You can’t choose your family, but when you take on a high-powered position in the Australian Government, you maybe can choose to call a quick li’l family meeting, figuring out your siblings are on the same page re: not writing letters to the editor about your political stances, no matter how controversial, and no matter how topical.
If you’re taking on a role in the Senate, you’re probably wanting to pre-emptively control damages, and lock that safety net down.
Clearly ’twas not the priority for Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, who garnered attention for her staunch opposition of same-sex marriage in Australia, saying she would oppose a marriage equality bill in the Senate, if it were presented.
McKenzie put her argument in the same way many on this issue tend to do: bluntly, and without any discernible reasoning beyond a vague, self-serving “should”.
“Marriage is a sacred commitment between a man and a woman and should remain as such.”
Today, calling bullshit on his big sister’s claims, Ben McKenzie wrote a letter, published by Fairfax, to highlight the damage of Bridget McKenzie’s comments, and touch on their family’s context, where openly-gay Ben McKenzie describes his experiences: “growing up gay in the country in the 1990s was horrific,” he writes.
Senator McKenzie did not respond to her brother’s letter, saying, “I have worked hard to ensure my family life remains separate from my political life and therefore will not be commenting publicly on this matter.”
The eloquent and unfortunately truthful zinger came at the end of Ben McKenzie’s statement, which you can read in full here, saying:
“Public statements promoting inequity only serve to perpetuate the isolation and marginalise those youths questioning their sexuality. Given her [Bridget McKenzie’s] own story and connection, I had hoped to see a more courageous and compassionate response.”
