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"HP's
life herstory, along with my own herstory has taught
me that I do not wish any young adult or any young
child (whether thay are my neices and nephew, or any
other child) growing up today or in the future to
have to face the disadvantages handed us through our
societies predjudice, indifference and apathy. My
belief is: marriage is a right that should be enshined
for all adults in any land throughout this world,
along with access to all other freedoms and liberties
so we all live within a democratic world."
LT shall continue to be produced and shall continue
to be a legacy from co-founder Helen Pasley who loved
to be known as simply HP. Lesbian Tribune will continue
on in respect of HP and her wishes.
Since Lesbian Tribune's inception on 14 May 2004,
our aim was to produce a free product with clear information
and genuine intent without fear or favour while trying
to equalise our rights under the law, not just in
Australia, but throughout the world.
As what is personal, is also political, LT's stance
is that no country and no religion should think that
as entities they have the given right to dictate a
person's genuine sincere feelings and therefore all
adults whatever colour, race or religion deserve the
right to marriage. Any other thought is archaic
in the 21st century. A couples right to marriage under
a country's law should not be determined by what combination
of genitals they have within that couple.
Thjs is not to say that religious groups don't have
the right to their beliefs. It is only to say that
every group within any society deserves the rights
to equality under the law. Afterall laws were and
are made to protect people or groups so they are not
disadvantaged or vilified by indifferent thoughts.
Equal rights by definition under any law in any country
does not mean any other citizen will lose any of their
rights by granting another those same rights they
currently either take for granted or hold dear.
When our chance to marry under law is granted we will
then have the choice of whether or not to marry like
everyone else and yes then homosexuals and transgenders
can truly say the societies in which they live are
true democracies and yes they are equal in all their
family units.
I for one wish I had the right to marry when i was
younger like my brothers. I'm now in my 40's. I may
have married like one of my brothers and raised children
with my partner, or I may have remained single with
no children like my other brother. But it should be
said, yes I say it should be my choice, not a governments,
not a religious groups, and certainly not another
person's choice.
Even though I don't beleive in any one religion, I
personally don't believe anyone can ever be free until
we are all free, and the only chance we have is to
own our own truths. For an enlightening read on just
how many more freedoms need to be implemented throughout
the world I recommend by Andrew Fagan:
"The
Atlas of Human Rights, Mapping violation of freedom
around the world".
Was HP truly protected equally in her lifetime?
No. Have I been truly treated equally in my lifetime?
No.
HP was born in 1934. Like any caring individual she
believed in equal rights and even joined the protective
services (our army) during her early working years,
but was she protected in society and her workplace?
No. Throughout her life, both her workplace and societies
laws discriminated against her because she was a homosexual.
Although HP came from what we could class a priviledged
background, attending private schooling at SCEGGS
in Sydney. HP still told me various stories of discrimination
throughout her living years, with disappointment.
While in Sydney HP was one of the original members
of CAMP (Campaign Against Moral Persecution), and
as a 78er she believed in Gay Liberation. Without
Gay Liberation there would have been no Mardi Gras
as we know it today ... Without Mardi Gras there would
have been no equal rights legislation as we know it
today. However currently the best the government can
offer us is defacto status under Australian law. Believe
it or not, i propose noone can live a democratic life
if marriage is not every adults basic right.
I find it infuriating when high standing people in
our communities with media profiles whether politicians
or personalities, or when people interviewed on the
street or in the workplace speak with selfishness
and indifference. If anyone of us didn't have a right
to marry the one we loved you no doubt would be infuriated
too, unless of course, if you have been married, divorced
and are now jaded by the whole marriage experience.
Whether you're an atheist or are religious and believe
in God, equal rights are still equal rights and we
all know they cannot be classified as equal until
they are equal. I believe in democracy. I believe
no country can claim to be a democracy until equal
rights are truly equal. Please encourage and enshrine
our equal rights to marriage in law throughout this
world.
Is Australia democratic? What is democracy? By definition
democracy is a political form of government where
governing power is derived from the people, either
by direct referendum or by means of elected representatives
of the people, a politician. What is a politician?
By definition a politician is to represent and protect
the rights of all it's people, minorities as when
as majorities. Not to be influenced by religious,
business or even personal ideals. They must serve
or be selfless to others needs first when making policy
and therefore law.
History teaches us many things, and when people we
dearly love die, I cannot help but be reminded what
my priorities are. I continue to produce LT voluntarily
and will continue as long as I can.
HP was a great one for reminding me of this: "homosexuals
like heterosexuals have existed since the dawn of
time and are thoughout our animal kingdom."
Sincerely
Linda
Publisher and Editor of Lesbian Tribune since 2004
As an artist, my art cannot help but represent myself
and the views of the world in which I live, therefore
I shall continue to web publish LT voluntarily as
to me this is one of my major art pieces. My other
major art piece and the way I choose to make my living
or way in the world is through my passion for writing
original music and interpreting popular music classics
by artists I admire. If you would like to make a booking
for a music show I would be most happy to hear from
you... for further info please click
here to visit my music website >>
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>> Currently Wikipedia.com writes:
Same-sex marriage
Included are a listing of all countries that have
legalised same-sex marriage like England and Canada.
Various types of same-sex marriages have existed,
ranging from informal, unsanctioned relationships
to highly ritualized unions.
While it is a relatively new practice that same-sex
couples are being granted the same form of legal marital
recognition as commonly used by mixed-sex couples,
recent publicity and debate over the past decade gives
an impression that civil marriage for lesbian and
gay couples is novel and untested. There is a long
history of recorded same-sex unions around the world.[42]
It is believed that same-sex unions were celebrated
in Ancient Greece and Rome,[42] some regions of China,
such as Fujian, and at certain times in ancient European
history.[43]
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same_sex_marriage
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