THE RIGHT TO MARRY, THE RIGHT TO HAPPINESS

NEW research shows legalising same-sex marriage could reduce mental illness and suicide in gays and lesbians.

But opponents of marriage equality have dismissed the claims, saying the gay community should accept that “bad things happen” and that “life sucks”.

It comes as the Federal Government announces it will challenge same-sex marriage laws passed in the ACT which would allow gay and lesbian couples to wed for the first time in Australia.

Researchers at the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention said allowing same sex marriage could reduce mental health issues in the gay community.

Study coordinator Dr Delaney Skerret said people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered were at high risk for suicidal behaviours because of a lack of social acceptance.

“When the government do things to reduce the stigma surrounding minority sexual identity, they’re doing things to help foster acceptance at various levels and setting an example of how we should treat these sexual minorities,” Dr Skerret said.

National Director of Australian Marriage Equality Rodney Croome said it was important the issue of mental health issues the gay community were dealt considered in public policy.

“We know from research that’s been conducted in places that have achieved marriage equality shows that achievement of marriage equality reduces rates of anxiety, depression and suicide ideation amongst LGBTs, and there is no reason Australia would be any different,” Mr Croome said.

“I believe on the basis of those studies that achievement in marriage equality in Australia will have a dramatic positive impact on the mental health of LGBT’s.” he said.

However, Queensland State Director of the Australian Christian Lobby Wendy Francis said that the mental wellbeing of homosexuals were not as important as keeping the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

“Life sucks, and bad things happen, but I cannot get passed that it’s not the government who can decide that a child will be without a mother,” Ms Francis said.

Ms Francis said children were a compound right of marriage and no government should intentionally deny a child any possibility of having a biological mother and father.

“By changing the definition of marriage what we are saying is that a mother doesn’t matter,” she said.

For more information about mental health or help in a crisis visit BeyondBlue at www.beyondblue.com.au or call 1300 22 4636.