Gay marriage: Julia Gillard says she’d now vote y | — Atralia’s leadg news se

Contents:

• EX-ATRALIA PM GILLARD REVERS GAY MARRIAGE STANCE
• JULIA GILLARD CHANG HER MD TO BACK GAY MARRIAGE AND LAMBASTS ABBOTT PLAN
• EX-ATRALIA PM GILLARD REVERS GAY MARRIAGE STANCE
• JULIA GILLARD ON GAY MARRIAGE: FORMER PM SAYS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SAME-SEX UNNS LEGAL ATRALIA
• JULIA GILLARD SAYS SHE’S CHANGED HER MD ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE SCE LOSG PRIME MISTERSHIP
• GILLARD AGAST GAY MARRIAGE
• COMMENT: THE LOGIC OF GILLARD'S OPPOSN TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGEJULIA GILLARD'S CRIQUE OF THE STUTN OF MARRIAGE SHOULD GIVE PSE TO REFLECT ON HOW AND WHY ARGUMENTS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY HAVE BEEN ADVANCED THE FIRST PLACE, WR SIMON COPLAND.JULIA GILLARD HAS APPEARED A TELEVISED TERVIEW ONT OF A LIVE DIENCE AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOE (AAP)IN JULIA GILLARD’S FIRST TERVIEW SCE SHE WAS POSED AS PRIME MISTER A YOUNG BOY  STOOD UP AND ASKED THE QUTN MANY WANTED AN ANSWER TO - “HOW E YOU DIDN’T LET GAY PEOPLE GET MARRIED?”THE RPONSE PROBABLY SURPRISED MANY. GILLARD, REFLECTG ON HER TIME AS A FEMIST ACTIVIST UNI SAID:“WE WEREN’T TALKG ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE AS WOMEN, AS FEMISTS.” “WE WERE CRIQUG MARRIAGE, AND IF SOMEONE HAD SAID TO ME AS A 20-YEAR-OLD, ‘WHAT ABOUT YOU GET TO A WHE DRS TO SYMBOLISE VIRGY AND YOU GET YOUR FATHER TO WALK YOU DOWN AN AISLE AND GIVE YOU AWAY TO A MAN WHO IS WAG AT THE END OF THE AISLE,’ I WOULD HAVE LOOKED WH PUZZLEMENT LIKE, ‘WHAT ON EARTH WOULD I DO THAT FOR?’"SHE NTUED:“I THK THAT MARRIAGE OUR SOCIETY ULD PLAY S TRADNAL ROLE AND WE ULD E UP WH OTHER STUTNS WHICH VALUE PARTNERSHIPS, VALUE LOVE, VALUE LIFETIME MMENT. “I HAVE A VALUABLE LIFETIME MMENT AND HAVEN’T FELT THE NEED AT ANY POT TO MAKE THAT TO A MARRIAGE. “SO I KNOW THAT’S A REALLY DIFFERENT REASONG THAN MOST PEOPLE E AT THE ISSU, BUT THAT’S MY REASONG.”CUE THE OUTRAGE. ALL ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE SCREAMED “SURE, YOU N CRIQUE MARRIAGE, BUT THAT DON’T MEAN YOU SHOULD NTUE TO DISCRIMATE AGAST GAY PEOPLE.” “YOU SHOULDN’T NY PEOPLE OF THEIR CHOICE TO GET MARRIED.”TO BE FAIR GILLARD’S STATEMENT POTENTIALLY STKS OF POLIL OPPORTUNISM. AFTER SPENDG YEARS SUCKG UP TO HOMOPHOB THE ALP AS A WAY TO KEEP HER POWER BASE, GILLARD HAS NOW GONE ONT OF A PROGRSIVE DIENCE AND TRIED TO FD A PROGRSIVE OUT FOR HER OPPOSN TO THE REFORM.BUT LET’S PRETEND FOR A MUTE THE VIEW GILLARD PRENTED LAST NIGHT HAS BEEN HER NSISTENT POSN. BEE IF WE DO WE N SEE A VERY HERENT AND LOGIL PROGRSIVE ARGUMENT AGAST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.LAST NIGHT, GILLARD TOOK A FEMIST CRIQUE TO MARRIAGE. YOU N GET EXAMPL OF THE FEMIST CRIQU HERE, HERE, HERE, AND HERE (FOR A STARTG POT). SIMPLY PUT, FEMISTS ARGUE THAT MARRIAGE IS A SYSTEM BASED THE PATRIARCHY, BUILT THE OPPRSN OF WOMEN. GILLARD MENTNED THE WHE DRS AND THE FATHER GIVG THE DGHTER AWAY. SEXIST SYMBOLISM IS MIXED THROUGHOUT THE CEREMONY AND THE SYSTEM – WH MANY CHURCH STILL PREACHG THAT WOMEN MT OBEY THEIR HBANDS ONCE THEY GET MARRIED. ORIGALLY THIS WAS ENSHRED WH LEGAL DISCRIMATN AND ALTHOUGH MOST OF THIS DISCRIMATN IS NOW GONE, MANY FEMISTS STILL ARGUE THAT WH S SEXIST HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM, MARRIAGE SHOULD STILL BE ABOLISHED AND STEAD REPLACED WH NEW, NON-PATRIARCHAL SYSTEMS S PLACE.FE, I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, BUT