We the undersigned are writing to you as Physicians and as Australians, in support of the AMA's ...

53 Pages·2017·0.38 MB·English

We the undersigned are writing to you as Physicians and as Australians, in support of the AMA's
position in favour of Marriage Equality.
As a body of medical professionals we are concerned at the move by some of our colleagues to speak
out against Marriage Equality. Referring to it as “same‐sex” marriage underscores some of the hurdles
that are still to be overcome. The move for change is an issue of redressing a wrong, whereby the
previous status quo has been to deny some sectors of our community the ability to access a
fundamental right that is enjoyed by the majority. In much the same way as when racism was the
norm people referred to “marriage” and “interracial marriage”, we now have individuals isolating
some members of our community by placing their relationships in a different class: “same‐sex
marriage.” As a group, our first step in addressing the injustices against this sector of our community
is to be diligent in using the terms “marriage” and “marriage equality”. The LGBQTI community are
not seeking a form of marriage different to that accessed legally by the rest of the community – the
right to enter into a consensual, legally recognised and binding partnership with the person they love.
As such, it should not be termed differently.
As doctors we are committed to caring for our patients – without prejudice or judgement. The
emotional distress to the LGBQTI community of having a group of doctors publicly speak out against
them being able to access fundamental human rights will show its effects in increased depression,
anxiety, self‐harm, and suicidal behaviours.1 Although we understand and support the concern over
rights and safety of children within all relationships, the many diverse families throughout Australia
and the world are a testament to the ability of parents outside of the traditional “one mum, one dad”
model to raise children successfully. We see in our practices and with our patients the importance in
the life of a child to be raised in a caring and secure environment by adults who love them. We see
regularly the inability and unwillingness of parents from all backgrounds to provide this, juxtaposed
against incredible stories of single parents, step‐parents, adoptive parents, grandparents, and many
other configurations of parenting providing optimal care to children in difficult circumstances.2 Clearly
it is not as simple as Biological Mum + Biological Dad = Happy Child, and it is naïve to assert otherwise.
Furthermore, giving these relationships a different title, a lower status, and implying that they are
inferior to other marriages produces exactly the sort of stressors that lead to relationship breakdown,
