THEY are parents with simple, romantic dreams for their fast-growing-up boys.
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Paula Ridley hopes her son Ben, 24, will one day, perhaps soon, find love, marry and have children.
And all Kathleen Hutchinson wants is for her son Anthony, 26, is for him to have the opportunities she has enjoyed.
“I grew up, fell in love and I’m still with my husband after 30 years,” Mrs Hutchinson said.
But Anthony Hutchinson and Ben House can’t yet have what their parents did — the right to marry the person they love — because they are gay.
Until they do, the Wodonga mothers will fight for the legalisation of gay marriage, and tomorrow will join an equal love rally at QEII Sqaure.
For Mrs Hutchinson marriage equality just makes logical sense.
“I can’t see how my love for my husband and family is any different to how Anthony loves his partner,” she said.
Mrs Ridley, whose son Ben is a property manager in Wodonga, believes there is overwhelming community support for gay marriage, even in conservative areas like Albury-Wodonga.
“I’ve been close to Ben’s friends and I haven’t known anyone who doesn’t support him,” Mrs Ridley said.
“The politicians need to step up, have a good look around and see the community around them is very strong.”
While marriage and kids for her single son is probably a few years away, it’s a different story for Anthony Hutchinson who is in a committed relationship with his partner of two-years, Peter.
They want to marry and have mulled over the idea raising children.
Mrs Hutchinson said, like most mothers of the groom, she looked forward to the day she could watch her son walk down the aisle.
She gets tears in her eyes just thinking about it.
“It’s going to happen,” she said.
“They abolished slavery, women got the vote, they did it over time.
“I believe it’s going to happen.”