IF PEOPLE (AND IMPORTANTLY WOMEN THIS SE) WANT TO CHOOSE TO GET MARRIED, WHO ARE WE TO STOP THEM? IT IS HERE WHERE A QUEER-CRIQUE OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS VALUABLE.BEE WHILST WE MAY ARGUE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ‘CHOOSE TO GET MARRIED’, THAT CHOICE IS NOT NECSARILY AN ACTIVE ONE. MARRIAGE IS NOT JT ONE CHOICE OUT OF MANY OUR SOCIETY – IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE CHOICE WHEN TO FORMG OUR RELATNSHIPS. MARRIAGE IS AN EXPECTATN THAT IS PLACED ONTO OM A YOUNG AGE. IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE ARE TOLD WE N LEAD A NORMAL AND HAPPY LIFE.AND DOG SO MARRIAGE PRENTS A VERY LIMED CHOICE. IT IS THE CHOICE OF BEG A MONOGAMO TWO-PERSON RELATNSHIP AND ONE THAT IS VERY LIMED S SIGN AND SHAPE. OUR SOCIAL STANDARDS (WHETHER ENSHRED THE LAW OR NOT) PLACE SIGNIFINT RTRICTNS ON HOW MARRIAG WORK – WE MT LIVE TOGETHER, BE MTED TO AND ONLY HAVE EY FOR EACH OTHER, AND WE MT, TO PUT HONTLY, HAVE BORG SEX WH EACH OTHER. AND OF URSE NO CIRCUMSTANC N WE N’T TALK ABOUT THAT SEX!AND IS HERE WHERE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS PROBLEMATIC. BEE IF THERE IS ONE MUNY WHICH HAS THE OPPORTUNY TO DIRECTLY CHALLENGE MANY OF THE ASSUMPTNS ABOUT MARRIAGE IS THE QUEER MUNY. WHOUT THE PACY TO ACCS MARRIAGE QUEERS HAVE FOR A LONG TIME BEEN AT THE FOREONT OF EXPLORG NEW IAS OF RELATNSHIPS AND SEXUALI. WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPLORE THE IAS OF POLYAMORY, S&M CULTURE, SNAS AND OTHER PUBLIC SEX VENU AS WELL AS A RANGE OF OTHER FORMS OF RELATNSHIPS AND SEXUAL EXPERIENC. AND WHOUT THE SOCIAL PRSUR OF MARRIAGE WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO ALL OF THIS A LTLE B MORE OUT THE OPEN. THE THGS HAPPEN THE STRAIGHT MUNY, BUT OFTEN BEHD CLOSED DOORS, AND CERTALY WH LIMED OPEN AND PUBLIC DISCSN.SAME-SEX MARRIAGE HOWEVER ULD CHANGE ALL OF THAT. FIRST WILL STRENGTHEN THE STUTN OF MARRIAGE. BY BRGG MORE PEOPLE TO THE TENT, SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BUILDS THE STRENGTH OF THE STUTN, MAKG MORE DIFFICULT TO TEAR , AND ’S PATRIARCHAL HISTORY, DOWN. THIS IS WHY SO MANY NSERVATIVE POLICIANS ARE NOW JUMPG ON THE MARRIAGE BANDWAGON.AND DOG SO ALSO CHANG THE QUEER MUNY. WE N SEE THIS NOW – QUEERS WHO ARE FIGHTG FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ARE ALSO FIGHTG FOR THE VALU OF MONOGAMY AND ‘TE LOVE’, AS IF WE ARE NOW PART OF THE STRAIGHT MUNY. AS WE ENTER THE WORLD OF MARRIAGE THE EXPECTATNS OF MARRIAGE ARE BEG PLACED ONTO , LEAVG WEAKER OUR ABILY TO CRIQUE MARRIAGE AND EXPLORE THE OPTNS BEYOND .DID JULIA GILLARD’S CRIQUE EXTEND THIS FAR LAST NIGHT? WELL, NO, OBVLY NOT. BUT TO SIMPLY CRY A FEMIST/QUEER OPPOSN TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AS ILLOGIL AND DISCRIMATORY IS NOT WORTHY OF THIS BATE. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE HAS THE PACY TO NOT ONLY STRENGTHEN A HISTORILLY PATRIARCHAL STUTN, BUT DOG SO SEVERELY LIM THE CHOIC AND OPPORTUNI AVAILABLE TO THE QUEER MUNY – POTENTIALLY MUCH MORE SO THAN THE RTRICTN OF MARRIAGE DO. AND IF THAT’S THE SE, GILLARD’S CRIQUE IS ONE WORTH LISTENG TOO.SIMON COPLAND IS A EELANCE WRER AND CLIMATE MPAIGNER. HE IS A REGULAR LUMNIST FOR THE SYDNEY STAR OBSERVER AND BLOGS AT THE MOONBAT. THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGALLY PUBLISHED ON . SHARE5 M READPUBLISHED 1 OCTOBER 2013 5:05PMUPDATED 1 OCTOBER 2013 5:26PMBY SIMON COPLANDSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS

