Gay marriage inevitable: young leader - Stuff

Sam Johnson sees gay marriage as "inevitable".

Sam Johnson has always planned on tying the knot and now gay marriage is on the brink of being legalised he says he just has to find the right man.

The curly-haired community leader who mobilised Christchurch's Student Volunteer Army at the age of 22 could not be happier to see the controversial bill supported in a near landslide by MPs on Wednesday.

"It's inevitable gay marriage will be allowed at some stage in New Zealand. Now we should just get on and make it happen quickly so we can get on to the bigger issues," he told the Sunday Star-Times.

Johnson, who earlier this year was crowned Young New Zealander of the Year, said he had always wanted to get married but 'I didn't know I wanted to marry a guy when I was little'.

'Parents don't say to their children: 'You're going to grow up and get married - or get a civil union if you happen to turn out gay'. You grow up and you get married. Being gay or straight, does it impact on marriage? No,' he said.

The single 23-year-old had always believed the law would change before he was ready to marry and said he had never considered the possibility of being denied the right when he fell in love.

"Allowing a couple of girls or guys to get married doesn't undermine or degrade the principles of marriage, in many ways it is strengthening them,' he said.

"If we allow gay marriage, then everyone is equal. We will no longer be cast out as different."

In May, Conservative Party Leader Colin Craig, who opposed the bill, called for the Government to 'get out of the bedrooms of the country'.

And, Johnson said in one way he agreed with Craig's stance.

'Yes, they do need to get out of the bedroom, but they are currently halfway in the bedroom. As the law stands, it is the awkward parent standing at the door who is stopping society legitimising homosexual relationships,' he said.

If the bill was legalised, Johnson believed it would support the gay community into forming long- term relationships which had not been encouraged in the past, he said.

He recalled 'coming out of the closet' at 17 and how 'terrifying' it had been.

"For parents to hear a child is homosexual will always be a major shock."

It took a while for his father to accept his sexuality, but Johnson said it was no longer a concern.

He believed 'more conservative New Zealand' would also accept the change if it was more widely known that being gay 'is not a conscious choice'.

Johnson hoped legalising gay marriage would also set the wheels in motion for legalising gay adoption. The bill will now be considered by a select committee before facing two further votes before it can pass into law.

ONLINE DATES

When the gay marriage bill was drawn from the ballot box, Sam Johnson shared his excitement online.

'YES! Gay marriage just drawn from the ballot. Now to just find someone to marry?' he wrote.

More than 200 people like his post and Johnson said he even received a handful of online date offers. His post also generated a wave of comical reaction: 'I'd be happy to oblige.' 'Can you cook?' 'Maybe you should set up auditions.' 'Be choosy young man.' 'If you want to have a reality dating show, I can produce it.'

- ? Fairfax NZ News

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/7595746/Gay-marriage-inevitable-young-leader

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