Australia Votes Yes on Same-Sex Marriage

b_earth_photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0
b_earth_photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0
About 61.6 percent of voters said yes to same-sex marriage.

The verdict is out. Australians have resoundingly voted for legalizing same-sex marriage[/tweetit]. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that 61.6 percent of people are in favor of same-sex couples getting married in an official ceremony. The percentage translates into 12.7 million individuals. Every Australian territory and state returned the Yes majority verdict.

Australia Votes Yes on Same-Sex Marriage[/tweetthis]

The Australian city of Melbourne witnessed “yes” campaigners exploding in cheers, throwing confetti and lighting up rainbow colored smoke. The city downtown saw hundreds of people gathering to know the result. Same-sex couples fell into each others' arms. Many have already started to plan their weddings. The vote was the start of the end of the campaign to permit marriage equality in the country. This is already legal in most countries where English is widely used.

Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister of Australia, welcomed the result and said that he will ask for same-sex marriage to become completely legal before Christmas, 2017. He continued on to say the Australian public voted yes for three reasons: love, fairness, and commitment. Bill Shorten, the leader of the Labor Party told those who gathered at Melbourne city center there was no need for the vote in the first place. It is anticipated that politicians will start to discuss the particulars of the same-sex marriage bill in November.

The vote was a survey. It was also a voluntary one, much different from the compulsory elections held in Australia. Respondents were asked to say “yes” or “no” to a question asking whether the marriage laws should be changed to accommodate same-sex couples so they can legally marry. The campaign for “yes” said the debate in this regard concerns equality. People running the No Campaign put focus on defining family and the raising of concerns as to how schools will teach pupils about gender.

The campaign turned occasionally ugly. Walls were smeared with graffiti and public meetings turned into shouting matches. Following the results, both Yes and No parties have to move on. To do this, the Yes proponents must push the government so that it completes its pledge. For those who pushed No, they should carefully note the legislative text. They must also provide the necessary legal safeguards for those who have opposed, and continue to oppose gay marriages. A few conservative politicians want the new law to have exemptions which would permit businesses to refuse services and goods related to same-sex weddings.

Resources

Follow the Conversation on Twitter