Wong chooses politics before community
Openly gay federal climate change minister Penny Wong has ignited a storm of criticism following a declaration of support for her Government’s stand against gay marriage.
Wong put her stance to the public twice in three days — first on Channel 10 on Saturday, and again on the ABC on Monday night.
On Ten, the South Australian senator said she respected Labor’s view of marriage as an institution between a man and a woman.
“I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect,” she said.
Wong, who is not up for re-election on August 21, confirmed that position on ABC’s Q&A program.
“I accept that you and others in the community would like us to have a different position in terms of marriage. That isn’t the position of the party,” she said.
“I have a view — you join a team, you’re part of a team and that’s the way we operate. People sometimes like that and sometimes they don’t.”
Wong also appeared to shoot down the possibility of a conscience vote on the issue in the next parliament, saying, “I don’t believe in conscience votes”.
Defending Wong on Q&A, former Labor senator Graham Richardson said support for the issue within the ALP was far from widespread.
“There are a lot of people in the Labor Party who don’t agree with this stuff — at the moment there’s nowhere near a majority,” the party power broker said.
“She doesn’t run the government. She’s a part of it. There’s a thing called cabinet solidarity and if she wants to break it she gets nowhere.”
Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Alex Greenwich said Wong’s rationale for opposing marriage equality was deeply hypocritical.
“If culture, religion and history were sound reasons for upholding discrimination there would be no Senator Penny Wong,” he said.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young told Southern Star Wong’s comments had shown up a supposedly forward moving party.
“What happened to the party that wanted to move forward?” they gay marriage advocate asked.
“What we’re seeing from Penny Wong is anything but that.”
Equal Love Melbourne spokeswoman Ali Hogg labeled Wong’s statements “insulting”.
“I think her saying it’s about respecting cultural and religious and historical views is pretty offensive to the gay community,” she told Southern Star.
“We knew she’d come out and made those statements before, but to reinstate it, especially after Julia Gillard has re-affirmed her [opposition to gay marriage], is a double slap in the face.”
By citing cultural and religious views that oppose same-sex marriage, Hogg said she believed Wong was issuing a personal greenlight to homophobia.
“Seeing more and more people on the street supporting marriage rights is something I think can put pressure on parliamentarians, particularly gay and lesbian ones, you’d hope, to change their view on this issue.”
Wong has twice been voted on to the SameSame 25 Most Influential Gays and Lesbians list and has previously offered dinner with herself as a prize at the annual Aurora Dinner.
Multiple calls to her office by Southern Star this week were not returned.
Wong’s comments attracted a flurry of activity online with nearly 70 percent of 40,000 people stating their support for same-sex marriage on a Sydney Morning Herald poll, and four out of five Sydney Star Observer readers saying they would not vote Labor as a result of Wong’s comments.
Only in very recent History have people from our community been excluded from Same-Sex Marriage. In the ACT Federal Labor fought to have any Marriage like ceremony excluded from Civil Union legislation. This was absurd.
Various types of same-sex marriages have existed, ranging from informal, unsanctioned relationships to highly ritualized unions.
In the southern Chinese province of Fujian, through the Ming dynasty period, females would bind themselves in contracts to younger females in elaborate ceremonies. Males also entered similar arrangements. This type of arrangement was also similar in ancient European history.
An example of egalitarian male domestic partnership from the early Zhou Dynasty period of China is recorded in the story of Pan Zhang & Wang Zhongxian. While the relationship was clearly approved by the wider community, and was compared to heterosexual marriage, it did not involve a religious ceremony binding the couple.
The first historical mention of the performance of same-sex marriages occurred during the early Roman Empire. For instance, Emperor Nero is said to have married one of his males slaves. Emperor Elagabalus married a Carian slave named Hierocles. While there is a consensus among modern historians that same-sex relationships existed in ancient Rome, the exact frequency and nature of same-sex unions during that period has been obscured.In 342 AD Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans issued a law in the Theodosian Code (C. Th. 9.7.3) prohibiting same-sex marriage in Rome and ordering execution for those so married.
