The Government Administration Ctte and #MarriageEquality

I said my piece this morning before the Select Committee hearing submissions on Louisa Wall's Marriage Equality legislation.

I started with a story about my brother's wedding and reception, a hot balmy beautiful day in November 2005. The feedback from relatives there about how sad it was that I wouldn't be getting married - and from other relatives that 'oh well, there is always a civil union right?'

(Separate but equal has a long lineage but not in New Zealand. It belongs in the past.)

Moved on then to do a thought experiment - I asked MPs against to consider two possible scenarios.

What if they lived in a world where most people were in same-sex relationships and the law supported those, but not different-sex relationships? How would they feel?

Alternatively, what if they themselves fell in love with someone of the same gender, but found that the State denied them access to a critical social, family and community institution like marriage?

After that I just reiterated the points in my written submission and awaited questions.

The only one came from Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, who asked me (I think) what would happen to future growth of the population if everyone was in same-sex relationships. I explained to him that this was not ever likely to happen. He got confused. So did I.

I love that in our democracy, you can face up to Parliament, have a say, be treated with respect (or at least, in this case, bemusement) and do your part to make the world a better place.

#MarriageEquality is going to happen next year. Can't wait.

Comments

[_surlymermaid]

Congratulations on such an eloquent and passionate submission. I often wonder how opponents of the bill are able to make submissions from the heart when the passing of the bill will make no difference to their lives.

Just gotta say - I love that an MP of our fine country is unable to understand that making same sex marriage legal is not the same as making same sex marriage compulsory. Don't panic Mr Bakshi, your heterosexuality is not endangered!

[KayJonesNZ]

At least Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi got to hear from you, he left during the presentation from the Gay Welfare Group. He didn't hear them talk about the contribution that second class citizen status makes to the homophobia that undermines LGBT teenagers' confidence.

He also missed a good submission from the Unitarian church group of Wellington which said that religious diversity and tolerance is good and it also means that progressive churches with LGBT members should be able to offer same sex marriage services.