Friday 26 May 2017

Marriage Equality - Margaret Court Can Make it Happen

I was, let’s say annoyed, when I heard about and then read Margaret Court's announcement she was boycotting Qantas and the reasons why.

My reaction was “here is another wealthy, heterosexual, Anglo-Saxon, privileged person using their profile to promote the denial of a right that in my opinion, should be the available to all people who may choose to exercise it.”

That right of course is marriage.

My opinion, as an Anglo-Saxon, heterosexual privileged person of little profile is, two people, no matter their socially imposed label, should be able to make and exercise a decision to legally marry. I have no spiritual or biblical teachings to impact or support my opinion, no one is telling me what to believe and there is no book of teachings that I can reference in support of my views.

All I can offer is a belief that a diverse and inclusive Nation should  give the respect of legislation to all Australians to make a choice to have their love for another legally acknowledged in law.

My opinion differs from Margaret Court, very much so.

I suspect my opinion differs from the majority of Australians, although we are not afforded a binding vote to prove it.

I am entitled to my opinion and entitled to express it.

Margaret Court is entitled to her opinion and to express it.

I noted today that the other airline in Australia, Virgin Australia, also supports equality of marriage meaning Mrs Court may now have to fly Private in her own country. (Imagine her interview with the pilot and the problems refusing to charter an aircraft based on their beliefs may present, but that is another day in Court).

I have read today about the significant number of Australian Companies that support or have a similar position to the Allan Joyce led Qantas.

These are the same Companies that the Conservative element of the Coalition Government typically seek to support. It is also the Conservatives forces, led by Tony Abbott that prevent the Government having a free vote in Parliament to decide the issue of ‘marriage for all’.

Instead of vilifying Margaret Court for her announcement, let’s make it a focus to rally our Corporates to support marriage equality and to put pressure on Conservative Members of Parliament to cease objection to a free vote.

Let us create a ground swell of opinion motivated by Mrs Court’s letter, to pass marriage equality in to law.

And then, let’s make the opening day of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament, and specifically the matches played on Margaret Court Arena, a day to honour and celebrate marriage equality in Australia.

Let’s look at this differently?

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