‘Marriage Equality passing this year matters’: Tiernan Brady
IT matters if marriage equality is passed within the year, same-sex marriage advocate Tiernan Brady argues.
Brady, who led the successful ‘yes’ campaign in the lead up to Ireland’s referendum on the issue, discussed the doubt and uncertainty of marriage equality in the shadow of the July 2 federal election on ABC’s RN Breakfast with Fran Kelly.
“Well, I suppose the first thing that comes out of the election even though we don’t know the final results is that the number of people who support marriage equality in parliament has increased and has never been higher,” Brady said.
“There’s never been more gay MPs elected.
“That’s all good news for LGBT people and for marriage equality in general.”
Brady was encouraged by recent polls that put Australia’s favorability of same-sex marriage at 70 per cent.
“It was clear that there was a majority of people who voted for every single party in favour of marriage equality,” Brady said.
When asked about the possibility of a plebiscite Brady made the case for a parliamentary vote.
He spoke of the Irish experience of political parties coming together over the issue.
“This issue should rise above the party political conversation,” Brady said.
“Politicians can and should, like they did in Ireland, come together to work out how to build a common path on it.”
In the uncertainty of the election, Brady was asked if it mattered if marriage equality was achieved before the end of the year.
“What matters is that it happens, obviously always justice delayed is justice denied,” Brady said.
“It’s fine for someone who’s 25 hoping to get married if it doesn’t happen in the next year, but not if you’re 78. There’s a real human element in this.”
Brady spoke of the damage a plebiscite can do to a person’s sense of worth and the Irish experience.
“There’s no point thinking that the journey wasn’t hard,” Brady said.
“It’s an experience people from any minority or any majority of the population shouldn’t have to go through as human beings.”