and disadvantage families3 – creating just the sort of environment we do know is bad for children.
Mental health issues are one of the most serious health issues our patients have, with the propensity
to have a negative impact on all aspects of their lives, health, and wellbeing. As doctors we must stand
behind all of our patients, allowing them equal access to the determinants of health freely given to
the broader community. To speak out against one sector of the community for wanting access to
what everyone else can claim freely is discrimination in line with that historically practiced against
non‐white people throughout the Western world. Let us not make the same mistakes again.
Wednesday, 16th of August, 2017
Assoc. Prof. Patrick Charles MBBS, PhD, FRACP
Assoc. Prof. Rowena Ivers MBBS FRACGP PhD MPH DipRNZCOG Grad Dip Rur Healtg
Dr Abby Douglas MBBS, B Med Sci, FRACP
Dr Abby Harwood MBBS FRACGP FARGP DipRANZCOG DCH MPH
Dr Abigail Williams BSc (Hons) MBChB FACEM
Dr Adele van der Merwe BSc(Hons) MBBS FACRRM JCCA
Dr Aditi Vedi MBBS, MMed FRACP
Dr Adrian Alexander MD
Dr Agnieszka Szremska BMBS (Hons) FANZCA
Dr Aimee Hunter MBBS
Dr Aimee Wiltshire MBBS FRANZCOG
Dr Aisling Ni Bhroin MB Bch BAO. GP registrar RACGP
Dr Alan Ritchie MB BCh FACEM
Dr Alberta Fischer BA MBBS MPM
Dr Alessandra Briglia MBBS (Hons) FRACGP
Dr Alexander Lobanov MBBS FRACGP
Dr Alexandra Capon MBBS (Hons) BSci (Med) FRACP
Dr Alexandra Champness MBBS
Dr Alexandra Goldsworthy MBBS FRANZCP
Dr Alexandra Kent MBBS FANZCA
Dr Alexandra Maslen MBBS, FRACGP, DCH
Dr Alexandra Winwood B.A MBBS
Dr Alexis Selby BSc MBBS (Hons) FRACP
Dr Alice Bennett MBBS FRACP
Dr Alice Dobinson MBBS FRANZCOG
Dr Alice Kennard MBBS (Hons)
Dr Alice McGushin BMedSc(Hons) MBBS
Dr Alice Muspratt MBChB FRACGP
Dr Alice Rogers MBBS DCH
Dr Alicia Altson MBBS
Dr Alicia Baxter BSc MBBS
Dr Alicia Cox BSc MBBS FRANZCP
Dr Alison Bryant-Smith, MBBS/BA, MSc(Public Health), MRCOG
Dr Alison Care BAppSc (Phty) MBBS
Dr Alison Fitz-Gerald MBBS, FRANZCOG
Dr Alison Green BBus/LLB MBBS DCH
Dr Alison Hadley MBBS MMed(Clin Epi.) FRACP. Cheers
Dr Alison Harris MBBS FRACP MPH
Dr Alison Jarman BA (Hons) BMBS
Dr Alison Jarman BA (Hons) BMBS
Dr Alison Lydeamore BAppSc (Sp Path) BMBS Cert (Paeds) FRACGP
Dr Alison McKay BSc MBBS (Hons)
Dr Alison Skene MBBS BMedSc FRCPA
Dr Alison Soerensen MBBS (Hons) BMedSci (Hons) DCH
Dr Alison Taylor MBBS MPsych FRANZCP
Dr Alison Thurstans MBBS FRACGP
Dr Allara Barber MBBS FRACGP DRANZCOG MPHTM
Dr Allison Fifoot MBBS FACEM
Dr Allison Weinmann MBBS FRACP
Dr Alyce Wilson BNutrDiet (Hons) MD
Dr Alyson Kelly BBiomedSci BA MBBS
Dr Alyssa McNaught MBBS BSc(Med) DipCH
Dr Alysson Wann, MBBS, FRACP
Dr Amanda Brewster, MBBS (Hons), FANZCA
Dr Amanda Brownlow BMed MPH FRACGP
Dr Amanda Cohn BMed MD
