Thursday 23 May 2013

WinC at a Rainbow

WinC Wrap in Cotton is not only a gay-friendly business, it is proudly gay-owned and operated.
It is indeed a strange world where we need to actually tell the world this but, it is a sad fact of life, that the last bastion of discrimination concerns the very vulnerable community of LGBT people.
While 60% plus of the Australian population support gay marriage, the government on both sides of politics refuses to allow a conscience vote, or a referendum to allow same sex couples to marry. I am at a loss as to why?

At a time when everyone is absolutely disillusioned with government, and the whole focus appears to be on whose vote we can buy, this is one piece of legislation that would make an enormous number of people happy and would not cost a cent (would even raise money). It is high time that the well-being of this community was placed above political grandstanding. Tell me how this will affect the country, other than to stand proudly among the other nations of the world and say - "We have grown up!"

To those who dare to be detractors, I say - Who are your nurses, who are your soldiers, who are your doctors, dentists, pilots, architects and any other profession you care to name? These people are good enough to care for you, good enough to fight for you, good enough to pay taxes, but not good enough to get married! WHAT??? This is simply wrong! Not only should same sex couples be allowed to marry, they should be allowed to have and/or adopt children.  Just because they are not a couple in the conventional sense, does not mean that they do not have the same needs and wants as every other loving couple. Anyway, I cannot see the difference if a couple is a man and a woman, a man and a man or a woman and a woman. So long as they love each other, respect each other and love their children then they should be left in peace to just be.

Australia has come a long way in the rights of LGBT people, but the fact that there is still conversation means we have not come nearly far enough. If we discriminated against any other group and did not allow them to marry on the basis of colour, religion, disability, or mental well being there would rightfully be, a huge uproar! But, same sex couples face an uphill battle still as bigoted politicians hide behind party lines and deny them this basic human right.

It is time that we as a community stood united behind our LGBT sons and daughters, friends, mothers and fathers. We should be immensely proud of them. We will never know the challenges they have faced every day, until we walk in their shoes (and boy, don't they have some cute ones)!! I know I am enormously proud of my best friend. I love him dearly and cannot imagine my life without him being part of it. My greatest wish is for him to be able to marry if he wishes, and as I tell him - I cannot wait to be flower girl!!

I would love WinC to be Gay Central for same sex wedding paraphanalia. That would be the greatest honour in the world. 'WinC - The Essence of Loving' - I think so!!

 


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