After an unnecessary postal ballot, the Australian public has voted for marriage equality.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/samesex-marriage-vote-results-and-live-coverage-as-postal-survey-verdict-announced-20171114-gzl182.html

Federal Politics/by Stephanie Peatting.   11/14/2017

Now all that remains to be seen is whether or not our politician can pass this into legislation without further delay or rancour. 

Great news, and very good turnouts too. X

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Congrats to everyone in Australia!! ❤️


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🏳️‍🌈Prime Minister Turnbull pledged to legalize same-sex marriage by Christmas🏳️‍🌈

(CNN) Celebrations broke out across Australia after a two-month national postal survey came out "overwhelmingly" in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Results released Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed 61% of the population voted to allow same-sex marriage, with 38% voting against.

Rainbow-colored smoke, confetti and cheers erupted in the center of Melbourne following the announcement, where hundreds of people had gathered to hear the result.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/14/asia/australia-same-sex-marriage-yes/index.html

CNN/by Ben Westport and Lucie Morris Marr   11/14/2017

This is great news of course.  Same-sex marriage rights have been secured in lots of countries by judicial decisions or legislative enactments.  They're all good, and they're all to be celebrated.

But two countries really stand out head and shoulders above the rest: Ireland and Australia.

In these two countries, the driving force for recognition of marriage rights is a direct popular vote of the people.  These two countries show that the human race is at a turning point towards progress.  (Especially in Ireland, where the measure had to overcome fanatical opposition by the Catholic Church, which had dominated Irish life for centuries in the past!)

That being said - the struggle is far from over in Australia.  The Australian Parliament and government were too cowardly to enact marriage rights on their own authority, and opted instead for this mail-in vote.  And even though a clear majority of the people are in favor, the vote was a "non-binding" referendum.  That means just what it sounds like.  Even though the people voted yes, the cowardly politicians reserved the option to say no.

So now it's time for Parliament to act.  You guys hear what the people have said!  Do your job and make it happen!

Though it's a shame that fundamental civil rights should ever have to face a vote of the people, we take these victories as they come.

LGBT folks made their case directly to the whole people, and the people didn't let us down.  Thank you SO much to the people of Australia and the people of Ireland!

I Knew my fellows Aussies were not phobic about our LBGTQI community and it was nice to see that my faith was well founded. As April has already said, its now time for our Government to put this in place. We have endured the last 2 months public scrutiny of our lives and have come out the victors for human rights and not just marriage equality.

I think I'd prefer we had a valid and constitutional government before they do anything else.

Everyone should be able to legally dedicate their lives to one another same sex or not.

So congrats in Oz. But with marriage may come divorce too so it is a double edged sword.

But do we really need a government to tell us who we should love and dedicate our lives too? I mean I was married once and never again but mine an my BF's Wills and so on reflect our dedications to one another. We say we love each other before going to bed and when we wake up and so on.

So do my Boyfriend and I need a government to allow us to love one another? I mean I war his ring and he mine but I don't know about marriage though? Maybe one day though. But I am so scared. But I am starting to rethink so maybe it won't be much longer though.

Quote from: Jenntrans on November 20, 2017, 02:33:00 PM
Everyone should be able to legally dedicate their lives to one another same sex or not.

So congrats in Oz. But with marriage may come divorce too so it is a double edged sword.

But do we really need a government to tell us who we should love and dedicate our lives too? I mean I was married once and never again but mine an my BF's Wills and so on reflect our dedications to one another. We say we love each other before going to bed and when we wake up and so on.

So do my Boyfriend and I need a government to allow us to love one another? I mean I war his ring and he mine but I don't know about marriage though? Maybe one day though. But I am so scared. But I am starting to rethink so maybe it won't be much longer though.

No spousal rights was the driving issue..

Quote from: kelly_aus on November 20, 2017, 04:23:42 PM
No spousal rights was the driving issue..

Now I one thing is that I am in the US and not in Australia but I am on my BR's Life Insurance as sole beneficiary. Our Wills dictate the same. He is the sole beneficiary on my life insurance and I have as well as well as he has the sole responsibility to pull the plug on our living wills.

I don't really know about spousal benefits though because we aren't spouses right now. But what benefits do spouses get that you can't have a contract written by a lawyer? Maybe social security benefits or pensions but we have enough life insurance to all that is meaningless.

So spousal rights. He has a will and I have a will and even though anyone could contest it, they will lose because of contracts written by a lawyer and notarized and even in our living wills.

Quote from: Jenntrans on November 22, 2017, 03:40:36 PM
Now I one thing is that I am in the US and not in Australia but I am on my BR's Life Insurance as sole beneficiary. Our Wills dictate the same. He is the sole beneficiary on my life insurance and I have as well as well as he has the sole responsibility to pull the plug on our living wills.

The same can be done here, however it can be contested easily by next if kin - often successfully.

QuoteI don't really know about spousal benefits though because we aren't spouses right now. But what benefits do spouses get that you can't have a contract written by a lawyer? Maybe social security benefits or pensions but we have enough life insurance to all that is meaningless.

