Australian society must move beyond the archaic and discriminatory definition of marriage

Dear Andrew Leigh,

I am writing to you to express my support for equal marriage rights for all Australians, and to ask you, in your power as a parliamentarian, to do the same. 

To me, marriage represents a public and legal recognition of the love and commitment two people have for each other. One day, I can chose to get married to the person that I love, celebrate our love with family and friends and enter into society with all the legal rights and responsibilities afforded to us by the state.

It makes me deeply sad to think that this choice is not available to every Australian. In fact, in makes me angry, angry that the discriminatory and narrow-minded beliefs of a few have the power to impact so drastically upon so many.

Marriage as a social institution has changed and adapted over time to meet the needs of changing societies. It wasn’t too long ago that inter-racial and inter-faith marriages were illegal, or that a woman gave up the right to work when she married a man. Just as it progressed beyond these forms of discrimination, I believe that Australian society must move beyond the archaic and discriminatory definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman only. 

Exclusive marriage laws are far from the only forms of discrimination that LGBTI people must suffer, but they are one of the few that can be easily, quickly and cheaply remedied. Granting equal marriage rights is a simple step towards eliminating the discrimination that unfortunately persists in our society.

You have been given the power to address this discrimination. I urge you to use it, to provide your full support towards equal marriage rights, to an end to discrimination and to a celebration of love in all its varied forms. 

Yours sincerely,

Jessica Clark