Homophobia Down Under

Howard Warned On Bid To Jilt Gay Marriage Moves by the [Australian] Federal Government to outlaw gay marriages would cost the Coalition votes at the next election, a Liberal MP warned yesterday as the Government's own backbenchers protested against the decision. The Prime Minister, John Howard, said he would insert into the Marriage Act a specific definition of marriage as "the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life". ... Mr Howard has defended his plan to amend the Marriage Act, saying it did not discriminate against gays and that they were not prevented from having a same sex relationship.

If the concern cited in the first paragraph pans out, it would boost my faith in the Australian public (recall that the Australian Liberal party is conservative). And to John Howard: if you're going to reinforce the discriminatory status quo, at least have the guts to admit that's what you're doing. Spare us the twisted logic of how it's not discrimination against gays, it's discrimination in favor of straights, and the sad consolation prize that gays can still have a relationship (unless you're seriously considering taking even that much away).