For people in Perth it was an early morning rise to find out the results of the postal survey on marriage equality. On this day back in 2017 people gathered in the Northbridge Piazza to listen to a live telecast of the results being announced by the head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The night before the WA Police had been asking the leaders of WA’s campaign for the Yes vote, community leaders and journalists from OUTinPerth if anyone had any idea how many people would turn up for the announcement which would arrive at 7.30am.

While people in Sydney filled Centenary Park, many wondered if people on the west coast would just stay home to watch the result while still in their pajamas.

By 7am though the Northbridge Piazza was filled with people, all eagerly awaiting the result. Many of them had campaigned for the change to the nation’s marriage laws for years. When the news came through it was a clear win for the Yes campaign with 61.6% Australian voters saying yes.

A year after the announcement some of the people who had campaigned for the change met up again at the piazza and reflected on the previous 12 months. For some they were now married, others had become engaged to long term partners.

The years that followed have also seen a political debate over who gets to claim success in bringing marriage equality to Australia with all sides of politics taking credit, despite years of opposition to changing the laws.

OIP Staff, Image: Clayton K Media. This article was first published in 2020 and has been updated.

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On August 11th 2015, division within the Coalition over the issue of marriage equality came to a head.

The Abbott government’s policy was that marriage would strictly only be between a man and a woman, but as country after country around the globe changed their laws, and opinion polls showed the mood for change in Australia was rapidly rising, many Liberal MPs were also beginning to call for change.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was staunchly opposed to changing the laws faced a dilemma, one that threatened his leadership. After a marathon six hour meeting the Prime Minister announced a new plan.

Coalition MPs would be tied to the party position for the remainder of the current term, but after the next federal election would be allowed to vote with their conscience, but rather than a vote on legislation in the parliament Abbott proposed a national plebiscite on the issue, sending voters to the ballot boxes to decide the issue.

“If you support the existing definition of marriage between a man and a woman, the coalition is absolutely on your side, but if you’d like to see change at someplace, at sometime in the future, the coalition is prepared to make that potentially possible, but the disposition is that it should happen through a people’s vote than simply through a parliament vote,” Abbott told reporters at the end of the marathon meeting.

The PM was criticised for delaying the issue, and many people observed that the proposed methodology was not common in Australian politics, and possibly chosen because it was unlikely to succeed.

Abbott only lasted as Prime Minister for another month, he was overthrown by rival Malcolm Turnbull. The plebiscite policy however remained. The drawn out process saw the government unable to pass the relevant legislation to allow for a plebiscite and eventually in 2017, a postal survey was held by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The result showed an overwhelming majority of Australia’s supported marriage equality and in November 2017, the laws were changed and same-sex couples were able to wed.

In 2019, the former Prime Minister attempted to take credit for ‘making marriage equality happen’, arguing that until he put forward the idea of a plebiscite the issue had been a political millstone for almost a decade. Given his long standing opposition to allowing same sex marriage, his attempt to take credit for the result was thoroughly mocked.

Children’s author Enid Blyton was born on this day in 1897

Enid Blyton was a prolific author who created many memorable works including the Noddy, the Famous Five, Adventure series, and Secret Seven novels, as well as The Magic Faraway Tree and many others works. During her life Blyton published over 750 books, as well as short stories and seasonal collections.

Her works have been childhood favourites for generations, but have also been criticised for being simplistic, repeating plots and making reading too simple for young audiences. Many of her works have not stood the test of time and have been labeled racist, xenophobic, and filled with prejudices.

Blyton was married twice, and there have been some suggestions that she was bisexual. Her first marriage in 1924 was to Major Hugh Pollock, who was an editor at the publishing firm George Newnes which became Blyton’s regular publisher. They had two children.

By the mid-1930’s her husband had become an alcoholic and he retreated from public life. With the outbreak of World War II he became involved with the Home Guard. During this time he began a romantic relationship with Ida Crowe, a young writer 19 years his junior, she became his secretary. In her memoir Crowe would later claim the Blyton has many affairs during her marriage to Pollock, including several lesbian relationships.

