Equal Love is please to announce the line up of speakers for the next Melbourne rally for marriage equality.

Paige Elliot Phoenix

Paige's life changed pretty dramatically after his appearance on the 2011 series of The

Australian X Factor.​

An appearance on the highest rating reality TV series running at the time will tend to

shake life up a little for most people.  Doing so as the first out transsexual contestant

to ever appear on a show of it's kind ups the ante a little.  Paige was successful in

becoming one of the final six contestants in the over 25's category, both raising

his profile as a musician, and that of gender diversity in Australia.

Paige currently resides in Melbourne, and works as an entertainer, writer, public

speaker, educator, community campaigner, and privately practicing psychotherapist.

is profile as a musician, and that of gender diversity in Australia. 

Adam Bandt MP

Cat Rose (Community Action Against Homophobia, NUS)

Cat has been the co-convener of Community Action Against Homophobia for several

years and currently holds the position of National Queer Officer in the National Union

of Students.

She has been vital in organising the marriage equality campaign in Sydney and was

central in organising the fightback against police attacks on Mardi Gras patrons earlier

this year.

Pip Carew, Asistant Secretary of the Australian Nurses Federation (ANF)

The Australian Nurses Federation have been proudly supported the Equal Love rallies

for some time sending contingents to the rallies to represent the ANF. Pip will be talking

about the importance of union support and solidarity with the Marriage Equality campaign.

Roz Ward (Safe Schools Coalition)

Co-founder of Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, Youth Programs Manager of Gay and

Lesbian Health Victoria, and researcher at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health

and Society at La Trobe University.

Roz will be talking about the very real broader effects that the discriminatory marriage act

has on young people today.

Stephanie Meachen. Albury Student Activist

Stephanie has been really active in fighting for equal rights in her country town, trying to

organise an Equal Love committee at her school and is involved in a Minus 18

documentary focusing on young LGBTI youth, which is important as youth suicide rates

being frighteningly high amongst LGBTI youth, especially in regional areas.

Ali Hogg. Convener of Equal Love Victoria.

Ali Hogg is the current convener of Equal Love and has been active in the campaign for

marriage equality since the introduction of the ban in 2004. She has won numerous

awards for her contribution to fighting for LGBTI rights.

Equal Love Melbourne convenor Ali Hogg:

“A referendum to extend full marriage rights to all couples regardless of gender is something every equal rights activist should fully get behind. It would be an exciting opportunity for the great majority of people in Australia to show their support for equality, and to demonstrate just how out of step the two major parties are with public opinion on this issue. Just as the 1967 referendum accorded civil rights and equality before the law to Aboriginal people, we are confident a referendum on equal rights for LGBTI people would result in a similar step forward for civil rights today.”

In response to the concerns of some in the marriage equality movement who have argued that a referendum would mobilise bigotry and that legislation is preferable, Hogg argues:

“We are not afraid of the homophobic scare campaign that anti-gay groups like the Australian Christian Lobby are sure to wage. That all people should be treated equally before the law, regardless of who they choose to love, is a democratic principle upheld by the majority of Australians, and no amount of Bible quoting and homophobic ranting can change that. We strongly believe that the message of equality and civil rights will win out in any public debate on marriage rights.”

“We have waited too long for the major parties to change the law. They have shown nothing but contempt for LGBTI people and the Australian public by refusing to end discrimination in line with public attitudes and wishes. A referendum represents our chance to compel them to do the right thing, and so we welcome it. Of course, it is not counter-posed to legislation change – that should continue to be something we fight for – but a referendum could well provide a direct route to equal rights, which would be fantastic.”

Equal Love will be holding a public rally for marriage equality at 1pm on Saturday 11 May outside the State Library.

Equal Love convenor Ali Hogg:

 “Despite it being a controversial decision in France to allow marriage equality, I think it is a massive victory to be celebrated. The fact that the discriminatory law was changed is going to change the lives of many in France and bring hope to others fighting for equality around the world,.”

“We need to take encouragement from the 14 countries who now have marriage equality and continue to demand that our government take a stand and change the marriage act to no longer discriminate in Australia. Australia has to stop lagging behind on this issue and stop discriminating against LGBTI people and give us our much deserved equal rights!”

Equal Love will hold a rally on May 11 and plan to push the issue back on the agenda in the upcoming 2013 election and encourage all supporters of equality to join us on the streets to demand equal rights.

Equal Love believe we will not win marriage equality without a strong campaign and we encourage supporters of equality to bring their friends, family, school and workmates to attend the rally on May 11, because we need them to win. If we continue to take a stand, we send a message to the government that we are not going away until we have equal rights.

New Zealand has today become the thirteenth country to legislate for marriage equality. New Zealand joins Uraguay, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Argentina, Denmark, The Netherlands, and Iceland in ending discrimination in marriage law. France is set to become the fourteenth after New Zealand later this week.

Equal Love convenor Ali Hogg:

 “It is high time our neighbours in NZ have the freedom to marry their loved ones and not be discriminated against on the basis of their sex or gender as we are here in Australia.”

“It is shameful that this reform has been introduced by a conservative government, while the Labor government here continues to discriminate, despite the wishes of the vast majority of Labor voters and the community.”

“Marriage equality activists will take encouragement from this win, and will redouble our efforts to pressure the Australian government to also end discrimination. The feeling in the community is that equality should have been made law long ago, and that the Australian government has shown utter contempt towards LGBTI people in this country. We are calling on Julia Gillard and the Labor government to make equality law before Tony Abbott forces us all back to the Stone Age!”

Equal Love will be holding a rally on Saturday 11 May at 1pm at the State Library of Victoria in support of equal marriage rights and encourage all supporters of equality to join us.

The many sympathetic friends, family, school and workmates are also encouraged to attend. We will be sending a clear message to the government, and the opposition, that until we will not stop fighting until equality is law.

While Gillard and Abbott will be locking horns for the next six months, there is one issue that they are in furious agreement on: that LGBTI people should continue to be denied marriage rights in Australian law.

They have this week been put to shame by their counterparts overseas. The French parliament last week voted 249 to 97 in favour of allowing same sex marriages, while yesterday the British House of Commons passed similar laws with a 400 to 175 majority. If the arch Conservative government in Britain can grant equal rights for LGBTI people, there is no reason why Gillard and the ALP should not do the same.

Ali Hogg, convener of Equal Love Victoria says

“The fact that the conservative party in the UK can see the need to move towards equality puts the supposed progressive party (the ALP) to shame in Australia!”

LGBTI people will continue to rally in the lead up to the federal election to express our outrage and indignation at the homophobic discrimination upheld by the Australian government and the opposition. We will not stop protesting until equal rights are enshrined in law.

We invite all supporters of equality to join us on the streets for speakers, entertainment and a lively march on May 11 at 1pm at the State Library of Victoria to make our voices heard.