Louisa Wall Louisa Wall is refuting the latest claims that marriage equality will somehow lead to polygamy, pointing out no country which has legalised polygamy recognises marriage equality – and the 11 countries that have legalised marriage equality outlaw polygamy. “The argument that marriage equality leads to polygamy is wrong,” the Labour MP and marriage equality bill author says. “Suggestions that hordes of teenagers and men choosing to have more than one wife are going to jostle for marriage licenses are far-fetched and misleading.” The latest ‘slippery slope’ claims have come from Family First’s Bob McCoskrie in the New Zealand Herald, where he says same-sex marriage is a stepping-stone to legalising polygamy. "If you're talking about real equality that means it should be available to anybody. That includes three or four who want to get married, that includes teenagers who want to get married ... married people who want to marry somebody else at the same time,” he says. "It's on the agenda and everybody knows it. It's on the long-term agenda.'' Wall points out polygamy and bigamy are illegal in New Zealand under the Crimes Act 1961, S 205. “Fear mongers will argue that equality opens the institution of marriage up to relationships involving more than two people. What it actually means is that the law - and the social and civil institutions that the law governs - apply equally to everyone. It means that a couple, who so choose, can apply for and receive a marriage licence from the State.” Wall says the majority of Kiwis wholeheartedly support marriage equality, which is simply about fairness and choice, giving all couples a fair go and recognising that all New Zealanders deserve equal rights under the law. “Fresh out of the holiday season I think most New Zealanders would agree that our relationships with one another matter, perhaps above all else. So, the way we allow ourselves to define those relationships is important. Strong, committed couples can only be positive for our families and our communities.” The Labour MP says we live in a democracy, which means one person, one vote, equal citizenship and the laws of New Zealand applying equally to all its citizens. “Our 1955 Marriage Act has never defined marriage - there is a current convention and I note marriage is an evolving institution. My bill seeks to confirm that two consenting adults that are not prohibited to marry as per the Marriage Act can obtain a marriage license from the State. It is that simple. “Non-heterosexual New Zealand citizens should not be discriminated against by the State. Two free and consenting adults should be afforded all rights extended in a democratic society which includes marriage which is a social and civil institution. You might argue that it is not a right of citizenship to marry however only the State in New Zealand has the power to allow people to marry. “My bill is concerned with defining who can get a marriage license from the State if they choose to, not how, where and who marries them. “I ask for societal change beyond tolerance - what we need is genuine acceptance. We are all equal human beings and so are equally entitled to the State institution of marriage, a commitment of love and family between two people.” *List of countries with status of polygamy recognized under civil law, same-sex sexual activity status and relationship recognition Afghanistan - illegal - death penalty - no relationship recognition Algeria - illegal - fine + 2-24 months imprisonment - no relationship recognition Bahrain - illegal - criminal code silent - no relationship recognition Bangladesh - illegal - 10 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Brunei - illegal male - 10 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Burkina Faso - LEGAL - no relationship recognition Cameroon - illegal - fine and 5 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Chad - LEGAL since 1967 - no relationship recognition Central African Republic - LEGAL - no relationship recognition Comoros - illegal - fine and 5 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Congo - LEGAL - no relationship recognition Djibouti - LEGAL - no relationship recognition Egypt - LEGAL as not specifically outlawed but they have "public morality" laws - no relationship recognition Ethiopia - illegal - up to 15 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Gabon - LEGAL - no relationship recognition The Gambia - illegal - up to 14 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition India - LEGAL 2009 - no relationship recognition Indonesia - LEGAL except Muslims in Aceh province - no relationship recognition Iran - illegal - death penalty - no relationship recognition Iraq - LEGAL 2003 although vigilantes have applied Sharia law (executions) - no relationship recognition Jordan - LEGAL although vigilante honor killings (executions) - no relationship recognition Kuwait - illegal - fine and U 21 years imprisonment up to 10 years + over 21 years imprisonment up to 7 years - no relationship recognition Libya - illegal - up to 5 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Malaysia - illegal - up to 20 years imprisonment, fines and whippings - no relationship recognition Maldives - illegal - no penalty but shariah laws may apply - no relationship recognition Mali - LEGAL - no relationship recognition Mauritania - illegal - death penalty - no relationship recognition Morocco - illegal - up to 3 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Myanmar (Burma) - illegal - up to 10 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Niger - LEGAL - no relationship recognition Oman - illegal - fines and up to 3 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Pakistan - illegal, Sharia law maybe applied and 2 years up to life imprisonment - no relationship recognition Palestine - illegal male Gaza up to 10 years imprisonment AND LEGAL 1951 West Bank - both no relationship recognition Qatar - illegal - up to 5 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Saudi Arabia - illegal - death penalty or fines, whipping and or imprisonment - no relationship recognition Senegal - illegal - fines and up to 1-5 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Singapore - illegal men - up to 2 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Somalia - illegal - no relationship recognition Sri Lanka - illegal penalty is fine or whipping - no relationship recognition Sudan - illegal - death penalty for men 3rd offense and women 4th offense - no relationship recognition Syria - illegal - up to 3 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Tanzania - illegal - up to life imprisonment - no relationship recognition Togo - illegal - fine and/or 3 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition Uganda - illegal men - up to life imprisonment and illegal women from 2000 - no relationship recognition United Arab Emirates - illegal - deportation, fines, imprisonment or death penalty - no relationship recognition Yemen - illegal - flogging or death - no relationship recognition Zambia - illegal - up to 14 years imprisonment - no relationship recognition NONE of the 50 who have legalized polygamy have legal status of marriage equality AND for 37 of 50, homosexual law reform is yet to be achieved. *Marriage for same-sex relationships - homosexual law reform, Marriage Equality, legal polygamy Argentina - 1887, ME 2010, NO Belgium - 1795, ME 2003, NO Canada - 1969, ME 2005, NO Denmark - 1933, ME 2012, NO Iceland - 1940, ME 2010, NO Netherlands - 1811, ME 2001, NO Norway - 1972, ME 2009, NO Portugal - 1982, ME 2010, NO South Africa - 1998, ME 2006, NO Spain - 1979, ME 2005, NO Sweden - 1944, ME 2009, NO NONE of the 11 who have legalized marriage equality have legal status of polygamy
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 8th January 2013 - 11:40am