AS FAR as minority groups go, Amanda Galea and Gemma Jones belong to at least two, and possibly three.
They are members of the gay and lesbian community, they belong to the deaf, Auslan-signing community and because Gemma considers herself ‘‘gender-neutral’’, they feel at home with the ‘‘gender-queer’’ set.
But along with the various subsets, they are part of the wider community, fitting neatly into suburban life in Menai, working and raising a boy, 12.
Amanda, 37, and Gemma, 26, have been together for two years and intend to have their union formally blessed at a gay supportive church at Petersham on September 21.
Most of their family members will be among the 220 guests.
‘‘To us it will be a marriage and we don’t care if the government sanctions it or not,’’ Amanda said, signing rapidly so Gemma could be part of the conversation.
‘‘We want people to know that we are a functioning family unit.‘‘We feel we have the responsibility to show the world that we are like everyone else.’’
All romances have a beginning but how did a formerly straight single mother from a big Catholic family hook up with a young deaf female?
For Amanda, it seems to start with American author Helen Keller (1880–1968), the first deaf/blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree after her teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language.
‘‘When I was six I read about Helen Keller and knew I wanted to learn to sign,’’ she said.
The opportunity came at 25 when the former employment consultant found herself at home with a young child following a marriage breakdown.
By the time she had studied Auslan long enough to get work as an interpreter, she had also found the courage to come out as gay.
‘‘I felt same-sex attraction from an early age but as a strict Catholic I was repressed until I couldn’t stand it any longer,’’ Amanda said.
Amanda met Gemma in 2009 at an awards night where Gemma received the deaf youth of the year award for her teaching and support of deaf people.
But love did not blossom until a few years later.
Gemma wasn’t aware she was a lesbian until she was 21.
She had been driving her mother crazy with her refusal to take on anything girly and was happy to be referred to as a boy.
She also accepts the description of ‘‘girl’’ but refuses ‘‘woman’’.
‘‘I don’t identify with the feminine body I was born into and I don’t feel the need for a label — I’m comfortable sitting on the fence,’’ she said.
By the time Gemma accepted her sexuality she had also chosen the deaf community over the hearing one she was expected to join after a cochlear implant when she was five.
‘‘It didn’t help much and I got fed up with it,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s who I am — we are like an ethnic minority with our own culture and history.’’
The wedding will incorporate deaf, gay and music cultures (Amanda is also a musician) and everything will come in two languages, including the music.
PM reignites gay marriage discussion
Labor would introduce a bill to legalise same-sex marriage within 100 days of taking office.
The Coalition opposes a conscience vote on same-sex marriage.
The Greens are strong supporters of same-sex marriage.
The Palmer United Party supports a conscience vote for its candidates.
KEVIN Rudd’s fiery response to a Christian pastor on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night has reignited the debate on same-sex marriage.
When asked how he could claim to be a Christian but keep ‘‘chopping and changing’’ his beliefs on gay marriage, the Prime Minister said it was ‘‘just wrong’’ to think people choose their sexuality.
‘‘They are gay if they are born gay,’’ he said bluntly.
The Prime Minister’s three-minute on-air answer to a question from New Hope Church pastor Matt Prater generated a strong response on social media, with some describing it as a ‘‘historic moment’’ while others accused Mr Rudd of ‘‘bullying’’ the pastor.
Mr Rudd said he made a decision a few months ago to change his position on gay marriage after reflecting for ‘‘many, many months and years’’ and concluding in his ‘‘informed conscience and Christian conscience’’ that it was the right thing to do.
Amanda Galea and Gemma Jones (see story above) plan to ‘‘marry’’ on September 21.
Given the Coalition’s stand on gay marriage, they won’t be giving them their vote on Saturday.
Amanda and Gemma said they were disappointed same-sex marriage was not considered an important issue by the conservatives and by most parties leaving them with little choice on election day.
What is your view on same-sex marriages? Will it affect your vote?
