When I was quite little, maybe six or seven years old, I remember telling my mum, in the way kids do, that when I grew up I was going to marry my best mate. Her name was Danielle.
“No…” Said my mum “Girls can only marry boys, and boys can only marry girls”.
She said it sadly, not with any belief– my mums the most loving, accepting woman you could meet– but just because it was truth. This was the mid-eighties and gay marriage wasn’t even a phrase in our language.
Having an almost identical conversation with my own kids a month or so ago (“When the Bump grows up, she will marry Princess Boofhead!”), it was with happy introspect that I found myself saying… nothing at all.
The New Zealand Parliment legalized gay marriage yesterday, and the people in the gallery, they sang.
It gives me hope. Australia can’t be too far behind, surely. And that makes me endlessly happy– to be able to believe my children will grow up in the kind of world I want for them.
Where love isn’t legislated against. And they can marry whoever they damn well please.
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We should catch up soon!!!!
Fiona recently posted…And We Begin
I take a special pleasure in telling my children that, here in Canada, people that love each other can get married, if they want to, no matter what. And I cheer every time another country allows the same freedom for lovers to show their commitment.
Well done, New Zealand, well done! May Australia be right behind you.
I do so hope we follow quickly. I haven’t hesitated in raising my children that love is love, they can love a boy or a girl, what is important is how you treat another human being and how you allow them to treat you.
I wrote my own ‘ congratulations New Zealand ‘ post today aswell. Time for Australia to step up to the plate….
Amy@New Adventures recently posted…Another Win For New Zealand
My heart swelled a bit when they started singing Pokarekare Ana.
Here’s to equality!