Thursday, August 30, 2012

MARRIGE EQUALITY - Berlin

Me wearing our beautiful necklace
This August I worked alongside Millicent Nobis to create a handmade necklace from my recycled Maire Claire. The necklace represents not only gay pride, but story telling. While photographer Katrina James took the ladies portraits, I had the opportunity to discuss with these five German women, their thoughts on marriage equality in Germany...



No matter where you come from, no matter how lenient your government, no matter how accepting the community, not everyone can feel equal at the same time. In society one group’s detriment is another group’s benefit. There is no better example of this than politics.
 
My discussions with gay women, Lynn, Milena, Esther, Eve and Anna, reaffirmed my belief that it’s sad and pointless to refuse something in the lives of others, when it has no negative effect on your own. “Working against love” is simply not a positive way for anyone to live in this world.
If you want to know, ask, and if you want to learn, listen. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to hear the stories of the German women I met through this project. Hearing their opinions has given me a leg to stand on when I say, I think the laws of marriage should be equal in all human relationships.
Some Australians need to shake this idea that marriage belongs to Christians, because it doesn’t. Marriage is a human tradition that binds couples together – and in some cases more than just two people. Over time, marriage has adhered with society to include religion, social laws and social trends. The expectations of what exists within a Western marriage changes from generation to generation, not unlike pubic hair trends. What’s unconventional in one generation is ordinary in the next. We need our legal systems, not just in Australia but also in Germany, to adhere with its people.  All five of these women have different experiences and opinions on marriage but they all want to help others, their motives are obviously considerate.
I’ve come away from July and August with the feeling that we may not see marriage equality and acceptance for same sex couples in Western culture, during my lifetime. However we all wanted to be associated with this cause, because as women, we want to see an understanding society, not just for our generation but for our future generations.

Please scroll down to see the beautiful portraits of the five gay women, who helped me gain an understanding into what marriage equality means in Germany.
 
 
AM

MARRIAGE EQUALITY - Berlin















Esther von Schlieffn

26

German

"We have to be aware of the fact that we don't have any right to judge on other human beings as long they don't hurt anybody. Being gay is just as normal as being heterosexual - it's just rare."

Read Esther's interview by clicking here















Lynn Lauterbach

29

German


"I think religion and church are a place for everyone, they call, that we have to come in, but then there is no place for you, and this is a little bit sad I think."


Download Lynn's interview by clicking here













 







Eva Loska

 23

German

"I want to have the right to decide who I want to marry and that there is no difference if I choose a women or a man"

Read Eva's interview by clicking here











 







Anna Ley

34

German

"I love women and I stand by it. I would marry but that marriage would still be legally different than a heterosexual one in Germany. If heterosexual marriage and homosexual marriage were indistinguishable under the law, it would be an important step... But of course, such things take a lot of time."

Read Anna's interview by clicking here












Milena Kirsche

20

German

"I think when you really love a person you don't need to marry them. It's just totally conservative. But if you can help someone...then that's great"

Read Milena's interview by clicking here

MARRIGE EQUALITY - Berlin Contributors


Millicent Nobis - Jewellery Designer
 

Millicent Nobis
 
Millicent moved to Berlin, Germany from Sydney in 2010. She is currently working on her jewellery collection Mies Nobis. Millicent approached me about being involved in Recycling My Maire Claire and I was quick to get her on board. Millicent had strong ideas of the necklace she wanted to create from the beginning. And she had no trouble bringing these ideas to life. It's exciting to see the potential a couple of magazines have when put in the right hands.  
 
www.miesnobis.com



Katrina James - Photographer

Katrina James

Katrina James moved to Berlin 2010, she is a documentary and travel photographer from Sydney and when talking to Millicent about needing some great portraits shots for this project, she knew just who to recommend. Katrina loved the idea, and she easily brought the concept to life. Her honest portraits of Lynn, Milena, Eva, Anna and Esther were exactly what the necklace needed.
 
www.illgetyoumypretty.net

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

MEANWHILE IN TASMANIA...

So I have searched through the pages on The House of Reps website and apparently on August 22nd the bill ('the bill' being the Marriage Amendment Bill, to enable same sex marriages to be recognised and place no obligation on a minister of religion to solemnise a same-sex marriage. One of the two bills introduced to parliament) was referred to the Federation Chamber (A debate committee of.. surprise, surprise.. Members of The House) and I don't know when that will be...

"August 2012 Tasmanian premier LaraGiddings announced that Tasmania would pass new laws allowing same-sex couples to marry. Giddings received advice, from the Tasmanian Solicitor General, stating due to the 2004 federal Marriage Amendment Bill restricting the federal Marriage Act 1961 to the union of a man and woman, then marriage between same-sex couples would fall outside of the federal marriage act, and could be legislated by the state. Progress of any bill will be delayed until after the federal parliament have debated the issue."
- Wikipedia
 
AM


Monday, August 20, 2012

RE BLOGGING

Beautiful wedding photos I found during some research. 
The wedding of Lisa and Heather from the US.
Photographers Steve and Megan from Emilie Inc. Photography

Link: Emilie Inc. Photography blog




BERLIN PROJECT PROGRESS

The final recycled necklace, is going to be bigger and more colourful, a statement piece.
Something that represents the rainbow flag, inclusion, evolution, resolution, progress, communication and experience...




AM

BERLIN PROJECT PROGRESS

I cut my favourite colours, images and patterns from the July and August issues into squares, and creative Mies Nobis made them into wearable jewellery.

Recycled magazine necklace design trail number one... 



AM

Saturday, August 4, 2012

MARRYING JULY AND AUGUST TOGETHER

We are now in August! And I’m in Germany!
I know what you’re thinking, I’ve missed July but I haven’t.
It’s just all part of a bigger plan.
I’ve had to marry July and August together for this big project. I needed more paper and more time than just one Marie Claire could offer.

The July issue of Marie Claire focused on their support of gay marriage. They published a series of celebrities wearing ‘I do’ slogan tshirts, with a brief quote about why they support marriage equality.
The House of Representatives sit in August 2012 from the 14th to the 23rd and if the amendment isn’t extended the MP’s will vote on same sex marriage being recognised in the Australian Marriage Act. 
I took this idea and run to Germany with it. Where same sex marriage has been legal for over 10years.   

I needed help for this project and where better to creatively collaborate than in Berlin, with Berlin based Australian jewellery designer Mies Nobis.
Mies Nobis

I don’t what to give too much away, but as August rolls on, so too will the progress of this project. It will all come together in the end... you’ll see.


AM