In 1941 Blyton began a relationship with a surgeon Kenneth Waters, her husband was incensed and threatened her with divorce, but they eventually agreed that she would sue him for divorce, so as not to damage her career. In 1943 Pollock and Crowe were wed, as were Blyton and Waters.

Blyton passed away at the age of 71 in 1968, she had been experiencing dementia since around 1960. Her work remains popular despite the criticism. A new television series of The Famous Five was produced in 2023 and a film version of The Magic Faraway Tree is in the works.

Blyton’s character George in The Famous Five is arguably one of the most famous tomboys in popular culture, and has often been a literary hero for gender non-conforming people.

Musician Joe Jackson was born in 1954

Joe Jackson had some massive hits in the new wave era of music including Steppin’ Out, Real Men, and Is She Really Going Out With Him. Over his career he’s released 21 albums, and also composed classical music too.

In his autobiography A Cure for Gravity he discussed his bisexuality. His 1982 hit Real Men has been seen as a discussion on masculinity and bisexuality.

Actor Anne Heche died on this day in 2022

Actor Anne Heche died in 2022, six days after being involved in a car accident.

Heche came to global attention in the 1990’s when she began dating comedian and actor Ellen Degeneres, not long after Degeneres came out on the cover of TIME magazine.

In the memoir Call Me Anne, submitted shortly before her death, she wrote that she never identified as a lesbian and did not regard the terms “gay” or “straight” as relevant to her.

She appeared in many blockbuster films including Donnie Brasco, Volcano, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Six Days, and Seven Nights.

Heche later spoke publicly about how she struggled to get roles in mainstream Hollywood movies after she shared she was in a same-sex relationship.

Her relationship with Ellen Degeneres lasted from 1997 until 2000 when the couple split. She was married to cameraman Coleman Laffoon from 2002 until 2007, the couple share a son.  She later had a second child with actor James Tupper.

Heche shared her personal mental health challenges in her autobiography Call Me Crazy where she detailed several family tragedies including her father’s AIDS related death, and the deaths of three of her four siblings.

OIP Staff, This post was first published in 2020 and subsequently been updated.

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The Queen gave the bill its royal ascent two days later, and the first same-sex weddings were allowed to proceed on the 29th March 2014.

In the 1980s polls in Britain showed that the majority of people were against homosexuality, but by 2003 the polls were not only showing widespread acceptance on the LGBTIQ+ communities, the majority of Britons also put their support behind same sex marriage.

In 2005 Civil Partnerships were introduced for same-sex couples, but Tony Blair’s Labour government stressed that they were not marriages.

British Prime Minister David Cameron had voiced his support for changing the laws ahead of the 2010 General Election.

The introduction of marriage equality in England and Wales also allowed for the recognition of same-sex marriages that had occurred overseas, provided a pathway for people with Civil Partnerships to classify their union as a marriage, and allowed for people to change their gender without having to seek a divorce first.

Statistics have shown that around 7,000 same-sex marriages occur in England each year, the rate has been consistent since the laws were changed.

Fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered on this day in 1997

The world was shocked when Italian Fashion Designer Gianni Versace was shot on the steps of his Miami home.

In 1997, 27 year old Andrew Cunanan traveled across America on a four month killing spree, during which he murdered at least five people. On July 15th he shot and killed fashion designer Gianni Versace on the steps of his Florida mansion. Versace had been returning from a morning walk.

Police have never been able to work out what motivated Cunanan to commit the murders, which robbed the world of one the most distinctive designers.

Versace launched his fashion business in 1978 and by the time of his death it had growth to encompass 130 stores across the world, and was worth over $800 million. He worked closely with celebrities including Elton John, Madonna, Elton John and supermodels Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell.

His life story, and that of his murder Andrew Cunanan were dramatised in the miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Glee star Darren Criss portrayed Cunanan.

After his death his sister Donatella took over as the main designer as The House of Versace. In 2019 the company was sold to Capri Holdings, the company behind Michael Kors, but Donatella stayed on as it’s Chief Creative Officer. She stepped down from the role in 2025.  

