Seminar Series: Abstract

1:00
March 16 2009
Seminar Room C

On Marriage, De Facto Relationships and "Dog Registration": Same sex relationships after the 2008 law reforms
Wayne Morgan

College of Law

For the past 20 years, lesbians and gay men have been struggling to have their relationships recognised by Australian Governments at both the State and Federal Level. 2008 marked new high points and new low points in this struggle. The "high point" was the recognition of same-sex de facto relationships in federal law, whilst the "low point" was the forced back-down of the ACT government with respect to its Civil Union scheme.

This paper analyses, within a foucauldian/queer theory framework, the meaning of these struggles and the recent reforms. I take as given the insights of foucauldian theory with respect to governmentality and bio-power, and queer theory insights with respect to the performativity of identity. Utilising these theoretical tools, I analyse the legal strategies employed by gay and lesbian communities in terms of assimilation, subversion and the possibilities for resisting compulsory hetero-family forms.