A Year of Action for Gay Marriage in Australia

categories: Gay Marriage, International Gay Rights, Marriage Equality

Published September 29, 2009 @ 04:56AM PT

Australia marriage

How do you follow up a successful day of action in support of gay marriage? If you're activists in Australia, you turn that whole day of action into a whole year of action.

Marriage equality advocates in Australia are preparing to launch a new campaign, "A Year of Action for Same-Sex Marriage," on November 28, following up on a day of action in support of marriage earlier this summer that saw the largest marriage equality rallies in Australia's history.

That November 28 date is two days after a marriage equality bill is to be tabled in the Australian Senate. The bill, which would legalize same-sex marriage in Australia, has reportedly received more submissions of any Senate inquiry than any other bill in the history of Australia. The number of submissions favoring marriage equality alone stands at over 10,000.

That's huge, and it mirrors public opinion. Recent polls suggest that more than 60 percent of Australians support same-sex marriage. With numbers like those, Australia is more gay marriage-friendly than even Massachusetts. Ben Cooper, a co-convenor of Community Action Against Homophobia in Sydney, told Green Left that 2010 will mark a year in which LGBT people in Australia take to the streets to demand full, equal rights.

"The days of growing up invisible, and being treated as second-class citizens, has to end. For too long we have been treated as if our deepest feelings are second-rate and abnormal," Cooper said. "For too long we have been bullied, bashed, censored, raped and rejected. For too long we have been marginalized, vilified and silenced."

That silence is ending on November 28. Prepare for a loud 2010 when it comes to campaigning for equal rights in Australia.

(Photo courtesy of David Jackmanson's photostream on Flickr.)

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Comments (8)

What's that song by Mary Black? Heaven Knows No Frontiers. Here's another one, all together now,

We are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on earth we come.

We share a dream, and sing with one voice,

I am, you are, we are Australian.

Posted by Oceania OZ on 09/29/2009 @ 06:50AM PT
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As a follow up to another story Mike had here several months ago that is off the topic here: Gay Games is going to Cleveland.

Posted by Dave Hershey on 09/29/2009 @ 02:22PM PT
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Freedom is the right of all sentient beings with harm to none.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/29/2009 @ 03:53PM PT
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Thomas, thanks for liking so many of my comments. I'm not gay, but you 've got my high-five on that one!

Posted by Oceania OZ on 09/29/2009 @ 05:10PM PT
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Thank you mr. oz.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/02/2009 @ 05:26PM PT
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It's good that there's a bill in Australian Parliament which would recognize the important right of same-sex marriage that is popular with the thousands of submissions. The bill which would recognize same-sex marriage must become law. A Year of Action for Same-Sex Marriage will hold hold rallies in cities in Australia to spread tolerance for eqaulity for LGBT people. It's also good that more than 60% of Australians polled support the important right of same-sex marriage.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 09/29/2009 @ 06:05PM PT
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It's not the package that counts, it's what inside.

Posted by Oceania OZ on 09/30/2009 @ 12:27AM PT
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Indeed mr. oz and though Im not gay either, Im always honored to stand with you folks for whats right.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/02/2009 @ 05:27PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.