Patterns of Gay Hatred Across Australia

There is this emerging quirk in Australia, that we can be as bigoted as we like and yet no one can dare to challenge us for it. Take, for example, homophobia. While ongoing research shows that overall, the wide brown land is becoming increasingly more ‘tolerant’ (an odious term!) of LGBTI people, large areas of the continent remain redneck hotbeds of hatred. Rather than rack our collective brains as to how we might overcome such pointless violence, denizens of these horrible outposts- the smaller cities, country towns and the outback -gloat with ugly pride that they are as conservative as hell and given freely to pewf bashing, almost as if god itself had told them to do it. For sure, life can be tough for any fag living outside of big city Australia…

The current gay marriage debate hints at why homophobia blazes afresh in the bush…

The resistance by our two major political parties to support gay marriage is driven, almost exclusively by number counting in those homophobic electorates ‘out there’. With at least 27 per cent of Australians fessing up to finding homosexuality morally repugnant, that translates into substantial voting blocs that could effectively win, or lose a party, government. The sensitivity attached to the gay marriage debate can make for curious confessions by politicians who on the one hand, want to seem modern and progressive and who, on the other hand, are themselves kicking heads in back room party meetings, to ensure that no one upsets the ‘bushies’. I say, how can it be that pandering to bigotry should ever trump defending human rights?

In Australia, be careful where your dainty red crystal shoe lands…