It was only just over a hundred years ago that laws changed to allow women to vote in this country, only just longer than an average lifetime.
It wasn’t until the 1960’s that indigenous people in this country had the same voting rights as all Australians.

Marriages between Australian ‘Whites’ and others were controlled in various ways by various laws across our countries history. Some sates in Australia had laws that gave governing boards the power to refuse marriage applications from Indigenous Australians. In some states unions of this type were completely restricted. Horrifyingly in one state Aboriginals were not allowed to marry in an effort to breed them out. This was all just before my lifetime.

Homosexual acts were only formally decriminalized in this country from 1975 to the early 80s, less than 45 years ago.

When our country finally does alter the law to allow same-sex marriage it will mark another moment in our countries history where we wonder why is took us so long to do the right thing.

Americas decision and similar before them provides a sense of hope. Hope that our collective consciousness and voices can shout loud enough to bring about change. Change that deconstructs controls and walls that do not serve humanity.

In your lifetime and in mine change can occur, just because something has always been this way does not make it right. We all have the capacity to create or be a part of positive change.

Marriage equality is just the first step, and I look forward to the day our nation follows others in this legal change. But there is still so many remaining walls and parameters to smash and transcend, this change is just the first step in the right direction.

I hadn’t yet changed my profile picture to the rainbow because in truth I didn’t really understand the relevance of the rainbow, except that it was a sign of support.

In this beautiful context, it is about embracing our differences, with each colour having a significant meaning.

As a child I was taught that a rainbow was a sign of hope from God.
There is something so very loaded and beautiful about a rainbow used as a sign of support for LGBT.

So fucking perfect.

I am sure you know the story. As I was told, God sent a flood to kill the evils he saw in this world, to drown all of the gamblers, whores and sodomites etc, etc. Coming to the close of his glorious flood, there was a rainbow. To signal life and hope. Hope.

These beautiful rainbows of support that have recently flooded my Facebook are so beautifully subverting the initial origin of the rainbow, as it was taught to me, while aligning with it in a beautiful full circle. Hope.

Hope that as a people we can be better, hope that as a nation we can create laws that are better than they currently are. Hope that over time our collective consciousness will move us towards positive change.

My rainbows are for hope. Hope and support.

Hope and support that go against everything I was taught, teachings that are in essence contradictory, teaching patience and kindness and charity, oh except if they are gay, or living (as I am now) unmarried and in sin. Hope and support that attempts to deconstruct the religious, misogynistic ideals so much of our society is built on.

For hope.

Aj

NB- approximately 2 years after this post was written Australia finally altered the law, on December the 9th 2017, allowing same sex couples to wed!