Thread by @pjf

Lots of people have been telling me it's great that Australia voted yes to marriage equality in the recent referendum.

I have to explain that it wasn't a referendum, is not legally binding, and was an expensive attempt to get a different result than what the public wants. 1/

Even if we ignore the fact that it's abhorrent to be asking the majority whether a minority should have basic human rights, the government has known for years that there's strong majority support for marriage equality.

Because sampling and statistics are a thing. 2/

Australia has mandatory voting laws. We have amazing voter turn-out, well resourced polling places, and a culture that celebrates democracy with a sausage sizzle. #democracysausage

A referendum would have forced marriage equality, so we didn't get that. 3/

Instead, we got an opinion poll. It was unclear when it finished, and involved posting back an envelope. The younger folks are, the more likely they are to support marriage equality, but the *less* likely they are to be frequent postage users.

It was designed to skew results. 4/

By having the poll, the government encouraged questioning whether some consenting adult couples should not have the right to marry.

It was disgusting to have a poll.

Marriage is a basic human right. Having a poll was like asking if people should be allowed to drink water.

5/

What's more, the marriage law never used to mention gender *at all*. It was changed years ago by a conservative government trying to block marriage equality from happening.

Celebrants are legally required to mention gender when marrying people in Australia.

It's awful. 6/

I know Australian folks are aware of all this, but I'm in the States right now for a wedding; so many people are saying "isn't it great Australia gets marriage equality?"

The government doesn't want marriage equality. So many proposed changes are full of discrimination. 7/

Proposals would give Australia not only the weakest marriage equality laws in the world, but would also undo previous discrimination laws.

Marriage equality isn't hard, but the Australian government doesn't want *equality*.

8/

theconversation.com/conservative-a…

The Australian government will try and blame the opposition when they don't vote for some bill that's riddled with exceptions, making it okay for businesses and celebrants to discriminate based on orientation, even though that's illegal now.

It's abhorrent, tiring, and wrong. 9/

I look forward to Australia having marriage equality which is actual equality. I'm relieved by the yes result, but we still have a fight ahead to get what's right.

I'll celebrate when we actually get there. 🏳️‍🌈❤️

FIN.