By Angela Hryc – 19 June, 2017

Marriage equality, otherwise known as same-sex marriage, is an extremely controversial issue, particularly in Australia. One would ask why this is the case but unfortunately, same-sex marriage is something that seems to be difficult to understand for some people. So why is a basic human right that difficult to understand? Maybe it’s because the people who are against marriage equality in Australia are not shunned by wanting to marry the love of their life.

Definitions:

Same-sex marriage is best defined as a marriage or a ceremonial union between two people of the same sex, i.e. man and man, woman and woman. Same-sex marriage is also referred to as gay or homosexual marriage. Although this is also technically correct, we shouldn’t feel the need to put a label on people who are attracted to their same gender and who wish to get married. It’s not like the rest of society goes out of their way to refer to traditional marriage as a heterosexual or straight marriage.  While it may be another definition for describing traditional marriage, the words “heterosexual” or “straight” are not commonly used terms to define a marriage between a man and a woman.

However, according to the Bible, marriage is a vow and commitment made between a man and a woman, created by God with Adam and Eve. As the verse by Genesis 2:24 states, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”. And while this may have be stated in a book that was written hundreds of years ago, it certainly should not carry through into the contemporary meaning of marriage.

Who Supports It?

Although Australia has more than five million Catholics and represents almost 25% of Christians, this does not make up the rest of the nation or the vast majority of Australians who believe in same-sex marriage. In fact, there are approximately 1279 organisations that already support marriage equality including AFL, Westpac, Network Ten, Monash University and Melbourne Inclusive Church.

With countries such as the United States, England, Ireland and New Zealand having already legalised same-sex marriage, Australia is certainly next in line to accept it and perform it. Australian Marriage Equality proves that “the Australian Government does not recognise same-sex marriages entered into overseas, nor allow same-sex marriages to be performed within Australia”.

So Malcolm Turnball, I firmly ask you what is the hold up? Why are you failing to comprehend to what should be such a simple request for the LGBT community and all other supporters of marriage equality? Considering same-sex marriage was first approved by the Netherlands back in 2001, I think the Australian Government – especially the Liberal Party of Australia – has some serious explaining to do.

Government’s Response:

The Australian Government has countless of other issues to be concerned about, such as properly dealing with violence against women and finding habitable homes for those thousands of refugees imprisoned in Nauru and Manus Island, then to be sitting around and thinking about whether or not same-sex marriage should be legalised. The Government should not be trying to force a plebiscite in order to vote on basic human rights.

Why Religion?

It also seems that religious organisations, the Catholic Church in particular, have a huge impact on the beliefs and values of Australians and their views on same-sex marriage. Now, everyone is clearly entitled to their beliefs with God and religion, but why should a church or a religious group have the right to tell ANYONE what to believe about same-sex marriage? We don’t hear of people telling Catholics to start eating meat on Fridays – or does the no-meat-on-Fridays rule not apply anymore? Religion is not something that everyone believes or practises in Australia; therefore, religion should not have an influence on same-sex marriage from being denied.

So to all those people who are so against same-sex marriage, I say this: we have far too many problems in this world to be worried about then to be fixated on who can marry who, which, I will add, should be a beautiful commitment that is accepting of all types of relationships.