Last year's Equal Love rally in Albury.
AFTER spending the past 14 months in North America, it was great to arrive back in Albury just in time for my brother’s wedding recently.
I couldn’t help but be very offended by the big poster at the St Patrick’s Church reading “Say NO to same-sex marriage”.
My partner had just travelled 18 hours from LA to meet my family and friends and this was his greeting to Albury.
This not only offended myself and my partner, it also offended my family and many guests at the wedding.
After losing a gay friend in Albury to suicide before I left, I came to a conclusion that something has to be done.
It’s no surprise to me that all my friends and myself have moved to Sydney and Melbourne where people are more accepting.
I am concerned for not only Albury’s youth but also all the other people living in Albury who are struggling with their sexuality.
I was happy to come back to Australia and see that Macklemore’s single Same Love was No.1 in the country and Albury’s StarFM had been giving it a lot of air play.
My partner and I just travelled from Albury to Brisbane to meet some more of my family.
At the airport we ran into Macklemore and was able to thank him for writing such a great influential song about acceptance and equality.
As a country we are moving forward slowly, but I think Albury is at a standstill.
No freedom ’til we are equal.
Damn right I support it.
— JIMMY LADGROVE,
Melbourne (formerly Albury)