Yesterday’s Nielson news poll reported a steady support for gay marriage as equal rights groups around the country prepare for equal marriage rallies this weekend.
Fifty-seven per cent of Australians still supported same-sex marriage, topped by ALP voters who showed 65 per cent in support. Despite the majority endorsement from Australians, a local gay rights activist believes the gay community can no longer just get angry about discrimination.
WA Equal Love representative Jess McLeod, who is behind this weekend’s same-sex marriage rally, said supporting equal marriage rights meant coming to the rally and standing alongside others who are part of a public act of defiance.
‘Getting angry watching people on the news like Ron Wilson, who labelled the Mardi Gras “disgusting”, is not enough,’ McLeod said.
‘Together we are much stronger – we can keep marriage equality on the agenda and highlight how out-of-touch the government is.’
McLeod said the rallies were very important as they had drawn tens of thousands of people in support of same-sex marriage. Since the 2004 Marriage Act amendment, gay marriage has come from a ‘marginal issue with minority support’ to a ‘mainstream issue with majority support’.
Last year’s National Year of Action for Marriage Equality saw thousands of Perth residents march through the capital city, although McLeod said she wanted to bridge the gap between the numbers who support equal marriage and ‘the numbers on the ground’.
‘I want to make the case that everyone who supports marriage equality and everyone who refutes the discriminatory, homophobic ban, needs to take a stand on March 19,’ McLeod said.
‘The marriage ban is homophobic and completely unacceptable and this is how we can stand up to it!
‘We want to make it untenable for the government to continue to uphold the ban on same-sex marriage, and to make it clear that we want nothing short of equality.’
For the first rally of 2011, McLeod said she was excited about this weekend and was keen to build on the achievements of last year.
‘We really want to get the ball rolling on March 19 for another big, successful year.’
The Equal Love rally kicks off from 1pm at Forrest Place, Perth CBD on Saturday March 19.
Benn Dorrington
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