An historic day in Queensland!!!

 

Tonight was the Queensland Government’s same-sex civil unions act debate.  200 activists showed up outside of parliment.  I considered it myself but unfortunately had to sleep.  I can just SEE the celebrations happening as the vote was declared.

We passed 47 votes to 40.  I knew it would be close!  From what I can tell of the info so far, the usual idiots got up and protested it (ie Wendy Francis from the oh-well-that’s-SUCH-a-surprise CHRISTIAN party) and some idiot saying he has gay friends but says they can become straight (which resulted in groans from other MP’s – haha YES!).

I’m glad I’m not at work tonight, as I just woke up and found out this.  My facebook is covered in the news of it.  I’d like to think I suuround myself with supporters of same-sex unions and/or marriage, but unfortunately I cannot choose my family.  Who are highly religious and traditional.  During the times when everyone on my facebook would post links to petitions supporting the marriage act, my father would be posting links to petitions rejecting it.

So, although I am smiling from ear to ear at the moment, two things that concern me come to mind.  The 19th-Century-Christians will be trying anything they can to get this bill revoked, I can only assume.  I grew up far too long in the church not not consider their destructive methods pathetic and over-the-top.  To a lot of them, instead of seeing this as progressive and a happy occasion, all they see are the red-devils horns and the selected Leviticus chapters verses.

The other thing is the upcoming state election.  Although Campbell Newman is a supporter of same-sex unions, much like our current Premier ‘Anna Bligh’ (above), he has always said he’ll tell his MP’s to vote against it.  I’m not sure what this means since the vote has been passed – whether it can be voted on again, should be win the election.

The funny thing is, in my home state, both the contenders for the Premiership are awesome, awesome people.  I love what Anna Bligh had to say, according to this article.  As for the contenders for my country’s Prime Ministership, they are both IDIOTS!  Of course I am biased purely on Julia Gillards stance on believing in a ‘traditional marriage’, despite her having a boyfriend who is a hairdresser (go stereotypes!).  She’s not even married herself!  I always thought it would be hilarious if her ‘boyfriend’ was another bloke’s boyfriend lol.
As for Phoney Rabbit (Tony Abbott), ergh!!  That’s my reaction to him.  Whenever I think of him getting to run my home country, I think of us going back in time about 30 years.

But, this is about Queensland and is a day is history to so many people!!  It’s a huge step in the right direction and I can’t wait to see how many legal gay ceremonies will be planned over the coming months.  Much like California though, I assume, it will have to happen quickly. 

With great historical political changes, unfortunately comes controversy.  I will never, never, EVER understand HOW I could have been raised my ENTIRE childhood believing that God is love and that Jesus hung out with prostitutes and thieves, and yet when something as simple as a male and another male, or a female and another female, wanting to cement their commitment to each other, can be met with ‘oh no sorry that’s not what the bible says!’  FUCK that, and your hypocrisy.  The fact people can base denying love on a book that they believe is real based on faith (FAITH!) is crazy.  I guess that’s what faith is – "To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things that we cannot see" – Hebrews 11:1 –

Yeah well, my faith was in this – I had faith that it would happen one day, but I couldn’t see it!

So, all in all, there’s no point worrying about the small-mindedness of the Christian political parties trying to do what they think is right within their religion.  To see the votes winning by 7, to me, really shows that people are on the way to change for the better, and are leaving behind the traditional ways of how life used to be.

This month is the federal government’s conscience vote on same-sex-marriage/unions.  With Queensland showing a support in the lead up to this, it is a good sign.  I’m looking forward to seeing how this next step goes.  At this stage, living in a state that I’ve grown up in my entire life, and that I’ve seen so much homophobia in, for this act to pass allows me to show my grin to the world.

And on World AIDS Day (December 1st), what an awesome way to start it.