January 2018 Church & State - January 2018

Around The World: Australia Implements Marriage Equality After Vote

  Around The World: Australia Implements Marriage Equality After Vote

The Australian Parliament has voted to legalize same-sex marriage, joining dozens of countries that afford their LGBTQ citizens marriage equality.

Prior to passing the bill in the country’s Senate and House, Australia conducted a nationwide survey to gauge Australians’ support of marriage equality. At 61.6 percent, the historic survey, which 80 percent of eligible voters responded to, showed that a majority of Australians sup­port same-sex marriage, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

After the vote, Australian lawmakers took action to­ward a parliamentary change that would enact mar­riage equality. Although Australian Religious Right groups criti­cized the move, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a sup­porter of marriage equality, praised the results.

The bill was officially signed into law Dec. 8. Couples who intend to wed in Australia can do so starting this year.

BREAKING NEWS

Americans United & the National Women’s Law Center file suit to challenge Missouri’s abortion bans.

Abortion bans violate the separation of church and state. Americans United and the National Women’s Law Center—the leading experts in religious freedom and gender justice—have joined forces with thirteen clergy from six faith traditions to challenge Missouri’s abortion bans as unconstitutionally imposing one narrow religious doctrine on everyone.


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