The advocacy director of Human Rights Watchs’ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program, Boris Dittrich, has written to all 2011 ALP National Party delegates asking them to support marriage equality.

Mr Dittrich writes:

“Over the last decade the Netherlands did not fall into the big void of moral decay. Interestingly enough, an increasing number of nearly 75,000 civil marriages take place each year, of which on a yearly average 1,400 are same-sex marriages. Heterosexual couples did not turn away from the institution of marriage, nor did the world isolate the Dutch.”

“The eyes of the world are on your conference. The Australian Labor Party is seen as a progressive party which supports the right of non-discrimination and equal treatment. I urge you to do the right thing and vote for marriage equality and join the group of countries which opened their civil marriage law for people of the same gender.”

For the complete letter, click here