We have to be in it to win it!

It’s all well and good to be pro-same sex marriage, but now is the time for action, not lofty thoughts! In the words of Janice Ian from Mean Girls, “There are two kinds of evil people in this world: people who do evil stuff, and people who see evil stuff being done and don’t try to stop it.”

1. Enrol to Vote Yourself, and/or Check Your Enrolment Status

It seems obvious, but seriously, don’t forget. Enrolling closes in a matter of hours! Click here to check if you are enrolled and that your details are correct. Click here to enrol.

2. Talk To People Face-to-Face About SSM

In the age of the Internet, just talking to people one-on-one might seem an ineffective method of getting the word out, but the truth is that you’re much more likely to encourage someone to think differently by speaking with them, acknowledging their point of view, and then coming up with a counter-argument that speaks to their experience. If you’re not sure how to start a conversation and/or what to say, The Equality Campaign has a really handy, free conversation starter kit PDF.

Plus, we know that the people least likely to agree with SSM are older people, and while a lot of older people are fabulously computer-literate, a lot are not. Have a chat with your grandma, your older next-door neighbour, your mailman, anyone you come across, and explain why SSM is not LGBTQ people asking for more than everyone else – it’s just LGBTQ people asking for what everyone else already has.

3. Encourage Friends and Family to Enrol to Vote and/or Update Their Address

Via Rainbow Labor 

A pragmatic reason that this postal survey is so screwed up is that it will be done by mail. As young people (the group statistically most in favour of SSM) are the least likely Australians to be enrolled to vote (with 14% i.e. more than 800, 000 people unenrolled), and also the most likely to frequently change rental addresses if they are enrolled, it is beyond important that they enrol and/or update their address details. Either make a FB status, remind your mates in person, or round up your pals and head to an equality event… which brings us to our next point!

4. Host A Pro–Marriage Equality Party or BBQ

It is a truth universally acknowledged that LGBTQ folks throw the best parties. Why not use this to our advantage? This weekend (August 17 – 20), we encourage you to get involved in the nationwide Enrol For Equality Weekender. Throw a party, have a BBQ, run an event, or turn your workspace into a pro-SSM fiesta, making sure to invite as many people as you possibly can. Download and print Marriage Equality posters and leaflets here.

5. Decorate Everything With Rainbow Paraphernalia

It mightn’t seem like a big deal, but as we wrote here, raising the rainbow flag is about more than just brightening up space. It’s a loud and proud call to arms, letting everyone who sees it know that this place is a safe space for LGBTQ people and that LGBTQ celebration is occurring and has occurred in millions of wonderful, small and large ways. From a little rainbow sticker on your laptop, telling everyone in your University tute or workplace that you’re on board, to a big fuck off rainbow flag hanging from your bedroom window out onto the streetscape, everyone makes a difference and rips away at the presumed heterosexuality that inhibits most spaces.

6. Make A Facebook Status and Get A Marriage Equality Profile Picture Frame

Face-to-face conversations are crucial, yes, and particularly so for this postal survey due to its inter-generational reach. But that doesn’t mean that digital activism is useless. Believe it or not, you probably have some people in your digital circle that do not share your progressive views. A good way to check this out is to go to a homophobic FB page like “Marriage Coalition” and see how many of your friends have liked that page. Chances are there’ll be at least one. When you share a status about what SSM will mean for you and/or your LGBTQ friends and family, you are chipping away at the homophobic social media sphere that Berryl from high school has tried to make for herself.

If you have other tips and suggestions for sharing the LGBTQ love in these trying times, share them in the comments. The more the merrier, you beautiful people!