Same-sex couples driven overseas in order to get married

CENSUS data released last week revealed that 1338 same-sex couples travelled overseas to marry.

Local women Chiara Senzio and Melissa Saul agreed that if marriage laws do not change they would also look at getting married overseas.

“It’s not a special right for straight people to get married, so why should it be a special right for us?” Ms Saul said.

“Why should we wait for it to be legal, it should be legal now.

“It’s like telling a straight white person, they can’t marry someone who is black.”

US research published in February estimates the Australian economy loses $161 million because same sex couples travel overseas to marry.

“We all have the right to get married as long as it is to a man,” Ms Senzio said.

“But because we choose to marry a female, we can’t, it is not a privilege, we are just asking for the same rights.

“I will definitely get married one day, if I find the right person and if they don’t make it legal we’ll just go to Canada.”

A Federal Government survey on same sex marriage had more than 276 437 responses, 177 663 of these in favour of same sex marriage. Census data revealed that 32,377 Australians are in de facto same sex relationships.

What everyone else is thinking

Stephanie

01/07/2012

Heather:
1.7.2012
You seem to use the word "right" as is suits you and the word "however" to justify your view. Homosexuals should not have to "make up" or "create" a word that unifies their love and commitment for each other. FYI Gayism and Homosexuality has been around for many Centries. it is time this society and your self caught up with the realism of how the world is. You state that Homosexuals are trying to "Copycat" an "Institution that has been functioning for thousands of years"! That is a joke when many Hetrosexuals marry and get divorced, re-marry and get divorced. We are all human beings that have to function and live on the same planet, pay taxes and work to gain an income, so WHY not get married, and really if Homosexuals/Gays use the word married, HOW and WHY does that personally effect your life, it doesn't. All you need to do is live your life your way and I am sure the Homosexuals/Gays won't interfere in

Margaret:
You are a very ignorant person. Can you tell us where you got your information regarding theses "studies" from. I would like to know. We live in a New and Modern world and it is 2012 not the DARK AGES, where you live. The world is moving forward, and people like you with your backward views and your discriminations will never help or better our world. It is very clear you know no gay people or couples. If "Marriage" is so "sacrid" then why are the "Family Courts" full of heterosexuals getting a divorce? And how many times do many heterosexuals get married? 1,2 3 times in a
lifetime. This rediculous marriage issue was implemented by people like you way back in time, where you are stuck. I am marride and believe if you love each other and have built a life together then WHY not get married.

Stevo

28/06/2012

Got any peer-reviewed research to back up the statements you'vre uttered Margaret? Or did you look that up in the Bible?

Margaret

27/06/2012

Marriage is a sacred tradition between a man and a woman, with the view to pro create! We should be looking at what is in the best interest of the family, particularly children in this debate. It is quite obdvious that the best possible circumstance for a child is to be raised with a mother and father. Studies have shown those raised with homosexual parents have a bleaker outlook on life as adults and a higher tendency to be welfare recipients, this is NOT in the best interest of our children or families, everyone deserves that right!

Robert

Micky Boy wrote, "If anyone is any doubt check out The Oxford … end of story."

Good idea, I thought, so I checked the OED and it says:

"The condition of being a husband or wife; the relation between persons married to each other; matrimony. The term is now sometimes used with reference to long-term relationships between partners of the same sex."

And it offers a usage example from 1975, referring to "legally-sanctioned marriages between persons of the same sex".

So… "end of story" I guess.

Giovanni Torre

On occasion over the past few thousand years the meaning of words and expressions have changed, either by expanding a little, or by becoming completely different. The dictionary is about as relevant to this argument as the Old Testament.

Anthony

As a rule, unless you're confirming the the difference between say UK spelling and US spelling, the argument by dictionary is about as weak an argument as you can use. Best kept for desperate High School debaters looking for some time filler. Dictionaries are a reflection of language which, like marriage is a social construct. Nobody says 'Freck' any more and 'fantastic' has shifted from its original meaning. So wives are no longer considered property of their husbands and rape in marriage was made illegal only 3 decades ago after being unchanged for centuries.
Marriage is only between a man and woman because of longstanding prejudices against gay people so that what would be loving and normal in the context of a heterosexual relationship was wrong in a gay one. Many of no longer harbour these prejudices and what we find valuable in our own marriages we can imaging would be just as valuable for same-sex couples. I value marriage for its inclusivity not on its exclusivity.

Because not everyone lives their lives according to Dictionary definitions Micky Boy. Remember Bogan wasnt in the dictionary until this week, didnt stop you though did it?

Micky Boy

For those with no dictionary. Marriage. The ceremony by which a man and a woman become husband and wife: the union of a man and a woman as husband and wife. Clear enough for me ,what part of that don't you get Shane ??? no mention of religion.

Shane

The word "marriage" does not have a tie to any one religion Heather, so to use the excuse that it should not be used in a non-religious union is a load of bull. If you agree that a marriage is the lifelong commitment and union of two people (regardless of gender) then I would say it's OK for anyone to marry anyone, local laws and customs permitting.

Why should a "married" couple HAVE to be a man and a woman? What is the requirement? That they love eachother? Support each other? Have sex with each other? Pretty sure same-sex couples are capable of all of the above, so the only factor left is religion.

Heather has got it oh so it right, I totally agree. If anyone is in any doubt check out The Oxford,or any other reliable dictionary's meaning of the word marriage. end of story. p.s. Enjoy Canada.

heather

You have the "right" to be together, you have the "right" to love each other and live with one another - and you should not be discriminated against. however, Marriage is between a man and a woman (a black man and a white woman doesn't make any difference the colour or race). Homosexuals could come up with another "term" for their union rather than try to copycat an institution that has been functioning for thousands of years. So, there was a survey on same-sex marriages ? ( I didn't see it - and it is too small a number to be significant anyway)

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