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Hundreds of people took to the streets in Melbourne and Sydney yesterday calling on the federal government to repeal its ban on same-sex marriage as part of National Day of Action.
In Melbourne, approximately 500 people gathered on the lawns of the
State Library of Victoria for the rally, which included a brief but
moving commitment ceremony in which 15 couples participated.
State Education Minister Bronwyn Pike told the crowd she had long supported marriage rights for same-sex couples.
“I support same-sex marriage; I have for many, many years. I believe
that a civilised society is a society that is inclusive and is a
society that affords the same human rights, the same access to justice,
the same equality under the law for every single one of its citizens,”
she said.
Other speakers included long-term lesbian activist and Radical Women
member Alison Thorne, and Demetra Giannakopoulos, co-convenor of the
Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby.
“The National Day of Action for same-sex relationship recognition is a
call for the Rudd Government to treat same-sex couples equally under
the law to a heterosexual relationship. It’s not about special rights,
but equal rights.” said Giannakopoulos.
In Sydney, around 200 people turned up at Taylor Square, Darlinghurst to hear speakers including Norrie May-Welby from Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), a straight husband and wife team from PFLAG and the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby of NSW (GLRL).
Emily Gray, Co-Convenor of GLRL , said that “gay rights were very hard to get and even harder to keep,” while her counterpart Peter Johnson said that it was “disappointing” that the Labor government is not moving towards recognition of same-sex relationships.
“Gays and lesbians deserve full equality,” Johnson said. “Our first priority is to see the de facto reforms through federal government and after that we’ll move towards formal relationship recognition. The campaigning will take the form of extensive lobbying and large support from an active community that gets behind the issue.”
Responding to reports that openly-lesbian senator Penny Wong confirmed her support for Labor’s position on same-sex marriage, Johnson said it was “understandable” given that she is a member of that party.
CAAH’s Rachel Evans was less understanding.
“Of course I'm disappointed,” she told MCV. “I think it’s really unfortunate that lesbians within the Labor party, which is a homophobic party, have to agree with legislation that relegates them to second-class citizenship. Poor Penny. That’s such a shame. But also she should feel the wrath of the LGBTI community as well, as she is allegedly a representative of us within the party. She should leave the party and make a real stand.”
The crowds marched from Taylor Square through the Sydney CBD to Town Hall to hear more speakers including Karl Hand from Metropolitan Community Church who said that as a Christian minister he is refusing to perform any marriages until the institution is available to all, and urged heterosexual people to boycott marriage until such time that same-sex marriage is legal.
CAAH's May-Welby noted that marriage – even ‘same-sex’ – was discriminatory towards sex and gender diverse people who do not fit into a binary male/female role.
The national rally was established in 2004 to commemorate the then
Howard government's legal ban on same-sex marriage. Similar protests
will be held in Brisbane and Perth this weekend.
Photos: Biana Christoff
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