Australia Passes Same-Sex Marriage Law

On December 7th, the Australian Parliament overwhelmingly voted same-sex marriages into law. The vote, which passed 43-12, comes after years of activists and politicians attempts to overcome the conservative voting block and deliver a law that most Australians advocated for.

Though this victory has been celebrated throughout the country, it wasn’t always this way. Australia has had a rough history when it comes to LGBT(lesbian, gay, bisexual, and rights, going back to the colonial period. In the 1800’s, there was a small same-sex culture in many of the towns in the country However, as the colony grew from a small backwater and penal settlement to a larger population, many immigrants from Britain began to speak out and actively target the LGBT people, particularly men. The colony’s government began to pass laws condemning sodemy, or ‘Buggery” as it was referred. These laws remained on the Australian books through the colony’s history and still remained even though its independence from the British Empire.

Gay culture and communities remained underground until the 1960’s, when gay activists and groups slowly began to form. The first major gay rights group was C.A.M.P(Campaign Against Moral Persecution).

By 1971, the group had chapters in every state and territory capital, as well as in many universities. This created a unofficial network of activists all over Australia Inspired by this movement, many other gay rights organizations formed. Over decades, many victories were achieved by this groups, and by 1990, all states and territories with the exception of Tasmania had repealed their anti-gay laws. Tasmania followed suite in 1997 when the federal government forced the removal of the laws.

Still, the LGBT community faced many challenges, particularly on the topic of marriage. Petitions and laws on this topic have been rejected twenty-two times since 2004, despite growing acceptance by the Australian people and large movements by individual states.

However, Australia has finally passed a bill that has been rejected countless times over. Now as they celebrate their victory, what does this mean for LGBT rights as a whole? This is still a huge victory all around the world. As of now, only twenty-five countries recognise same-sex marriage in their laws.

However, across the world, many LGBT people must continue to live in fear, as seventy-two countries legally punish any sexual activity of a homosexual nature. Even in nations that do not directly target LGBT people in their laws, they are still subject to discrimination, restriction of speech, and acts of violence.In more extreme circumstances, roundups and acts of violence by government or local authorities occur, as mostly recently seen in Chechnya.

However, this new victory should be celebrated as another step forward for LGBT rights. As people begin to increasingly accept LGBT people into society, and support grows worldwide, greater equality can be just around the corner.