EX-ATRALIA PM GILLARD REVERS GAY MARRIAGE STANCE

She’s been lled a wch, liberately barren, asked if her partner is gay and been the subject of a “joke” menu where a dish was scribed, wh misogynistic celty, terms of parts of her anatomy. A eply admirable sentiment, but if she genuely believed promotg “equal opportuny for everyone at every time their life” gay men and lbians would have the same choice that is open to her and every other straight parliamentarian. She matas that other optns are available for gay and lbian relatnships.

But each time she up wh one of the jtifitns for her posn she portrays gay and lbian people as “others” and actively discrimat agast , nstrictg our choic. On the issue of marriage equaly and gay rights general, Gillard is, to quote Churchill, a riddle wrapped si a mystery an enigma.

I’m a gay man, historilly I’m a Labor voter, I’ve always nsired myself a femist, but every time Julia Gillard talks about same sex marriage wh one of her “I’m not a homophobe but…” statements, the Prime Mister of Atralia tells me I don’t matter. Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Ms Gillard had prevly fend the tradnal view of marriageFormer Atralian PM Julia Gillard has dropped her opposn to gay marriage, revealg she would now vote for ments e the midst of a natnal bate about changg the law to allow same-sex back flip has sparked cricism on social media and om some policians who say she uld have taken actn when she was 2012, durg her learship, Ms Gillard voted agast a private member's bill allowg gay former Labor lear now says the bate on the issue has ed her to "re-exame some fundamental assumptns I have held" a lecture she gave on Wednday night at Victoria Universy, Ms Gillard said her femist views had led her to qutn "om a genr perspective" the value of tradnal marriage.

JULIA GILLARD CHANG HER MD TO BACK GAY MARRIAGE AND LAMBASTS ABBOTT PLAN

Opn polls taken over the past year show between 60% and 72% of Atralians support gay marriage. Officially, the lg Liberal-Natnal aln do not support gay opposn Labor party endors gay marriage, but allows s MPs a nscience vote on legislatn.

Her terview wh wrer Anne Summers last night was no different when a child the dience asked simply: "How e you didn't let gay people get married? While she is right to note that the current state of polics is bt sued to this strategy, is troublg that the prciple of equaly has bee subject to the whims of personal of the public opposn we see to marriage equaly equently claims that homosexualy is a threat to fay and social moraly.

Homophobia remas a systemic problem Atralia.

EX-ATRALIA PM GILLARD REVERS GAY MARRIAGE STANCE

"When I was a young femist I would've said overwhelmgly the gay muny was on that track too, but thgs have changed. 06pmPM keeps open same-sex marriage referendum optnGay marriage advot have lashed former prime mister Julia Gillard for g out support of s legalisatn two years after losg the power to do anythg about Gillard voted agast a bill for marriage equaly 2012 as prime mister, but told an dience Melbourne on Wednday she had changed her view that both heterosexual and same-sex upl should embrace civil unns.

