Gay Rights & Gray Wrongs

I have two friends, Aimee McDonald and Stacey Malacari that I have known since I started high school in Rockingham, back when I was 14. Through our high school years, I formed great friendships with both of these girls that have lasted, though when we were all at high school together they never knew each other.

It wasn't until we'd left school that one day they finally met, and it wasn't long before they were falling rapidly in love with one another and are now the strongest, most beautiful, make you smile just by looking at them so in love kind of couple. I've never seen a couple so in love, so happy, so committed to one another. Perhaps I never will.

But they're two women.

Which sadly, poses a problem in this backwards society we live in. Perth is lagging behind the rest of Australia, not just in timezones but also in ideas. Being gay is not a crime, it is simply just a part of who a person is; like being straight is.

Why should right winged politicians who haven't progressed their ideals from the conservative 50's they were born in be able to legally prevent their formal ceremony of love? Or socially condemn those who are gay?

Something like one in ten people are gay, though this statistic may be wrong as so many people will not come out due to the fear that social discourse and traditions has implanted. Being gay is not a sin.

Homosexuality has been prominent since the beginning of human development. Politicians, Kings and world leaders have been too afraid to reveal their true desires and homosexuality due to the pressure of the God's above (that we don't know exist) and how society has cultivated those morals. Imagine having to lead life forever terrified of someone finding your secret and propelling it into a moralistic world.

Think of how many children and adults have gone through divorce in a family due to a husband or wife being gay; they have tried to do "right: by society, and while they may love their partner and of course adore their children, divorce is another act our world wishes to avoid, to blanket. So who has won? Society or another broken family?

Sure, there is the biological issue that a same sex couple cannot procreate. Perhaps we need to digest that this world is overpopulated, that many straight people (including myself) never want children, and that many straight couples who do start families probably never should have. We're no strangers to unwanted babies or insufficiently supported parents here in Rockingham. A man and a woman may naturally create a baby, but it doesn't mean they should. So why prevent a gay couple who have chosen to commit to adopting, fostering or using a form of medical treatment to responsibly enter a new stage of their life and provide for a child?

We don't live in the medieval ages anymore, where sex before marriage was sinful or having children out of wedlock was the worst of social faux pas you could ever do. Many of us have no religious beliefs, including politicians though we have to go along with traditional, Biblical rules lacking conviction, but too locked into routine to rock the political boat.

Our generation is more accepting. There are many homophobes left in the world, but with each new generation born, with each gay person who has the courage, support and bravery to come out, we will all win this one day. As the older generations with their old ideas will leave this world, the newer generations will take the place of world leaders and help shape a free, accepting and proud nation.

I am not gay, but it doesn't mean I have any less interest in creating sexual orientation equality in where we live. This is not just an issue for gay people, but for people who want a world where everybody's opinions and desires are respected. If traditional right wingers can shove their Biblical trite down our throats, then why can't we with our opinions?

How is a couple who share the same body parts but also share an unbreakable love be deemed wrong? How is it even our business to condemn love when sex is a private affair? And why should we deny a ceremony to celebrate a couple finding such beautiful, life changing love and be proud of who they are and what they stand for?

Why are we so fucking ignorant and self righteous to decide who individuals who we don't even know can sleep with and love?

And for the politicians who are gay and too afraid to speak out - you have the power to start change, and you have millions of people there to support you.

Order & Change

This week has seen a lot of changes; though for the better.

As you know, I had my graduation ceremony from uni, and along with the formalities of the ceremony, the fabulous firework display and the many glasses of champagne downed, me and my best friend made it to the casino with some friends and had a brilliant night. In essence, uni was one big party and it'll be sad not to be going this year, though I don't doubt I'll study more in the future.

Dad moved home for good this week, and there seems to be order in the house when we're all here. All the man jobs were done immediately, we eat dinner as a family and it just feels right. The years of him being a sailor and living away with the police haven't been damaging, but I do prefer him living at home.

I also quit my job two weeks ago and started a new one. Perhaps I'm just tired of computer and system based jobs that are dead end, and the draining drive through peak hour every morning (especially when the drive involves drivers from Perth - the most rude, obnoxious, uncourteous wankers, basically). Plus, financially it makes a lot more sense to work closer to home without parking and fuel costs. So far, I love the new job and I plan to just work hard and work lots before I leave.

