Equal Love

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Equal Love
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Equal Love rally in Melbourne CBD
Formation 2004
Type Same-sex Marriage Campaign
Location
Convenor
 Ali Hogg
Website equallove.info

Equal Love is an Australian-wide campaign initiated by the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby[attribution needed] in an attempt to win gay and lesbian couples marriage rights in the country.[1] The campaign involves a range of community, union, student and activist organisations[2] whose aim is to influence public and government attitudes towards LGBT couples through education and direct action.[3]

History

The campaign began in 2004[1] in response to the Marriage Amendment Bill, introduced by the John Howard Government which was passed by the Australian House of Representatives[4] in June of that year, which stated that a same-sex union "must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia."[5] In 2009, an Equal Love spokesperson claimed that "60% of Australians support equal same-sex marriage rights and the introduction of the gender neutral bill. Equal marriage rights are becoming a significant and central human rights issue."[6] In 2010, tens of thousands of Australians participated in Equal Love demonstrations for same-sex marriage.[7]

Equal Love has had the support of Amnesty International, the Australian Greens and other notable individuals such as Victorian Labor Party Minister for Education Bronwyn Pike, The Lord of the Rings star Ian McKellen and Australian Idol finalist Rob Mills.[8][9]

In lobbying for same-sex marriage, the two organisations Equal Love and Community Action Against Homophobia share similar objectives.[10]

Awards and recognition

File:Equal Love Convenor Ali Hogg at the August 2011 Rally in Melbourne holding fund-raising buckets.JPG
Equal Love Convenor Ali Hogg at the August 2011 Rally in Melbourne.

In 2010, Equal Love won an ALSO Foundation award in the category of 'Most Significant Activist of the Year' in the Australian LGBT community.[attribution needed] The ALSO Foundation is Victoria's largest not-for-profit LGBT community organisation.[11] Equal Love's Convener, Ali Hogg, won an ALSO award the same year as the 'Most Outstanding Volunteer' for her work in the campaign.[12] In 2011, Hogg was recognised in the 'Absolut People's Choice' award as the country's most influential LGBT person for her work in Equal Love, as part of Same Same’s '25 Most Influential LGBTI Australians'.[13]

Criticism

Equal Love has been criticised from within its own ranks, as well as by the wider LGBT community.[14] The criticism has included concern about the close links Equal Love has to both the Socialist Alternative and the Socialist Alliance. The incorporation of other protest-issues within Equal Love rallies, as well as the "offensive" signs, the tee-shirt "profanity", along with the militancy of Equal Love participants have all raised concerns.[15][16] Equal Love undertakes campaigns in conjunction with the Community Action Against Homophobia.[17] Rodney Croome National Convener of Australian Marriage Equality has expressing his concerns in relation to radical campaigning methods, saying, "It is also a double standard to demand respect for same-sex relationships without showing the same respect in return".[18]

National supporters


[citation needed]

Rallies

See also

References

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External links

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