I was wondering if you could tell me how to improve my speech on same-sex marriage?

Statement of Intent:

For this speech I have adopted the persona of a lesbian woman who wants to get married in Australia. This speech is intended to be given at a gay rights rally to reinforce the attitudes of the audience and to inspire action.

Do you ever want to get married? Ever since I was a little girl I've dreamt of walking down the aisle and saying, “I do”. Although if I wanted to get married in Australia today, I couldn't. Even though I am fully adult, fully human and fully citizen. Even though my partner and I are fully consenting. Even though we have been in a committed, loving relationship for nine years. Why? Because my partner and I are the same gender.

Why does this matter? Why isn't marriage seen as a basic human right? Not a privilege of heterosexual couples. Marriage is a way for people to express their love and commitment to their partners. A way for couples to gain better security and provide their children with greater legal protection. None of which have anything to do with gender. Marriage not about religion, atheist get married everyday. It's not about the sanctity of union, divorces happens everyday. We are a country that values equality, but has a marriage act that discriminates. We are a country that values freedom but has a marriage act that limits the freedom of thousands same sex attracted people who live and want to get married in Australia. We are a country that is supposedly, “Moving forward.” Why isn't same sex marriage legal in Australia yet?

The deprivation of the basic right for same sex attracted people to marry is not only contradictory to core Australia values, equality and freedom, but also causes many abstract problems. In Australia today same-sex de facto couples have the same rights as heterosexuals in areas such as taxation, social security and health, aged care and employment. But this is not enough. My friend Tim had been seeing his partner, Eric, for six year, they had been living with each other for seven years and they were extremely committed to each other and very in love. One night Eric was in a tragic accident and rushed into intensive care. Tim was not allowed to hold Eric's hand during the last minutes of his life because he had no way of proving they were in a relationship to the hospital. Even in Tasmania were Tim and Eric could have joined through civil union there is no guarantee that the hospital would have recognised it as valid prove of relationship. Marriage is the only solution, if Tim and Eric had been able to get married hospital visitation would not have been a problem. Living in Australia is like living in a restaurant that tells you can order spaghetti but with no sauce, you can order a burger but with no fires, you can order pizza but with no cheese. We can have some rights but only heterosexuals can order complete meals. Only heterosexuals can have every right, only heterosexuals can get married.

I ask you to think about the messages not giving same sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples sends out to the community. That lesbians and homosexuals are less capable of love and commitment than heterosexuals. That same sex couples are less capable of raising children. Think about the problems this causes for same sex couples who want to have children. Who have children and have to experience the constant judgement of heterosexual peers. Even though major American and Australian psychology and psychiatry associations have agreed that same sex relationships are as stable and committed as opposite sex relationships and that children raised by same sex couples are not disadvantaged. That it's ok to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. Think about teenagers that have to come out in a society that is taught this. Think about the bullying they must experience. Think about the five teen suicides that occurred last year due to bullying aimed at people because they were not heterosexual. We need to change the messages we are giving out to the community and make life better for everyone in the LGBTQ community.

I can't get married in Australian today but I can imagine a tomorrow. A tomorrow in which we truly hold our value of equality dear and separation is a part of the past. A tomorrow in which being a LGBTQ teenager is not a reason to be a target for bullying. A tomorrow in which same-sex parents are treated with the same respect as heterosexual couples. A tomorrow in which same sex marriage is` legal. You can help, you can be a part of the construction of this future. Vote for the right parties, the Greens are the most supportive of same sex marriage. Join protest groups. Write letters. Be heard and if we are loud enough we will make a difference to Australia, for our children and grandchildren and you will be a part of the reason for this difference.