5,000 Australians attend marriage equality and anti-homophobia rallies!

Messages of support from Sir Ian McKellen and Dannii Minogue. Across Australia, 5,000 people took to the streets across most capital cities to show support for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Australians. The cast and director of Waiting for Godot - Sir Ian McKellen, Rodger Rees, Matthew Kelly and Sean Mathais attended the Melbourne rally in person voicing their support for Equal Marriage laws. In a pre-recorded message for the other rallies across the country Sir Ian McKellen spoke about the need for federal anti-discrimination laws and marriage equality. Sir Ian’s message explained how coming out 25 years ago his life “changed for the better”.

“When you come out, people get affected by your honesty and it’s only when gay people respect themselves enough to be honest, that we can then demand that governments too “come out” in our support and establish what is obvious – that all people are born equal, it’s just bad laws that make them unequal.” said Sir Ian.

Australian singer and actress Dannii Minogue was unable to attend the rally in Sydney in person, but also sent in a message of support for the marriage equality campaign in Australia.
“It’s so important that gay people be given total equality and as you know that includes marriage.” said Ms Minogue.

“While government continue to ban same-sex marriages, gays lesbian and transgender community remains second class citizens.”

Rallies were held to coincide with The International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO). Held annually on May 17, IDAHO marks the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.Various IDAHO activities held across Australia around this day challenge homophobia and transphobia and celebrate diversity in general.

These rallies build on the momentum of the campaign for recognition of same-sex marriages as part of the National Year of Action / Equal Love campaign. On 13 August of this year, Australia will mark the 6th anniversary since the Howard Government changed the Commonwealth Marriage Act 1961, with ALP support, to ban same-sex marriage.

For more information please contact: Corey Irlam 0401 738 996.

For more info nationally on the Equal Love / National Year of Action events: http://www.equallove.info/node/29 or http://caah.org.au/nya . For more information on national IDAHO events: http://www.lgbthealth.org.au/idaho  

Transcripts of Dannii Minogue and Sir Ian McKellen’s message of support below followed by location and state specific contacts for todays events.

Message of support for NDA rallies from Dannii Minogue.

(With thanks to CAAH Sydney and Austereo newsreader Geoff Fields for providing)

Hi Geoff and hello Sydney. This is Dannii Minogue here.

I’m really sorry I can’t be there in person, but I just wanted to let you know that I fully support your cause.

It’s so important that gay people be given TOTAL equality and as you know that includes marriage.

While government continue to ban same-sex marriages, gays lesbian and transgender community remains second class citizens.

Your support of this rally can change this law and I bet the next generation will look back on this issue and wonder what the fuss was all about.

So keep up the fight guys and girls and remember I am totally with you.

Lots and Lots and lots and lots of love and have a blast, while you continue to fight against these outdated and discriminatory laws.

See ya.

Message of support for IDAHO / Equal Love rallies from Sir Ian McKellen
regarding Federal Anti-Discrimination and marriage equality.

Hello I’m Ian McKellen and I’m in Melbourne today, attending the Equal Love rally, briefly. I wish I could be with you and as I can’t I just wanted to send you this message of support.

When I came out 25 years ago, my life my life of course changed for the better, entirely -personal relationships and so on, with my friends and family.

But I also enjoyed making connections with gay people across the world who I might never meet, but whose predicament I could sympathise with. It’s that spirit today that being in Australia, I wanted to say - that the demands you’re making of your Federal government seem to me absolutely fair and should be respected and I wish you success with them.

When you come out, people get affected by your honesty and it’s only when gay people respect themselves enough to be honest, that we can then demand that governments too “come out” in our support and establish what is obvious – that all people are born equal, it’s just bad laws that make them unequal.

I’ve enjoyed being part of the campaigns in the United Kingdom changing laws and bringing in new ones and I’m very glad the same thing is happening in Australia.

I send you all my love