Your Say on Gay Marriage

[katydidthat]

I heard Tony Windsor this morning talking about the idea of a referendum on gay marriage.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/windsor-wants-referendum-on-gay-marriage/story-fncynkc6-12...

Would you vote for or against gay marriage if it was an option in September's election?  

[i-need-a-martini]

 in the 21st century it shouldn't take a referendum for a section of the community to have equal rights it should be a given.

100% agree.

It's a legal matter, not a moral one.

The govt (whichever govt) should just bite the bullet and legalise it. It's ridiculous and starting to become embarrassing that we are so backwards on this issue.

[catsnknots]

Which homosexual people?

And the reasons "these homosexual people marry" are?

The ones that Polksa was referring to earlier.. the ones that marry straight people maybe??? 

Often gay people marry because of family pressure, societal norms, desire to actually want to have a wife and two kids??? 

[freakiness]

Often gay people marry because of family pressure, societal norms, desire to actually want to have a wife and two kids??? 

It's not fair though. It often devastates the family when they find out later.

[i-need-a-martini]

I know quite a few gay men and a few gay women who were married.

One married to get into Australia but the others all married for 'noble' reasons - family pressure, cultural pressure or just in an attempt to change their orientation.

The 2 lesbians I know who married men both were 100% in love with the guys at the time.

[freakiness]

I am so offended – Jesus did not invent cats so that they could have meetings about gay rights!

(from that website I've been spamming the board with)

:^O:^O

[buzzlightyearsgirlfriend]

The ones that Polksa was referring to earlier.. the ones that marry straight people maybe??? 

Often gay people marry because of family pressure, societal norms, desire to actually want to have a wife and two kids??? 

Often people don't realise they are what they are until later in life. Doesn't mean any straight marriages or relationships they have had were a sham.

[monstersinthedungeon]

I agree Vampire teddy. why would anyone want the public to decide the private ? it ought to have nothing to do with them. only yourselves. the public aren't in the relationship.

Vampire, LL, I also agree that it should not be put to a public vote, just passed as legislation.

When I read the thread it made me feel very... I dunno.... uncomfortable, uneasy, ashamed.. that something like this should be put to a public vote.

I hope you get the right to marry your partner soon, Vampire.

[jean2579]

So true.  Any justification, especially religious will not and has never been accepted here.  Not only that, it has been met with hostility and even abuse so no, I don't blame people for preferring to remain anonymous. 

This wiki article is quite good at explaining different religious views on homosexuality:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_homosexuality

 ame sex

I'm also surprised at these poll results, I thought an overwhelming majority would be voting FOR gay marriage, although, there were members of G&L community who marched in protest of same sex marriage during the recent protests in France so there is really no way of knowing who the anonymous voters here are.

ok here goes, I will attempt to explain my NO vote, and I fully expect to be executed.

This would appear to be the single topic where discussion is not permitted. I have no religious inclination, nor am I as has been described here by various posters, homophobic, selfish, blinkered or stupid. I know that many same sex  couples have a very long and loving relationship. I have spent a lifetime believing that marriage was between a man and woman, and  was just that. Now I am being asked to put aside a lifetime of belief to embrace another concept. Where with any other subject where I am being asked to change my belief I am permitted to question, debate and then come to my own conclusion.

With this topic I am not permitted to do this. It is a take it only approach.

If I attempt to ask questions to understand why, I am met with abuse, name calling and ridicule. This perhaps is why there is little or no dissenting discussion.

Why would you expose yourself to such ridicule?

I welcome the possible referendum, it may finally open the discussion and help people who do not currently understand the need to change the definition of marriage to understand why it is necessary. In the process they may well change their vote.

I hope that these discussions can be done without name calling and ridicule. Everyone's opinion is equally valuable. Whatever the outcome I will accept it.

I do not know whether I am being brave, naive or plain stupid posting this!

[freakiness]

If I attempt to ask questions to understand why, I am met with abuse, name calling and ridicule. This perhaps is why there is little or no dissenting discussion.

Why would you expose yourself to such ridicule?

I welcome the possible referendum, it may finally open the discussion and help people who do not currently understand the need to change the definition of marriage to understand why it is necessary. In the process they may well change their vote.

I hope that these discussions can be done without name calling and ridicule. Everyone's opinion is equally valuable. Whatever the outcome I will accept it.

I do not know whether I am being brave, naive or plain stupid posting this!

I didn't find any ridicule when asking why or how to change a lifetime of conditioning to believe that marriage was between only a man and woman.

The reason I changed my mind was because the people against had no real reason for their being against other than life long conditioning or religious beliefs. It was when they started talking the slippery slope that s s marriage equals paedophilia and animal marriage while the s s marriage people were talking about their human rights and feeling like second class citizens that changed my mind.

[at_wicks_end]

People are people, they love who they love, they want to be able to formally and legally commit to who they love, and  they want to be recognised, it's a right.  Why on earth should only the straights in society have that right?  Nothing else it is plain mean spirited aand spiteful lol....

marriage in the traditional sense is outdated to me anyhow.  A civil union / marriage my celebrant covers everything legally.  I think people get funny about the word Married itself, old connotations.  

People need to understand the world is a different place.  There  has always been homosexual people, thankfully more people are coming to realise that it is totally normal to be homosexual.  Terribly sad that societal norms have meant so many leading secretive lives for fear of ridicule in all its forms.  

If nothing else, homosexuality is a great way of keeping population levels controlled if they choose not to use surrogates, sperm donors, etc!  Any other reason I believe homosexuality is totally normal.  As obviously, people are born homosexual, they don't just choose to be.  

As I have said before, a brother is gay, but he could not care less, but that is just him.  He has always preferred to primarily be by himself anyway, so my views are not formed in this instance because of him at all.

i put myself in the shoes of a gay person.  I would feel so hurt, and angry, upset if I truly wish to be married and was unable, yet could be out in public and see couples with wedding rings, drive down the street and see a wedding in progress in a pthink and know that just because I was me, I am not allowed.