Australian commentary // Browsing posts in Australian commentary
Thornton: Movements in the modernisation of marriage
Changes suggest same-sex couples may be able to wed, MARGARET THORNTON writes The transition from status to contract has been acknowledged as the most significant marker of modernisation. Status, as exemplified by birth and gender in feudal society, is static and unchanging. In contrast, contract, in which two parties negotiate the terms of a transaction, ...
Austin: God is cool with gay marriage
The greatest revision of belief within the Judaeo-Christian faiths since the Reformation is underway. It is a bruising process with skirmishes erupting regularly around the globe. Conservatives are still winning, but progressives are gaining. Six Roman Catholic bishops in Victoria wrote to their flock last week urging them to lobby politicians with their views on same-sex ...
Phelps: Abbott’s one lame argument against gay marriage
Good on Christine Forster and her partner Virginia Edwards for coming out. The more the merrier. Most of us in the marriage equality movement have known about the relationship for a couple of years, so we have been viewing Tony Abbott’s comments on the issue of equality through the prism of knowing he had a ...
Dow: Politics turns gays into black sheep of Australia’s family
Australia’s decision makers are successfully dividing society. TONY Abbott thinks his sister Christine Forster is ”courageous” for revealing herself to be a lesbian. He may think she’s brave but he certainly doesn’t consider her his equal. No, he’s going to stick to his ”political commitment”, which translates to not only an ideological opposition to same-sex ...
Simms: Gay marriage could hold key to Abbott redemption
Tony Abbott has an image problem. Every poll in the country confirms this. Despite the ascendancy of the party he leads and the persistent unpopularity of Prime Minister Gillard, Abbott is not enjoying a honeymoon with voters. For many, Gillard and Abbott represent the ultimate Sophie’s Choice. One possible explanation for Abbott’s unpopularity could be ...
Brendan O’Neill in the Oz: gays getting married is the first step towards TOTALITARIANISM!
I’m always on the lookout for an actual argument against marriage equality – it would make me feel better about the fact that, despite no-one apparently being able to offer one, it hasn’t simply happened here yet. So it was in that spirit that I started reading Brendan O’Neill’s effort in this morning’s Australian. Can Brendan give us ...
Dimond: This is why I’m boycotting marriage
I’m boycotting marriage! I’m sitting here writing this beyond exhausted that marriage equality is still a topic we are discussing. Also putting pen to paper are six Victorian Catholic Bishops. They are busy frantically scribing letters asking their parishioners to support their homophobic ways. With three bills before Federal Parliament hoping to change the legal ...
Editorial: Christian Lobby out of step on gay marriage
MARRIAGE is an internationally recognised symbol of commitment and love between two people. Newlyweds Lauren Birch and Suzan Marsden believe their love is no different to the feelings any other couple has for each other and argue they should be given equal rights to have their relationship legally validated. (story here) The campaign by the Australian ...
Martin: The Mental State of Marriage
Recently a group called ‘Psychologists for Marriage Equality’ was formed to draw attention to the link between marriage equality and mental health. People have been asking me why we have started a group called Psychologists for Marriage Equality and why the mental health of the most vulnerable in our communities is impacted by being excluded ...
Catholic anti-gay letter ‘bigoted, medieval’: Bandt
A LETTER being circulated in Victoria by six Catholic bishops asking parishioners to show their opposition to gay marriage is discriminatory, bigoted and medieval, says Greens MP Adam Bandt. The letter says legalising gay marriage would be a grave mistake that would undermine the institution of marriage. It tells Catholics they have a responsibility to ...
Australian Marriage Equality
