Labor Senator Louise Pratt fought back tears in parliament as she spoke about being prevented by law from marrying her transgender partner.
In an emotional contribution to the debate on a gay marriage bill she co-sponsored with three other Labor Senators, Senator Pratt appealed to her fellow Senators to remember gay and lesbian Australians when they were deciding how to vote.
"We exist. We already exist... all we ask is that you stop pretending that we don't. That you stop pretending that our relationships are not as real as yours, our love as true, our children as cherished and our families as precious. Because they are," she said.
Senator Pratt's West Australian Labor colleague Mark Bishop said very few of his constituents had raised the issue with him. He said he supported gay couples being allowed to form civil unions but did not support same sex marriage because he believed it impinged on the rights of children.
Nationals Senator Ron Boswell, also speaking against the bill, said all children had a right to both a mother and a father.
"Two mothers or two fathers cannot raise a child properly," Senator Boswell said.
"Who takes a boy to football? How does he go camping and fishing? Yes, there might be some attempt by one of the mothers to fill in as a father figure but it will not work."
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert she knew many same sex couples who were raising children.
"I really get upset when I hear people imply that same sex couples cannot and should not be raising children," she said.
"I have met the most amazing young people who have been raised in same sex relationships. They are gorgeous, loving, generous, good-natured human beings," she said.
Liberal Senator George Brandis said by allowing its MPs a free vote on the issue after promising before the 2010 election that it would not change marriage laws, Labor had violated a solemn promise.
"As in so many things we have seen in the life of this parliament, Julia Gillard promised one thing and then manoueuvred to do the opposite," Senator Brandis said. He said the coalition would honour its election promise by opposing the bill.
Nine Green Senators and at least 20 Labor Senators are expected to support the bill when it goes to a vote on Wednesday. But with coalition Senators bound to vote against it, the bill is unlikely to receive the 39 votes needed for it to pass. Several Senators will speak on the bill today.
