A Moruya High School student wants marriage rights for same-sex couples and is using Facebook to petition Federal Parliament.
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Paige Vardy, 16, is asking people to remain silent on September 15 but to let their signatures make a noise.
Via her Facebook page, Sign for Equal Marriage in Australia, Paige is recruiting supporters to collect signatures, which will later be presented to parliament.
“I believe everyone should have a solid future with their loved ones,” the Year 11 student said.
“Over times, laws have changed. Women couldn’t vote, Aboriginal people were not in the census.
“It is time it changed, (so) everyone has equal rights, so people can love someone in a public way without prejudice.
“It is something I am passionate about, because it affects so many people and people who are close to me.”
Paige said remaining silent on the day was a symbolic protest.
“It is about the Australian people no longer speaking as small voices, but instead expressing the immense support for marriage equality through the numbers of signatures on petitions,” she said.
In less than a week since her page was launched, more than 300 people had agreed to collect signatures.
Paige’s action follows that of Greens MP Adam Bandt, who asked his fellow Parliament-
arians to canvass views in their electorates.
The issue, Paige said, was controversial, but an exclusive definition of marriage singled “out a minority group and made them feel they don’t belong in modern society”.
“Homosexuals are much more accepted than they were in the past and it is about time that we accepted them everywhere,” she said.
“I would not describe the whole culture as homophobic, it is just that people are not very accepting of something that is so controversial and different. That is common in a lot of things, not just homosexuality.”
Paige said it would be a brave young person who came out at high school.
“You (would) have to know there is going to be controversy, people will have opposing views, you are going to be either shut down or embraced and welcomed. You have to be willing to know you will probably cop some nasty comments, you have to not care what people think and just be yourself,” she said.
