Wow! Almost a billion people now live with marriage equality
It’s been revealed that around 929 million people now live in countries or areas in which same-sex marriage is legal. That’s almost one-seventh of the global population!
The astonishing statistic was compiled by Australian LGBT rights activist, Tony Pitman from the Melbourne Ports Residents for Marriage Equality.
He explained that the most recent and dramatic jump in numbers was as a result of the June 26 US Supreme Court ruling legalising same-sex marriage across the entire USA.
This makes the USA, with its 321 million inhabitants, the most populous country in the world with full marriage equality.
“We’re edging close to one billion people now,” said Pitman.
“If the whole of Mexico achieves marriage equality in the next few months, or another large country like Germany, then we’ll finally push over the one billion mark.”
The achievement is remarkable considering that these gains have been made in just 14 years. The Netherlands was the first nation (at least in modern times) to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001.
Pitman added that, “It will be particularly embarrassing and frustrating if Australians are not amongst the first billion people in the world to achieve this basic and fundamental human right.”
Efforts to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia have thus far been stymied by Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s government, which has consistently opposed marriage equality.
According to Pitman, 19 countries now have full marriage equality, as does most of the UK (except for Northern Ireland) and certain states in Mexico.
It’s great that more people have the freedom to marry. Under a system of gender equality, there is no good reason to deny that we must keep evolving until an adult, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, monogamy or polyamory, race, or religion is free to share love, sex, residence, and marriage (and any of those without the others) with any and all consenting adults. Polyamory, polygamy, open relationships are not for everyone, but they are for some. The limited same-gender freedom to marry is a great and historic step, but is NOT full marriage equality, because equality “just for some” is not equality. Let’s stand up for EVERY ADULT’S right to marry the person(s) they love. Get on the right side of history!