For now, there's the comfort that when I leave, dad's back home so I'm not leaving mum on her own, I won't have to deal with wanker drivers, I will get to wear tights year long, and for all the bastards in London, no one will come close to the ones I've met here.

Mad World.

It seems Australia and New Zealand has done something catastrophic to piss Mother Nature off. These last few weeks of natural disasters have been devastating, heartbreaking, and leaving all of us with the heavy burden of rebuilding the damage, the despair, and also the tax bill.

What these floods, cyclones, bush fires and earthquakes have shown me however, is that, no matter how technologically advanced we progress, nature will always win the fight against man. It is how we cope on this world that is the true testament to our species, and how we collaborate to compete with natural selection.

Although the haunting images of people losing everything as flood water swept away their possessions, bush fires burnt down their homes, cyclones obliterated towns and the earthquake crumpled iconic buildings and buried people alive, there is still a sense of disconnection to what is happening with me. Perhaps because I'm not in the action, perhaps because after the first few tragic days, news moves on, we don't see the month later "after shocks" to the extent of the initial exposure, that it's easy to carry on with our day to day activities. I feel terrible for all natural disaster victims, considering especially the immensity of what our country and fellow country has endured in such a short period of time, but what also bothers me is our general disconnection to the rest of the world's natural disasters.

When the Queensland floods struck, floods in Brazil took over 500 lives. When the Indonesia tsunami hit, hundreds of thousands of people's lives were taken. In my opinion, every single life ever lost in any natural disaster is a tragedy in itself.

What I have appreciated during this last month, is the attitude of Australians and New Zealanders, and their willingness to donate time, bravery, money and support to all victims of the incidents. It is admirable to watch fellow Australians do what they can to help others out; strangers, often, yet fellow Australians.

Perhaps, sadly, it takes a natural disaster for a country to truly unite. Perhaps issues like mining taxes, equality, political debates, and all other frequent topics in Australia are only left to linger when the country focuses on solely helping one another. The focus of these natural disasters has connected our spirits, caused everyone to consider the impact of if they were in that situation, and appreciate what is the only thing that truly matters in the world: fellow people.

I suppose, in the ever losing fight of man against nature, you've got to hope that, after another of nature's torturous wins, men and women will always have the strength to unite and rebuild, despite all of our differences.

Graduation

I'm officially educated. Last night marked my graduation ceremony, and my reward of: BA Professional Writing and Publishing. I'm proud I have worked hard for the last three years to get a degree, and while the academic achievement is of high regard, there is a lot more of my university experience that I have been thankful for.

I feel a lot of people don't use their time at university to the biggest advantage. Of course, you're encouraged within a writing degree to actively engage in practice, volunteering, and trying to get published, which luckily I was, but the friend you make at uni are a vital part of the whole experience. Luckily, I've been part of a huge crew of uni friends, from day one of orientation, to meeting in the last semester that have made my time at Curtin amazing. All loosely linked to similar degrees with different majors, we all have displayed our hate for deadlines, love for the tav, but deep down, our passion for what we do, and what potentially we can do in the future. Unfortunately, not all people get to be within such a large group of close uni friends as I've been lucky to be a part in, and I encourage everyone not to turn down an offer to socialise with those you study with.



I was part of the writing team for the Guild's Grok Magazine, and I wrote last year for the Australian Uni Games and through these experiences I've learnt that I'm sure this is the area I want to be working in, or working towards in the future.

Given also, the nature of our degrees, it is the kind of industry you have to be extremely passionate, committed, driven and idealistic to achieve some form of successful future career. We are not strangers to how limited job opportunities in this industry can be, specifically in Perth, and while some of us are leaving, and some have already left for jobs, I think we'll always have our time at Curtin to share.

In some ways it is sad that we will probably not all get to be together again, considering how many are moving away, but I feel truly privileged to have been part of a group with such a wide variety of talent, humour, loyalty and intelligence. While we've certainly had our teenage dirtbag moments, I value every single experience I've had at Curtin and have seen us all grow up from our time there.



