WA to join National Day of Action for Marriage Equality

WA to join National Day of Action for Marriage Equality
GALE and AME agree to hold joint rally on 13 August 2005
27 June 2005

Gay and Lesbian Equality (WA) Inc. has agreed to join forces with Australian Marriage Equality to hold a peaceful public rally about marriage equality for GLBTI citizens on the one year anniversary of the banning of same-sex marriages by the Federal Government.

The public rally will commence at noon on Saturday 13 August 2005, and be held at the Perth Cultural Centre, James Street Mall, Northbridge.

GALE Vice Convenor Kelly Pilgrim says that there is an ever-growing level of support from the GLBTI community seeking federal relationship recognition and marriage equality.

"Heterosexuals currently have both access to marriage as well as de facto recognition by the Federal Government.  Non-heterosexuals are given access to neither of these legal recognitions," Ms Pilgrim said.

"And where the Federal Government does recognise same-sex partnerships, like in immigration or superannuation law reforms, it is always within the discriminate classification of an 'interdependent relationship'."

"This shows that the Howard Government is both unable and unwilling to recognise same-sex partnerships in Federal law.  That's institutionalised homophobia, and it's wrong."

GALE has extended an invitation to all people concerned with the lack of federal relationship recognition to attend the public rally.

"The rally is an excellent chance for the GLBTI community, and our straight family members and supporters, to come out and support fairness and equality under Federal law," Ms Pilgrim said.

"The Howard Government has given GLBTI relationships a raw deal, and it is time it heard that message and changed its tune."

GALE recently welcomed the results of a Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby survey of more than 600 people that found respondents overwhelmingly supported access to a number of relationship recognition models, including 80% supporting marriage equality.


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Kelly Pilgrim        GALE Vice Convenor        08 9487 0862

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