The fight for marriage equality is on and the public is now poised to have its say. We shouldn’t have to have a vote on upholding the right of LGBTQI Australians to marry the person they love — everyone should be treated equally under the law — but the plebiscite is looming and we need to make our voice heard. Here’s a snapshot of what’s been happening so far.
Step 1: Helping young people have their say
Enrollments to vote in the plebiscite have now closed, but thanks to the hard work of committed volunteers across the country the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has seen more than 50,000 additional voters register since the plebiscite was announced. Amnesty campus groups and LGBTQI networks have been pivotal in helping to make that happen by coming out in force to talk to young people about the vote.
Step 2: Voting YES for love
Activists are preparing to mobilise voters to say yes to love, and yes to equality. The postal ballots will be issued on the 12 September and the plebiscite will run until 7 November. Over this time we need to make sure we are having as many conversations as possible to ensure we turn out a majority YES vote. So if you haven’t already, now is the time to talk to five of your friends about the importance of saying yes to marriage equality.
Keep your eyes peeled for Amnesty’s Marriage Equality campaign toolkit and other resources coming soon!
Want to stay informed?
If you want to stay in the loop for this campaign or want to get more involved, come along to the next national LGBTQI catch-up webinar on 19 September at 7 pm AEDT.
Don’t forget to take care of each other
As debate intensifies over the coming months, it’s likely to get tough. We know there is going to be a lot of harmful rhetoric about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex Australians and their family members. LGBTQI people experience higher rates of depression and anxiety and are at greater risk of suicide than the broader community. Young LGBTQI people are particularly at risk. So if you or somebody you know is struggling, please know that you are loved and valued and there is help out there:
Resources for looking after yourself and others