Uni gives you this amazing, opportunistic feeling that you can strive for what you wish and you can end up in professional positions you've not even considered yet. I believe we will all go far; we all have the right and potential to create our dream jobs, and be successful in them. Whether it's writing, broadcasting, producing, editing, or any other profession linked to Media, Culture & Creative Arts, or what leads you to something else, I'm proud to say that I don't think any of our degrees will go wasted just hanging on a wall, but will make us the journalists, professional writers, movie makers and everything else we've always wanted to be.

A Matter of Being Politically Correct

Lately, there's been a few incidents I've been involved in or heard about that have strucken me as over the top.

On the day before Australia Day at work we had all made the effort to celebrate this wonderful country we live in. A part of why I love Australia is the fact that it is a multicultural society and we should embrace the vast amount of cultures that brighten our cities. We dressed up in Aussie style clothes, ate lamingtons, vegemite and meat pies. The day was relaxed, and fun. In the spirit of the upcoming day and festivities, I sent a "global email", to my fellow colleagues, of a poem entitled "Australia". It wasn't offensive, suggestive, or deragatory in any manner, however a work mate advised me that generally permission needs to be gained from a manager to send an email to all staff.

"Because it crowds up our inboxes?" I'd asked.
"No, in the event you offend someone."

I accept that as reasonable, but it was a short, old poem about Australia. No offensive language, no suggestive imagery, or vulgar images.

In the event you offend someone...

It's all too reflective of this hypermedia, social blunder driven, over political society we live in. Politicians fob off undeserving people with benefits for fear of rocking the political boat if they challenge them of their worthiness, yet deny people in dire and desperate need with the excuse that tax payers shouldn't have to accommodate these people.

School's and work places have unwritten social conventions and guidelines that imply the code of conduct that will not offend anyone. You can't even use the word blackboard in school's anymore.

While I don't agree with the Liberals policies, (especially the blatant and very politically incorrect "No Boats" campaign), Tony Abbott's Channel 7 stitch up left me for once on his side. His comment was offensive to the soldier's family, but in the context that there was sufficient support for the soldier, it was a sound comment. He was speaking to soldiers, who are in a war and watch innocent, undeserving men die for their countries. They don't agree with it. It shouldn't happen, but unfortunately it does sometimes. His comment was that of what another man in that situation would have said. While his follow up 30 second silence was journalistic gold (in a commercial news sense), and really didn't help his situation, he was just a man who made a mistake, like any of us.

I recently was involved in a petty argument over a major broadcasting error from CNN reporting on Cyclone Yasi. They had labeled Tasmania as Queensland. Considering the enormity and influence of CNN on the world's news, and the vast demographic who watch CNN, it was a huge blundering error and would love to know how that one got through the stringent fact checking of a huge news corporation. My comment was taken too seriously from a stranger and then a whole group of people were backing up that in the context of the situation, I was not being offensive. I apologised, however, but she did not want to let it go.

Language changes. I used a word that was originally a medical term, and the development of language has shifted our use, meaning and even (thanks to a film) our pronunciation of it.

I know of a policeman who's position is in critical jeopardy due to the complaints of how he handled a situation when he was in charge of a shift; though wrongly I feel, had the victim been of a Anglo-Australian heritage, there would have been no grounds to pursue the family's complaint seriously.

Equality is something I passionately want in this world; particularly gay rights. But I believe the emphasis that there is differences in the world, and people who do treat minorities differently (not necessarily worse; but walk on eggshells around them for fear of being offensive), is exactly the reason why we live in a world full of racists, homophobes, sexists and fascists.

We are all individual. We all have the right of freedom of thought, and of speech. My writing is for me, and for you if you want it, but I understand that I will offend someone, and to please everyone would be unrewarding and dull. Debate is a part of democracy. If we have to think every time before we speak, or dilute everything we say to inoffensive, generic and/or, he/she, kind of language, the freedom of our speech will no longer be a privilege but a challenge. I'm not at all advocating that we become blatantly offensive, but I think us shielding away from the sheer, in-offensive facts ("she's gay", "he's black", "they're Muslim"), when we project our thoughts into society are the most incorrect of politics.