Lexicon Library.LGBT
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marriage equality

the social and political push to allow people of the same gender to be able to marry; and to grant marriage rights to those who are transgender, or legally acknowledged as nonbinary or intersex too, rather than to restrict the right to marry to a couple comprised of a cisgender man and woman.

It’s important to note that it is often referred to by the terms same-sex marriage or gay marriage, but the legality of same-sex marriage does not necessarily mean that there is marriage equality for all (for example, for those who are legally acknowledged as neither male or female, or those who are transgender).

For example, the marriage plebiscite in Australia asked, specifically, if people of the same-sex should be allowed to marry: however, the resulting legislation removed the references to gender altogether, to define marriage as simply being the union of two people.

Originally published: 3rd December, 2020
Last modified: 3rd December, 2020