Marriage equality. It's time. - Women's Agenda

Marriage equality. It’s time.

If only they knew.

If only they knew we don’t care which party puts it forward. If only they knew we don’t care when the vote is (as long as it’s soon). If only they knew we don’t care if they have changed their position (unless it’s a big change). If only they knew we care as much about it as we care for the passage (or not) of the Budget. If only they knew and paid attention to the fact that the majority of us want it. If only they knew that it looks ridiculous when the majority of us want it and yet because 150 people in Canberra can’t listen to those of us that voted them in, it doesn’t happen. If only they knew that we want to be the 20th country in the world that allows it.

If they knew these things, the House of Representatives would vote for a marriage equality bill for Australia no matter who put it forward, who sponsored it or who didn’t.

Why should they do it?

Because there are millions of us who are sick and tired that our parents can’t do it. That our brother can’t do it. That our sister can’t do it. That our friends can’t do it. That the old ladies down in the corner house can’t do it. That the policeman who helped us when our house was broken in to can’t do it, that the teacher who teaches our kindergarten can’t do it. That the bloke that collects our tickets at the station can’t do it. That the young girls in the flat above us can’t do it. That some of our politicians can’t do it.

We want you to do it because all of us have gay and lesbian friends, relatives and acquaintances that cannot legally marry in the country they are born in for no other reason than the fact that they want to marry someone whom our country declares they can’t. Someone who is the same sex as they are.

I’m not a big fan of marriage. It seems a funny convention to me. But some people are. And I figure if someone has fallen so deeply, insanely in love with someone that they are willing to forsake all others for then we should say go for it. We should support them as absolutely as much as we can. We should allow them to do whatever they want and give them whatever state approvals they want.

If you are one of the politicians that is so worried about what other people are doing with their private parts that you would actually vote in Parliament that their love, their precious love, is against the law, it is time to rethink.

True love is rare. Some of us find it, some of us don’t. Some of us have luck the first time around, others take a few goes.

Every time you speak of families on the floor of Parliament, you are excluding many families that are families in every way shape and form, except for the legally married bit. Every time you say the word families, some people cringe because it reminds them that they are excluded.

And every time you fuss about who bought in the bill, or whether it is bipartisan or whether members should have a conscience vote or not, you undermine your standing in our eyes. We, the people, frankly don’t care. We just want our mates to be able to get married.

Because our mates you see, are in love. And that’s what some people in love do. They marry each other. And what right have you got to stand in the way of love? That’s not why we elected you.

So please, get it together?

Vote for marriage equality because to do so is fair, is decent, and because let’s face it, we all love a good wedding. (Who’s got the confetti?)

Vote for marriage equality because if someone is prepared to take this great leap into the unknown with another human being, we should all clap. Like is so short. If you find another human being to travel through it with you, you should be cheered, supported and you should definitely have the right to celebrate that fact with weird dresses/ suits, strange cakes, bad speeches, way too much alcohol and by putting a ridiculously overpriced piece of metal on each other’s fingers to signify to the world that you are already taken.

Vote for marriage equality now, because it is time.

And if you don’t? We will remember. And the next time you are up for election we will find someone to replace you who will.

Someone who understands that really basic, core human emotion, which you seem to have so many issues with. That emotion that really is, all we need. Love.

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