So spousal rights. He has a will and I have a will and even though anyone could contest it, they will lose because of contracts written by a lawyer and notarized and even in our living wills.

In Australia, you'd have no "next of kin" rights.. No guaranteed access to visit or make medical decisions for your partner in hospital. No right to inheritance of anything.. And the will? Contestable by next of kin..

Quote from: kelly_aus on November 22, 2017, 05:20:07 PM
The same can be done here, however it can be contested easily by next if kin - often successfully.

In Australia, you'd have no "next of kin" rights.. No guaranteed access to visit or make medical decisions for your partner in hospital. No right to inheritance of anything.. And the will? Contestable by next of kin..

All the same here but it can be contested within the confines of a contract and signed by both parties. But the contractual agreements rule the law and the courts.

Look I don't believe in marriage period. I mean I should not need a contract either sanctioned by the state and government to love someone and besides I am starting to get pretty tired of my BF asking me to marry him and when. I am wearing his ring and told him when I am ready and until then we can just love one another and we already have the wills and contracts so what is the rush?

OMG Love is a really good thing but marriage I am so afraid of again. So to me Marriage Equality in the US just made it more difficult for me. I will probably say yes eventually to him but right now I have a business, my own property even though it would be considered redneck heaven in either place and ain't worth two cents top anyone other than myself. If I marry him and he decides that he doesn't love me anymore then he is entitled to half. Half my business even though I barely make enough to live somewhat normal and half of all I own. All he owns is a house that I would not five 10 grand to buy. It is worth more than all my property but... Next time I marry I want to marry for true love only and nothing else.

Quote from: Jenntrans on November 24, 2017, 02:36:21 PM
...

OMG Love is a really good thing but marriage I am so afraid of again. So to me Marriage Equality in the US just made it more difficult for me. I will probably say yes eventually to him but right now I have a business, my own property even though it would be considered redneck heaven in either place and ain't worth two cents top anyone other than myself. If I marry him and he decides that he doesn't love me anymore then he is entitled to half. Half my business even though I barely make enough to live somewhat normal and half of all I own. All he owns is a house that I would not five 10 grand to buy. It is worth more than all my property but... Next time I marry I want to marry for true love only and nothing else.

From what you have said it sound's as if you are in, what in Australia would be considered, a De facto relationship and your partner would be just as entitled to those financial benefits as if you where in a formalised marriage, should your relationship break down for some reason.

Quote from: LanaR on November 25, 2017, 05:41:47 PM
From what you have said it sound's as if you are in, what in Australia would be considered, a De facto relationship and your partner would be just as entitled to those financial benefits as if you where in a formalised marriage, should your relationship break down for some reason.

Yes I am in. But right now marriage is just not the right thing for me. I was really burned last time But hey if two people want to marry with vows and so on that is great fro all nations without the specifics or penis and vagina.

I guess what I am saying is that I used to have an excuse and now I don't. But someone that loves you should accept it if you don't want also. I was pushed into with a woman and because of pressure and that did not last and all she got was only half of everything. Oh she liked all the girly aspects except for one and that was physical and feminine when I came out. Nine years down the drain. but she was quite OK with the shopping, the movies the messing with the hair and all of that, just not the nail polish, the clothes and shoes on me.

So "On board" or not I think that state and nation sanctioned marriage should be outlawed all across the board Cis, Trans and Gay. But that is just me. I have no problem with marriage in general but do we really need it? I have no problem vowing my love to my BF right now in front of God and Family but later he may become a D***head and too controlling and do I really need the state to allow me to leave him according to the laws?

As a matter of fact I think marriage laws are too lax. If I met someone in a bar tonight, I can be wearing his ring tomorrow and be legally married. For APPX a year I can get it annulled but what happens in seven years? 10 years? 20 years? And then you have the so called sanction and institution of marriage which may keep some in the "institution" instead of leaving. And then again and my BF will back me up on this, it may become so bad for one party because of social conditioning that the situation becomes extremely volatile.  I don't need a state or a religious institute sanctioning and approving my love and dedication to anyone.

So yeah I do but I think the state and religious sanctions should be banned for everyone but that will never happen. So the opposite should also be available for everyone and not just cis. But for the record I believe marriage should be outlawed for everyone. The main reason is that I don't want or even need a state or religion tell me who I can love and dedicate my life to.

I think people get too caught up in the marriage subject. I can have a ceremony with family and friends stating my love for my partner while dedicating myself to him only for the rest of my life and vice versa. So why do I need a religious figure pronouncing us as partners, husband and wife, wife and wife or husband and husband?

But yeah I am on board and though sometimes it makes me a little uncomfortable either it should be available to all who love one another or outlawed for all.

I am a little different than normal though so... Take that at face value and with a grain of salt. But one thing I have always been is consistent. My ex always hated when I trashed the institute of marriage in both state and religious confines. Jesus Freakin' Christ I am so happy she wanted a divorce when I came out. But she was extremely controlling and narrow minded too so it was kind of a relief and worth starting over again.

But when it comes to marriage then think really hard about it and remember that it should be for "until death we do part". I don't know if I can deal with that right now even pushing 50.