In 2003 we said hello to the original Fab 5 from Queer Eye

Makeover show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy makes it’s debut on US television on this day in 2003. The show sees a team of gay men provide makeovers to badly dressed straight men.

The ‘Fab 5’ are an instant hit and the show is soon being watched around the globe.

The cast members were Food Guy – Ted Allen, Grooming Guru – Kyan Douglas, Design Doctor – Thom Filicia, Fashion Savant – Carson Kressley, and Culture Vulture – Jai Rodriguez. Between 2003 and 2007 they filmed 90 episodes of the series.

Since the show went off the air Kressley has moved on to host the US version of How To Look Good Naked, hosted the series Get a Room alongside Filicia, been a regular judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race and been a contestant of Dancing With The Stars.  Plus he’s appeared on the Australian version of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Rodriguez returned to acting appearing in the Broadway production of The Producers, and popping up on TV shows including Nip/Tuck, Bones, How I Met Your Mother and Kingdom. He also appears in the music video for Telephone by Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

Filicia has continued to work as a much sought after interior designer and has published several books. Douglas went on to host the TV series Ten Years Younger, and Allen has authored several books and hosted television programs. All of the original members recently reunited for an episode of the TV show Reunion Road Trip. 

The show led to a spin-off Queer Eye for the Straight Girl which featured thee gay men and a lesbian tackling the fashion and lifestyle problems of straight girls.

There was also an Australian version of the show, launched in February 2005 it had five Aussie hosts Ryan Andrijich, Will Fennell, Brendan Wong, Ty Henschke and Liston Williams. The show was not successful and was axed after its third episode. A total of six episodes were filmed, and Channel Ten played the remaining episodes later in the year.

Many countries tried to copy the success of the original Fab 5 with versions being produced in Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. None of them were as successful as the original.

Alongside the show’s initial screen success, they also found love on the music charts with the soundtrack to the series being a best seller. It hit the Australian Top 10 in 2004 and the show’s theme tune All Things (Just Keep Getting Better) was a hit too.

In 2018 a new version of the show, with the short title Queer Eye made stars of a new generation of fabulous presenters including Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk and Jonathan Van Ness. For the show’s ninth season Jeremiah Brent took over from Berk.

In July 2025 Netflix announced the show’s 10th season had begun filming but would be its last.

OIP Staff, this post was first published in 2021.

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On this day in 2015 Perth saw one of the biggest ever political rallies for LGBTIQ+ rights when the Love is Love rally was held in Russell Square, Northbridge.

One broadcaster estimated that more than 10,000 people turned up to demand the Abbott government take action on marriage equality and allow same-sex couples to wed. Historic changes has already taking place in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States.

The rally organised by GetUp! drew a massive crowd despite gloomy weather and people stood listening to speeches from community members, advocates and politicians as the rain poured down.

The event had originally be scheduled to take place in the Northbridge Piazza, but as the number of RSVPs swelled, organisers moved the event down the block to Russell Square with the speakers delivering their personal stories from the Rotunda.

Watch videos of all the speeches from the rally. 

Taking to the stage were Ingrid Cumming, Sally Rugg, Alannah MacTiernan, Rachel Siewert, Samantha Davies and the Reverend Peter Emmanuel, Brian Greig, Ivan Hinton-Teoh, Joey Cookman McCauley and Steph Hastings.

Despite the massive turnout at the event it would be another two and half years before the government changed the laws.

On the morning of the rally Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce delivered a message to the LGBTIQ+ communities saying, “Everybody doesn’t get everything they want.”

The Nationals leader who was against changing the laws said allowing same sex couple to wed would be like making “a diamond a square” and would be viewed by our Asian trading partners as “decadent”.

Bushranger Captain Moonlite was born on this day in 1842

Was Captain Moonlite Australia’s gay bushranger? Some historians think there is overwhelming evidence that he was.

Andrew George Scott was born in Ireland on this day in 1842, the son of an Anglican clergyman he trained as an engineer in London. In 1861 when he was nineteen the family moved to New Zealand.

