In what has been described as a debate-shifting essay, marriage equality advocate, Rodney Croome, has firmly placed the issue of marriage equality in the context of Australia’s long history of denying couples the freedom to marry.
In the latest edition of Overland magazine Croome draws a direct link between historical controls over who convicts and Aborigines married, and control over who gay Australians marry today.
“While the movement for marriage equality is obviously a global one, I wanted to put the issue in an Australian context”, Croome said.
“The more I looked at how Australian governments have historically controlled marriage, the more parallels I saw between the control over who convicts married, who Aborigines married and who gay Australians marry today”, Mr Croome.
“One obvious link is that it is a violation of personal freedom to be told who you can’t marry, but there is also a parallel in how members of each of these groups stood up to government interference and how their defiance sparked great change in Australian society.”
Tasmanian historian and author of Van Diemen’s Land and 1835: the founding of Melbourne and the conquest of Australia, James Boyce, said the essay “profoundly changed how I have understood this question and has the potential to do the same for many others. It’s a real debate-shifter, a critical and important piece of writing”.
Overland editor, Jeff Sparrow, has described the essay as “groundbreaking” and “timely”.
A copy of the essay can be found here:
http://web.overland.org.au/previous-issues/issue-203/feature-rodney-croome/
A summary has been published here:
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2778326.html
• Alex Greenwich, Australian Marriage Equality: MPs to hear about health costs of gay marriage ban
The health benefits of allowing same-sex couples to marry have been highlighted in a Australian Marriage Equality fact sheet published today.
Australian Marriage Equality national convenor, Alex Greenwich, said the fact sheet has been sent to all federal MPs.
“The fact sheet highlights the adverse health impact of discrimination in such a core social institution as marriage, as well as the general health benefits of marriage that same-sex partners and their families currently miss out on”, Mr Greenwich said.
“Allowing same-sex couples to marry means healthier relationships, healthier families and healthier communities.”
The fact sheet is part of a campaign by equality lobbyists that will see them meet with MPs in Canberra this week in the company of Queensland psychologist, Dr Paul Martin, who is a specialist in the mental health of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
The fact sheet cites a variety of studies as well as the Australian Medical Association’s policy against sexuality discrimination.
The fact sheet can be found here
The references cited in the fact sheet can be found here
