Many Brons have changed their mds on gay marriage

IS ATRALIA'S GAY MARRIAGE BATE BEG 'STIFLED'?

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Gay upl n't legally marry AtraliaIn 2008, the Atralian ernment amend 84 laws that discrimated agast same-sex upl.

Legislatn about everythg om taxatn and employment to health-re benefs and pensn payments was changed to allow gay upl the same rights as heterosexual Atralian Human Rights Commissn hailed the amendments as an important step on the road to full equaly for same-sex upl.

The chang allowed "people to have digny", says Lyle Shelton, a former journalist and polil adviser who is now managg director of a Christian lobby then there has been a ph to change Atralia's marriage laws to allow same-sex upl to legally Mr Shelton says this is a step too Atralian Christian Lobby (ACL) - a grass roots movement of people who want to ject Christian ethics to natnal polics - do not want the fn of marriage to be wined to clu same-sex he claims that the views of tradnal marriage supporters have been drowned out by gay lobbyists and the source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Some people have taken to the streets llg for a change the lawMarriage is more than a romantic bond between two people, Mr Shelton told the is about brgg up children and children do bt when they have a mother and a father, he says. However, he says if the public unrstood all the ramifitns of allowg gay people to marry "I reckon Atralians might rensir this". Gettg married AtraliaAtralia's Marriage Act specifi marriage as a unn between a man and a woman Officially, the lg Liberal-Natnal aln do not support gay marriageThe opposn Labor party endors gay marriage, but allows s MPs a nscience vote on legislatn Opn polls show a majory of poll rponnts approve of gay marriage, Rults range om about 60% for Newspoll and Essential polls held June, to 72% for a Crosby Textor poll held last is joed by several new groups cludg Marriage Alliance and the Atralian Marriage Fom who claim the natnal bate is one-sid.

ATRALIA SENATE STOPS GAY MARRIAGE VOTE

'Safe haven'Another group opposed to gay marriage ran advertisements a natnal newspaper, while advertisements om a pro-gay marriage group have n on York told the BBC there was a risk some people were beg silenced about their views. "Opponents of marriage equaly pla a lot about the public not hearg their se but I thk the realy is the public hears and don't re, " Mr Croome told the source, Marriage AllianceImage ptn, The Marriage Alliance claims legalisg same-sex marriage uld be the tip of an icebergThe Alliance claims there uld be wi-rangg ramifitns om allowg gay people to marry cludg discrimatn agast bs that don't want to be volved wh gay weddgs, and same-sex relatnships beg given the same stat as oppose-sex relatnships school sex tn also argue that legalisg gay marriage would lead to more same-sex parentg and church would be forced to marry gay upl. "Image source, Getty ImagMs York says there is evince children need a mother and father and c claims ma by ntroversial US anti-gay marriage advote Katy Fst to back her se.

"Image source, EPAImage ptn, Attorney-General Gee Brandis durg the vote for the same-sex marriage plebisce billAttorney-General Gee Brandis acced the Labor Party of "playg polics wh gay people's liv". Adam* said was dangero to e out as gay his home untry and feared beg forced to an arranged marriage wh a said he was "so lucky" to wed his soulmate, Ray, Manchter and wish everyone uld marry who they love.

There are more than 60 untri wh laws that crimalise same-sex sexual acts acrdg to the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn, cludg Sdi Arabia.

'Authentilly myself'Ray said he had also stggled growg up gay the 1970s and 80s England, which was "tough" said his relig school "dmmed to you, 'you are gog to hell'" Adam returned home to Sdi Arabia, spe beg more than 3, 000 apart and later rtricted by the Covid-19 panmic, they kept touch daily and the romance years ago, Ray proposed on a vio ll and after succsfully applyg for a UK fiancé visa, Adam moved to Manchter December 2022.

Adam said he had been aaid to even wear lours his home untry so the first thg he did when he moved was start to "grow my mullet, got my ears pierced and booked appotments for tattoos" relled how, ntrast, one of his gay iends Sdi had been forced to marry a woman, addg: "It has ed not only his life but the life of his wife.

GAY MARRIAGE: FIRST UPL WED ATRALIA

The uple, who live London, said a "really betiful memory" was on the way home when one of their sons shouted out of the black b wdow to Trafalgar Square, "My dads jt got married" and cheered "Yay, gay marriage". The rultg aln ernment ially said would reta a ban on gay marriage.

As of 2020, the most recent year for which there is data, more than 42, 000 gay upl England and Wal had tied the knot.