JULIA GILLARD ON GAY MARRIAGE: FORMER PM SAYS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SAME-SEX UNNS LEGAL ATRALIA

“Gay marriage will happen. “As I’m sure you’re aware, the Gillard Labor Government has a proud rerd of liverg reforms for the GLBTI (gay, lbian, bisexual, transgenr, tersex) muny that is unparalleled by any Government Atralian history, or any other party the Parliament, ” , Mr Jose was then, “The ernment will not be troducg legislatn to change the fn of marriage the Marriage Act 1961.

“I am not favor of gay marriage.

JULIA GILLARD SAYS SHE’S CHANGED HER MD ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE SCE LOSG PRIME MISTERSHIP

Why n’t the gay muny share the joys of marriage, jt like the heterosexual muny? Julia Gillard says she’s changed her md about gay marriage sce losg prime mistershipFORMER PM says she’s had a major change of heart sce losg the top prime mister Julia Gillard’s change of heart on same-sex marriage shows others n do too, supporters say. Ms Gillard, who prevly voted agast gay marriage parliament, has announced she’s changed her md and given the chance aga would vote y.

The former Labor lear also warned a plebisce or referendum on gay marriage would unrme nfince the parliamentary procs. She wants the matter to be rolved through a nscience vote by the parliament after the next former Labor lear, who prevly voted agast gay marriage parliament, said given the chance aga she would vote y. Ms Gillard also said a plebisce or referendum on gay marriage were ias of “superficial appeal and long-lived dangers”, warng such vot uld unrme nfince the parliamentary procs.

GILLARD AGAST GAY MARRIAGE

Gillard agast gay marriageWe’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Please try aga to sectns navigatnSkip to ntentSkip to footerPrime Mister Julia Gillard says she do not support legalisg gay marriage policy on gay marriage will rema the same unr her prime mistership, Ms Gillard told Atereo show today.

"We believe the marriage act is appropriate s current form, that is regnisg that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we have as a ernment taken steps to equalise treatment for gay upl, " Ms Gillard if that was also her personal view, Ms Gillard said new prime mister was left wag on air while Kyle and Jackie played a song - Gett' Over You by David Guetta featurg Fergie. In Julia Gillard’s first terview sce she was posed as Prime Mister a young boy stood up and asked the qutn many wanted an answer to - “how e you didn’t let gay people get married? Gillard, reflectg on her time as a femist activist uni said:“We weren’t talkg about gay marriage as women, as femists.

All across social media people screamed “sure, you n crique marriage, but that don’t mean you should ntue to discrimate agast gay people.

