Should Australia allow gay marriage?

Gay marriage supporters protesting
Source: Thesocietypages, 2015

A very controversial topic that has been circulating the country recently has been whether or not same-sex marriage should be legalised in Australia. The federal issue has seen angry protests by citizens who are against gay marriage and for it, but when will there be a result for the never ending issue? 

Gay people are demanding equality and the freedom of being able to marry who they want to, as they believe it is their right, as Australia claims to be an 'equal' and 'free' country (Witzleb, 2015). Proponents of legalising same-sex marriage argue that the sex of the partners in a marriage is irrelevant to the nature of the union. Rather than changing the institution of marriage, same-sex marriage is about removing unjust sexual discrimination from current marriage law (Jones, 2015). The opponents of change to current marriage law, however, argue that the union of sexual difference is the essence of marriage (Witzleb, 2015). The inspiration for a lot of opponents of gay marriage comes down to their religion. Australia had many foundations that were based on religions such as Christianity. As a result, many people still believe that marriage should be only between a man and a woman as Christians believes.  

While some Australian state and territory jurisdictions have responded with registers of de facto relationships, registration offers no equivalent to marriage because it lacks the special cultural significance, the ceremonial aspects, and the social status of marriage (Jones, 2015). Interestingly, Australia is one of the last western countries to allow same sex marriage as countries like Ireland, The United States of America, Canada and New Zealand have all legalised it. 

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has not allowed same-sex marriage law to appear before parliament on a conscious vote. Abbott believes same-sex marriage is a very personal topic in which should be decided by the Australian people. Consequently, there may be a possibility of putting it through to the public through either a plebiscite or a referendum. 

However, although it may be still yet a while until gay marriage is legalised in Australia, there is an ever growing number of supporters of gay marriage. Opinion polls have found that around 70 percent of Australians said they would vote yes if the issue went to the public (News.com.au, 2015).

So let's hurry up and legalise same sex marriage!

Flowchart on gay marriage
Source: Peasandcourgars.com, 2015

References:

Jones, T 2015, 'Gay marriage, marriage equality, whats the difference?, The Conversation, viewed 26 August 2015, http://theconversation.com/gay-marriage-marriage-equality-whats-the-difference-46463

News.com.au 2015, 'Liberal MP Warren Entsch to lead way with cross-party bill on same-sex marriage', News.com.au, viewed 26 August 2015, http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/liberal-mp-warren-entsch-to-lead-way-with-cross-party-bill-on-same-sex-marriage/story-fnet09p2-1227478518226

Peasandcougars 2015, 'Flowchart on gay marriage', digital image, viewed 26 August 2015, www.peasandcougars.com

The society pages 2015, 'Individualist vs. social framers favouring gay marriage', digital image, viewed 26 August 2015, www.thesocietypages.org 

Witzleb, N 2015, 'Marriage as the last frontier? Same-sex relationship recognition in Australia', International Journal of Law, Policy & the Family, vol. 25, issue 2, pp. 135 - 164.