National icon Magda Szubanski is a devoted LGBTQI advocate and has truly shone throughout the ‘Yes campaign’, tirelessly working towards marriage equality.
She recently appeared on Q&A and impressively owned the whole argument but it was an earlier appearance where she broke down in tears which has stuck with us most.
Magda made an emotional and powerful speech in support of same-sex marriage on The Project last month.
Speaking with hosts Carrie Bickmore and Waleed Aly, the 56-year-old told a poignant story:
“A friend of mine… her long-term partner had cancer. She wanted to be in the room with her when she was having a painful treatment and the doctor said, ‘next of kin only. Parents, siblings. No spouses.'”
She added: “She wasn’t allowed in and she had to stand outside and listen to the screams of the woman she loved unable to even comfort her. Now, in whose universe is that fair? What God thinks that is right? I don’t understand it.”
Now, as the result of the postal vote looms, Magda has made her last appearance on Sunrise and has explained why she got so emotional that day. Again, she welled up with tears as she explained the magnitude of what Australia is deciding.
Magda says she was particularly emotional during her appearance on The Project as her mother was dying at the time and it heightened her sense of family and needing to protect your loved ones.
Szubanski, who came out as gay in 2012, has always been a vocal supporter of marriage equality.
“Everyone is going to have an LGBTQI child or grandchild so anything we can do to lighten each other’s burden…If we increase the compassion, it’s a win for everyone,” she told Sunrise.
Magda will be a Prince Alfred Park in Sydney to hear the results of the same-sex marriage postal vote at 10am.
