Anti-gay marriage MP claims she is ‘under attack’ from a chalk rainbow
An Australian MP who opposes same-sex marriage has insisted she is being “bullied and intimidated” by “thugs”… because members of her own party chalked a rainbow outside her office.
Madeleine Ogilvie sits in the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Australian Labor Party – but broke from her party’s line to oppose same-sex marriage in a vote.
After the vote, a handful of party members gathered outside her office to peacefully chalk a large rainbow on the ground.
Incredibly, Ms Ogilvie took to Facebook to brand it a “tactic of intimidation”.
She wrote: “I will not be bullied by a small group of people who say they want tolerance, but behave with anything but tolerance.
“Tactics of intimidation, property damage and bullying on social media, by people who ought to know better, are completely unacceptable.
“As a duly elected member of the Tasmanian Parliament I cast my vote on important matters with the best interests of all my constituents in mind.
“I do not and will not take my marching orders from a lobby group. I consult, take advice and listen to all perspectives.
“The recent attack on my office was an appalling and unjustifiable act of aggression. This sort of behaviour just turns people away from Labor.”
The message has not gone down well with members of the MP’s own party – and one Greens MP decided to respond.
Cassy O’Connor, who also sits in the Tasmanian House, wrote in an open letter to Ms Ogilvie: “Ironically, the day you claimed to have been bullied as a result of your regressive stance on marriage equality was the day my same-sex attracted 17 year old daughter came home in tears because some kids in town had been calling her a dyke.
“This is what LGBTI young people experience on a near daily basis. This is what an unequal society looks and feels like.
“For people like my wonderful, clever, generous spirited daughter, it takes courage to stand up for your identity and your right to be treated as an equal in our society.
“Madeleine, with respect, you were not bullied and your office was not vandalised. We live in a democracy and peaceful protest is an important part of this rich fabric of voice, values and ideas.
“In fact, I reckon there has been no better recent expression of peaceful protest in our electorate than the simple, defiant beauty of the rainbow chalked outside your office.”
