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 →
Views on Selected Gay & Lesbian Issues by age. Source: PRRI
Well, well, this is a positive development. The United States’ Public Religion Research Institute today released “Generations at Odds: The Millennial Generation and the Future of Gay and Lesbian Rights,” a report into what todays teens and 20-somethings in the US think about us.
62% of American youth favor marriage equality, including 49% of those identifying as Republican and 44% of those who think of themselves as Evangelical. In the last category that means the youth are four times more to support equality than senior Evangelicals.
This is what they call a snowball effect, ladies and gentlemen.
(Interestingly more Catholics think the Church’s approach to gays is too extreme than think it is “about right.”)
Rodney Croome has penned some very useful observations on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation website.
Croome shows why the recent consultation MPs ran on gay marriage will have a positive effect in the medium and long term. And most importantly he shows why we shouldn’t fall into the default view that the campaign has suffered a setback just because most MPs continued to stick to the party lines against equality.
For example:
* It prompted thousands of those who were indifferent to think about their position.
* This kind of constructive debate inevitably changes hearts and minds for the better.
A good example of the slowly rising tide is the member for Ballarat, Catherine King, who told the ABC, “I am on the public recorded of supporting the current definition of marriage but I have to say that view has been fundamentally challenged by the representations of same-sex couples”.
80 lesbian couples have tied the knot in an unofficial celebrations that was completed without police interference or protests, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
I’ve seen reports of a fair few mass wedding in Asia – usually led by Moonies! – but this is first mass lesbian wedding party I’ve ever heard of in Asia. And apparently more than 1000 people PAID to watch it happen.
But it is not that surprising given that Taiwan has the largest gay pride celebrations in Asia. Taiwan has also had the tantalising prospect of a draft marriage equality bill since 2003. Unlike many countries it was not drafted by a lone liberal or left-wing politican / party, but by the advisers of the Cabinet. This bill is the first in Asia to promise marriage and adoption rights to gay couples.
Organisers say the event gives them hope that the island will soon legalise gay marriage, but the Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou says there needs to be “consensus” before such legislation can move forward.
Much Ado About Nothing Much
This shouldn’t really come as a surprise … one month after Rhode Island introduced civil unions rather than full marriage (trailing New York on both the time and equality clocks), no-one is much interested.
And why would they be, when you can potter up the road north or south and get the real deal?
I am glad the nine couples in their new unions have some enhanced protections, but I think the numbers speak for themselves. A halfway house is often a nowhere house, and people are obviously voting with their feet.
(And, by the way, you can now get marriage in more US jurisdictions than those left to settle for a civil union.)
Andrew Sullivan with Husband
I am always challenged and/or inspired by what Andrew Sullivan writes. One of the most consistent centre-right advocates of equality in the world – Western world or otherwise. A new essay from him in Newsweek.
These pictures from The Guardian are just great, from the first day of marriage equality in New York. Who the hell could fail to be moved by this joy? Another gallery from LIFE is here. Video here: Gay Marriage arrives in New York. Nearly 700 couples were married on the first day – an all-time record for New York.
First up – the overall queer community is marrying at the same rate as opposite sex couples in Massachusetts, thanks to same sex female couples outnumbering the men two to one.
Secondly, in terms of UK divorces lesbians were also in the lead in 2010 (maybe not in a good way) about 3.3% dissolving their partnership compared to 1.6% of the men. These rates are still lower than that of opposite sex couples.
So, we are not marrying less or divorcing more it seems. That’s both no news and good news all round the push for equality I would say.
Cartoon credit: Dave Grunland
Found this nifty cartoon slideshow that you might be interested in.
