Published on Friday, 25 August 2017 at 12:00:00 AM

The City of Vincent is flying the rainbow flag through to November in support of our LGBTI community, and in celebration of Vincent’s cultural and social diversity and welcoming spirit.

We believe it is important for Vincent to demonstrate our strong support for Vincent residents who identify in the LGBTI community and who could be negatively impacted by the up-coming non-binding marriage law postal survey.

We also want to visually show that our community stands for equality, diversity and human rights, and that our Council is committed to marriage equality.

Vincent has a proud history of commitment to the recognition of same sex relationships and marriage equality:

• In December 2012, the City of Vincent established WA’s first Relationship Declaration Register, providing a service to all Western Australian adults with formal recognition of their committed relationship regardless of sex or gender identity. We have celebrated and registered 32 same sex relationships through this Register.
• In November 2014 the City adopted the Marriage Equality Proclamation; and joined the national Mayors for Marriage Equality Group.

Following an official flag raising ceremony at 1pm on Friday 25 August, the Pride flag will be flying outside the City of Vincent Administration building, with a second flag to fly at Axford Park in Mount Hawthorn.

Vincent Councillors and staff have the option of wearing a “Vincent loves love” shirt in support of marriage equality and “Vincent loves love” street banners will make a colourful addition to the Mount Hawthorn town centre. We will also run a social media tag #vincentloveslove to celebrate diversity and love in Vincent. 

Mayor Emma Cole

#vincentloveslove

We asked some local couples to tell us what marriage equality means to them and they have generously allowed us to share their story.

Elliot & Dan

Elliot and Dan live in Highgate. They met nine years ago through work when Elliot was having a bad day, and despite a rocky introduction, had their first date two days later at the Brisbane Hotel.

Last year in July the couple tied the knot at the British Consulate in Perth, in front of a portrait of the Queen. Their wedding was attended by only 20 of their closest friends and family because the consulate office was too small to fit any more guests. Their marriage was legally recognised for approximately 30 minutes while they were on the consulate grounds.

They look forward to when marriage equality is introduced, so their union can be officially recognised in Australia.

#Vincentloveslove 

Sara & Joy

This October Sara and Joy from Mount Lawley will be celebrating the 34th anniversary of their relationship. The last 20 of which, they have lived together in the City of Vincent.

Sara and Joy met at a Halloween costume party, Joy was a cavewoman and Sara was dressed as Penguin from Batman. They describe their meeting as love at first sight and that their love has gone from strength to strength every day they have spent together.

Over the years they have seen their brothers, sisters and other relatives and friends marry.

“When we first 'came out of the proverbial closet ' over 30 years ago we never dreamt in a million years that we would have the opportunity to marry. Having seen the world progress and so many countries passing marriage equality laws it is a bit frustrating that we cannot simply do the same,” said Sara.

Joy and Sara say they are looking forward to growing old together as a married couple.

#Vincentloveslove

Matt & Dave

Matt and Dave’s blended family includes two dads, two daughters and one son. They met around four years ago through a gay dads social forum in Perth.

They connected immediately and became great friends. The couple have been together for 18 months and say they have never felt as close to anyone as they feel to each other. They are best friends as well as soulmates.

When Matt’s son and Dave’s two girls found out they were officially becoming a couple, the kids were thrilled by the prospect of growing their families.

To the kids their family is normal, as they have so many friends with separated parents and blended families. They have grown up never doubting that they are loved, cherished and supported.

Matt and Dave support marriage equality because it will afford them the privilege and right, not just to marry the one that they love, but to provide security for their family, should anything ever happen to either of them, that their decisions will be legally protected.

“It’s also important to show our kids that our love is equal, our family is equal and that they are free to love who they choose to, without fear,” said Matt.

#Vincentloveslove

Michelle and Ali

Thirty years ago, Michelle and Ali met at the Monday Evening Lesbian Group at the South Camden Women’s Centre in London and fell in love.

In 2004 they moved to Perth, Michelle’s home town, with their daughter Evie for the wide open spaces and lifestyle that Perth has to offer and also to spend more time with their Perth family and friends. They lived in North Perth near Hyde Park and have recently moved closer to Northbridge.

In 2008 their lives changed dramatically when young Evie was diagnosed with cancer, and after a two year cancer journey, she died in 2010 aged 11.

Since then Michelle and Ali have worked to raise awareness of the effects of cancer on kids and families via their charity The Evie Foundation. Between them, they also sit on a number of Boards for non-government organisations to support children in hospital, children’s haematology and oncology and to also to support young LGBTIQ people via The Pinnacle Foundation. 

They support marriage equality because they believe everyone should be equal under the law and have the choice to marry the person they love.

#Vincentloveslove 

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