Chris Baguley never considered himself an activist for same-sex marriage.
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Being in a same-sex relationship with Scott Dunn, his partner of almost six years, marriage was something Mr Baguley one day hoped for.
But the Raymond Terrace man said he was more concerned with getting their two kids to school, going to work, paying the bills and contributing to his community.
Then the government’s same-sex marriage postal survey was enacted, leaving Mr Baguley “appalled” that marriage rights had come down to a “popular vote”.
“I really hope this government is remembered in history, that they put people’s rights up for a popular vote,” he said.
The postal survey spurred Mr Baguley into action.
He founded the Marriage Equality Port Stephens Facebook page as a space to share stories, information and support, especially for people “don’t have a voice or who feel that they can’t have a voice”.
Additionally, Mr Baguley has been working with ACON Hunter, Novocastrians for Equality and encouraging people to respond ‘yes’ on their postal survey.
He also wrote a letter to 250 of his nearest neighbours.
In it, he attempted to dispel myths surrounding same-sex marriage, encouraged them to respond ‘yes’ on the postal survey and wrote a little about his family.
Mr Baguley is father to Mr Dunn’s biological children, Miles Brewer-Dunn, 10, and Ivy Brewer-Dunn, 6.
“I guess I just wanted to show people that their choice, their response in this postal survey, is going to affect real people and people who are a part of their community.”
In the letter he also included an open invitation to a barbecue at his home on Friday afternoon.
Inspired by the recent local government election, where democracy sausages were out in force, Mr Baguley invited his neighbours to his home for an “equality sausage”.
“Everyone likes a sausage sanga when they’re exercising their democratic right, so I thought maybe I should have an equality sausage,” he said.
“I also said if you haven’t posted your survey off, bring it over and I’ll send it off.
“Or, if they haven’t made up their mind, meet a family who it actually affects and see that we’re just a normal family.”
After a discussion with Mr Dunn, including the potential repercussions from the move, Mr Baguley painted a rainbow on their home last week.
He said in his six years living in Raymond Terrace he had only ever faced one instance of nastiness about his sexuality but he was wary that painting a rainbow on his home could attract negativity.
“I keep waiting to come home and finding something in the letterbox,” he said.
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