An Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson has urged the Australian Government to pay attention to the world’s largest organisation of psychologists that has recently endorsed same-sex marriage.
The American Psychological Association, made up of more than 150,000 psychologists, has passed a resolution in support of same-sex marriage at its annual convention today.
USA Today reported the policymaking body for the group voted unanimously in favour, based on the increasing amount of same-sex marriage research.
Clinton Anderson, Director of APA’s Office on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns told USA Today that marriage equality was the policy that the country should be moving towards.
AME spokesperson Peter Furness said same-sex marriage was ‘not just a symbolic issue’ and had very real consequences.
‘The importance of the APA’s statement is that it is based on research into the effects of marriage equality in the US and Europe where equality has clearly been beneficial and where discrimination has been shown to be harmful,’ Furness said.
‘The science underlying the APA’s statement applies equally to Australia where legal discrimination against same-sex couples and their families also has a negative impact.’
LGBTI Heatlh Alliance Chair and Brisbane-based psychologist Paul Martin also backs the new stance from the APA.
‘A growing body of research confirms that mental health issues are directly related to discrimination. The same-sex attracted young people I see at my practice are particularly sensitive to messages that their relationships are not equal to other relationships.’
Benn Dorrington
***
