Australia has become the 26th country to formally legalize same-sex marriage after a historic vote this Thursday.
Just last month, Australians overwhelmingly voted via a nationwide poll to make marriage equality a law in their country. Three-quarters of Australians, or almost 12 million people (74.5% of the country’s eligible voters), gave a resounding ‘yes’ to the survey, and it prompted the Australian government to begin debating the issue in Parliament.
An Australian MP named Tim Wilson even proposed to his partner, Ryan Bolger, in the middle of the debates. It was a heartwarming moment as Wilson tearfully recounted how his partner had endured the many years of the struggle for marriage equality, before asking him to marry him.
You can watch the video here:
As the news broke out worldwide, people on social media expressed their joy:
Australia has passed #marriageequality. I want to pay tribute to every single LGBTI person and ally who fought for years to get us to this moment. Today is our day. Today love won, and all Australians are better off for it. 🏳️🌈
— Jason Ball (@jasonballau) December 7, 2017
To all LGBTQI people, to the activists and to everyone who fought and advocated in any way they could for so long, in so many ways- fuck yeah! Congratulations 💜💕❤️💙🌈 #marriageequality
— Forking Bench 🎄 (@oldbiddyyelling) December 7, 2017
It's a lonely, lonely place, the wrong side of history. #marriageequality pic.twitter.com/Bm8dMMOMlj
— Jen Dudley-Nicholson (@jendudley) December 7, 2017
It took too long. It hurt too many. But we are finally there, Australia. The patience, dignity and resilience of the LGBTQI community has been extraordinary….and I'm available for weddings… #MarriageEquality
— Charlie Pickering (@charliepick) December 7, 2017
To those who didn’t live to see this day. To the amazing lesbian women who nurtured me as I came out and whose beloved partners died before their marriages could be legal. To those we lost too young to suicide. You are held in my heart. In all our hearts. #MarriageEquality
— Avril (@DocAvvers) December 7, 2017
amazing. #MarriageEquality has passed in australia ❤️🎉🏳️🌈 the house of reps breaks out into song to celebrate 😊 pic.twitter.com/iyuu6ANSjs
— maddy brown (@itsmaddybrown) December 7, 2017
Congratulations to Australia, most especially to those who fought long and hard to make this a reality! Love wins!