He served in the New Zeland military during the Māori Wars and was wounded in both legs. After a long convalescence he was also accused of malingering and court martialed. He later moved to Australia and began training as a clergyman.

He was sent to the gold mining town of Mount Egerton, but turned instead to robbing a bank instead, leaving letters after his crime signed Captain Midnite. After spending some time in prison, he continued his career as a band robber.

During a prison stint he met prison he met a young man named James Nesbitt. Handwritten letters from Scott to Nesbitt are overtly romantic, and historians have speculated that their relationship was probably sexual as well.

Captain Moonite’s gang of bushrangers robbed people across Victoria and New South Wales, but their escapades came to an end in 1879 during a shootout with police. Nesbitt was shot and killed and Scott was captured.

Scott was sentenced to death and hung at Darlinghurst Jail on 20th January 1880. He wrote a series of death-cell letters where he spoke of his love for Nesbitt and he went to the gallows with a ring woven from a lock of Nesbitt’s hair on his finger.

Prior to his execution he asked for his body to buried alongside Nesbitt’s. A request that was denied by the prison authorities.

In 1995 his remains were exhumed from Rookwood Cemetary and reinterred in Gundagai next to Nesbitt’s grave.

In 2020 author Gary Linnell published a book about Scott’s life. Listen to our interview with Gary Linnell.

OIP Staff, images: Graeme Watson. This post was first published in 2021 and has been updated. 

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The landmark decision saw the court has rule that it is unconstitutional for states to ban same sex marriage. The decision 5-4 in favour of allowing same sex couples to marry said that no matter where couples live in the USA they have a right to wed.

“The court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry. No longer may this liberty be denied to them,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion.

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were,” Justice Kennedy wrote. “As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death.”

Justice Kennedy was joined in the opinion by the court’s liberal justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. The five justices voting in favour of marriage equality authored a single opinion on their decision.

All four of the court’s more conservative justices voted against the decision. The four dissenting judges, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. have each written a separate dissenting opinion the decision.

Delivering his dissenting opinion Chief Justice John Roberts said he believed that the decision should have been made politically rather than through the courts. Justice Roberts described the issue as being stolen from the people.

A short time later President Obama called Jim Obergefell, and as the world listened in, as President Obama thanked Jim for fighting for his right to have his marriage recognised.

Jim Obergefell has been described as an accidental activist. More than 20 years earlier Jim fell in love with John Arthur. The couple lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, a place where LGBT people were regularly picked up by the police or fired from their jobs because of their sexuality.

In 2013 Jim and John traveled to Maryland where same sex marriage was legal and exchanged vows. John was dying from the crippling neurodegenerative disease Amyotophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). They exchanged their vows on the private plane they had chartered for the journey.

But back in Ohio they union was not recognised. John’s death certificate would describe him as a single man, and Jim would not only have mourn the passing of his husband but would also be denied acknowledgement of the life they had shared.

The couple met Al Gerhardstein, a lawyer who had spent more than thirty years fighting civil rights cases. Together they began a long and grueling battle which was a David and Goliath challenge. Jim and John’s marriage sadly was cut short when John died just five days after they exchanged vows.

Jim kept fighting for recognition of their union. By the time the battle reached the supreme court they’d teamed up with many other couples fighting their own experiences of injustice. Jim Obergefell became the lead plaintiff in the case, his name at the top of the court documents.

Heading into the Court room the supporters of marriage equality were feeling optimistic, Jim Obergefell later shared with OUTinPerth what it was like on the morning of June 26th 2015.

“On that day, being the 26th of June, that morning we were all more optimistic about the ruling. It was Friday June 26th, and June 26th has been an important date for the community in the US. We were all more positive that morning.

“Then when we were standing outside of the court house in the public line where a police officer was handing out the tickets for the court room. Instead of being the colour they had been every other time – bright orange – the ticket that morning was lavender. So that was just this additional hint, this additional possibility that yeah, we might be getting really good news.

“Once I got to the courtroom, I was feeling pretty optimistic.” he shared.

