This month we're turning the spotlight on gay marriage. It's certainly an issue on the table. We thought we'd suss out people's opinions on the matter.

Are we fighting for something that only a few of us want? Do we want this right because of the institution or because of what it represents? Do we all deep, deep down want to settle down with rings on our fingers?

Do we want to get gay married?

PS - I have only put two options in the poll - no sitting on the fence people!

Yeah you totally have made it very tricky! (I voted NO)
Reminds me of Howard's Republic Referendum!!!

I'd love to get Gay married, I just need to find myself a gay boyfriend first!!

Ohhh the results of this poll are very interesting, each one keeps overtaking the other at the moment. Come on everyone, vote!

My partner and I are engaged and have been for over 6 months now, we're hoping to tie the knot this time next year.

Corey and I are planning to get a Civil Union in NZ (considering Corey's a Kiwi it makes things a little easier over there), but we still haven't been able to get a straight forward answer to what that civil union will mean in Australia, if anything at all!

if people personally want to have a civil union then thats great..

but its personally not for me..

I'm all for it. Well, kind of.

I think the idea of a 'wedding' itself is absolutely ridiculous with it's traditions and expectations. I've been to numerous weddings for straight friends who aren't religious whatsoever but who do the full religious ceremony, including the religious counselling on the lead up to the wedding - stupid. If you have to do things because "it's expected" or "for the family", you shouldn't be doing it.

Getting married, having a commitment ceremony - whatever, should be about announcing your love and relationship to your family and friends and basically saying that you are committed to each other. This is the part I'm all for.

Of course, the fact that I'm told I can't do something drives me mad as well and all of 'Stray'ans' who spout the usual "Adam and Eve",. "Marriage is for procreation" crap can just bite me. While I may never get married, I think I should have the choice to if I decide I want it.

Oh, and to finally get payback for the dozens of engagement and wedding presents we've had to fork out for over the years - when's it our turn??

Yeah i would love to get married for all the benifits of marriage that the straightys get.
But at the same time i dont want to change my last name ,there will be a fight over who doesnt have to wear the dress and dont want all my freinds to sit a long boring church service and listen to real bad music at the reception !
I would would rather have a kick arse party to celebrate being together for 6 years and still very happy, im sure everyone would appreciate that more.. and for the money wasted on a wedding i would rather use that towards the seperate deposit required to get two morgages to buy a house together...
If your happy you dont need no peice of paper to say, so just equal rights whould be nice.. ox

my honest opinion is that i don't want to get married, and i don't want a civil union either. i don't subscribe to those notions and those rituals. i don't identify with it at all. i don't need that kind of validation either. i just don't view the world that way. i don't look at those trappings of the straight world and wonder why i don't have it - every part of society has different priveleges, different burdens - i think there are much bigger things to be fighting for. but hey, that's just my opinion.

in any case, my relationships are more complex than those structures allow - and to be honest i think a lot of people's are.

why people can't validate themselves anymore is a mystery i think i will always sit with and ponder over...

^^Fair enough that's not how you choose to define yourself Christian. Marriage is clearly not the institution for you. These sort of arguements go on between hetros as well - 'why should we define ourselves and our relationship with a piece of paper' and so forth.

But what about those people who DO want to define themselves in that fashion? I don't think there are any grounds to argue that they should have this choice denied to them simply because the institution doesn't fit with your own belief structure?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheetah77

I'm all for it. Well, kind of.

If you have to do things because "it's expected" or "for the family", you shouldn't be doing it.

Right on sistah!! :P

I'd love to get married one day - I'm not letting the F**ked-up gay scene ruin my idea of a fairytale marriage to a guy I love...

Personally, I'd love the honeymoon - imagine the neihbours reckons as you step out the room in the morning...

I'm definitely in favour.
I got engaged to my partner last August and we are looking forward to a civil partnership ceremony in the UK next year sometime.
Apart from having a formal and public commitment to our relationship, becoming civil partners will enable me and my partner to move to the UK much easier in the future.
I fully respect those people who have no interest in gay marriage or partnerships but I am sure you support the rights of those who wish to have such a commitment to have one.
We should be allowed the choice in Australia.

