It may be that I have just finished reading George Orwell's well known novel, Animal Farm, or it may be that I have just had it with the Australian political parties. Probably a healthy dose of both the former and the latter. In recent weeks I have been keenly watching the debates and politics on a very important topic. Gay marriage. Although the effect all these decisions has on me personally is probably about zero I cannot help but feel that a gross miscarriage of justice is occurring. **This is not the best structured thing I have ever written, so excuse the layout etc. **
The Anti-Discrimination Age... Or is it?
I live in a world where I am protected from all kinds of discrimination. Although I am not quite 5' 2" I am now able to join the police force without fear of being rejected for not meeting the height restriction. When I line up at the polls, go for a job interview or even wear pants there is no one there to tell me that I cannot do that because I am a woman (I am kidding, why would I wear pants? Pants are overrated...). When I go to work no-one is there to tell me I must wear make up or that I cannot wear it. I cannot be fired from my job for being too old. If I were an Indigenous Australian I am not able to be stopped from marrying anyone from another race, I have the right to all those any white Australian has (and damn right they should have).
If I were a Gay/Lesbian or Bisexual Australian I am told I cannot get married. I am also told I am no longer allowed to have a civil union and can only "register" my relationship, which smacks of condescension as a comparison to registering one's dog or cat. I am also to be told that I cannot seek a surrogate to have my children. As a single parent I can adopt a child but I cannot adopt one into my loving family if I am in a homosexual relationship.
Once it was illegal for women to vote. It was illegal for Indigenous Australians to have interracial relationships and their children were taken away to 'a better life'. Once being too short would have you excluded from any number of jobs, not just entering the Police force. Yet I am free to do what ever any Australian male or female can do... except if I was a lesbian.
Although I am not in a same sex relationship I am still very much outraged at how the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered people are treated in this country and are treated in many other countries. When I have children they may fall into the above categories and I will be damned if I were to sit by and watch my country discriminate against them in such a blatant and flippant manner. 'We gave you civil unions! Shut up your whinge holes!' is a translation of what I hear a vast majority of bigoted politicians saying. Well, now even that is gone.
Discrimination Defined
As far as I can tell, discrimination is where something:
Breaches of human rights by any Commonwealth body or agency and discrimination in employment on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, age, medical record, criminal record, marital status, impairment, disability, nationality, sexual preference, trade union activity. (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2007, www.hreoc.gov.au/)
Seems straight forward, right? Hahahaha! You are so naive! The law for discrimination regarding sexual preference and gender discrimination vary from state to state and they even have their own lists of what is protected by these laws. For instance in Queensland gender identity is covered but in the Northern Territory it is not. You are covered for discrimination regarding breastfeeding but in New South Wales it is not noted... The above extract is actually the Federal Law, but you will need to go through your State system before you get to the Federal Court.
So although in theory Australia does not tolerate discrimination, the Laws in reality are not quite so equal. States are free to choose their inclusions for discrimination, but I cannot see Australia standing for reintroduction of the White Australia Policy or revoking women's voting rights so why allow gay/lesbian/bi/trangender driscrimination??
The Religion Factor
So why do we allow discrimination based on something that happens in a persons private relationship? Many people will argue that marriage is a religious construct and that religions should not be forced to perform marriages where they do not recognise it morally.
My boyfriend and I can be married by the state without any involvement from any church. Hell, I can fly off to Vegas tomorrow and have myself a shotgun Elvis wedding and have it recognised. No church there! I think that the religions should make their own stand on marriage in their churches, that is their place of jurisdiction. Go nuts. This should not mean, however that the Government has the right to deny a marriage based on the same grounds. THEY ARE NOT A RELIGION THEY ARE THE EFFING GOVERNMENT.
Having said that, there are even some Church communities that support Gay marriage. They should have the right to do what they see is fit. Just because some churches will not allow it does not mean that the others should be told what they want to do is illegal...
Happy Days on the Animal Farm
Now the remaining point I wish to address in today's post is this... Why is Democracy dead? Although it may have happened a great deal of time before this event, for me it was the day that Julia Gillard stood up as Prime Minister. Kevin Rudd may not have been the most awesome Prime Minister (I kind of liked him though) but he was the head of our Government, elected BY THE PEOPLE. I know that in Australia we are not really voting for one person, we are in actuality voting for a party of people, but I never voted for Julia Gillard to be the face of our Government. No one did.
Just in Animal Farm, when the animals had decided the pigs were to be in charge of the farm, they were taken over by a pig they did not elect themselves. Then came the decisions which were only decided upon by the pigs. Why do the politicians get a 'conscience vote' and Australia gets no vote at all? When did democracy become a just word instead of an actually practice?
Perhaps Kevin Rudd would have pushed for Gay Marriage, maybe not. However, having the face of Australia who is not willing to consider Gay Marriage because she doesn't want to get married is a crock of shit. It is almost like saying 'I don't want to have children, so why would you want to?' or 'I am happy being in an abusive relationship, so I do not see the need to make beating on you wife illegal'.
Come on Julia, give Australia the chance to decide on Gay Marriage. We are not children who need to be told what is good for us, we have the right to vote for what our fellow human beings deserve. Equality. Or are you afraid that you will be shown to be wrong and that Australia in fact welcomes Gay Marriage and that it does shit all to the 'institution of family' because they are all just people like you and me? Because love is not about marriage, but marriage should only be about love? Love that you and the other politicians have no right to judge and deem worthy or unworthy of marriage.
Give us the chance to vote for real tangible things, like the rights of Gays/Lesbians/Transgendered. Give them the right to vote for what they want. As it stands we vote in a party and then they do whatever the hell they like. Democracy? Only for some.
Well said Sammie.
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