аЯрЁБс>ўџ ?Aўџџџ@џџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџьЅС!` №Пњbjbj\­\­ .,>Ч>ЧњџџџџџџЄюююююююF F F F Z ь‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ˜šššššš$hmTОю‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ Оюю‚ ‚ гHHH‚ ю‚ ю‚ ˜H‚ ˜HHююH‚ v С’ХжЦF ˜ :H˜щ0HСв lСHСюHP‚ ‚ H‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ОО> ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ D F F ююююююџџџџ I write this in support of my previous submission made to this enquiry. My partner and I are ordinary people, with friends and family who recognise us as a couple. We’ve been together now for many years and made a home together. We work and pay our taxes and are involved in the life of our community. We volunteer a little of our time to act as carers for a child. All perfectly normal. And yet, we find ourselves treated differently to our next door neighbours, who happen to be an opposite sex couple. Sure, we can go to a little trouble and expense by visiting a lawyer and drawing up wills, powers of attorney, living wills, consent to medical treatment forms and so on, to achieve some of the rights granted to our neighbours automatically by the state. But, honestly, why should we have to? No doubt you have received many similar submissions - and they probably explore the entire range of discrimination faced by gay people. There is not much more I can say to you on those matters that you haven’t already seen. I simply want to add a little about the human dimension of discrimination …about how it feels. How it feels to be second class citizens in one’s own country because some rights are denied to one. Rights others enjoy because of their heterosexuality. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says he’s opposed to gay marriage. He says marriage is special and reserved to men and women. He says it is fundamental to society and is a cornerstone of families and the rasing of children. He says gay marriage somehow devalues heterosexual marriage. The fundamental flaw in the argument is, of course, that marriage is not denied men and women who decide not to have children. Nor is it revoked if they can’t. Nor is it denied to men and women who are past the age of fertility. And of course, homosexual couples are often parents of children too. Additionally – the legal benefits of marriage are also enjoyed by non-married heterosexual de-facto couples under a range of state and federal Acts. Now I have no desire to have a church wedding. I do not want that blessing. But I do want my partnership with the man I love to be recognised by the state in the same manner as married and defacto relationships are recognised. I take the PM at his word of course when he says he is opposed to discrimination. However, his government doesn’t even support civil unions, as we saw when the Federal Govt intervened in the ACT. What does the Prime Ministers denial of gay families as legitimate family units do to the self esteem of children growing up in loving homes, who happen to have same sex parents? You see, laws are important. Attitudes are important. Especially when expressed by our leaders, by persons in authority in our society. Laws and public statement by authorities validate how people respond to issues. I don’t say that they change how people think, but they set the parameters of public thought and discourse. They define what is acceptable and what isn’t. When national leaders say they support the removal of discrimination against gay people, but that they don’t support gay marriage, they don’t think children growing up in gay households is ideal and they wouldn’t want their son to be gay, they are sending a coded message. That message is that gays are not as good as the rest of us. We will not actively discriminate against gays, but we will not welcome them into our society fully and accord them the same rights we all enjoy. Further, it reinforces the belief that it is alright to feel that there is something wrong with homosexuals and it is alright to think less of them. Worse still, to a small minority it says that it is OK to attack homosexuals, both verbally and physically. I have been physically attacked by a group of young teenagers in Rundle Mall as I was leaving the City Cross cinemas. I have been spat on. I have been subject to a range of abusive telephone calls and letters. I have been yelled at in public shopping centres and told I would be going to hell. All because I was perceived to be homosexual. Now, let’s think for a moment about what is going on in the minds of the sort of people who do these things – who think that it is ‘right’ to attack, spit on, abuse and intimidate other people because they are homosexual. How do they justify this sort of behaviour? They justify themselves