Hi all

I fully support the formal and legal recognition of our relationships. I also need to comment on some issues from the original post:

The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, along with othe state based activist organisations, commenced Equal Love in 2005, on the first anniversary of the Marriage Amendment Bill 2004 . This is a day of peaceful protest that has continued through 06 and I am sure will continue until such time as a Feceral Government recognises the basic human right of allowing us to have our relationships legally and formally recognised. In the first year of this event, we had an event in city square and we then marched off to Federation Square for Midwinta Vows. In 2006 we took this event to the steps of Parliament House and then marched to the Town Hall. There were in excess of 2000 people at this event. This is far more significant than sending postcards and pritning fliers. It will also require your commitment in 2007 to make it a more effective voice.

It is time that we put difference aside and encouraged the formation of a National lobbying and activist organisation, that umbrella's state based lobby groups, so that we have a far more powerful voice in the nation's capital. This is not about secular politics of what one state has and another does not - this is about creating a voice for all GLBTIQ Australians. There will be an opportunity to do this at a community develoment workshop as part fo the first Asia Pacific Outgames being held in Melbourne in January/February 2008.

If we are to take on the fundo's - fundamentalist christians, fundamentalist right wingers, et al, then we must do this as a united force. And we must do it on their terms. It is no point speaking to the broader community in our language - we must do it in theirs. Whilst this may be seen to be kow towing to them, it is more that we need to adopt their language to fight the same fight. They are small in number but well resourced, well prepared and well organised. If we are to present an argument to the ACL, Salt Shakers, and others, then we must do it from a national platform.

Finally, we need to adopt a term other than Marriage. Marriage is a religious tradition that has very strong hetero normative connotations. By using that term, we are inflaming those that oppose us. How you choose to confirm your commitment to your significant other should be a choice for you- whether it be a public celebration, a private ceremony, the exchanging of a vow or commitment to one another in private, cohabiting, or not at all. The most important issue is that you have that choice, and that it is recognised by law. Without any legal recourse, it is an exercise in futility.

Stand up and shout to the rooftops that you want legal recognition, whichever way you choose to make that happen, and lets try and band together as a commited community who wish to effect change - otherwise we may simply be wasting our time.

I voted yes, but im really not sure on the term "marriage". I actually dont know what the right term would be though...

I think that Governments shouldn't be in the relationship business at all. The State should just provide a legal framework for citizens to construct their own contracts based on their own circumstances or beliefs and leave things like structure, division of property and what to call their relationships, etc. up to the individuals in question.

Ceremony, no ceremony, religious, secular, traditional marriage, civil union, death do us part, 1 year trial with option to renew or renegotiate, polygamy, harem, romantic gestalt. Whatever. Its a decision for the individuals involved, not Government.

do i want to get married legally or just get a 'hubby'?

I want to get married to my fiancee and even if I didn't, I would support the fight of those who do because it's an important institution in our society, conferring particular benefits and recognitions to which every couple should be entitled.
I think that the stranglehold the religious groups believe they have over marriage is completely wrong - they don't own marriage, it was a civil arrangement before religions got involved, and as more than half of marriages in Australia now happen outside a church in a purely secular ceremony (a ceremony which is still called a wedding and which begins the state of marriage) I don't see why we as gays and lesbians should be denied the same. If the govt want to change the whole law so that marriage in a church is called marriage and everyone, regardless of sex, who has the ceremony outside a church gets a state called something else, then fine - let us share in that other thing. But I can't see that ever happening - can you imagine the uproar? - and so we deserve the same rights. Whether we use those rights or not is up to us. But we should have them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wysi

do i want to get married legally or just get a 'hubby'?

one LOOK at the Start Date of this thread.... and I KNEW that you brought it back from the dead !!!

Give that you are into necrophilia - I'm douibting that you'll find an alive hubby !


EDIT - EWWWWW... just as I was checking the necro spelling on google - this was brought up.....
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/...d-necrophilia/

Here's a dirty old man for your hubby