Debate to hear about marriage equality

A debate over the suggestive notion that ‘Same-sex marriage should not be legalised’ will take place at the end of this month in Sydney featuring the likes of Lord Mayor Clover Moore and political campaign strategist Mark Textor, with writer Helen Razer also set to question why any “sane queer person” would want to get married.

The event, part of the IQ2 debate series, will occur on Tuesday, May 29 at City Recital Hall.

The debate to be chaired by Dr Simon Longstaff from the St James Ethics Centre will be filmed by the BBC and will only feature four speakers rather than six to allow for greater audience participation.

Lined up to speak against the debate proposition are Moore, the long-serving Sydney MP and Lord Mayor who has been a passionate advocate for LGBTQ rights throughout her political career, as well as Textor who was a one-time campaign advisor to former Prime Minister John Howard.

The pollster who now heads up campaign strategy group Crosby|Textor has also worked for conservative New Zealand Prime Ministers, Jim Bolger and Jenny Shipley, while in 2005 he provided advice to the Conservative Party in the UK and a few years later helped Boris Johnson's succesful bid to become mayor of London.

Appearing on 7.30 on ABC Television in June last year, Textor said although many Australians might not “actively support” same-sex marriage, most of them would accept the reality of it occurring.

“Ronald Reagan's pollster once said to me that there is no such thing as family values, there are only those things that are important to families – love, a sense of belonging, a sense of personal security,” he said.

“And if marriage consolidates the family unit, so be it.”

Up against Moore and Textor will be writer, broadcaster and openly queer woman, Helen Razer, who has on a number of occasions in recent months publicly questioned the merits of the reform.

“I can speak with some authority on this matter as I am an Adult Female Homosexual,” Razer wrote in the past fortnight.  

“While it is true that I can be nasty, deluded and selfish, it is not true that I support, even at the simplest theoretical level, the fight for same-sex marriage.

“Actually, I see changes to marriage law not so much as a fulfilment of a human right but as an obligation to eat melon and listen to James Blunt. Or Röyksopp remixes. Or whatever it is we shall have to endure when everybody gay gets their cake and eats it, too.”

The ‘Same-sex marriage should not be legalised’ debate is on 6.45pm-8.30pm, Tuesday, May 29 at City Recital Hall, Angel Place. Tickets $22-$32. For more information or to book, visit http://www.iq2oz.com/events/event-details/2012-series-sydney/may.php