…..13th country worldwide to legalize same-sex marriages
As a mother of a gay child and a friend to numerous gay couples, I am always saddened by individual people, organizations, political groups and religious orders that are threatened by the happiness of the LGBT community. So many of these homophobic groups feel that the institution of marriage will be threatened if same-sex marriage is legalized.
Same-sex marriage was legally recognized in Ontario in 2003 and the first same-sex marriage in the world took place in Toronto in January of 2001. Today New Zealand was the 13th country in the world and the first Asian-Pacific country to legally recognize same-sex marriage.
MP, Maurice Williamson presented an impassioned speech supporting the passage of the bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in New Zealand. In his words, “All we are doing with this bill is allowing two people who love each other to have that love recognized by way of marriage,” he said. “We are not declaring nuclear war on a foreign state; we are not bringing a virus in that could wipe out our agriculture sector forever.” Bravo! Well said, Mr. Williamson.
The bill was passed with a vote count of 77 in favour and 44 against. After the victory the spectators in the public gallery broke out in spontaneous song supporting the bill’s sponsor, MP Louisa Wall. The song was Pokarekare Ana, a love song in the country’s indigenous Maori language. Have a listen. It brought tears of joy to my eyes.
I am NOT interested in hearing from people who cannot rejoice in this victory. I will NOT use this post as a platform for groups who want to use passages from the Bible, Quran, or other religious or sacred documents to vilify any group of people that they choose to discriminate against. Peace be with you.
Mama Cormier 
I have long been a supporter of same gender marriage and full equality for the LGBT Community. We are so insane in the USA. So glad to see so much of the rest of the world recognising the simple truth that equality should be universal. Someday perhaps the US will figure it out
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I hope so Mark. It can’t be soon enough.
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Absolutely wonderful! I do wish the US wouldn’t be so damn backwards.
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Maybe it’ll happen one state at a time.
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As I said in a previous response – Vive la difference! We are all different, that’s what makes us interesting.
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There’s too much hate in the world. After what happened in Boston we need to celebrate all loving couples, everywhere.
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Thank you for this post Carol. It made me wish I had blogged it too. I put these links on my Facebook page and got a huge response. I am a proud New Zealander (living in Australia, where the politicians refuse to budge on the issue of same sex marriage). Like you, I have many gay friends, many of them in relationships that have lasted decades (longer than my marriage, in some cases), and some of whom I regard as “family”. I love the fact that New Zealand is a small country with a big heart. As for the singing in Parliament, Pokarekare An can reduce me to tears at nearly any time – and this was no different!
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I had always assumed that Australia had same-sex marriage because they have such a vibrant gay community, especially in the larger cities, so when I heard that New Zealand was the first Asian Pacific country to legalize same-sex marriage I was surprised. Thank you for your comment.
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Thank you for this post. I too am a mother to a gay son. I want for him to have the same rights and privileges that are afforded to everyone else. We are still backward here in the USA though there are signs that things are improving. Bravo, New Zealand!
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Permission to reblog?
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Absolutely. Thank you.
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Reblogged this on Edge of the Forest and commented:
This post from mamacormieer caught my attention and I want to say that I applaud New Zealand for legalizing same sex marriage this month. I can only hope and pray that the USA will not be far behind. The video after the vote is so moving with the gallery erupting in spontaneous song.
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