LegaliseLove Challenges Ideology Of Marriage Website

Today, a website has been launched to oppose marriage equality in New Zealand. National Director of Family First NZ Bob McCoskrie believes that this website will ‘balance the debate’ that has arisen since the drawing of Louisa Wall’s bill to extend marriage to all couples ‘regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity’ on Thursday.

Family First NZ opposes Louisa’s bill on the basis that it seeks to redefine marriage. LegaliseLove, a national campaign for marriage and adoption equality, disagrees.

‘Marriage has changed throughout history from a primarily religious institution to a social recognition of love between two human beings,’ said LegaliseLove President Andrew Cunningham. ‘Today, it would seem absurd for an atheist to be banned from marrying the person they choose because of the religious origins of marriage; and so it would seem equally absurd for any other couple to be barred on religious grounds.’ He also in this would like to say that he “recognizes that for some marriage is an important part of their spiritual life and that should be respected, however this is a matter of equality”

‘We also disagree that marriage is centred around procreation, as Family First NZ maintains. New Zealanders marry each other for a wide variety of social, spiritual, cultural and personal reasons, and many couples who get married are in fact unable to have children.’

Family First NZ also contends that there are more pressing issues for New Zealand to address, such as the unfavourable economic climate.

‘Firstly, we don’t believe that addressing the issue of marriage equality means neglecting the other important issues New Zealand faces,’ said Wellington Communications Officer Joseph Habgood. ‘But one of the biggest challenges facing LGBT youth today is dealing with homophobia and transphobia. Homophobic and transphobic bullying is responsible for the suicide rate of LGBT youth being much higher than the national average.’

‘Having discriminatory laws that will give second-class citizenship to these youth in their adulthood is sending a message that this bullying is condoned by New Zealand as a whole, even though of course the reverse is true. It’s time for our laws to reflect our national values of acceptance and diversity. This is a matter of ensuring everyone is granted equal rights under the law. This is a human rights issue.’

LegaliseLove encourages anyone wishing to show their support for Louisa Wall's bill to speak with their MPs - send letters, make phone calls, visit them, share personal stories and get your friends and families to do the same. Ensure that your voice is heard!

This can be done easily by visiting marriageequality.org.nz and filling in the online form.

ENDS

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