Liberal MP @timwilsoncomau proposed to his partner Ryan during his same-sex marriage speech to the House of Reps. He said YES! ??? pic.twitter.com/of9N21WYMh
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) December 4, 2017
In November, Australians took part in a postal survey to determine whether or not the country should legalize same-sex marriage. “Yes” won the day by a large margin, and the Australian legislature is moving quickly in order to turn the survey results into a bona fide marriage equality law. During a debate in the country’s House of Representatives on Monday, openly gay member of Parliament Tim Wilson took time to deliver a speech about the difficulties he and his longtime partner, Ryan Bolger, had faced before asking Bolger an important question: “Will you marry me?”
“This debate has been the soundtrack to our relationship,” he said.
While they already considered themselves engaged, the rings they wore on their left hands, he said, were their answers to a question that they once could not ask.
“So there’s only one thing left to do,” Mr. Wilson said, his voice choking. He turned to the public gallery, where Mr. Bolger was sitting. “Ryan Patrick Bolger, will you marry me?”
Bolger answered in the affirmative as the others in the chamber broke into applause. The deputy speaker of the House, Rob Mitchell, made sure to include the question and answer in the official parliament transcript.
“I should let Hansard note to record that that was a ‘yes’ — a resounding yes,” Mitchell said. “Congratulations.”
The bill is expected to become official sometime in December.
(Via New York Times & Alice Workman)