Former Australian leader claims equal marriage is ‘TRANSGENDER marriage’ and urges vote against
Mark Latham talks during the launch of his book on October 5, 2017 in Sydney, Australia.(Cameron Spencer/Getty)
Australia’s former Leader of the Opposition Mark Latham has said he opposes letting transgender people get married.
Mark Latham, a former Leader of the Labor Party and historic opponent of LGBT rights, made the claims ahead of a postal vote on same-sex marriage, set to take place next month.
Ahead of the vote Latham appeared to parrot smears from anti-LGBT marriage activists, who have claimed that passing equal marriage will lead to acceptance of a “radical transgender ideology”.
Taking to Twitter, Latham falsely claimed that the law would lead to “TRANSGENDER marriage”, which he opposes.
In reality, transgender people can already get married to partners of the legally-recognised opposite sex.
But Latham is very upset that the wording of the law may be modelled on overseas equal marriage legislation, which defines marriage as between “two people without distinction as to sex”.
He wrote: “Marriage between ‘two people’ clearly includes Transgender marriage. I support Gay marriage but not state- approved GENDER FLUIDITY.
“Wording of Marriage Act amendments the key. Should write in Gay marriage provision, not sweeping ‘two people’ clause including TRANSGENDER.
“”I am pro-science. Biological fact of people born MALE or FEMALE. How people live their lives up to them but don’t expect state-approval in law when this gender fluidity is then used for neo-Marxist Safe Schools indoctrination of children.”
Responding to critics, he said: “More confusion as to what TRANSGENDER marriage law actually means. If you don’t understand it, don’t vote for it.
“More confusion. What will INTERSEX marriage mean under “two people” definition? How many Australians know this is what SSM vote includes??
He added: “More proof of how ‘two people’ definition of marriage will legally approve and legitimise TRANSGENDER marriage.”
Latham has previously claimed Australia should consider banning trans people from the Australian military.
He claimed that “men dressed as a woman certainly can’t do it”, after Donald Trump vowed to ban trans people from the US Armed Forces.
Latham was sacked as a Sky News pundit earlier this year after referring to a school kid as “gay” on a TV show.
The former politician made the comments while mocking a video posted by Sydney Boys High School, featuring students reading statements from women about why they need feminism.
Mocking the video on-air, Latham referenced one specific male student, saying: “I thought he was gay.”
The politician insisted his comments were not intended to be “derogatory” but was dismissed after the incident, which followed several other controversies.
