Marriage Equality and Resurgent Prejudice in Australia: Guest Speaker Janet Rice

Join the launch of Marriage Equality and Resurgent Prejudice in Australia with authors James Bennett and David Betts, along with former Greens Senator Janet Rice as Guest Speaker. Hosted by Nick Henderson, Australian Queer Archives collections manager.

In 2017, Australia finally said “yes” to marriage equality—but the story didn’t end there.

Marriage Equality and Resurgent Prejudice in Australia traces what happened after the celebrations faded. Drawing on in‑depth interviews with the rainbow community in Newcastle and the Hunter region, James Bennett and David Betts reveal how legal victory coexisted with renewed hostility, subtle exclusions, and emboldened reactionary politics.

Introducing the concept of resurgent prejudice, the book shows how gains in sexual citizenship can trigger new forms of backlash—from everyday encounters to organised campaigns around “religious freedom” and anti-gender movements.

Richly grounded in local voices yet sharply attuned to national debates, this is a vital account of life after marriage equality—and a warning about the unfinished work of LGBTQ+ justice in contemporary Australia.

Limited physical copies of the book will be available, with an ebook also available.