Dear Australia,
As an open and proud member of the LGBT+ community this national postal survey is extremely important to me. I really hate getting political and I was hesitant at first to express my views on this topic, but this is important.
Allowing same sex couples to marry is a basic human right. Growing up and still to this day I dream of the day when I can get married. I dream of one day falling in love and having my mum and dad walk me down the aisle, my girlfriends watching on, and popping champagne. Yet it's a dream. A fragmented dream that I come out of knowing deep down that it can't actually happen yet. When I meet the love of my life I can't declare my love in front of all my family and friends, sign a legal document, and say out loud that I will love them “in sickness and in health” … “till death do us part.” I want that. I want to be able to scream from the top of the roof that I'm in love and I want to have a country that allows me to be able to legally show it. It's not about validating the love between him and I, rather it's a way of my country showing me that it believes that my love is as equal and the heterosexual couples. After all, isn't it? Love and being in love and falling in love is one of the most beautiful things that can happen in life. After all love really does make the world go around. It could be the love between you and your boyfriend or girlfriend, the love you have for your Mother and Father, Sister and Brother, Grandma and Grandpa. What about the love you have for your pets, your work, and of course your friends!? Love, whether it be romantic or platonic, is the most exciting human experience and for god's sake it's hard enough finding it in the first place! If this national postal vote comes back with a resounding ‘yes’ and our politicians in Canberra legalise marriage equality then all Australian couples will have the choice. Just like all women should have the right to choose, all couples regardless of their sexuality should have the choice to get married. Marriage should not be an exclusive club for a particular type of couple. If our anthem is right and says that we (Australia) are the land of the “young and free” then our Marriage Laws should reflect that. There are so many gay and lesbian couples that, like heterosexual couples, break up. However, for same-sex couples there are no laws to protect their rights during their breakups. For example, a gay couple splits after being together for 15 years. They will have a house together, a car, and most likely a pet or a child, and because there are no legalities surrounding their possessions it’s extremely difficult for them to divide their assets. So this is when viscous custody battles begin and it's not fair. It's not fair that boys and girls are tormented at school because they're gay or lesbian. It's not okay that there is a boy sitting in classroom right now listening to his teacher say, “well when you meet your wife…”. I've been there. I've sat in that classroom. There are terrible things going on in the world right now and we need to let love and happiness reign supreme for a little while. That is why enrolling to vote and voting “yes” on your postal survey will help in getting our pollies to legalise same-sex marriage before the year is out. Fair is Fair. Happiness is Happiness. Love is Love.
Check you enrolled to vote by tomorrow! You can find out at www.aec.gov.au
