Shameful Discrimination
Posted Feb 19th, 2008 • Category: Vendor Writings • By Alan AttwoodBy Michael B
This country and society has discriminated against gays and lesbians for far too long. There are no federal laws recognising gay and lesbian couples. It is shameful to discriminate against someone just because of who they love.
Right now there are 60 different laws in this country that discriminate against gays and lesbians. For starters, they can’t get married and are not recognised as a couple legally. Centrelink doesn’t recognise them as a couple, they can’t receive pensions or super when their lover dies.
Why can’t gays and lesbians have kids just like the rest of us? Because society is too homophobic to see that gays/lesbians are normal human beings, and that if they both love the child he or she will grow up healthy like everyone else. Gays and lesbians should have every right to adopt or have kids of their own if they wish to.
For some bizarre reason the churches have a big problem with gays and lesbians. Church people have been preaching that “they will burn in hell”. It is shameful that the gays and lesbians who want to get married have to travel to countries like Canada and Spain. In 2004, the ACT passed a law to recognise same-sex couples through marriage, but this was later overturned. Shame on us all.
Michael B sells The Big Issue in Canberra
Alan Attwood - Editor of The Big Issue. Alan began writing for The Big Issue in 2003. He was a regular columnist and occasional proof reader and soccer player before taking on the role as Editor in November 2006.
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Thanks to eveybody at ‘The Big Issue’ & to the vendors for sharring their life stories & others,I just love their written profiles for inspiration and often, a kick up the bottom when feeling sorry for oneself.
Mary x