by believing that they are morally right, that society supports their views, and that the “authorities” – be it the church, the bible, the Law or their elected representatives – will back them. These people are picking up subtle signals from a variety of sources that homosexuals are to be treated this way. Conversely, consider how it must feel to be a teenager, trying to come to terms with one’s homosexuality, and being bombarded with these same messages - subtle and negative messages from school, from TV and from a host of other socialising forces. The sheer weight of negative values attached to homosexuality can be suffocating. This situation is further exacerbated if that young person has no-one he/she can talk to safely and no-one who can provide a counter-balance of positive messages about homosexuality. It is little wonder, then, that social workers often claim that many teenage suicides, especially in rural and regional areas, may be of young homosexuals who cannot cope with such negative societal pressure. One of the most powerful steps a Government can take in removing discrimination and bigotry is to amend those laws which reinforce discriminatory signals. When unjust laws which discriminate against homosexuals, validate - in the minds of some people – the view that it is alright to attack some people because of their sexuality, it is time those laws were changed. If the federal government is sincere in its desire to remove all discrimination against homosexuals from the statute books then it must also look at the laws relating to relationships. Laws which mandate the second class value of gay relationships only perpetuate the view that gays are second class citizens in their own country. GHŠ Œ Џ Н   Ђ Џ     + У Ш   , o p   , P R ю № ђ ,ЌЮ[Žжзќ5Rj‹,./?_)/q”ЗНпѓАжнф&-DFfotБВ(ј№шјшјшјшјшјшјш№р№шј№ј№р№ј№ј№ији№р№иширарјр№рјрШ№рРрРрРрРрРрРрРиРиРиШРШРШрШhУcУmH sH hЦ__mH sH h chmH sH hлhыmH sH hжamH sH hпvMmH sH hІxmH sH hе%€mH sH KHIr s ‹ Œ     + , Е Ж   n o P Q -.[\§§јјјјјјјјј§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§gdпvMњ§\ёђзиžQR/0ЬЭопЏАВГ?@‡ˆмн  ъы§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§(>”И KRef]^UжзиЌИз )e}јљњј№ш№јмј№дјдЬдј№ј№шЬшФшФјшЙhІxhлhыmH sH hЈmH sH h4LmH sH hYbьmH sH h~Jh~J6mH sH hВkЛmH sH hЦ__mH sH h~JmH sH ef^_БВij;<зиЌ­љњ§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§,1hАа/ Ар=!А"А# $ %ААФАФ Ф†œ@@ёџ@ NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DAђџЁD Default Paragraph FontRiѓџГR  Table Normalі4ж l4жaі (kєџС(No ListH™ђH 4L Balloon TextCJOJQJ^JaJњ,џџџџHIrs‹Œ+,ЕЖno  PQ-.[\ёђзи ž Q R / 0 Ь Э о п Џ А ВГ?@‡ˆмн  ъыef^_БВij;<зиЌ­љќ˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜@0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€(њ\њњБИќsˆTbн ќ3333GŠŒЇЇЏНЂЏ,op,PR№ђзз 5 ‡ ‹ \ _ ) /  ” З Н ю ѓ   А ж н ф &-Ffot(>†јљљќќх Јэ?~J4LпvMЦ__жa chІxе%€ВkЛУcУлhыYbьџ@€81NњP@џџUnknownџџџџџџџџџџџџG‡z €џTimes New Roman5€Symbol3& ‡z €џArial5& ‡za€џTahoma"qˆ№аhscЉFscЉFХbЉF”f +”f + № ДД24юю2ƒ№HP)№џ?фџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџІx2џџ{You have my submission before you, which goes to some areas of discrimination I and my partner have experienced as a couple IAN HUNTERSamantha Edmondsўџр…ŸђљOhЋ‘+'Гй0˜ $0DP\p Œ˜ И Ф а мш№јф|You have my submission before you, which goes to some areas of discrimination I and my partner have experienced as a couple IAN HUNTER Normal.dotSamantha Edmonds2Microsoft Office Word@@†jxжЦ@ъ ЉжЦ@ъ ЉжЦ”fўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎ0d hp|„Œ” œЄЌД М Dф+ ю\ |You have my submission before you, which goes to some areas of discrimination I and my partner have experienced as a couple Title ўџџџўџџџ !"#$%&'()ўџџџ+,-./01ўџџџ3456789ўџџџ§џџџ<ўџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РF •ХжЦ>€Data џџџџџџџџџџџџ1TableџџџџСWordDocumentџџџџ.,SummaryInformation(џџџџџџџџџџџџ*DocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџ2CompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџqџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9ВqRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РFP-X/жЦD€Data џџџџџџџџџџџџ1TableџџџџСWordDocumentџџџџ., ўџџџўџџџ !"#$%&'()ўџџџ+,-./01ўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџC§џџџўџџџўџџџўџџџBџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџ ўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџ couple Title4 $€,А SummaryInformation(џџџџџџџџџџџџ*DocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџмCompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџqџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9ВqўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎDеЭеœ.“—+,љЎЈd hp|„Œ” œЄЌД М Dф+ ю\ |You have my submission before you, which goes to some areas of discrimination I and my partner have experienced as a