I'm officiating at my friends' wedding today. Before the Marriage Equality* amendments to the Australian Marriage Act in 2017, this was something I did reasonably often. Didn't need to be a registered celebrant then, because there was no legal standing to queer marriages anyway. I've witnessed vows and watched people kiss in backyards, parks and community halls. And once, very early in the Marriage Equality campaign, in the main plaza in the city in a queer mass wedding ceremony/protest.

Before Marriage Equality, trans people were forced to divorce if they wanted to have their transition legally recognised, regardless of the love and devotion in their marriage. The passing of the marriage equality act meant that trans people could become who they wished to be and also keep the lives they chose.

Today's ceremony is a vow renewal for two wives who originally married pre-2017 as wife and husband.

I am full of joy for my friends.

*noting pointedly that Marriage Equality is not actually equal, and that disabled people and poly people are still either financially penalised for marrying or excluded from marriage completely. These were not acceptable compromises to make.

#queer #trans #equalmarriage

Tokyo court says Japanese constitution does NOT give a right to equal marriage. A great shame. Previous courts have been more favourable.

OTOH, I do think it's better on the whole to get an explicit buy-in to equal marriage. This 'constitution' strategy (re-interpreting a document that clearly wasn't written with the intention of providing for equal marriage) seems very vulnerable going forward.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyz7njqwvvo

#japan #lgbtq #equalmarriage #samesexmarriage #samegendermarriage #japanlgbt