Marriage equality should be exactly that: equal.

Unfortunately, that is not the case in Australia. While the passage of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017 allowed LGBTI couples to marry, it did not treat us exactly the same as cisgender heterosexual couples had been treated previously.

This page looks at the ways in which the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) is unequal, as well as past posts which formed part of the (unsuccessful) campaign against this discrimination.

The primary post is my 2017 analysis of the then-Bill proposed by Liberal Senator Dean Smith:

• Not so fast. Dean Smith’s Marriage Bill is deeply flawed.

 

I have also written follow-up pieces looking at the specific issues of forced trans divorce:

• Ending Forced Trans Divorce: Mission Accomplished

 

And examining the special privileges now enjoyed by religious marriage celebrants, and the broad religious exceptions in the Marriage Act:

• No, We Don’t Have Marriage Equality Yet.

 

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Older posts which formed part of the campaign against this discrimination include:

 

• Senator Leyonhjelm’s Marriage Equality Bill Undermines the Principle of LGBTI Anti-Discrimination – Should we still support it?

 

• Letter to ALP Caucus re Senator Leyonhjelm’s Freedom to Marry Bill

 

• In the battle for marriage equality, we must not forget to fight against religious exceptions

 

• The Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill is Unacceptable

 

• If we want genuine marriage equality, we’re going to have to fight – & write – for it 

 

• Equal Means Equal – Submission to Inquiry into Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill

 

• Equal love should not be treated unequally

 

• Dear Malcolm Turnbull. Pass. Marriage. Equality. Now.

 

• Marriage equality or marriage discrimination – a simple test

 

• The push for news exceptions in the Marriage Act is homophobic. Here’s why.

 

• Bill Shorten, It’s time to honour your commitment on marriage equality

 

• Why we should say ‘I don’t’ to religious exceptions for civil celebrants