THE debate about a possible marriage equality postal vote is already having a harmful effect on the south-west’s LGBTIQ+ community.
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Brophy Family & Youth Services has been approached by parents concerned about the debate’s impacts on their children.
Brophy’s Safe In The South-West co-ordinator Lyn Eales said the debate about marriage equality was causing some people distress.
“There is a high level of anxiety within the people we’ve seen so far,” Ms Eales said.
“We’ve had parents come in who are worried about their kids anyway and this just adds another layer of anxiety.
“Parents are wanting to know ‘how do I support my young person?’.”
Ms Eales said it was important for people to “find your allies and gain support from your allies”.
“You’re not fighting this fight alone,” she said.
Brophy is helping people enrol to vote and to check they are registered by providing free access to computers and information on how to enrol.
Ms Eales said the recent Homelessness Week had also raised the issue of how people with no fixed address could have their say in a postal vote, with Brophy offering to serve as an address for those who didn’t have one of their own.
Headspace released a statement this week saying “it is our shared professional opinion, based on conclusive evidence, that denying people the right to marry is harmful to their health and wellbeing”.