Dr Amanda Garcia B.medSc MBBS.FRACGP, DipCH
Dr Amanda Ireland MBBS DCH Dip Anat
Dr Amanda Stephens BA MBBS PhD
Dr Amanda Tapiolas MBBS
Dr Amanda Villis MBBS FRACGP DCH
Dr Amanda Wilson BBMed Sc MBBS FRACGP
Dr Amanda Wisely MBBS (Hons) FACRRM
Dr Amber Kennedy BBiomedSc, MBBS, MRM
Dr Amelia Harricks BMedSci MBBS FANZCA
Dr Amiria Lynch. MBChB, DCH, GCCS (hons), FRACS
Dr Amy Archer-Jones BSc MBBS (Hons)
Dr Amy Bicknell BHealthSci, MBBS, DCH
Dr Amy Camplin, MBBS(Hons),FRACGP
Dr Amy Davies BClinSc, MBBS, MPH
Dr Amy Kelly MB BCh BOA MRCPI
Dr Amy Lee BMed
Dr Amy Litras BSc MBBS (Hons) FRACGP DCH
Dr Amy Nall, BMed, BMedSci, FRACS(orth), MPH, Grad Dip Surg Anat
Dr Amy Nicholas BSc(Hons) BMBS FRACGP
Dr Amy Palmer BSc, MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Amy Sinclair-Thomson MBBS, DRANZCOG
Dr Amy Stokes Bsc(Hons), Grad Dip Pharm, MBBS(Hons)
Dr Amy Tonkin MBBS(Hons)
Dr Andrea Coleman, BSpch Path, MD
Dr Andrew Dixon MBBS FRANZCR
Dr Andrew Grulich mbbs phd fafphm
Dr Aneetha Pasupati B.Med
Dr Angela Hawkins MBBS, BBiomedSci, FRACGP
Dr Angela Keen MBBS (Hon), DRANZCOG, FRACGP
Dr Angela Marsiglio MBBS BMedSci FANZCA Mbioethics
Dr Angela Plunkett MBBS, FRACGP, FAChPM, MPH
Dr Angela Tallarida MBBS FRACGP
Dr Anika Nihill BA/BSc (Hons), MBBS
Dr Anil Deshmukh MBChB , BSc, MRACP
Dr Anisha Jayde Saxena B Med, GP Registrar
Dr Anita Muñoz MBBS(Hons), FRACGP, GradCertClinTeach
Dr Anita Ng MBBS FACEM
Dr Anju Agarwal MBBS, FRANZCOG
Dr Ann Boyapati MBBS (Hons) FACD
Dr Anna Billington BSc BMBS DCH FRACGP
Dr Anna Chilcott, BMedSci(Hons), MBBS(Hons), FRACGP
Dr Anna Cunliffe BPharm MBBS
Dr Anna Dillon MBBS, DRANZCOG, BHSc(Physiotherapy)
Dr Anna Galligan MBBS (Hons) Endocrinology Advanced Trainee
Dr Anna harris MBBS, BSc, DRCOG, FRACGP
Dr Anna Isaacs, BSc MBBS FRACS
Dr Anna McElrea MBBS (Hons) FRACGP BA BSoc Sci
Dr Anna Nelson BMedSci, MBBS
Dr Anna Pietzsch BPthy (Hons) MBBS (Hons)
Dr Anna Seth MBBS, DRANZCOG, DCH, FRACGP
Dr Anna Singleton BPhty, MBBS, FACEM
Dr Anna Vanderstaay BSc MBBS(Hons)
Dr Annabelle Stabler B Phty, MBBS
Dr Annaka Schulte BSc (Hons) MBBS MPhil
Dr Annaliese van Diemen MBBS BMedSc MPH FRACGP
Dr Annalyse Crane MBBS MPH DCH FRACGP
Dr Anne Porter MBBS
Dr Anne Williamson MBBS (Hons) FRACGP
Dr Anneke Engwerda MBBS BMedSci
Dr Anneliese McBride B.Biomed Sc, MBBS (Hons)
Dr Anneliese Perkins MBBS FRANZCOG
Dr Annette Swift BMedSci, MBBS
Dr Annie Meyer MBBS FRACGP
Dr Annie-Kate Vann MBBS BSc
Dr Antigoni Koutantos BMedSci, MBBS, FANZCA
Dr Anu Mathew MBChB, MD, FRANZCO
Dr Anusha Krishnamoorthy MBBS DCh
Dr Archana Koirala MbChB, MIPH
Dr Archana Koirala MbChB, MIPH
Dr Ariane Turner BHSc (PHC), BN, MBBS
Dr Arwen Boyle MBBS
Dr Ashanya Malalasekera BSc (Adv) MBBS (Hons) FRACP
Dr Ashe Nicholas MBBS, DCH, FRACGP, MClinEd
Dr Ashleigh Bates BBiomedSc MBBS
Dr Ashleigh Emery, MBBS
Dr Ashleigh Witt MBBS
