Protest same-sex marriage ban on August 13

Ben Edwards, Sydney

People in eight cities and towns across Australia are taking action to protest against the federal ban on same-sex marriage, which was passed with Coalition and Labor party support on August 13, 2004.

The Australian government was the first in the world to ban same-sex marriage, setting the international benchmark for homophobic relationship legislation. Uganda, Nigeria, Latvia and Honduras followed suit.

This contrasts with the passage of same-sex marriage and civil union rights in many countries. England and the Czech Republic have enacted civil unions, and South Africa will enact same-sex marriage rights this year.

In the lead-up to the ban in Australia, same-sex couples were variously labelled as "moral terrorists of the 21st century", "psychologically disturbed" and "unfit to raise children". This year, the federal government took the ban on same-sex marriage a step further, overturning a law in the Australian Capital Territory to allow civil unions. At the national Queer Collaborations conference, held on July 3-7, prominent gay-rights activist Rodney Croome warned that federal banning of state laws allowing same-sex civil unions could follow.

Forty-two organisations have so far endorsed the August 13 equal relationship rights action. Ben Cooper, who is helping to organise the event in Lismore, said: "Fighting homophobia has to step up a notch following the rise of homophobic attacks, such as the recent violent assault on a man sleeping in his car after attending the Tropical Fruits Amourish Easter Party on April 15-16.

"We formed a new committee called the Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) to develop ways for the wider gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and intersex communities to keep safe, raise awareness of homophobic discrimination and strengthen our Northern Rivers communities.

"The Aids Council of NSW survey found alarming results of discrimination in the Northern Rivers. Of the 185 participants, 53% of people reported discrimination or harassment due to their sexuality, 23% reported harassment and discrimination by neighbours, 11% experienced physical assault and 4% endured physical assault by neighbours."

Simon Margan from CAAH in Sydney said: "Rates of homophobic violence are increasing across Australia. We need to combat this through an active, vibrant movement that fights homophobic laws and their horrific side-effects. The upcoming action is integral to raising community awareness and providing avenues for people to get involved. Such grassroots campaigns are essential to force politicians to listen."

Rachel Evans, the National Union of Students' national female queer officer, said: "People's power is going to stop Howard in his homophobic tracks. Queers have to unite with straights against the current human-rights-abusing regime. We are doing this and gaining in strength."

Melbourne's Equal Love Rights organiser John Kloprogge noted: "Formal relationship recognition is essential to achieve social equality and legal security for loving same-sex couples and their families. It's time for legal discrimination to end, and for same-sex couples to be treated with full equality."

The fight for legal and social equality for queers, women and all minorities is one and the same. Join the fight for equality for all on August 13.

From Green Left Weekly, July 26, 2006.

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From GLW issue 676