Advertisement
IRL

Australia votes in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage

Parliament promises to legalize marriage equality by Christmas.

Photo of Samantha Reichstein

Samantha Reichstein

Citizens of Australia vote a majority 'yes' on making gay marriage legal.

 

Featured Video

Australians have voiced their opinion on marriage equality, and an overwhelming amount of them voted for it to be legal Wednesday morning.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 61 percent of the voters approved changing the current law toward same-sex marriage. Parliament decided to let the people have a voice in the decision before voting on the current bill when officials green-lighted the voluntary postal survey in September. Sent out to the Australian population, more than 75 percent chose to cast their ballot, with many in favor of equal marriage rights. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull—who also voted yes—has promised to follow through on passing the bill based on the majority decision.

Advertisement

While this vote does not mean marriage equality is automatically legal in Australia, it makes the path to legalization an easy one. And that’s all it took for those not just in Australia, but around the globe, to react wholeheartedly.

Moments after the results came in, celebratory congratulations came swarming in.

Advertisement

Australia’s iconic Sydney Opera House lit up in rainbow lights.

Advertisement

Australian Minister for the Arts tweeted, “Love is Love.”

Advertisement

@gaystarnews posted video reactions to the “yes” result, including testimonials from various Australian citizens ecstatic over the breaking news.

Advertisement

Even celebrities in the United States took to Twitter, posting their excitement and support.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Prime Minister Turnbull has promised that Parliament will vote on approving the bill before Christmas. When it does, Australia will become the 25th country to legalize marriage equality.

Advertisement
 
The Daily Dot