COMMENT: THE LOGIC OF GILLARD'S OPPOSN TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGEJULIA GILLARD'S CRIQUE OF THE STUTN OF MARRIAGE SHOULD GIVE PSE TO REFLECT ON HOW AND WHY ARGUMENTS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY HAVE BEEN ADVANCED THE FIRST PLACE, WR SIMON COPLAND.JULIA GILLARD HAS APPEARED A TELEVISED TERVIEW ONT OF A LIVE DIENCE AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOE (AAP)IN JULIA GILLARD’S FIRST TERVIEW SCE SHE WAS POSED AS PRIME MISTER A YOUNG BOY  STOOD UP AND ASKED THE QUTN MANY WANTED AN ANSWER TO - “HOW E YOU DIDN’T LET GAY PEOPLE GET MARRIED?”THE RPONSE PROBABLY SURPRISED MANY. GILLARD, REFLECTG ON HER TIME AS A FEMIST ACTIVIST UNI SAID:“WE WEREN’T TALKG ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE AS WOMEN, AS FEMISTS.” “WE WERE CRIQUG MARRIAGE, AND IF SOMEONE HAD SAID TO ME AS A 20-YEAR-OLD, ‘WHAT ABOUT YOU GET TO A WHE DRS TO SYMBOLISE VIRGY AND YOU GET YOUR FATHER TO WALK YOU DOWN AN AISLE AND GIVE YOU AWAY TO A MAN WHO IS WAG AT THE END OF THE AISLE,’ I WOULD HAVE LOOKED WH PUZZLEMENT LIKE, ‘WHAT ON EARTH WOULD I DO THAT FOR?’"SHE NTUED:“I THK THAT MARRIAGE OUR SOCIETY ULD PLAY S TRADNAL ROLE AND WE ULD E UP WH OTHER STUTNS WHICH VALUE PARTNERSHIPS, VALUE LOVE, VALUE LIFETIME MMENT. “I HAVE A VALUABLE LIFETIME MMENT AND HAVEN’T FELT THE NEED AT ANY POT TO MAKE THAT TO A MARRIAGE. “SO I KNOW THAT’S A REALLY DIFFERENT REASONG THAN MOST PEOPLE E AT THE ISSU, BUT THAT’S MY REASONG.”CUE THE OUTRAGE. ALL ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE SCREAMED “SURE, YOU N CRIQUE MARRIAGE, BUT THAT DON’T MEAN YOU SHOULD NTUE TO DISCRIMATE AGAST GAY PEOPLE.” “YOU SHOULDN’T NY PEOPLE OF THEIR CHOICE TO GET MARRIED.”TO BE FAIR GILLARD’S STATEMENT POTENTIALLY STKS OF POLIL OPPORTUNISM. AFTER SPENDG YEARS SUCKG UP TO HOMOPHOB THE ALP AS A WAY TO KEEP HER POWER BASE, GILLARD HAS NOW GONE ONT OF A PROGRSIVE DIENCE AND TRIED TO FD A PROGRSIVE OUT FOR HER OPPOSN TO THE REFORM.BUT LET’S PRETEND FOR A MUTE THE VIEW GILLARD PRENTED LAST NIGHT HAS BEEN HER NSISTENT POSN. BEE IF WE DO WE N SEE A VERY HERENT AND LOGIL PROGRSIVE ARGUMENT AGAST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.LAST NIGHT, GILLARD TOOK A FEMIST CRIQUE TO MARRIAGE. YOU N GET EXAMPL OF THE FEMIST CRIQU HERE, HERE, HERE, AND HERE (FOR A STARTG POT). SIMPLY PUT, FEMISTS ARGUE THAT MARRIAGE IS A SYSTEM BASED THE PATRIARCHY, BUILT THE OPPRSN OF WOMEN. GILLARD MENTNED THE WHE DRS AND THE FATHER GIVG THE DGHTER AWAY. SEXIST SYMBOLISM IS MIXED THROUGHOUT THE CEREMONY AND THE SYSTEM – WH MANY CHURCH STILL PREACHG THAT WOMEN MT OBEY THEIR HBANDS ONCE THEY GET MARRIED. ORIGALLY THIS WAS ENSHRED WH LEGAL DISCRIMATN AND ALTHOUGH MOST OF THIS DISCRIMATN IS NOW GONE, MANY FEMISTS STILL ARGUE THAT WH S SEXIST HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM, MARRIAGE SHOULD STILL BE ABOLISHED AND STEAD REPLACED WH NEW, NON-PATRIARCHAL SYSTEMS S PLACE.FE, I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, BUT IF PEOPLE (AND IMPORTANTLY WOMEN THIS SE) WANT TO CHOOSE TO GET MARRIED, WHO ARE WE TO STOP THEM? IT IS HERE WHERE A QUEER-CRIQUE OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS VALUABLE.BEE WHILST WE MAY ARGUE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ‘CHOOSE TO GET MARRIED’, THAT CHOICE IS NOT NECSARILY AN ACTIVE ONE. MARRIAGE IS NOT JT ONE CHOICE OUT OF MANY OUR SOCIETY – IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE CHOICE WHEN TO FORMG OUR RELATNSHIPS. MARRIAGE IS AN EXPECTATN THAT IS PLACED ONTO OM A YOUNG AGE. IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE ARE TOLD WE N LEAD A NORMAL AND HAPPY LIFE.AND DOG SO MARRIAGE PRENTS A VERY LIMED CHOICE. IT IS THE CHOICE OF BEG A MONOGAMO TWO-PERSON RELATNSHIP AND ONE THAT IS VERY LIMED S SIGN AND SHAPE. OUR SOCIAL STANDARDS (WHETHER ENSHRED THE LAW OR NOT) PLACE SIGNIFINT RTRICTNS ON HOW MARRIAG WORK – WE MT LIVE TOGETHER, BE MTED TO AND ONLY HAVE EY FOR EACH OTHER, AND WE MT, TO PUT HONTLY, HAVE BORG SEX WH EACH OTHER. AND OF URSE NO CIRCUMSTANC N WE N’T TALK ABOUT THAT SEX!AND IS HERE WHERE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS PROBLEMATIC. BEE IF THERE IS ONE MUNY WHICH HAS THE OPPORTUNY TO DIRECTLY CHALLENGE MANY OF THE ASSUMPTNS ABOUT MARRIAGE IS THE QUEER MUNY. WHOUT THE PACY TO ACCS MARRIAGE QUEERS HAVE FOR A LONG TIME BEEN AT THE FOREONT OF EXPLORG NEW IAS OF RELATNSHIPS AND SEXUALI. WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPLORE THE IAS OF POLYAMORY, S&M CULTURE, SNAS AND OTHER PUBLIC SEX VENU AS WELL AS A RANGE OF OTHER FORMS OF RELATNSHIPS AND SEXUAL EXPERIENC. AND WHOUT THE SOCIAL PRSUR OF MARRIAGE WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO ALL OF THIS A LTLE B MORE OUT THE OPEN. THE THGS HAPPEN THE STRAIGHT MUNY, BUT OFTEN BEHD CLOSED DOORS, AND CERTALY WH LIMED OPEN AND PUBLIC DISCSN.SAME-SEX MARRIAGE HOWEVER ULD CHANGE ALL OF THAT. FIRST WILL STRENGTHEN THE STUTN OF MARRIAGE. BY BRGG MORE PEOPLE TO THE TENT, SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BUILDS THE STRENGTH OF THE STUTN, MAKG MORE DIFFICULT TO TEAR , AND ’S PATRIARCHAL HISTORY, DOWN. THIS IS WHY SO MANY NSERVATIVE POLICIANS ARE NOW JUMPG ON THE MARRIAGE BANDWAGON.AND DOG SO ALSO CHANG THE QUEER MUNY. WE N SEE THIS NOW – QUEERS WHO ARE FIGHTG FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ARE ALSO FIGHTG FOR THE VALU OF MONOGAMY AND ‘TE LOVE’, AS IF WE ARE NOW PART OF THE STRAIGHT MUNY. AS WE ENTER THE WORLD OF MARRIAGE THE EXPECTATNS OF MARRIAGE ARE BEG PLACED ONTO , LEAVG WEAKER OUR ABILY TO CRIQUE MARRIAGE AND EXPLORE THE OPTNS BEYOND .DID JULIA GILLARD’S CRIQUE EXTEND THIS FAR LAST NIGHT? WELL, NO, OBVLY NOT. BUT TO SIMPLY CRY A FEMIST/QUEER OPPOSN TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AS ILLOGIL AND DISCRIMATORY IS NOT WORTHY OF THIS BATE. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE HAS THE PACY TO NOT ONLY STRENGTHEN A HISTORILLY PATRIARCHAL STUTN, BUT DOG SO SEVERELY LIM THE CHOIC AND OPPORTUNI AVAILABLE TO THE QUEER MUNY – POTENTIALLY MUCH MORE SO THAN THE RTRICTN OF MARRIAGE DO. AND IF THAT’S THE SE, GILLARD’S CRIQUE IS ONE WORTH LISTENG TOO.SIMON COPLAND IS A EELANCE WRER AND CLIMATE MPAIGNER. HE IS A REGULAR LUMNIST FOR THE SYDNEY STAR OBSERVER AND BLOGS AT THE MOONBAT. THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGALLY PUBLISHED ON . SHARE5 M READPUBLISHED 1 OCTOBER 2013 5:05PMUPDATED 1 OCTOBER 2013 5:26PMBY SIMON COPLANDSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS

