This story out of New Zealand vividly illustrates the importance of both electing pro-equality politicians and applying relentless pressure on anti-LGBT leaders to recant their homophobic views. Gay Star News reports:
The leader of a minor New Zealand political party with a history of opposing LGBT rights has confirmed he will vote to support a bill on same-sex marriage going forward after the youth wing of his party threatened to withdraw their support for him if he did not.
ACT party leader John Banks told media in the New Zealand Parliament that he would vote in favor of a first reading of the bill ‘because I am. . .’
Banks’ back flip means that MPs from every New Zealand political party with members in the Parliament will vote for the bill except for the anti-immigration New Zealand First party.
It’s great to see marriage equality marching forward in so many countries around the world, isn’t it? And in many places, including New Zealand, it’s being led by the youth of my generation, who will take marriage equality over the finish line in our lifetimes. What a great time to be alive.
