Homosexual Marriage Australia

The same-sex debate is not only an American phenomenon. Many countries, especially Europe, have dealt with the issue as well. Since 2001, seven nations- the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, and Norway- have legalized gay marriage.

For Australian law to be effective it must be dynamic so it can reflect changing societal views, which law reform can help attain. A significant area of recent social change is the acceptance of same-sex relationships in Australian society. To mirror this, current law reforms have been somewhat effective in achieving just outcomes regarding the recognition of same-sex relationships in Commonwealth law. The combination of official recognition of same-sex relationships to an extent, attempts at removing discrimination in legislation, and the delay of justice denotes this. Considering the achievement of justice and the protection of individual’s rights, it is evident that law reform has significantly improved recognition of same-sex relationships, but there are more essential responses that need to be enacted.

It can be argued that marriage equality is the paramount issue for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) in Australia, and worldwide. The push for marriage equality has been at the forefront of debate for many years, especially in Australia, where same-sex couples are still unable to marry under Australian law. Despite the recognition of same-sex matrimony in

Gay marriage has been an issue for a very long time and since some states are legalizing it, many worry that it would soon be added as an amendment. The topic of gay marriage brings up religious, legal, and many other issues. In "What's wrong with Gay Marriage?" by Katha Pollitt, the author supports gay marriage and wants it legalized. She states that there is no problem with gay marriage and it's all a matter of separating the church and state. But in “Gay ‘Marriage’: Societal Suicide,” by Charles Colson, the author opposes the idea of gay marriage and states that it will destroy society. Marriage is intended to unite a man and a woman together to bring children into the world, but due to the same-sex marriage,

"When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person, that society has cut off a segment of my freedom." - Martin Luther King Jr, 1958. This provocative statement, in reference to interracial matrimony during the fight for black civil rights in America is unfortunately once again significant, however this time in reference to marriage equality in Australia. The failure of the law to allow all couples regardless of sex to marry, and furthermore refusal to acknowledge marriages conducted overseas, is a disgrace to the nation supposedly know as accepting of difference and intolerant to discrimination.

Homosexual marriage is one of the old but controversial issues around the world. Compared to the past, it seems to become a more open debate among people. At the same time, people seem to be more swayable than before, but towards the gay marriage, different voices have still been hovering in the air. Gay people and their supporters have been striving for their rights to get married legally, while others who against gay marriage have never stopped deterring it.

Only recently, the Australian Government introduced reforms to de-facto relationships. This meant that same-sex couples are entitled to the same benefits and subject to the same obligations as opposite-sex couples (Property Relationships Act 1984 NSW). The legislation of Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws- General Law Reform) Act 2008 removed discriminatory treatment of same-sex couples. These acts included laws about tax, superannuation, Medicare, workers compensations, employment entitlements and family law. Homosexuals are discriminated against in terms of marriage, donating blood and are also victims to abuse due to their status. A study conducted by the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby revealed that 84% of participants aged between 14 and 21 had been treated unfairly because of their sexuality and almost half had suffered verbal or physical abuse. With these inequalities present, it is difficult to achieve equality and fairness around this group. Although Australia proposes the ideal of egalitarianism, it is hard to justify whether it is present or not.

Another type of family in which the Australian legal system has been effective in is dealing with Same Sex Relationships. However there has been a slight degree of ineffectiveness in this issue with same sex relationships finding it extremely difficult in the past in order to obtain the same rights as married couples or even De Facto couples, thus one can interpret that in the case of Same Sex Relationship Justice is delayed thus the justice is denied. Same Sex Couples it seems are unable to ever achieve the rights and be recognised through marriage as the Marriage Act 1961 specifically states that marriage is between a man and a woman and in order for Same Sex couples to be able to marry a new law must be passed as well as that section of the marriage act be amended. However all states and territories in Australia recognise Same Sex

The law regulating same-sex marriages continues to change, in order to better reflect the community 's opinions and expectations. Within the last decade, Australia has seen substantial changes in the legal recognition of same-sex relationships. This increase in legal recognition is primarily aimed at removal of institutionalized discrimination, as well as providing adequate legal protection of same-sex couples has arisen due to the wide spread changes of opinions about same-sex relationships within society.

Australia’s Senate and House of Representatives recently rejected bills to accept homosexual marriage in Australia. Labor MP Stephen Jones and Labor Senator Trish Crossin have both put forward a bill to gain marriage equality with both bills failing to pass through to the governor general (House of Representatives – 98-42, and

The last gay man to be arrested for sodomy was put away for 8 months in 1984, that was only 33 years ago. Anti-gay laws were only recently repealed between 1975-1997, the last start being Tasmania, which was essentially forced to by the rest of the country to change its outdated ways. Nineteen ninety bloody seven. People born in that year wouldn’t even be 21 yet. We still do not have same sex marriage in Australia. Same sex couples married overseas are recognised as married in most of our states, excluding the Northern Territory and Western Australia - which is appalling, an absolute embarrassment to our country. You won’t allow a couple in love to even be considered married if they had to go to another country to be wed. You know what the Northern Territory also refuses to allow? Same sex couples can’t adopt the children that straight couples couldn’t look after, so

Gay marriage has been a discussion in the courts for countless decades. It is seen by some as an abomination to the purpose of having marriages and by others as an equal right to the same form of marriage given to any other opposite-sex couples. Voted upon by many in parliamentary, it still has no definitive outcome in the country.

On July 20th 2005, Canada became the fourth country to legalize the marriage of homosexuals. However this did not just happen overnight. Just 40 years ago, all homosexuals were subject to criminal charges and imprisonment. Brick by brick the homosexual community was granted more equality until marriage was proposed. The legalization of gay marriage in Canada was the culmination of more than 35 years of society and court rulings pushing the federal government to give homosexuals more equal rights.

As of 2017 South Africa is the only african country to recognize same sex marriage. So far, two dozen countries have enacted national laws allowing gays and lesbians to marry, mostly in Europe and the Americas. In Mexico marriages are recognized by all sub-national jurisdictions and by the federal government.Courts nationwide must now authorize marriages between people of the same-sex through injunctions, a process slower and more expensive than opposite-sex marriage (www.wikipedia.com). There are various consequences if you try to practice same sex marriage in other countries, some allow it fully and some even have the death penalty for people whom try to have same sex marriage. While few societies have recognized same-sex unions as marriages, the historical and anthropological record reveals a large range of attitudes towards

Another argument towards anti-gay marriages is that homosexual relationships are not biologically natural. Same-sex couples cannot naturally produce children through their union. If procreation is the problem of gay marriages, and a necessary purpose of marriage, then to be consistent, States would also have to prohibit marriages in which one or both partners are sterile or impotent. This would mean postmenopausal women as well, would not be allowed to marry. This would definitely be unacceptable to many