There has been a lot of lies put out by Penny Wong, Labor, and Christian Groups about the history of Same-Sex. If we are to use history as a guide, and the many cultures that had Same-Sex Marriage, then we should be talking about bringing back Same-Sex Marriage.
Jim Wallace at the Australian Christian Lobby has spoken about the Internet Filter blocking Same-Sex Marriage websites. I hope this does not happen and the real history of our struggles through civilizations is not ignored and censored. Penny Wong, a practicing Christian who by her words attends Church on a regular basis, has been a big supporter of the Internet filter. I hope she does not tell lies about our history as she has done about Same-Sex Marriage.
Penny Wong is as gutless and homophobic as the rest of the ALP. There have been Labor politicans who have come out againts federal party policy in support of same-sex marriage. Penny Wong is not one of those people, rather than stand up for equal rights she has come out and spewed the most homophobic vile. She has asked US to respect the homophobes! I agree with Ali Hogg her comments not only back up this disgusting law, they give a green light to biggots everywhere!
At the next rally for same-sex marriage rights Cath Bowtell and Adam Bant the ALP and Greens memmbers respectively who are fighting for the marginal greens-Labor seat of melbourne and who have both come out publicly in support of same-sex marriage will be speaking at the demonstration.
This ban has been in place for six years now, we can not simply leave it in the hand of the politicans to fix this. We need to hit the streets on August 14th to demmand an end to the ban. Lets keep the pressure up all our politicains- in the upcomming elections. The majourity of Australians want this- we cant let them ignore us any longer.
Rally: Sat Augus 14th state Library of Victoria 1.00
If people actually watched Q&A they would see have seen that Penny Wong is a thoughtful, intelligent woman. It would obviously be great if she could more openly support same sex marriage, but after seeing her speak, it is clear that she is doing her best to enact change in an environment where the issue of same sex equality is far too low on the list of things to change. We in the GLBTI community need someone like Penny Wong fighting for our rights…we shouldn’t forget that she is largely responsible for some of the best progress we have seen in recent times to prevent discrimination. Perhaps the fight will take a little longer but at least if we have SOME people on our side (rather than none at all), we stand a chance for furthering change and equality.
I am absolutely horrified at some of the personal attacks our community is hurling at Wong. One person on line linked her to boat people and told her to return to where she came from. That disgusted me.
I can understand that people are upset and angry about her position on marriage but I don’t think she had a lot of choice, considering the PM’s recent comments, as she is a Cabinet Minister. I actually think that Wong and Gillard both really support same-sex marriage but they just don’t want to give Abbott any ammunition.
What we need is a Senate with a different political composition. Its current composition makes the prospect of same-sex marriage hopeless. I don’t think it’s impossible that we could get same-sex marriage next term, with a Gillard Government and the Greens holding the balance of power in the Senate.
Remember, the ALP changed its platform at its last Conference, so it is now possible for it to have a policy of supporting same-sex marriage.
The sad part is Penny Wong would cross the floor of parliament and act against us. She is practicing Christian who has asked us to respect her Christian view that Marriage is between a Man and a Woman.
I am voting Green. The time will never be right with Labor.
We want openly lesbian and gay politicians to be our pin ups. It’s disappointing when they are not. Wong was not elected on a same sex reform platform but she has been pivotal in changing the culture of homophobia in the ALP.
Similarly, Bob Brown was not elected for his sexuality but has broadened the Greens policies on GLBTI law reform.
The level of sexist attacks directed at Wong (and for that matter, Gillard) following their comments on gay marriage have been appalling – sadly, most are coming from the GLBTI community.
Let’s keep this issue in perspective. The Greens are likely to gain the balance of power in the Senate but without a Gillard government – there will be no reform.
Yes, lobby your heart out. Write letters. Talk to friends and family. March down the street. Have your voice heard but let’s keep it civilized.
Dont target Penny Wong, its wasted ammunition. Target the whole party. And before all the re-active gay activists start giving their ill considered opinions, think about the need to have people like her in the Labour Party making those changes that have already been introduced.
Gay marriage is on its way, if you read the political landscape the timing is not right.
Check out the homophobic and sexist language that people are using against her online. wow thats consistant the discriminated doing the discrimination…oh wait thats what you accuse Penny Wong of doing….