"...the gay lobby trying to cajole and bully-rag everyone else into according a like status to their sexuality that they know very well the population at large has always disagreed with..."

All the opinion polls suggest that the 'population at large' is rapidly changing its mind, so if that's your only objection it should soon be overcome. Or is the 'population at large' just shorthand for 'people I agree with'?

So, no response to my reasoning, just personalising the issues with a bit of mind-reading and appeal to absent authority thrown in - is that the best anyone can do?

[Deleted for abuse.]

Ammonite,

'I think you may need to clarify the meaning of 'ahead' - as in further advanced, more knowledgeable. Therefore, unless you too are a medical professional - Suze remains more aware of the basics of human reproduction than you.'

I'm sceptical. I remember Suze thought it was impossible to urinate with an erection.

Peter Hume can dress up his homophobia with as much legalistic sophistry as he likes, but he only does so to avoid what is the central question of this debate, i.e. why shouldn't those homosexual people who want to be allowed to marry their life partners like everybody else?

In reading Peter's numerous, often intelligent, comments here I had the impression that he's something of a libertarian. However, in this case it seems that homophobia trumps political philosophy.

I always agree with Pete on this one...

'The critical furphies underlying the arguments for governmental registration of homosexual marriages are that:
1. Marriage is something constituted by government
2. Gay marriage is not recognised by government
3. There are only two kinds of sexuality: - heterosexual and homosexual.

All these are false. '

Settled. Drinks!

I think the bigger issue is the poor downtrodden de-facto couples. These people have made no commitment to each other, and have been forced into being responsible for each other by the government.

Why? Because the same sex couples wanted the same rights of married couples. It pisses me off. The choice allowed by heterosexual couples has been narrowed. No longer are you allowed by law to shag and live with someone without being 'married' by default.

So let's bring back marriage as an explicit contract. De-facto law has done 10 times more to de-legitimise proper marriage than allowing gay people to make an explicit contract.