Outside the Supreme Court has people rejoiced the decision, Jim spoke to the media, captured on camera was the moment when he got a call from the US President Barrack Obama.

Later in the day President Obama addressed the nation and commented on the historic legal decision. Speaking from the Rose Garden at The White House, President Obama said it was a day when America should be proud.

“This ruling will strengthen all of our communities by offering to all same sex couples the dignity of marriage all across this great land.” President Obama said.

“This ruling is a victory for Jim Obergefell and the other plaintiffs in the case. Its a victory for gay and lesbian couples who have fought so long for their basic civil rights. It’s a victory for their children, whose families will now be recognised as equal to any other.

“It’s a victory for the allies and friends and supporters who spent years, even decades, working and praying for change to come. And this ruling is a victory for America.

“This decision affirms what millions of Americans already believe in their hearts. When all Americans are treated as equal we are all more free.” President Obama said in his address describing the union of America as a “little bit more perfect” because of the ruling.

“That’s the consequence of a decision from the Supreme Court, but more importantly it’s the consequence of the countless small acts of courage of millions of people, across decades, who stood up, who came out, who talked to parents. Parents who loved their children no matter what. Folks who were willing to endure bullying and taunts, and stayed strong, and came to believe in themselves and who they were.

“And slowly made an entire country realize that love is love.” President Obama told the American people.

The ruling allowed LGBTI couples in all 50 states of the USA the ability to wed. The decision was described as the biggest changes to marriage laws in the USA since the court struck down bans on inter-racial marriages five decades earlier.

Fourteen states had implemented bans against same-sex marriage; Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

Read OUTinPerth’s interview with Jim Obergefell. 

Graeme Watson, this post was first published in 2021. 

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Ireland said ‘Yes’ to marriage equality in 2015

On this day in 2015 Ireland has overwhelmingly to introduce same sex civil marriages.

Voters approved marriage equality with over 60% of people who voted supporting a change to the country’s constitution.

The history making vote made Ireland the 20th country to allow same sex couples to wed, and the first to make the change through a popular vote.

Earlier in the day campaigners behind the ‘no’ vote conceded defeat as those who wanted marriage to remain strictly between a man and woman were outvoted at a rate of almost two to one.

The Iona Institute, a leading organisation in the no campaign, released a statement congratulating their opponents.

“We would like to congratulate the Yes side on winning such a handsome victory in the marriage referendum.

“They fought a very professional campaign that in truth began long before the official campaign started.

“For our part, The Iona Institute is proud to have helped represent the many hundreds of thousands of Irish people who would otherwise have had no voice in this referendum because all of the political parties backed a Yes vote.

The ‘Yes’ vote was supported by all political parties and the successful campaign saw many politicians celebrating.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar, who came out as a gay man during the campaign’ told RTE radio that it was a great day for Ireland.

“It’s a really great day for Ireland… Ireland is shining.

“If you think about it really is historic… it’s something really special.” Varadkar said. Varadkar would later go on to become the first gay leader of the nation when he became Taoiseach from 2017 until 2020 and then served a second stint as leader from 2022 until 2024.

The landslide result has been described as a generational shift in what was once one of the most conservative and religious countries in Europe.

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Today marks seven years since a Bill to legislate for marriage equality in Australia passed through the House of Representatives.

Following the ‘Yes’ result of 61% in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, the Bill from Liberal Senator Dean Smith with co-sponsorship from Labor, The Greens, Nick Xenophon Team and Derryn Hinch was the topic of fierce debate in both houses for two weeks.

Amendments put forward by Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, then-Treasurer Scott Morrison, Coalition MPs Michael Sukkar, Andrew Hastie, Alex Hawke, Andrew Broad, Sarah Henderson and The Greens’ Adam Bandt all met a major bloc of opposition, being knocked down either by a large majority or ‘on the voices’ of the house without division.

The passage of the Bill saw Australians in same-gender relationships begin to marry from January 2018.