Dr Ashley Hayes, MBBS, B Med Sci, FRACGP, DRANZCOG, DCH
Dr Ashley Nesseler BSci(Hon) MBBS GP registrar
Dr Asiyath Rasheed, MBBS, MMed, FRACP
Dr Astrid Richards, BBNSc, MBBS(Hons), FRACGP
Dr Aveen O'Connor MB BCh BAO MICGP Fellow RACGP
Dr Avril Garland Bsc( Immunobiology/Microbiology) MBBS, GP Registrar
Dr Ayesha Curtis, MBBS FRANZCR
Dr Azadeh Amini Najaf Abadi ,MD
Dr Bailey Dunn BSc, MSc, MBBS
Dr Barbara Cameron, MBBS
Dr Barbara Withers MBBS FRACP FRCPA
Dr Barbora Paldus MBBS(Hons) BMedSci(Hons)
Dr Bashar Alani BMedSc (Hons I) MBBS
Dr Belinda Drew, MBBS (hons), FRACGP, DRANZCOG
Dr Belinda Gray BSc MBBS PhD FRACP
Dr Belinda Murphy MBBS FACEM
Dr Belinda Sainsbury BSc(Hons) MBBS
Dr Belinda Smith BSc MBBS (Hons) FRACP
Dr Ben Hew BSc MBBS
Dr Ben Walawski MBBS FRACGP DCH
Dr Benjamin Wilkinson BMedSci (Hons) MD
Dr Bernadette Prentice BSc MBBS MPH
Dr Bernadette Roebuck MBChB FANZCA
Dr Bethlyn Gill BSc (med)MBBS (hons) FRACP
Dr Beverley Woon MBBS (Hons), FRANZCR
Dr Bianca Davidde Bsc MBBS FRACGP
Dr Bonita Lloyd MBBS FRANZCP
Dr Bonita Ryan MBBS FRACGP Clin Dip Pall Med
Dr Bonnie Morison BSc MBBS
Dr Bree Latta BBNS (Hons) MBBS DCH GP Reg
Dr Bree Wright BSc MBBS
Dr Bree Wyeth MBBS FRANZCP PGradDipMHSc
Dr Brendan Kay MBBS, FRACGP,DipClin Ed
Dr Brent O'Carrigan, BSc, MBBS, MRCP(London), FRACP
Dr Brenton Seidl BSc, MBBS
Dr Brianna Smith BSc MBBS
Dr Bridget Court BSc MBBS
Dr Bridget Elbourne BA MBBS
Dr Briony Andrew MBBS, FRACGP, DRANCOG adv.
Dr Brittany Wong MSc MBBS
Dr Brodie Thorpe MBBS (Hons)
Dr Bronwyn Cooke BA, BSc, MBBS, MBA, MPM
Dr Bronwyn Gordon, MBBS
Dr Bronwyn Hudson MBBS (hons), MLLR, FRACGP
Dr Brooke Rule, MBBS, Dip Ch Hlth
Dr Brooke Vickerman MBChB FANZCA
Dr Bryan Chan, MBBS (Hons), BPharm (Hons), FRACP
Dr Bryan Foong MBBS DCH
Dr Brylie McAllister BSc MBBS
Dr Bryony van Santen MD (The Netherlands) Obstetrics and Gynaecology Registrar
Dr Caetlyn Davis, MBBS
Dr Caitlin Appleby MBBS FACEM
Dr Caitlin Glover MBBS(Hons)
Dr Caitlin Sheehan BMed FRACP FAChPM
Dr Caitlin Witt, BMass.Comn, MBBS
Dr Caitlyn Lovett BMed B.MedSci (hons) FACEM
Dr Calista Spiro BMedSci MBBS MS
Dr Cameron Maxwell MChD
Dr Camilla Holdstock MBBS PhD FRACGP
Dr Camilla Sleeth MBBS BBSc
Dr Candice Colbran BBiomedSc MBBS MPH
Dr Candice Peters BSpPath, MBBS, PGCertCT, FANZCA
Dr Candice Wallman MBBS
Dr Candise Adams BApsych PGradDip SocSci(Cnsig) MCnsig&Psychthpy
Dr Cariad Wratten, MBBS
Dr Carina Pytellek BbiomedSci, MBBS, DipCH
Dr Carly George, BMedSc MBBS (Hons) FRACP
Dr Carly Sands BComm (Hons) MBBS
Dr Carmel Mason MBBS
Dr Carolin Poon MBBS, B Med Sci, DRANZCOG
Dr Caroline Bate, BBiomedSci, BSci (Hons), MBBS
Dr Caroline Burge B.Appl.Sci, M.Appl.Sci, PhD, MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Caroline De Sousa MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Caroline de Vries, MBBS, FRANZCP
