40. Chanah: Marriage speech

I will be speaking on what I believe to be a fundamental human right-the right to get married no matter your sexual preference or who you fall in love with. Marriage, at the core, is about love and being able to spend your life with someone, and not having to worry about what will happen to them if something happens to you. Right now gay couples are disadvantages when it comes to things like their children, adoption, taxes and even the right to be considered their partner’s spouse if they’re in hospital. In Australia, a gay couple that was together for thirty years found themselves in a terrible situation. One of the men fell ill and passed away. His partner was not allowed to come into the room as he was not ‘family’ or his spouse. To add on to his grief at losing his long-time partner, he discovered that while his boyfriend had left him his share of their house, he would be required to pay inheritance tax, forcing him to sell their home of twenty years. I heard this man’s story, and his strength was admirable, but no one should have to go through that. And his is not the only story of this happening.

An argument often used against gay marriage is that homosexual relationships are ‘unnatural’ or against the bible and therefore a sin. The first argument is scientifically incorrect, as homosexual behaviour has been observed in about one thousand and five hundred species of animals. The second argument is somewhat irrelevant to the issue, though it is interesting to note that the same book in the bible commands people not to eat crayfish or cut their hair. Religion is a personal choice, and Christianity is only one religion in Australia anyway, and it seems odd it would be used as an opposition to changing a law. What happened to the separation of state and church? Should the views of one group be forced on another? The government and the law are meant to protect ALL of Australia, not to just cater to just one portion of the community. We’re all citizens of Australia, last time I checked. I’m not anti-Christian by a long shot, I believe in God, and have many Christian friends, and while the Churches are often officially against gay marriage, Christianity is about love, and shouldn’t one of the most important things in the bible ‘love thy neighbour’ be preached, rather than hate?

About ten percent of the population is gay, and therefore homosexual relationships are rarer. But that’s still two MILLION people unable to get married in Australia, unless they go overseas, and still, our government won’t recognise their marriages, though overseas heterosexual marriages are recognised. Just because of someone’s partner being the same gender, does that make their relationship less meaningful? Is being gay or a lesbian make you a lesser human being that doesn’t deserve marriage of the chance to adopt a child? These relationships are the same in all the ways that matter, they are just as loving and wonderful as heterosexual relationships. Banning gay marriage sends exactly the opposite signal, and seems insensitive on the part of the government, as well as very hurtful.

Health among the LGBT community is often worse than that of heterosexuals-not because they live a ‘lifestyle’ that puts them at risk but because of pressure on them. Ten percent of people are gay, and eighty percent of these people are harassed at some point in their lives because of their sexuality. The LGBT community is four times as likely to attempt suicide, and the statistics rise to nine times as likely to commit suicide as anyone else, if the individual is rejected by their family. How can ‘just’ marriage’ prevent this? Studies show that a married individual is usually happier and healthier, which would help bring down suicide rates, and equip people with the skills to cope, as well as ‘normalising’ homosexuality to the straight community. Also, people can stop worrying about their future, and being deprived of their right to marry, and get on with the present and living their lives. A lot of teens don’t think about marriage, but it becomes pretty important when you realize that something you’ve taken for granted, is denied by your government.

What does gay marriage mean for everyone else? Absolutely nothing. There will be gay marriage and nothing else. Just because John and Peter can get married, doesn’t mean Jane and Henry can’t. Love isn’t an unrenewable resource; there will be love as long is there are hearts to feel it. It will not undermine heterosexual marriage-I mean, look at Britney Spear’s fifty-five hour marriage-the sanctity of marriage is preserved!

Gay marriage will help improve the lives of the LGBT community; it will help everyone get over this whole volley of words between churches and the gay community. No one has to lose, but everyone deserves the same rights, and people should find empathy in their hearts and allow others to live their lives. The high suicide rate needs to be brought down, and while the change may take years, it’s a change that needs to happen. No one else needs to worry that it will hurt them. Thankyou.