Why I pity Penny
You have to feel just a teeny bit sorry for Penny Wong. She has done her best to be as un-lesbian as possible and now look what happens.
Her line has always been that her sexuality, like her ethnicity, is irrelevant — she wants to be judged on her ability.
Fair enough. Except that the government of which she’s a member is quite happy to embrace racial multiculturalism while simultaneously promoting ‘separate but equal’ apartheid-style laws for gay relationships.
There’s a simple test which exposes the extent of her collusion in this system of legislated inequality. Substitute her race for her sexuality in her comments and see what happens. “Openly Asian government minister says she agrees with her party’s opposition to interracial marriage. Or, “Australia’s only Asian cabinet minister said she was proud of what the party had achieved in recognising the value and importance of interracial relationships. But she respected Labor’s view of marriage as an between two people of the same race.”
She said there was “a cultural, religious and historical view around [marriage] which we have to respect.” If she expressed such views, the Asian community would rightly blow her out of the water. But the gay community is expected to join her in kow-towing to the prejudices of her party colleagues.
The spin doctors were out in force. “She has no choice,” they said, “She must follow party policy.”
Indeed. However she could have said, “I am bound by loyalty to my party and my government to support this policy, so I do, but I don’t have to like it, and in fact I’m working my butt off to persuade my colleagues to drop it and join the 21st century.”
She might even have made a decent joke of it. But she chose instead to be true to her own “culture, history and traditions” as an Asian woman, and submit to higher authority.
“Why do you attack one of our own who has done so much for us behind the scenes?” cry her apologists.
Because it was only behind the scenes. And because every time she publicly backs a policy that condemns her, and us, to second class citizenship, while remaining a member of the government, she assumes the role of the prison trusty, accepting extra privileges to help keep her fellow prisoners in line.
Worse, every time Labor’s tame house-lesbian allows herself to be wheeled out to state that she goes along with the status quo, she demeans and diminishes herself.
Which is why I feel a little bit sorry for Penny Wong this week. But not much.
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I think this is a great analogy… nobody would accept government policy banning inter-racial marriages these days but if we take the line that same-sex marriage must be banned due to historical influences then inter-racial marriages should continue to be banned too!
I feel for people like David and Kenny who now find that the law changes disadvantage them but they are still unable to get married – what was the point of those changes anyway? Who did they advantage except the government who saved money! I know many lesbian families who have struggled because they can’t survive on one income and they are no longer eligible for Centrelink support – yet the partner is still not able to be recognised legally as a parent so they have to pay for kids who aren’t legally even recognised as theirs! Some states now allow children to be recognised as belonging to both parents (but not all) and even then it’s only children concieved while the couple were together – they can’t adopt each other’s children like straight couples can. The law seems completely one-sided to me!
Lori
One of the worst things to indulge in under these circumstances is push the line that racism and sexism are interchangeable with homophobia and experienced in identical ways.
I have a huge amount of disgust with those of us who pull out the old crap of-
” ….but you are from a racial minority, of ALL people you should GET it!!!!”
Don’t get me wrong Doug, you raise a valid point, but to single out Penny Wong’s racial background and gender and use it as “evidence” that her position is “flawed” or “wrong” really doesn’t help anyone, unless we are planning a gay burning at the stake because Penny has failed to play the triple oppression card(which so many of us seem to think she should?!).
Doug, well said and my thoughts exactly. Those who have jumped to Wong’s defence do not seem to understand the hypocrisy of her position or – at the very least – belong to the “gay’s should shut up and be thankful for what they’ve got” brigade.
Kenni, thanks for your erudite submission that explains the situation many of us find ourselves in. All the best to you and your partner for your 20th anniversary!!
I too was more than a little pi**ed off with Ms Wong’s sycophantic adherence to the Labor Party line on Mondays Q and A. But she is not the only gay person within the Labor Party and we all know that this Party’s mantra is the Musketeerial ‘all for one and one for all’. I’m not sure what the hell we have to do to convince both major parties that s-s marriage is a human right and should not be an election issue. Both Gillard and Abbot would be able to get on with other pressing matters if they both came out and declared that ‘if elected’ they would ‘both’ move towards legalizing s-s marriage: it would cost no money, there would be no need to adjust any budgets – simple. Our equality should not be used as a political football.
My partner and I have been in a loving and committed relationship for almost thirty five years and we are both on the verge of old age. But we’re not too old to get married to each other if the law allowed.
Ummm. Forgive my ignorance of the deeper negotiations that may have occurred behind the scenes, but what exactly has Penny Wong done for GLBT rights?
And Penny, while I’m on the topic of general human rights for GLBT and marriage rights, I’ll tell you what it’s meant for me.
I’m 74 and all my life some str8 bastard has been telling me how to run my life. When I waas young and first fell in love with another boy, I was told it was wrong and to get married to a woman. So I did, and raised 3 kids who now do not want to have much to do with me.
Just over 20 years ago, I finally clambered out of the bloody religious closet in which I had locked myself (OK! my own fault). I met and fell in love with another lost soul,a nice asian guy who by the time we met was here illegally. I have to grant the ALP this, that Hawke government immigration reforms at the time allowed us to stay together.
We’ve now been together for 20 years (next month actually). But because he’s only 47 and earning a salary, I now no longer qualify for a pension. OK, Penny, I know what you’ll argue, that we’ve achieved a sort of equality so wear it. But all my life I’ve had to be the provider, now like a good dog, I’m told to roll-over and become a dependent.
Well, fuck you! I won’t. I’ve re-started my small business that Centrelink had made me close when I applied for a pension just a few years ago, and I’ll bloody well work until I die. I do not feel like being financially behest to anyone (a lover included), and I have a gut feel that few women in str8 marriages like being in the position of having to beg their husbands for whatever money they need.
The ALP and Tony’s mob, base their policies on outmoded sectarian ideologies that have nothing to to do with human realities.
I accept my situation, because it did happen as part of a general package that may mean gay kids of the future who fall in love with another kid may be able to see a future together. But Penny (and Julia)(and Kevin) do not think you made a wonderful gesture in eliminating discrimination against GLBT people, the previous situation was wrong and you all knew it, and general human rights meant that it had to change, so do not expect us to lick your shoes because you rectified a wrong situation.
I wont be voting for you. In fact, I will not vote for anyone, you all look a bit pathetic from my viewing angle.
kenni
PS. For the record I am not Asian, I use my partner’s surname as a gesture of affection for him.And BTW my partner is quite willing to support me.
Penny Wong does not believe she is entitled to equality simply by virtue of birth.
She feels ashamed of her sexual orientation, and feels that she will be accepted by heterosexuals as long as she allows them to shame and degrade her for her sexual orientation, which is beyond her control.
It is sad to see this woman, who has so clearly subscribed to the shame that heterosexuals have demanded their gay children live in, make these public statement that degrade her. So very sad.