The Smith Bill in its un-amended form allowed marriage celebrants able to ordain marriage between any two consenting adults, and provided exemptions for religious ministers, and celebrants who register as ‘religious’, to refuse service based on objections of faith.

Just four House MPs voted against the passage of the Bill; Government MPs David Littleproud, Russell Broadbent and Keith Pitt, and Queensland MP Bob Katter. Littleproud and Katter’s seats had voted No in the postal survey, but Broadbent’s Victorian seat had voted Yes, and so had Keith Pitt’s seat of Hinkler.

Ten MPs chose to abstain from the vote, including WA MP Andrew Hastie, former Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce, former Prime Minister and one of the plebiscite’s architects, Tony Abbott, and future PM Scott Morrison.

As soon as the decision was announced the public gallery burst into a long round of applause that went for several minutes, politicians hugged, and the House burst into song with a hearty rendition of I Am Australian. 

OIP Staff, this post was originally published in 2020, and was later updated. 

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The case stems back to 2015. In the wake of the US Supreme Court deciding that same-sex couples could wed, the Rowan County based clerk ordered that no marriage licenses would be granted in her jurisdiction because of her fundamentalist Christian beliefs.

Davis was briefly jailed in 2015 when she continued to refuse to issue marriage licenses, even after a judge ordered her to lift her ban. The position Davis held was an elected position, and she lost her position at the next election in 2017.

Later gay couples David Ermold and David Moore took Davis to court suing her for discrimination, and they won. The court already ordered Davis to pay USD$100,000 in damages, and now the court has also ordered Davis to pay the couple’s legal costs in the case that has run for many years.

The lawyer’s fees have come in at USD$260,000, leaving Davis with a total bill of USD$360,000 – that’s the equivalent of AUD$537,200.

Lawyers representing Kim Davis had argued that the legal costs for the plaintiffs were unreasonably high, but Judge David L. Bunning ruled that they were acceptable.

“The Court is mindful that in this case, Plaintiffs not only prevailed, but obtained the result sought. They sought to vindicate their fundamental right to marry and obtain marriage licenses; and they did so,” wrote Bunning.

“The Court has reviewed the Plaintiffs’ submissions and finds that the hours expended, and the rates charged to be reasonable.” he wrote in his decision.

Davis’s legal team had hoped to appeal the original ruling at the US Supreme Court, but the court opted not to hear the case. Her team have indicated they will now lodge an appeal against the decision to award costs.

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Christie, who served as New Jersey’s Governor from 2010 until 2018 is one of the many candidates seeking the Republican Presidential nomination for the 2024 election. In a recent two hall meeting he declared his views on marriage equality have changed over time.

“And so you know, for me, it’s still, it was a process I had to go through to change the way I’ve been raised both from a family perspective and what my mother and father taught me and felt and also from a religious perspective and […] what my church taught me to believe,” he said.

The Presidential hopeful added; “Pope Francis is now allowing blessings of same-sex couples; even the Church is changing.”

Christie’s comments that were made on the campaign trail in New Hampshire were reported by the Catholic News Agency.

“Society has changed and what people are accepting in our country now is different than when I was growing up, certainly than when I was your age. And you know I don’t have any objection to it any longer. In the end, I think I’ve been convinced.”

Last month Pope Francis signed off on a declaration that said it was acceptable for priests to give “spontaneous pastoral blessing” for same-sex couples and other couples in “irregular situations”.

Christie is one of six candidates vying for the party’s nomination alongside former President Donald Trump, incumbent Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Governor of South Carolina and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

Candidates will get their first indication of voter support when the Iowa caucuses meet on 15th January and the New Hampshire primary is conducted on 23rd January.

Polling for the New Hampshire vote released in late December shows former President Donald Trump has 33 per cent of the support, while Nikki Haley is not far behind with 29 per cent of the support of those polled. Chris Christie earned 13 per cent of the support, while Ron DeSantis has just 6 per cent.

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Religious and family groups in Singapore are calling on the government to prioritise locking same-sex couples out of marriage ahead of plans to decriminalise homosexuality.

