Equal love, equal legislation

Gay rights campaigners are stepping up their game in the fight for marriage equality.

Becoming increasingly frustrated with the Rudd Government’s failure to lift the ban on same sex marriage, advocacy groups Campus Equal Love and Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) will co-host a rally this Saturday at 1pm at Sydney Town Hall.

The two groups are predominantly made up of university and high school students, as the issue of how such legislation impacts on young gay and lesbians becomes apparent.

“They seem to love playing politics with peoples’ lives,” Cat Rose, one of the rally’s coordinators said.

“[But] it’s no joke for young same sex attracted people, who are most at risk of committing self harm because of homophobia, and experiencing homophobic bullying and abuse at school.”

Eighteen-year-old Jesse Matheson has had first-hand experience with homophobic bullying.

“I was in year eight and someone from a different school targeted me,” he said, “a big group of people surrounded me and started bashing me up.”

Matheson, who is originally from Byron Bay, ‘came out’ to his grandmother when he was 14. Assuming that he would be kicked out of home, he had packed his bags – but to his surprise Matheson’s grandmother was accepting.

“I got lucky,” he said, but not everyone’s family reacts so well. “I’ve got friends who have got into fights with their families, whose families have pretty much broken down.”

But despite his family’s acceptance, growing up gay in a small community was not easy and Matheson was constantly harassed about his sexuality.

The pressure eventually became too much to bear, and both Matheson and his family thought Sydney would be a more tolerant place for him to live.

“During that time when I moved I was pretty angry with myself, having to go through all these changes, having to leave all my friends – just so I could have some piece of mind,” he said.

The pressure took its mental toll on the teenager: “I wouldn’t say I had suicidal tendencies, but I definitely was pretty depressed a lot of the time.”

The psychological effects of homophobia on young gays and lesbians are one of advocates’ primary motives in pushing for the marriage ban to be lifted.

The theory is that once same sex couples are not differentiated from heterosexual couples in terms of legislation, social norms and understanding will follow suit.

Alex Greenwich, national convener for Australians for Marriage Equality believes the government is currently sending the wrong message.

“From a young age we’re all being told that the ultimate level of relationship recognition is marriage, and that it’s something we should strive for. Then we’re told by our Prime Minister that this should not be open to gay and lesbian Australians,” he said.

Federal Greens candidate Matthew Robertson said the ban is an infringement on human rights.

“For many young people it’s not about whether or not they choose to exercise the right to marry, but it’s about that right being accessible to all people, including gay and lesbian people.”

In fact, many Australians are in favour of amending the legislation and a 2009 national poll found that sixty per cent of Australians supported same-sex marriage.

But rally organiser, Heidi Claus, said that statistics are not enough to prompt change: “We have to turn that passive support into active support on the streets.”

By Jennifer Lush