Dr Caroline Lloyd MBBS FRACGP
Dr Caroline Mooney, BMed Sci, BA, MBBS (Hons), FRACGP
Dr Caroline Sharpe MBBS FANZCA
Dr Caroline Simpson MBCHB, BPhEd
Dr Caroline Summers MBBS (Hons), FRACP, MPH
Dr Caroline Wilson BSc MBBS
Dr Caroline Yates MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Carolyn Bursle BSc, MBBS(Hons), FRACP
Dr Carolyn Clark MBChB FRACP
Dr Carolyn Vasey. MBBS BMedSci PGradDipSurgAnat FRACS
Dr Carylyn Lim MBBS DCH
Dr Casey Nottage MBBS GDLaw MPH MClinEpi AFRAMCA
Dr Cass Wys MBChb FRACGP
Dr Cassandra Krogh, BSc, MBBS, DCH
Dr Cassandra Upston MBBS FRACGP
Dr Cate Rayner MBBS, MPH
Dr Catherine Beasley. MBChB DRACOG FRACGP MHPE
Dr Catherine Burrows MBBS BSc BA
Dr Catherine Chesterman MBBS Psychiatry registrar
Dr Catherine Eltringham MBBS FRACGP
Dr Catherine Macdonald BSc, MBBS, DRANZCOG
Dr Catherine Moult MBBS, DCH, DRANZCOG, FRACGP
Dr Catherine Palmqvist MBBS (Hons), FRACGP, MPC
Dr Catherine Pham BMedSc (Hons) MBBS FRACGP
Dr Catherine Prather BSc (Hons) MBBS FRANZCR
Dr Catherine Rolfe BSc DipED MBBS RACGP
Dr Catherine Smyth MBBS
Dr Catherine Stackpole BSc, PhD, MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Catherine Stoyanov LLB, MBBS
Dr Catherine Taylor MBBS (Hons) DRANZCOG MPHTM
Dr Catherine Woolley BMedSci, MBBS (Hons), FRACGP
Dr Cathy Harris BMBS
Dr Cathy Quinlan MB BAO BCh MD MSC MRCPI FRACP
Dr Cecilia Bartley, MBBS
Dr Cedar Raw B.Med
Dr Celestine Rickman BSc (Hons1) MBBS
Dr Celia Bagshaw MBChB FACEM
Dr Celia Bradford BMed FCICM
Dr Celia Tier, MBBS
Dr Celine Gol, MB BCh BAO, PgDip, MRCGP (2013), FRACGP.
Dr Cerys Jones BSc MBBS FRACGP DRANZCOG DCH
Dr Chamani Kodikara MBBS
Dr Chandelle Whitfield BMedSci MBBS (Hons) FRACGP
Dr Chanika Ariyawansa MBBS
Dr Charithani Keragala MBBS
Dr Charles Ayesa BMedSc MBBS FRACGP
Dr Charlotte Bell BSc MBBS FRCP
Dr Charlotte East MBBS
Dr Charlotte Lemech MBBS BSc(Med) FRACP MD(red)
Dr Charlotte Paull MBBS MRANZCOG
Dr Charmaine Wong MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA
Dr Chathupa Wickremaarachchi, BMed, M.D.
Dr Chayel Klein BSc (Hons) MBBS
Dr Chelsea Watt BSc MBBS
Dr Cheryl Choong MBBS BSc FRACGP FACRRM
Dr Chiara Parker BSc (Bio Med) MBBS DCH
Dr Chiyo Stent BMedSci MD
Dr Chloe Edwards MBBS BSc
Dr Chloe Kindred MBBS FRACGP
Dr Chloe Lim MBBS FRACGP, dermatology regjstrar
Dr Chris Ganora MBBS BMedSci MPH FRACGP
Dr Christie Bryant MBBS (Hons)
Dr Christine Lee-Baw MBBS, FRACGP, DCh
Dr Christine Mott MBBS FRACP
Dr Christine Smith BSc MBBS FRACP
Dr Christine Tan MBBS (Hons) FANZCA
Dr Christine Wade, MBBS BSc(Hons)
Dr Christopher Chung MBBS FRACGP
Dr Christopher Dawson MBBS BA BSc(Hons)
Dr Christopher Johnson BSc(Hons) MB ChB MSc CBiol MIBiol MRCGP FRACGP Dip Aes Med
Dr Christy Norwood BSC (hons) MBBS DCH
Dr Cilla Haywood MBBS(Hons) FRACP PhD
Dr Clair McCartney MBBS