Australia: Same-sex marriage ‘no’ is not unloving
A PEOPLE’S vote on redefining marriage has been promised. Many of us have same-sex attracted friends and family. Is it possible to love them while saying no to same-sex marriage? Not everyone thinks so – or would like you to think so. The media in particular fan the flames of ‘unlove’ by regularly labelling those opposed to same-sex marriage as ‘anti-gay’. This is incredibly unhelpful. A prominent gay leader has described the upcoming plebiscite as, “a national vote on whether their country accepts them [same-sex attracted and gender diverse young people]”. This rhetoric, I believe, is very dangerous. It does nothing to encourage the “high-quality debate” he says he desires and, in fact, reinforces any rejection LGBTI youth may already be feeling. I believe saying ‘no’ to same-sex marriage is a way of showing love, not rejection. Here’s why: 1. It is not unloving to tell the truth about marriage . Marriage is clearly different to a same-sex relationship – for reasons of biology, soc