On Sunday Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the government would remove section 377A of the criminal code, which currently makes homosexual sexual activity illegal. The move was welcomed by LGBTIQA+ rights groups who have fought for decades to have the British colonial era law removed.

At the same time the Prime Minister said the government would strengthen the country’s laws pertaining to marriage to ensure that gay couples could not make a claim for marriage rights in the future.

In response to the announcement several religious and family groups have called on the government to hold off on removing the laws criminalising homosexuality, and prioritise the adjustments to the country’s marriage act.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore is one organisation urging the government to define marriage in the Constitution before repealing Section 377A.

“Otherwise, we will be taking a slippery road of no return, weakening the fabric of a strong society which is founded on the bedrock of holistic families and marriages,” the Archbishop’s Communications Office said.

Making the ground breaking announcement the Prime Minister said Singaporeans who were concerned about the island state’s traditional values should understand that the repeal of the law would not lead to government allowing changes to what children are taught in schools, what is shown on television and general public conduct.

The call to “protect marriage” ahead of decriminalisation was also echoed by the National Council of Churches.

“We seek the government’s assurance that the religious freedom of churches will be protected as we continue to teach against same-sex sexual acts and highlight such acts,” the National Council of Churches said in a statement.

The group said the government needed to ensure that pastors and church workers would be protected from charges of “hate speech” and not be compelled to adopt solely “LGBTQ-affirming” strategies in their counselling.

Reverend Yang Tuck Yoong, the chairman of the Alliance of Pentecostal & Charismatic Churches of Singapore, also called on the government to allow MPs to have a free conscience vote on the issue. Reverend Yang said the government’s change in policy was an “extremely regrettable decision”.

In a statement the group said it maintained it’s belief that “the act of homosexual sex is harmful, both to the individual and to broader society.”

The organisers of a recent Town Hall meeting which brought together groups opposed to the repeal of the laws against homosexuality also commented on the decision suggesting that the government needed to introduce additional legislation to stop homosexuality being promoted to young people.

Jason Wong, who is the founder of the Yellow Ribbon Project as well as the Dads for Life movement, and Mohamed Khair Mohamed Noor, the CEO & Founder of The SuChi Group, lead the group Protect Singapore.

Writing on Facebook Jason Wong said the government’s decision was disappointing.

“We are deeply disappointed that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the government will be repealing Section 377A without the assurance that comprehensive safeguards will be put in place to protect our children and freedom of conscience against LGBTQ+ extremism.

“Activists are already expressing their discontent with marriage being protected, which is a sign of what they will be asking for in the near future.” Wong said.

Putting in place laws and policies to ban the “promotion, endorsement or propagation of LGBTQ+ ideas to children under the age of 18” is one of several demands the group has made on the government.

Laws preventing people from speaking about homosexuality are currently in place in Russia, and the United Kingdom previously has Clause 28 in their laws which stopped LGBTI issues being mentioned or promoted in government owned facilities. The laws were in place for 15 years from 1988 until 2003, the government subsequently issued an apology for their existence.

The decision to repeal Section 377A has been welcomed by a range of LGBTIQA+ organisations in Singapore, as well as business groups.

A statement a range of LGBTIQA+ groups said it was disappointing that at the same time the laws criminalising homosexuality were being removed, the government was also adjusting the constitution to stop same-sex marriages being recognised in the future.

“Any move by the government to introduce further legislation or constitutional amendments that signal LGBTQ+ people as unequal citizens is disappointing.” the LGBTIQA+ rights advocates said.

The group said the government should resists calls from religious groups to amend the constitution as it undermined the foundation of Singapore as a secular society.

The statement was signed by a range of groups including Pink Dot, Oogachaga, Aces Going Places, Gay Health Singapore, the Free Community Church, The Green House, The Heartweavers, The Healing Circle, the Inter-University LGBT Network, Indignation, Kaleidoscope, Same But Different, One Queer Cher, Pelangi Pride Centre, Transbefrienders, Transgender Singpore, and several other groups.

Graeme Watson 

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The post Singapore Religious groups: Protect marriage before decriminalisation appeared first on OUTinPerth.