Love is love, and we were reminded of this simple fact with the recent marriage equality survey in Australia. On Wednesday, November 15, 2017, it was announced that 7.8 million Australians—61.6% of its voting population—support same-sex marriage and its legalization.
The results were a long time coming; as early as 2007, there was polling to suggest that a majority of the country was in favor of marriage equality. But due to politics, putting public opinion into law has been a slow process that’s years behind other English-speaking countries. In 2004, the then-prime minister John Howard altered the Marriage Act that clarified the definition as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others.”
After more than a decade of activism, the issue came to vote as part of a national postal survey. Although voluntary, 79.5% of voters made their voices heard. Now, the parliament will have to debate how to turn this into the law of the land.
Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said of the survey: “They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love. And now it is up to us here in the parliament of Australia to get on with it, to get on with the job the Australian people asked us to do and get this done.”
The result of the inquiry and its massive support is something to celebrate—and many Australians did just that. See how some of them reacted (including the Sydney Opera House) in the photos below.
On Wednesday, November 15, Australia had a postal survey that voted on the issue of marriage equality.
How Australia (and surrounds) reacted to ‘Yes' vote on same-sex marriage. 3,853 Tweets per minute. #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/6hSMKzuVv7
— Matt Young (@MattYoung) November 14, 2017
The results were overwhelmingly in favor of it—61.6% of the voting population said yes.
I do, I do, I do, I do: Marriage proposals ring out across Victoria after ‘yes' vote https://t.co/4AILEPJFFP via @theage pic.twitter.com/fo3bG5U6qh
— Tom Cowie (@tom_cowie) November 15, 2017
The Melbourne reaction #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/4Ye3VOd5NR
— Tom Cowie (@tom_cowie) November 14, 2017
Throughout the country, people celebrated. These are some of our favorite heartwarming moments.
Nick and Simon after the Yes result. “I was feeling really scared this morning, terrified for young kids. Now I feel like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.” #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/DAwJHZvpMM
— Tom Cowie (@tom_cowie) November 15, 2017
In Melbourne, Luke and George are matching in floor-length op shop chic #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/bOBb4ou6xH
— Tom Cowie (@tom_cowie) November 14, 2017
The beautiful moment when Australia said #Yes2Love.#MarriageEquality #AustraliaSaidYES pic.twitter.com/I4xtdLGsFt
— Hit Network (@HitNetworkAUS) November 15, 2017
️Being at @Library_Vic when YES WAS ANNOUCED WAS BEYOND AMAZING! #loveislove #australianmarriageequality ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aSkEpgSs4g
— ChooseLifeWarrior (@CLifeWarrior) November 15, 2017
Australia has spoken. ️https://t.co/JSdtizG8hk#AustraliaSaysYes#MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/kJcnLXQAZj
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) November 15, 2017
Amelia and Jo have been in a relationship 20+ years. “What a marriage and a wedding looks like will be radically different once queer people can access it.” #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/21cgvdYwfq
— Tom Cowie (@tom_cowie) November 15, 2017
Peter and Steve just got engaged in a Melbourne laneway. “10 years ago I fell in love with this man, we’ve been waiting for this day a long long time.” #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/HtXmmBMJbv
— Tom Cowie (@tom_cowie) November 15, 2017
Australia votes YES ️ #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/rN3aQRExOz
— Sydney Opera House (@SydOperaHouse) November 15, 2017
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