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 A gay couple who tied the knot in a commitment ceremony at the British Consulate in Brisbane last month used the ceremony to protest Australia’s failure to recognise same-sex relationships.
Though Sean O’Callaghan, 33, and UK-born partner Josh, 31, have been a couple for ten years, they told Queensland Pride their decision to hold the commitment ceremony was “politically motivated”.
“We thought we needed to take a public stand to highlight the discrimination same-sex couples face in Australia,” O’Callaghan said.
The QUT Queer Officer said that while he doubted whether they would have had the ceremony had they not planned to turn it into a protest, he felt “empowered” by the event.
“We already feel we’ve made that commitment to each other. It really was politically motivated. Of course, there was an element of love and commitment that stems from our relationship but it was a way for us to say enough is enough.
“It felt terrific and empowering to know we organised the event and that our relationship was recognised by another country. It felt marvellous. I came away thinking this is how it should be for everyone. We shouldn’t have to make a political statement to do this. It should be the right of everyone who wants to do it.”
About 60 people attended the protest outside the Consulate to hear speeches from Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett, Green Senate Candidate Larissa Walters, LGBT rights activists and the couple themselves.
“It is great to know that if we return to the UK, we will be afforded the same rights as a married opposite–sex couple,” Josh told the crowd.
“At the same time, it astounds me that there is no opportunity for us to do this under Australian law. We are living in what most people would consider to be a progressive society and yet despite our long-term commitment to each other, the law basically regards us as two flatmates,” he said.
When asked about the protest during a B105 radio interview, then Prime Minister John Howard said he could understand the couple’s stance but did not agree with it.
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