Anti-LGBT group asks supporters to email McDonalds about ‘transgender marriage’
In the lead up to the Australian postal vote on marriage equality, anti-LGBT+ groups have called on their supporters to denounce so-called “transgender marriage”.
Both the Australian Family Association and the National Civic Council have stated their opposition to marriage equality, referencing familiar recent arguments about the rights of trans people.
Anti-LGBT+ group the Australian Family Association emailed their supporters shortly after the postal vote was announced, saying: “It’s not same-sex marriage, it’s transgender marriage”.
Protesters push for Parliamentary vote on marriage equality (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)
The Australian Family Association have continued, recently sending a letter template to their supporters asking them to email 21 different companies about their support for “transgender marriage”.
The list of companies includes airline Quantas and fast-food chain McDonald’s, both of which have publically supported Australian marriage equality.
(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Trans issues have frequently been used as a wedge in equal marriage/LGBT+ issues.
As mainstream acceptance of LGB rights has grown, knowledge and understanding about transgender issues falls behind, and this is often exploited by anti-LGBT+ groups.
The template asks a list of 21 companies: “[Why they wish to] allow people who are ‘non-binary’ to marry, i.e. a pangender can marry a gender queer person, or a man socially identifying as a woman can marry a biological woman and be in a lesbian marriage.”
Explainer: What the hell is going on with same-sex marriage in Australia?
Although the postal vote is being held before any formal bill has been agreed upon, the wording of the bill is vitally important as that will specify exactly who would be included in marriage equality.
Several drafts versions have been drawn up and the wording of any future bill will likely say that marriage will be between “two people” rather than “man and woman” or “couples of the same sex”.
Each of the previous attempts at equal marriage in the Australian parliament has been worded as: “.. allow marriage regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.”
As gender may not be specified in the final bill, this would mean that any two adults would be able to consent to marry, including non-binary people.
Referencing a host of gender identities and other LGBT+ terms, former opposition leader Mark Latham voiced his concerns in the in the Australian Daily Telegraph saying: “Marriage equality is not just for gay couples.
“It involves a sweeping redefinition of marriage, extending to the other 247 gender/sexual categories… I’m also worried about the way in which marriage between any ‘two people”’ legitimises the notion of gender fluidity.”
Same-sex marriage protest in Australia (Getty)
Mark Latham was sacked as a Sky News pundit for referring to a child as “gay” earlier this year.
The discussion quickly spiralled into other debates, with the head of the National Civic Council writing that a ‘Yes’ vote in the postal vote would mean that teachers would no longer be able to refuse transgender children from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity.
The postal vote makes no reference to bathroom rights for transgender people.
Many trans and non-binary people have already married in Australia, as marriage currently depends on a difference in legal gender, not gender identity.
