12 Aug 2015

I don’t know about you guys, but I am getting pretty sick and tired of this same-sex marriage conversation going around and around in circles. It’s gotten to that stage where it’s frankly embarrassing that Australia still hasn’t made the INEVITABLE move to legalise marriage equality. No matter where you stand on the issue, you know it’s going to happen. I know it’s going to happen. Even Tony Abbott knows it’s going to happen. Can we just get this done already?

Tony has copped a bit of flack from the media recently for his announcement that the Coalition will consider holding a plebiscite (a people’s vote) on the same-sex marriage issue, but really, if you’re a supporter of marriage equality then you should be rejoicing. Whether a desperate grab at votes or not, a plebiscite is probably the best chance of changing this law in Australia.

It’s no secret that around 70% of the Australian population is down with same-sex marriage, so bar some kind of nationwide brain-fart where voters suddenly can’t discern between the words ‘ yes’ and ‘no’, it seems pretty likely a people’s vote would come out in favour of the law change. It takes the decision out the pollies hands – who, let’s face it, could take another ten years to make the call – and gives the power back to the people. And that’s what democracy is all about, right?

As far as I’m concerned, it could be one of the best decisions Tony has ever made. Not that there’s much competition for the title of Tony Abbott’s Best Idea.

However, I still find it deeply disconcerting that same-sex marriage hasn’t yet been legalised in Australia. For a country that so dearly values diversity, equality, and a “fair go” for all, we have slipped majorly in this regard, and actively prevented a significant portion of the Australian population from experiencing one of the most fundamental joys of human life.

And who better to point this out the School of Rock legend himself, Jack Black, who called Tony “a bit of a nutter” on 2DayFM radio this Thursday.

“I personally think the guy’s living in the stone ages though. He’s not seeing the writing on the wall… The movement of the world is headed towards equality for all people, all sexual preferences. Come on, we are all the same in the end,” Jack Black said.

Recently, the argument about the adverse effects same-sex parenting has on children has also been debunked, with researchers from Columbia Law School examining the findings of 76 reliable studies relating to the issue, and finding only four that claimed children of same-sex parents were disadvantaged.

Personally, I’m sick of the debate – it’s tiresome, frustrating, embarrassing, and is there really anything new left to say? The legalisation of same-sex marriage is no longer a question of if, it’s when. So why are we still talking about it? Just hurry up and let us vote already.