Well, it looks like my little girl is getting married...

[cybele]

For now at least. Today the Australian Capital Territory passed a marriage equality bill which will make same-sex marriage legal in the ACT.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-22/act-passes-same-sex-laws/5037674[/URL]

But the federal government is having their little temper tantrum because, well, our Prime Minister is an overall ass (seriously, his own sister is gay and engaged and he opposes marriage equality) so they have vowed to fight it in the High Court. Unfortunately, the ACT is a territory, not a state so the federal government can make changes where they want, it's happened before. So who knows how long these laws will last.

But, for now I have two very happy women in my house who are attempting to fill out a notice of intent to marry form... I'm just waiting on them to realise that I have lost Dita's birth certificate so they have to pay to get a new one.

 

[singledad]

That's brilliant! I really hope it works out for them and they get to marry.

Question - what would happen if these laws should get revoked after they got married?

 

[cybele]

The marriage would be deemed invalid.

We were talking about it, the thing is that the federal government wants marriage laws to be country-wide, rather than state-specific, but a federal marriage equality law is a very long way off and Dita and Violet's point of view is that there is a very good chance that this is their only opportunity to do this in their lifetime, even if it ends up being an invalid marriage.

 

[IADad]

The marriage would be deemed invalid.

We were talking about it, the thing is that the federal government wants marriage laws to be country-wide, rather than state-specific, but a federal marriage equality law is a very long way off and Dita and Violet's point of view is that there is a very good chance that this is their only opportunity to do this in their lifetime, even if it ends up being an invalid marriage.

It's very much the same in the US. Here in Iowa we've had marriage equality since 2007 and the conservatives are still fighting it. (Check out Varnum v Brien - interesting history there) And you know our state has yet to burst into flames or be overrun by locusts. Which doesn't stop nut-jobs from claiming every time a stream flows out of its banks that God's made about gay marriage...whatever.

So, anyway, what to do on a national basis is still a problem, recognizing a marriage in one state in another, and then the federal rights that go along with marriage, it's kind of a mess.

 

[Xero]

I am SO happy to hear that, and so happy for them. I absolutely love hearing about more and more places that are legalizing same sex marriage. I am crazy about equal rights haha, I can go on all day about it. I can only hope that it will become normal and accepted everywhere in my lifetime.

 

[cybele]

And you know our state has yet to burst into flames or be overrun by locusts. Which doesn't stop nut-jobs from claiming every time a stream flows out of its banks that God's made about gay marriage...whatever.

There was a fantastic speech by an MP when New Zealand legalised same-sex marriage that addressed all the typical "God is angry" signs, it was hilarious.

 

[MamaRuthie]

congratulations to youre daughter

 

[cybele]

Just thought I'd update, we are flying up for the wedding tomorrow morning.

 

[singledad]

That's brilliant Congratulations!

 

[Xero]

Yay! Best wishes to them both.

 

[cybele]

It was really lovely

They got married at the courthouse then we went out for lunch.
It was very small, given that we had to go interstate for it, just us, Ash's parents and his grandmother, my grandmother, one of my nieces, Violet's parents (which was a huge relief to see them, they were so iffy about being able to come) and 6 of their friends.

The couple who got married after them were two women who had been together for 46 years, and they ended up having a very long conversation and trading numbers with them to stay in touch, which was unexpected and very sweet.

At the moment they're in Vanuatu, lucky ducks.

 

[IADad]

That's sweet - glad it happened.

 

[Xero]

The couple who got married after them were two women who had been together for 46 years,

Oh now I'm really emotional! T-T -sniff- That's so amazing! It breaks my heart that they had to wait this long to be able to marry each other! I'm so happy they got to do it.

And so happy for your daughter and your new daughter in law! Hope they are having a great time and they live happily ever after.

 

[cybele]

Well, they were married for four days, the high court ruled against it
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/high-court-strikes-down-act-gay-marriage-law/story-fn59niix-1226781474406[/url]

 

[singledad]

Well that just sucks. I wanted to say that at least they got the experience of getting married, but I guess it doesn't really make things any better...

Really, I don't understand what is so very bad about a couple who happens to be of the same sex, getting married.

 

[IADad]

that's so sad. The thing I really don't understand about the debate is while marriage between a man and a woman is viewed as good for society, does that necessarily mean that a same sex union is bad? I'd contend it's merely different.

They can always come here!

 

[cybele]

They're doing okay regarding it all. They knew that it was the more likely outcome so they were certainly prepared for it.

 

[MargStone]

Congratulation and Best Wishes!