Same Sex Marriage Postal Survey (Australia)

[Halcyon]

I know political threads can get de-railed rather fast but I'm hoping this one stays civil (and Dave lets it slide).

For those of you who don't know, over the past month or so, the voting population of Australia has had a chance to have their say whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. I won't go into the political details about whether or not it should have been a plebiscite or whether Government should have just got on with the job or not.

For the 99% of you who are heterosexual, this probably won't interest you or you just don't give a crap and that's perfectly fine. But for the minority of the population this effects, today marks an important day in that almost 62% of those who voted agreed with same-sex marriage.

I post this because the decision effects me directly and plenty of your own co-workers, friends, family, favourite YouTubers etc... and while most of us (me included) are sick to death of hearing about this topic, I think it's important to recognise that the Australian Government are finally moving with the times and recognising equality.

Now... if only they'd get on with the job of fixing the National Broadband Network!

[@rt]

Congrats and I’m Hetro, and you’re mistaken

[BradC]

It has been a horrific process with vitriol from both sides. I now hope it goes away and we can get on with life. It won't though.

Edit because that sounded like a harsh reply to the original post. It wasn't intended that way.

[ChrisLX200]

I hope it makes some people happy so congrats. Also as a hetro I never understood how one section of the community could dictate how another should behave.. Mostly due to relgions I guess.

[IanMacdonald]

Yeah. Same religions that think sex with choir boys is OK. 

[@rt]

Pissing off the X-tians who think it’s any of their business is an added bonus.

[CJay]

Nope, doesn't affect me directly but I'm really pleased that people who love each other are allowed to make that commitment if they choose to and then enjoy the same rights.*

Let's hope Turnbull can keep his word to get it into law by Christmas and let's also hope that other 'civilised' countries come to the same decision really soon.


* And let's not call it 'gay' or 'same sex' marriage, it's 'just' marriage (hard won right I know) but that's another conversation that seems to upset people.

[woody]

Gefeliciteerd! And about time for Australia, one would think 

I always wonder what it is that makes some people so very opposed to same sex marriage. They probably feel threatened but I fail to see the reason why.

[Halcyon]

I always wonder what it is that makes some people so very opposed to same sex marriage. They probably feel threatened but I fail to see the reason why.

Me too! I'm sure gay couples can be just as "under the thumb" as straight couples, right?

;-)

Seriously though, I'm not about to rush out and get married, my partner and I have a lovely home and a young daughter. We're happy as it is, but it's nice to have the option there if we want it. Weddings are too bloody expensive in my opinion though, I'd rather buy more vintage computer stuff and I'm sure he'd rather buy some new games or a new graphics card. Speaking of money, I'd rather put some aside so when our daughter grows up, she's got a fighting chance to buy her own house in Sydney (or where ever), with the current prices in Sydney and Melbourne, you almost need to be a millionaire.

[brucehoult]

Congratulations!

I'd personally prefer that the government just got out of the business of regulating marriage or basing laws/entitlements on your married or unmarried state entirely. But at least treating everyone equally badly is a start.

I'm from New Zealand. Anyone can marry, including non-citizens, and many gay Australians have been going there to do so. You can fill out the marriage license application online, go into the office and sign a document on arrival in NZ, and marry three days later. Australia (or any other reasonable country) then recognises it. But better than that, the government treats people with an established relationship the same whether they are married or not. For example if you get a job in NZ and  want to get a visa for your partner to go with you, you only have to show you have an ongoing relationship, not that you're married. Being married is of course quite good evidence of a relationship :-) But it's not the only evidence accepted.

As it happens I got married last week in Denmark (to someone of the opposite sex). I've been working in Moscow the last three years, so it was a bit closer than NZ. Russia needed all kinds of crazy documents, but Denmark only needed my passport and a declaration that I'm not already married. Like NZ, they are happy for both people to be foreigners, and same sex couples are fine. You can present your documents one day and get married the next day, so it's even faster than NZ.

[Zero999]

My brother is homosexual so this is definitely something I support.

By the way has anyone had to deal with homophobia in the workplace? I've had a blazing row with some narrow-minded idiot about this before.

Russia is a strange place. It was one of the first countries to decriminalise homosexuality, yet is now one of the worst places in the world to be gay.

[Halcyon]

As it happens I got married last week in Denmark

Congratulations to you! 

By the way has anyone had to deal with homophobia in the workplace?

Thankfully not. Then again, I don't push my opinions and way of life onto other people. I've come across several people who don't agree with my views but we get along just fine! However I guess it helps that everyone in my immediate workplace has a Master's Degree as a minimum with some doctorates. Coincidence or correlation? ;-)

[CJay]

As it happens I got married last week in Denmark (to someone of the opposite sex).

Congratulations

Me too! I'm sure gay couples can be just as "under the thumb" as straight couples, right?

Everyone deserves a fair shot at being miserable

[Precisiontools]

Still waiting for the sky to fall in here...

