Sexuality: From Morality to Equality

Abstract

This chapter builds on chapter one’s argument that initially in both Australia and internationally, social democracy’s mission was largely conceived in terms of improving the pay and conditions of a white, heterosexual, male breadwinner head of household. Despite some historical exceptions, for example in nineteenth century German social democracy, social democratic parties such as Australian Labor generally neglected issues of discrimination against gays and lesbians. This chapter traces how Australian Labor governments from the nineteen seventies on began to construct same-sex issues as equality issues rather than morality issues, although some legacies remained, particularly in regard to the issue of a conscience vote. While it has been argued that countries with a strong social democratic ethos have tended to have more progressive views on issues of sexuality in recent years, there are troubling signs that issues of sexuality are still problematic for some social democratic parties internationally. Indeed, pursuing same-sex equality issues remained contentious for some Labor politicians who argued that same-sex rights were actually an ‘elite’ issue that alienated traditional Labor voters. While the chapter predominantly focuses on Australian material, international examples are given from other countries, including Germany, Britain, Spain and Romania.