Comments on: Gay icon Dennis Altman attacks marriage equality movement

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 15:28:21 +0000

Tim Wilson

Enough said

Thanks Dennis for stating the obvious about shallowness and stupidity

Dean Beck is the only decent current affairs I like and at times he’s a little unbearable as well

Switch over to 3CR with Sally Goldner

By: Arjun

Arjun — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 14:20:09 +0000

In reply to Arjun. *has

By: Arjun

Arjun — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 14:17:56 +0000

I’m in my early 20s and reading Altman’s books for the first time. When he wrote and published his first book on the gay liberation movement in America, it was a momentous achievement. Every subsequent work that I’ve gone through had been as insightful, brilliant and intellectually invigorating as the first. I think people of my generation have very little knowledge about the political endeavours and achievements of older generations. Dismissing his arguments as those of an ‘old fogey’ and belittling his status as an ‘icon’ (as some have in their comments) strikes me as immensely arrogant. You have no idea what you’re talking about (re Altman’s contribution) if you don’t know what it was like for lgbti individuals only a few decades ago and how people like Altman helped shape what we now have politically. Don’t a smug, self-important arse. Educate yourself.

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 21:42:52 +0000

If this is the same Dennis Altman who wrote “Homosexual: Oppression and Liberation”, which I read shortly after coming out in 1974, I have to wonder whether Alzheimer’s is starting to take its toll on him. I would agree that we need to make progress in many directions, of which marriage equality is only one, but arguing against making progress on marriage equality, because it is not making progress in some other direction, is just stupid.

By: Lance

Lance — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:02:48 +0000

In reply to Gavriil.

I totally agree with Dennis Altman and his comment about the smugness of people (gay and straight) who are in long-standing committed relationships — supposedly.

I remember my sister-in-law saying to me (after a few too many drinks), “you really have missed out, haven’t you” (poor dear).
Alas she, on the other hand can’t do a bloody thing without my brother!!

And what its it with people who constantly refer to their “other half”?
Are they incomplete being single?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 08:10:54 +0000

In reply to Rune. Gays against gays is indeed a huge problem but for a different reason to what you propose. The gay community can be ferociously discriminatory especially when it comes to disability, race and social class. I've personally experienced more discrimination from the gay community than I have from society, and know many in the same category. It'd be nice to see the community try and address some of these issues rather than stand up for upper middle class white privilege in the form of gay marriage.

By: Tony

Tony — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 01:45:20 +0000

The day Gay Men stop hanging around public toilets looking for sex or sitting in a cubicle watching a Man/Boy take a pee through a peep hole, I would consider accepting of Gay People but until this CRIMINAL Behaviour stops, I want nothing to do with Homosexuals #makesmesick

By: jeremy

jeremy — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 12:10:45 +0000

every step in the right direction is a good step. things aren’t gonna all change overnight but this is a step toward marriage equality for all. every step towards equality only bolsters a society, it doesn’t harm it. some of you should wake up and stop expecting instant results. complaining about every step forward certainly doesn’t help us.

By: braindrainers

braindrainers — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 06:48:23 +0000

Legalizing gay marriage doesn’t make it either compulsory or desirable. It would, however, address rights of inheritance for surviving partners.

By: James Williamson (shuvus)

James Williamson (shuvus) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 05:57:07 +0000

In reply to Nathan. I don't think what Dennis Altman is saying is that he is opposed to gay marriage, but aligning yourself with people whose human rights are actually abused. When in actual fact your being driven by self interest and this need to be a member of the 'mainstream', is actually seen as a betrayal by those of us that have lived on the margins of society all our lives. Your group are usually educated members of society, whose responsibility for a more just and equitable society should be motivated not by self interest and having the state recognise your relationships by way of marriage but using your collective energy to fight against inequity. I don't particularly care whether the state approves of my marriage and I think it doesn't effect the authenticity of my partner and my relationship.

