“I stand for equality and equal rights for everyone. Not just because of what the law says. I speak from the heart,” says the MEP parliamentarian, Setty Christiaans-Yarzagaray.
On Wednesday, parliament began discussing the draft law for same-sex marriage. Even before the meeting, it was noted that there are not only different opinions in parliament but also differences of opinion within the various factions.
For example, in the case of MEP, there is a certain group that is against the law due to their Christian beliefs. But there are also those in favor, for various reasons, like Setty Christiaans-Yarzagaray. In a very emotional speech, she talked about her own experiences within her family, due to her sibling’s different sexual orientation.
The parliamentarian said that this law certainly shows that politicians within a single party can have differing opinions. “We don’t all see eye to eye, and that’s democracy. I respect all my colleagues because everyone is representing a group within the community. The differences aren’t just within our faction, but also within our families.”
It’s more than just granting rights; she understands it well because her sibling has had a different sexual orientation for a long time. She recounted how her sibling had to live without familial relationships solely because of their preference. She realizes that equality is necessary for her sibling to live their life, just as she has. In their case, they weren’t given their rights. She feels that giving these individuals their rights has been a long time coming.
For her, it was normal to grow up for her sibling, but not everyone accepted her sibling, and living without rights was a traumatic experience that the law wouldn’t be able to remove. “My sibling has the right to equal rights. I can’t let them down by denying their rights,” she said.
However, at the same time, she said she leans towards waiting for the cassation decision, considering that she had approved these beforehand.