After spendg years suckg up to homophob the ALP as a way to keep her power base, Gillard has now gone ont of a progrsive dience and tried to fd a progrsive out for her opposn to the let’s pretend for a mute the view Gillard prented last night has been her nsistent posn. She has prevly spoken about how worsened as her term went on – om beg asked on Perth rad if her then-partner was gay, to to disverg a Liberal Natnal Party fundraiser menu had served a ‘Julia Gillard’ quail (featurg “small breasts, huge thighs and a big red box”). In what has bee a heated and polarisg issue, both mps tend to ame the bate as a battle between the lovers and the haters, although they disagree about which is a rult is impossible to take a public stance agast same-sex-marriage whout beg assumed to be fundamentally sceptil of the validy, stabily and serns of gay relatnships.

Gillard's efforts to break open this mp mentaly and force a different kd of bate has been a se study the polilly do say about the qualy of natnal bate, about relatnships, that we would rather image Gillard as nfed or a secret homophobe than acknowledge that she might have somethg cril to say about marriage as an stutn? Far om beg 'stumped' by the bate, Gillard has repeatedly attempted to shift the very terms of : she tak for granted the fact that love is equal and diversy is valuable and then asks if marriage, wh all s historil and symbolic baggage, is really the bt symbol we have for celebratg equaly and relatnal who are lookg for eher unqualified support for the expansn of marriage or an embarrassg nfsn, Abbott-style, of feelg 'unfortable' about homosexualy are unlikely to get satisfactn om Gillard.