Marriage equality advocates have called on the Australian Parliament to speed up the pace of the reform in the wake of a US Supreme Court decision that will allow same-sex couples to marry in an additional five US states.
Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Wisconsin and Indiana will join nineteen other US states and the District of Columbia in allowing same-sex marriages after the Supreme Court dismissed appeals against lower court decisions that overturned same-sex marriage bans in those states.
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said,
“The pace of reform isn’t slowing down in the US and nor should it in Australia.”
“The sooner legislation is introduced and the Coalition moves to a free vote, the sooner Australia can join the rapidly growing list of places with marriage equality.”
“Most Australians will find it embarrassing that our laws offer less respect and fairness to same-sex relationships than places like Oklahoma and Utah.”
The decision means an additional 51 million Americans live in states with marriage equality.
Legal experts expect the Supreme Court decision to lead to marriage equality in a further six states, North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, Wyoming, Kansas and Colorado.
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For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.