An Australian Chinese doctor is promoting the ‘no’ vote in the High Court survey about same-sex marriage.
SBS reports that means surveys will be mailed to over 16 million Australians on 12 September. The result will be released on 15 November.
Pansy Lai, a Sydney doctor who had appeared in a campaign for the ‘no’ vote, has spoken to SBS Mandarin about her work for the campaign.
“It seems to me that some of the same-sex activists tried very hard to stop people from having a say on marriage,” she said. “But now the vote is going ahead, I think it’s very important that Australians are aware of how redefining marriage would affect everyone in society.”
The doctor currently heads the Australian Chinese for Families Association, which handed out anti same sex marriage pamphlets to Chinese Australians.
“Last week we printed and delivered 10,000 flyers to those who have expressed interest in distributing them,” she says. There have also been people who have obtained an electronic copy and are printing it themselves.”
“They are all being distributed by volunteers who have joined us because of their concerns about the consequences of changing the marriage act,” says Dr Lai.
The front of the six-page Chinese pamphlet reads, “redefining marriage will leave our society bearing severe consequences.”
“We all deserve to know the real consequences of legalization of same sex marriage.”
It goes on to say, “in countries where same sex marriage is legalised, employees could be fired by the government and big corporations after they expressed their personal belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman.”
“Small businesses will be hit with lawsuits and struggle if they choose not to cater to same-sex weddings because of their personal religion. Supporters of same-sex marriage choose to term it as ‘marriage equality’ to make same-sex couple looks like victims, but in fact they are not.”
The pamphlet also warns that same-sex marriage opponents will be threatened, “same sex marriage advocates have shown that they don’t care about others’ equality. They intend to use Discrimination Act to sue every individual who supports traditional marriage for personal, cultural and religious reasons.”
In the pamphlet, Chinese families are encouraged to “think about your descendants and future generations” and vote no. “It will change the foundation of human society for thousands of years,” it reads.
Lai had previously claimed she has received support from the Chinese community in opposing same-sex marriage.
“We have at least thousands of people who participate in this group and a lot more just talking to my immediate circles as well as on social media,” she said. “You just really feel it from the Australian-Chinese community that, ‘No we don’t think that’s the best thing for our community’.”
“We don’t discriminate against anyone, we believe that everybody has the freedom to choose their own lifestyle. But changing the Marriage Act is going to affect everybody,” the doctor added.
Lai a;sp reportedly rejected claims that her Australian Chinese for Families Association advocates gay conversion therapies.
“Not true – there is no way in my website that we say people need to go through conversion therapies,” she said. “I’m just saying the study results. I’m not personally saying that.”
However, Lai added that there is no harm for those who undergo such treatment. “For some people at least who wish to change, the study shows there is no harm,” she claimed. “I am saying there are studies that have studied some people who have undergone these treatments and it has the results … that there is no harm or distress.”
