今日吃瓜

PENNY, PLEASE
Nathan (SS 110), I am a gay man too – a big flouncy queen (power bottom if you鈥檙e interested). You opine that Senator (the Hon. Penny Wong) is reluctant to take a stand on 鈥榞ay marriage鈥�, well darl, she has. Ms. Wong stands against it. Just because she is gay (oh sorry, a lesbian) does not mean there is any requirement for her to support the issue, and it seems clear that she doesn鈥檛. Kind of like high profile people, who happen to be gay do not need to 鈥榗ome out鈥� for the benefit of the 鈥榞ay community鈥�, as some lunatics seem to believe.
-Peter
*Editor鈥檚 note: Senator Wong expressed her support for marriage equality reform at the Sth Aust Labor conference.

PENNY鈥橲 STANCE
Penny鈥檚 had plenty of opportunities for this change in her approach 鈥� all she ever had to say was that she would express her real beliefs in a conscience vote.
It鈥檚 great she鈥檚 finally taken this course of action, it will make a difference. Labor needs to address this issue or it will never re-discover its core values and will not win government in 2010. If that happens Penny can hold her head up high and the Plibersek鈥檚 of the party will be left to take the blame.
– Michael

FEMALE STIs
For four weeks now, SSO has run the 鈥楽TI check鈥� column, focussing on chlamyia. I applaud the inclusion of this column as the more correct info that gets out about STIs the better – however I was alarmed at the complete lack of mention of women and chlamydia anywhere in the past four columns.
After digging back through my old editions for the earlier columns and checking out the websites provided, it became clear that the columns were specifically intended for men who have sex with men – however this is really not apparent to the casual reader, and people who didn鈥檛 take the time to research further could presume that chlamydia was a men鈥檚-only STI.
Women can get chlamydia and chlamydia can cause all sorts of complications such as pelvic infections and infertility. As with men, women with chlamydia may have no or vague symptons so it鈥檚 worth getting a check even if you are feeling fine.
More info can be found at www.girl2girl.info or聽 http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/sexualhealth/chlamydia.html
鈥� Fiona

STATE MARRIAGE
The state-by-state approach is not a sound one, it will create a patchwork of varying legislation, as occurred with partnership registers.
Having said that, it is amazing the shop assistants union [SDA], with its many gay members, continues to actively shit on any gay and lesbian reform.
– Ben

STATE MARRIAGE #2
The state-by-state approach is an interesting debate to be had. It keeps the issue alive over the next 12 months while we鈥檙e waiting for the federal ALP to get their act together.
However, should any particular state actually pass such legislation, we would be doomed to another six years to wait to get back to where we are now. It would give the federal Government the perfect 鈥榦ut鈥� to say the state鈥檚 have the power to do it 鈥渨e can鈥檛.鈥�
Alternatively, the passage of state legislation may actually allow the issue to end up in the High Court and have the inevitable situation of the High Court ruling whether the consitution does actually allow the federal Government to legislate for same-sex marriage, or only allow for the 鈥渙riginal intent鈥� which was between a man and woman.
Regardless, the state-by-state process is a high risk, high value approach. It could be the answer to our prays, but it could also be the noose with which we hang ourselves. I dare say it may be the latter.
– Brian