Indonesian members of the rainbow community may soon not have to travel so far to marry their partners, as Australia has just voted yes to push through laws legalizing same-sex marriage later this year. But some doubt it will benefit them in any meaningful way.

“I once watched a talk show on the same-sex marriage issue — that is how I found out about the equality marriage bill in Australia. To be honest, I had been hoping the result would be ‘yes’,” Jakarta-based Satrio (not his real name) said after the announcement of Australia’s equality marriage postal survey recently.

When it turned out to be a resounding yes, he felt slightly upbeat. “At least [we] no longer need to fly to the Netherlands to marry,” he said.

However, he soon came to a realization about the difficult situation back home. “I don’t think it would affect the Southeast Asia region in a meaningful way. We can see how homophobia is actually increasing in Indonesia,”
he said.

Satrio has yet to decide whether he and his partner will legalize their relationship anytime soon, saying that getting married in Australia will not change their legal status and entitlement in any way once they return to
Indonesia.

“Marriage will only be a ceremonial event. Couples marry to acquire a new legal status and entitlement, such as those regarding inheritance and insurance. But even if we do marry in Australia, the legal status and entitlement will be rendered invalid back in Indonesia,” he said.

An Indonesian student in Melbourne, Betty (not her real name), whose partner recently joined her on a spousal visa, says that the legalization of equality marriage in the country does not really change the way she feels about marriage.

“I have never been interested in marriage, even if I were heterosexual. Even members of the homosexual community are divided. One camp demands legalization of same-sex marriage, while another camp criticizes the LGBT community’s aspiration to submit to marriage, which is a strongly patriarchal institution we have long been criticizing,” she said, emphasizing that she shared the enthusiasm expressed by the Yes supporters in Australia nonetheless.

“I feel jealous of my LGBT friends in Australia. When will Indonesia accept sexual orientation diversity?” she said.

The head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, David Kalisch, announced on Wednesday the results of the equality marriage plebiscite, which saw a staggering 61.6 percent of eligible voters across the nation favor marriage equality, paving the way for parliamentary legislation.

The marriage law is expected to be passed before Christmas. Thousands of Yes supporters in Australia took to the streets to celebrate the outcome on the announcement day.

Hundreds of Yes supporters went down to Haig Park in Canberra in the morning to have a community picnic while watching the announcement on a big screen in an event dubbed the Big Gay Out, a pun on the Big Day Out, Australia’s iconic music festival. The picnic goers were jubilant following the expected outcome.

“This is a truly incredible outcome. One-hundred-thirty-six federal electorates. It could not be a clearer message to send to the hill up there,” Jason White, a Yes supporter and Big Gay Out field director, said, referring to Parliament House.

The outcome was the result of a three-month-long divisive campaign across the nation.

“It’s been hard over the past couple of weeks. Thank God it’s over,” Tessa Devine, a queer musician who performed at the Big Gay Out, said, greeting the picnic goers.

LGBTIQ activist Fran Blackborn, 50, shared the sentiment.

“[I’ve been waiting for this moment for] 15 years. Ten years ago, the Equal Love [movement] was marching through the streets of Canberra. Ten years of constant activism and disappointment and picking ourselves up again, doing it again. And now we don’t have to do that anymore,” she said.

“We’re just equal, our relationships are equal. My children can see that their parents’ relationship is equal,” Blackborn, who along with her partner is raising two teenagers, said.

Blackborn has yet to decide whether she will immediately tie the knot once the bill is passed.

“I don’t know about that. I can if I want and that’s the big thing. It’s just about equality. People can decide to get married [or] they can decide not to get married. It’s now an individual choice,” she said.

The celebrations continued in the evening, when Lonsdale Street in the city center was closed to vehicles for a street party, which included a chalk drawing event. Hundreds of Canberra residents, including families with young children, flocked to the street to celebrate. Australian politicians, including ACT chief minister Andrew Barr and opposition leader in the Senate, Penny Wong — both of whom are publicly gay — also joined the crowd later in the evening.

The celebratory mood, however, was not exclusively for members of the LGBTIQ community.

Australian student Randa Akila, 24, who is a heterosexual, went to the street to enjoy the party.

“I voted yes even though I’m a heterosexual. Society is moving toward that anyway. Marriage should be for everyone. I’m just very happy for everyone,” she said.

A transgender, Trixie Vancartier, 27, said she was “over the moon” about the result.

“I’ve been rallying since I was 19. It’s been a very long time. We finally have our voices heard,” Vancartier said, emphasizing that she remained respectful of those that voted No.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” she said.

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