Protestors demand marriage equality

More than 200 braved wet weather last Saturday afternoon to attend a rally demanding legislative amendments in favour of same-sex marriage.

The event, organised by Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), took place in front of Town Hall and was tactically timed to gain maximum exposure in the lead-up to this Saturday’s election, with equality advocates calling on state politicians to grant equal rights.

The concurrent purpose of the event, according to Peter Urmson, co-chairman of the Mardi Gras committee, was to draw attention to widespread social inequality, not only in terms of gay marriage rights, which was the focus of the day.

Mr Urmson said: “My raison d’être around this issue is that it’s not necessarily about marriage equality but about equality.”

His view was supported by Alex Greenwich, a spokesperson for marriage equality, who said: “I think the reasons why people oppose equal marriage are probably based on a lack of education and a lack of understanding.

“In 2011 all Australians should be treated equally by the law, it shouldn’t matter what gender we are.”

Other speakers at the rally included Lord Major Clover Moore and Greens upper house MP Cate Faerhmann, who publicly restated their support for the movement by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community.

“This is the seventh rally calling for equal marriage rights that I have supported since becoming Lord Major in 2004 and I now believe there are real grounds for hope,” said Moore, as she addressed the partisan crowd. “Change is possible.”

Ms Faerhmann stressed the importance of lobbying.

“You can be guaranteed that when this comes up for debate, [devout] Catholics and the extreme right forces in NSW and across Australia will turn out in absolute force,” she said.

She emphasized the importance of direct communication with local MPs as they head to the polls.

“Talk to your MP in person, so that [if elected] when they go to vote in parliament, they will think of your story,” said Ms Faerhmann.

The last speech had barely ended, when the protesters set themselves in motion along Bathurst Street, which had been closed to traffic, chanting choruses, lifting banners and waving rainbow flags.

By Alexander Meyer-Thoene