By: Barrie

Barrie — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 22:48:40 +0000

Shock. Horror. Somebody dared express a different opinion on marriage?
A lot of the comments here demonstrate the very thing Dennis is talking about: an inability to think outside the issue. And such self-importance. Where was this media obsession with marriage and you cheer-leaders back in 2004? Remember? That’s when the Marriage Act was amended. All this public indignation is about ten years too late. Or maybe John Howard’s tactics were ten years ahead of yours.
It seems marriage wasn’t an issue until the government exempted us from it. Hence most of you just look and sound childish.

By: Ralph

Ralph — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 22:22:41 +0000

Dennis is entitled to his view but he’s missed the mark. Marriage equality isn’t being argued and debated and fought for at the exclusion of all other issues. But it obviously does resonate with a large number of people both inside and outside the LGBTI community. If he looked he would find that a large portion of activists are not arguing because they themselves plan to marry. They are arguing for the choice to marry, to exercise their civil right if and when they choose to. And to not be denied recognition and the civil benefits of this or any other government.

By: Allan

Allan — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:51:30 +0000

I am not for gay marriage. It does not interest me in the slightest. Being single and not married doesn’t make me feel like a failure (actually being one of the few people with a facepic and clothes on in my gaydar and grindr profiles does). However, that’s just me. I believe if others want the right to marry and have that equality then it must exist. So I will support any campaigns for that reason. Just because it is not for me, fine but I will back it to the hill to ensure the rights of other LGBTI exist.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:16:29 +0000

In reply to Rune. They seem to think it an Either Or arguement. It isn't. For Dennis to say this this says to me "I don't want it and I don't want them to have it either". It's as bad as the UBER religious Tony Abbott saying "I don't want this because against god's law". Neither is relevant to our argument. Could it be Dennis can't hold down a relationship and is bitter and twisted? I'm with the other readers who said FUCK OFF DENNIS!

By: Roy Dongen

Roy Dongen — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 08:21:49 +0000

In reply to Nathan. I couldn't agree more with Nathan. It shows narrow mindedness from Dennis Altman. Every kind of discrimination is a violation of Human Rights. The choice to get married or not is a principle one to be made by individuals. Just because some people in the gay community might prefer other kind of relationships doesn't mean those who want to get married should not get the right to do so. Besides, not only many gays live a single life in some kind of form, ever looked about the divorce statistic rising as well as the age of the first marriage by people?

By: Lea Stevens

Lea Stevens — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 07:05:49 +0000

In reply to Lloyd. Hear ... hear, Lloyd ^0^

By: Lea Stevens

Lea Stevens — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 06:55:28 +0000

Whilst I am totally in support of Marriage Equality and regard it as a Human Rights and Discrimination issue, I must agree with Dennis Altman – this is NOT the most important LGBT issue facing our community today!! Many in the community throughout the World are still facing death, imprisonment and torture and in comparison the constant and unrelenting coverage, particularly in the Australian media, pales by comparison.
I agree Separate is not Equal but death and the loss of liberty are far more important issues still facing our community throughout the World.

By: wayne

wayne — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 03:26:47 +0000

I couldn’t agree more joe.. I don’t see marriage as a right. I see we have rights to safety and security. I also think that while we’re so busy fighting for marriage there have been some fairly significant social issues left behind . At the moment teachers counsellors, nurses etc who work for religious charities cannot even mention the names of their same sex significant others without having the fear that they will loose their job. Are we so blind that we can’t see this as an issue? yet little is being done about.
All the while millions has been spent on the marriage debate over the past 20 years and tens of thousands of precious hours have been invested into a cause that not everyone in the gay/lesbian community wants….

By: Brenton

Brenton — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 02:31:13 +0000

De facto couples who want civil unions have been howled down, denied and relationship recognition hijacked by the ‘marriage’ extremists! Laugh at the juniors who campaign for ‘Divorce Equality’ who are lucky to have had a one night-stand yet alone a ‘REAL’ long term relationship! The Labor/Greens have played right into the conservatives and religious extremists’ hands and they are laughing all the way to no foreseeable changes of any kind for same-sex relationship recognition in this country. Denying civil unions to heterosexual couples is ALSO discriminatory. Give me a civil union certificate at a registry office any day, then all that wedding crap!

By: Ronson

Ronson — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 01:36:23 +0000

Anything to sell a book, Dennis?