Does Melinda Tankard Reist Oppose Gay Marriage?

The recent furor over Melinda’s threat to sue Jennifer Wilson has only served to turn the spotlight on just what it is Melinda believes. Unfortunately the debate has tended to focus on whether or not Melinda is a Christian. This is actually irrelevant, primarily because it doesn’t tell us much. It is also a distraction because we actually know what Melinda believes because she has told us. With a bit of careful research we are able to piece the puzzle together.

Melinda is a moral conservative with close links to various conservative Christian organisations.

She is anti-abortion. She doesn’t deny this. And whilst this is enough reason for many to doubt her feminist credentials there is another issue which ought to put an end to her pretense that she is a feminist.

Melinda is a pro-family conservative with close links to some of the most conservative Christian ‘pro-family’ organisations. This means that Melinda likely opposes the homosexual lifestyle, opposes same sex marriage rights and supports a very conservative view of the traditional family. Where she seems to differ is in her support for women’s rights within marriage, including the right to have a career.

If I am wrong and she supports GLBTI rights, including same-sex marriage, I will happily make the appropriate corrections

What is my evidence for the assertion she is opposed to same-sex marriage?

It comes from two sources. The fact that she often addresses conservative Christian groups with a an anti-homosexual agenda and the fact that as the head of the Women’s Forum Australia she was a signatory to the Marriage Manifesto.

The Marriage Manifesto was produced by the National Marriage Coalition, a group opposed to same-sex marriage rights.

The National Marriage Coalition is a coalition of like minded organisations who believe that marriage is the bedrock institution of our society. Marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.

It is important at this stage to note that there are two versions of the Marriage Manifesto available online. The original 2007 edition (at Gender Matters – I have a copy) and a revised 2008 edition. The second edition states that there have been amendments to the signatories list, namely the removal of Melinda Tankard Reist’s name (page 11, between Jack and Margaret Sonnerman of the Australian Federation for the Family and Peter Sewell of Destiny Training Institute).