You know I've blogged about marriage equality in the past, so my feelings on the subject are no secret. My tweep @jonquil_w has sent a submission to the Parliament Marriage Equality Survey and I offered to share it here.
I don't talk about marriage equality much, because I think it is something that should exist without ideological or religious debate, but I felt I had to submit this and I want it on record as my stance.
[Reasons for supporting Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the Marriage Amendment Bill 2012.]
Recognising a domestic relationship in law by means of marriage is an issue of governance and attribution of legal rights and responsibilities. Such attribution must be based on the existence of the relationship, not any ingredients of it, the substance of which do not effect the consensual basis of the union. We have no more reason to deny marriage to same sex couples than we do to any person of any gender, race or religion. It is not a matter for competing ideologies, but of a common, basic ideology that favours human rights and access to legal protections above all else.
Our current system forces same sex couples to live as de facto couples. The right to live, but not to be recognised or protected, even if they should choose to be so recognised and protected. Having to argue for the recognition of what already exists de facto - in fact - is fundamentally inequitable of itself. A society does not deign to afford people rights as though they were privileges; it grants rights on the understanding and sorrow that they have not been granted to date and should have. Please, can Australia afford everyone this respect and end discrimination.
You can participate in the survey until 20 April, 2012. Let's make a lot of noise and try to get relevant ignorant politicians to see sense!
Every Aussie should have the right to marry, don't you think? You're right: Love is love.
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