits from Down Under. But 42 year old Kylie Minogue has been hiding a secret set to shock her millions of fans.
In a move they may alienate the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the 40% of Australians who say they oppose equality, the 20% of Minogue’s fans who are not homosexual and the 10% of Australians who go to church after the Christmas lights are taken down, Minogue has told the million-strong crowd at Madrid Pride and samesame.com.au what she really thinks about the radicals pushing for gay marriage:
Frankly, The Gay Marriage Blog could not have put it better than Britain’s most influential celebrity and Australia’s favourite songstress.
Disappointing comments from a politician I admire greatly, the new Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard. Gillard today said she would not change government policy to support gay marriage.
It sounds like a touch of the ‘Hilary Clintons’ to me; I don’t believe for one second that Gillard opposes equality in her heart or her head. Her party faction overwhelmingly supports it and she’s from a non-traditional family herself (unmarried, no children). This isn’t Gillard-specific, I think others like (out) Senator Penny Wong also support equality but just refuse to say it out of misguided party loyalty. These comments here from Penny Wong are just dodging bullets rather than actively supporting inequality. It comes out all mangled as a result.
Gillard’s words today show that us Christian activists are more organised than gay and lesbian ones. While Gillard is disappointing us with these comments, it is also an indication that the support base for equality is too weak. 55 to 60% of Australians say they support equality, but Gillard clearly doesn’t believe this is a rock solid support base.
Gillard is being timid, but she has a point. The truth is that we haven’t done enough either to build that support base or prove that it is rock solid. Australian equality activists are not yet matching the smaller louder Christian voices.
So I urge activists to take Gillard words as a challenge, and not just an excuse to hate another politician.
Remember – if we can convince a tabloid and talkback journalist like Derryn Hinch to support equality, then we can convince Julia Gillard too.
If we want marriage equality in Australia we really have to fight for it and organise it and pay for campaigns to convince Australians of the merits of equality. Just asking the Labor party to roll over clearly doesn’t work, and hating them for that will not bring us equality.
Here is a new essay I’ve written about marriage inequality in my home country of Australia.
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Rodney Croome is an Australian human rights hero, with a new book out on 3 May outlining the arguments for marriage equality.
He writes here for The Gay Marriage Blog, to explain just how quickly a state or country can go from jail for gays to relationship recognition. If you are in Africa, Kansas, Poland or China, or anywhere without equality – this story is an inspiration.
“I won’t stop talking until equality is achieved and there’s nothing left to talk about.”
That’s the spirit behind this blog. This debate is at very different stages across the world – as this global map of marriage rights shows – and we all need to be working together to move it forward.
The problems of people in Australia, Asia, Africa, the Americas are your problems too. And every person fighting for new attitudes and laws could potentially learn from another on the other side of the world.
So keep talking about this even when you win equality for yourself – and keep listening too.
