As I have said many times before, the USA increasingly continues to lead up the rump of modern, allegedly civilized nations when it comes to recognizing the rights of gay and lesbian couples. With all of the main western European allies, Canada, and even South Africa and countries in South America moving forward on gay rights, it ought to be a major embarrassment that this country that claims (wrongly, in my opinion) to be a leader in freedom and liberty instead is becoming more aligned in its policies with reactionary, undemocratic, and theocratic governments when it comes to the treatment of LGBT citizens. As this 365gay.com story reports (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/120407oz.htm), two Australian regions are moving forward in recognizing gay couples:
(Melbourne, Australia) For the second time in less than a week an Australian region has unveiled plans to give rights to same-sex couples. The Victoria state government on Tuesday filed legislation to create a domestic partner registry. The bill does not go as far as one announced Friday in the Australian Capital Territory which would allow civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, but it will afford couples proof of their relationship Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls said.
Hulls said the bill will be debated in Parliament in February and he expects to pass it in March.
"This is not marriage, and there is no ceremony attached to it," said Hulls. "It's simply a way of making it easier for people to access rights that they've been entitled to." To register, a couple would need to certify the partners are in an exclusive relationship, They must be 18 years of age or older, live in Victoria and be unmarried. "The register enables couples who want the dignity of formal recognition of their loving relationship to register it, and to have the security of knowing that their decision to commit to a shared life with each other is respected in Victoria," Hulls told reporters.
Twice before the territorial government passed civil unions legislation only to see the laws voided by the federal government of Prime Minister John Howard. (story) Howard said the legislation violated a ban on gay marriage in Australia that was enacted by the federal Parliament in 2004. Howard's Liberals suffered a crushing defeat at the polls last month to the opposition Labor Party led by Kevin Rudd. (story) Rudd's government has indicated it would not oppose either the ACT or the Victorian legislation.
1 comment:
Good morning, Michael. You say the US should be embarrassed that other countries are recognizing LGBT relationships and we are not. I'm afraid the opposite is true: many in the US are very proud to be standing up for what they think is the morally upright thing to do. This country needs some re-education on this issue. Because religion is involved, these homophobes are even more strongly attatched to their beliefs. Unfortunately.
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