Seriously...its been like new years eve here in the CBD. (Melbourne)

[brucehoult]

Weddings are too bloody expensive in my opinion though, I'd rather buy more vintage computer stuff and I'm sure he'd rather buy some new games or a new graphics card.

They can be but they don't need to be. It cost us 395 euro to the agency that arranged everything (including the local government fee), plus another 22 euro for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen to stamp it with an "Apostille" so it would be recognised in Russia. Other than that you need your flights, budget about 100 euro a night for a decent hotel, 15 - 25 euro each for lunch or dinner in a good restaurant. We also spend 350 euro on a photographer, 150 euro for hairdresser, 30 euro for the bouquet. We spent a whole week in Denmark, travelling around in a rental car (Qashqai turbo diesel, which surprisingly I didn't actually hate) and staying in nice hotels and spend I think a total of just under 3000 euro, just over 3000 USD. You could do it a lot cheaper. Not having guests helps -- family and friends can look at the photos after :-)

[Halcyon]

Seriously...its been like new years eve here in the CBD. (Melbourne)

Likewise in Sydney. I dare say that there will be a lot of people off sick (hung-over) tomorrow... which is great for me as peak hour traffic will be far less painful. See, already it's having a positive effect on the roads and the economy. ;-)

[HoracioDos]

Hello!

We have the law since 2010 and nothing has changed. I mean, the world is still spining as usual. I don't know if same sex couples have the same oportunities to adopt a child (I don't have the stats) and surrogate pregnancy is still in discussion for everyone.
These things could be still sensitive issues that weren't fully discussed.

[BradC]

However I guess it helps that everyone in my immediate workplace has a Master's Degree as a minimum with some doctorates. Coincidence or correlation? ;-)

Probably coincidence. Some of the most arrogant, opinionated, bigoted and closed-minded people I know are also the most educated people I know.

[WorldPowerLabs]

Well, having been married at one time (for over a decade), all I can say is that I no longer see the point in modern society.  At one time, perhaps it made sense.  Anymore, when one partner or the other can bow out for literally any reason.... you're gambling with your future economic wellbeing.

[ChrisLX200]

Whatever, it's freedom of choice which is the important thing - and that was denied.

[nctnico]

Weddings are too bloody expensive in my opinion though

The trick to keeping a wedding affordable is not to invite people you see less than once a year. Let them wait for your funeral And don't go overboard with expensive suits/dresses you'll never wear again.

[brucehoult]

Well, having been married at one time (for over a decade), all I can say is that I no longer see the point in modern society.  At one time, perhaps it made sense.  Anymore, when one partner or the other can bow out for literally any reason.... you're gambling with your future economic wellbeing.

Unfortunately it's necessary for visas for certain countries.

And in others (such as NZ), after three years living together "you're gambling with your future economic wellbeing" in precisely the same way and amount anyway.

[mrpackethead]

Gud on ya straya.

[Falcon69]

People should have a right to do what they want when it comes to marriage. Now with that said, I have to say this, and I'm still angry about it.....

When Oregon passed the same sex marriage law a couple years ago....this is what they did, and it really made me angry.

The day the law went active, they allowed the marriages to proceed that day. You could go down and get a license, and get married the same day....IF you were gay.

Now, this meant that straight people STILL had to wait the standard 3 days after filing the marriage certificate to get married before a judge, priest, family, and friends.

That was F'ing wrong. That gave the gay people more rights then straight people. That really pissed me off. 

To me, now, it tells me that if you are a minority (Gay, Trans, Bi, Mexican, Australian, whatever), you have more rights than a non-minority here in the US. You get 'special' privileges that a non-minority would not normally get. That's f'd up in my opinion. Equal rights....my ass!

[Halcyon]

When Oregon passed the same sex marriage law a couple years ago....this is what they did, and it really made me angry.

The day the law went active, they allowed the marriages to proceed that day. You could go down and get a license, and get married the same day....IF you were gay.

Now, this meant that straight people STILL had to wait the standard 3 days after filing the marriage certificate to get married before a judge, priest, family, and friends.

That was F'ing wrong. That gave the gay people more rights then straight people. That really pissed me off. 

To me, now, it tells me that if you are a minority (Gay, Trans, Bi, Mexican, Australian, whatever), you have more rights than a non-minority here in the US. You get 'special' privileges that a non-minority would not normally get. That's f'd up in my opinion. Equal rights....my ass!

Yep! 100% agree with you there. You see similar inequality when it comes to Indigenous Australians. On almost every application form there is a box you tick if you're an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and you don't need to prove it, you just need to "declare" you are.

You have these political nut-jobs who jump up and down and scream for equality and for Aboriginals to be treated just the same as anyone else (and largely they are, you'll find most Australians couldn't give a crap where you come from or what colour your skin is), but then on the same breath, they expect all these extra services, allowances and to be treated as special. I'm sorry, but no! Sure if you come from a disadvantaged community, then fine, I have no problems with government assistance, but it shouldn't be because of your heritage.