On March 20, 500 equal marriage rights activists rallied in Sydney once more as part of the 2010 National Year of Action for marriage equality. Ten speakers from diverse political and personal backgrounds addressed a loyal crowd eager to share in their stories and views.
Ray Jackson, president of the Indigenous Social Justice Association and prominent campaigner in the fight against Aboriginal deaths in custody, drew comparisons between the struggles for racial equality and marriage equality.
He said both issues boiled down to a simple need for respect. "It's no one's business who you marry", he said.
NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon condemned recent homophobic comments by Labor and Liberal politicians — particularly Coalition opposition leader Tony Abbott, who said: "I probably feel a bit threatened by homosexuals, as many people do."
In fact, 60% of Australians agree with marriage equality — yet Abbott assumes most people share his homophobic views. Rhiannon said if Abbott was elected, he would "wind back social reforms", reversing the political gains the queer rights movement has achieved, such as the 85 amendments made to discriminative legislation by the Rudd Labor government.
Jori Nanninga from the Sydney group "High Schools Against Homophobia" spoke passionately about her role in eliminating schoolyard prejudice and her experiences in helping create a rare atmosphere at her school where being homophobic is considered "un-cool".
Ben Cooper spoke on behalf of Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), which organised the rally. He outlined the urgent need for action against laws being proposed in Uganda that would make homosexuality punishable by death.
He also raised the issue of transsexual deaths in custody, as well as the need for Australia to welcome homosexual refugees, who often face even more horrific persecution in their homelands than their heterosexual brothers and sisters.
Cooper urged everyone supportive of the campaign to join CAAH, as "these things don't organise themselves".
Norrie, who prefers the non-gender specific pronoun "zie", spoke of zie's fight to be legally recognised as "gender non-specific" on zie's "recognised details certificate", which is equivalent to a birth certificate.
Norrie inspired all those who reject being determined by conventional ideas of gender. Gina Wilson from OII Australia (the local chapter of Organisation International des Intersexues) also spoke about the "fiction" intersex people are made to live, being classified by close-minded authorities.
Connor Montgomery from CAAH and the Socialist Alliance, also a prominent transsexual activist, described his life as a transsexual man and activist.
Montgomery campaigns for transsexual people to be granted free surgeries, separate hospital and prison wards to avoid persecution, and document changes on request. He quoted a young transsexual person from a newly established transsexual collective, who said: "I do not want to apologise for existing anymore". The sentiment resonated strongly with the crowd.
The National Year of Action promises to be filled with more actions like this one. Resistance encourages all people outraged by civil rights abuses justified by conservative notions of gender and sexuality to join groups such as CAAH, Resistance and the Socialist Alliance. Help organise many more mass demonstrations, until we achieve full respect and equality!