Recently I received an email via the Facebook page for Love Like Yours, and attached was this beautiful poem that I feel I just had to share with you guys. Special thanks goes out to Milly for sharing it.

It’s Just a bit of Paper – dedicated to Claire and Kat H in support of gay marriage

By Milly

It’s just a bit of paper

And I don’t need that to date her

But that bit of paper

Would be really cool

If we were to get married old school

It’s just a bit of paper

And I don’t need that to date her

But that bit of paper

Would allow us to be legally wed

Just like our straight friends

It’s just a bit of paper

And I don’t need that to date her

But that bit of paper

Means less bullying at schools

Knowing we are all equal

And the same

Would rule

It’s just a bit of paper

And I don’t need that to date her

But that bit of paper

Allows us to be legally wed

Legally allows us to be more than friends

Together to the end

It’s just a bit of paper

And I don’t need that to date her

But that bit of paper?

Means young kids struggling to figure it out

Won’t be so naïve

Despite what other people’s opinions

Will lead them to believe

About bullying? About It being okay?

I wish I could tell them

Again and again

It will all be okay

It will all be cool

Abide by your own rules

Don’t give a toss

What other’s say

Follow your heart and dreams

Come what may

That bit of paper?

Means a lot

That bit of paper?

Means negative opinions would rot

Of gays and other beliefs

If we could change all that?

Wouldn’t that be neat

To stop loathing and fear

And projection of hate

To let everybody

Boy or girl or inbetween

Find their soulmate

To reduce suicide

And beatings

To be absoblute nil

That bit of paper

Would be such a thrill

While that bit of

Paper wont’ change

The world

It will help

A lot of boys and girls

Believe they too

Belong here

And can be queen

And forget

Everyone who was so mean

Even though paper

Can brake and bend\to a good cause

It will lend

Some weight

To positive beliefs

Banish negativity

Doubts and heal beefs

To the gay men

Lesbian wome

Transgendered queers

It will help heal

Wounds and make them believe

They are truly beautiful

Brave and they will be free

Although paper

May only come from a tree

It means a lot to me

If only they could see

While paper can be recycled

I will never let go

While paper can crumble

I wil never let u fold

Into your fears of self doubt

And pit

You will always be loved

That you and I

Are meant to be

While paper disintegrates

You will always be

My soul mate

While it’s just a bit of paper

And I don’t need that to date

That’s the bit of paper I want

For human rights

For the good fight

For our right to a peaceful life

To make all of us stars in the sky

For equal glow

It means our love will grow

It means our love will be acknowledged

Overtime

Forever flying high

Both your and I.

It means when all the bells and whistles fade

You will forever be mine

Be my dame

When we are too old to see anymore

I will forever hold your claw

It means when you are

About to go into the night

I am forever more your light

To keep you safe

And give you might

Forever as one we unite

Fiona Patten, Chad St James and Lisa Goff at La Trobe University's Pride Week

What a hectic week and it hasn’t even finished.  On Sundays with about an hour worth of sleep,  I hopped on a plane to Melbourne and since arriving it’s been non-stop. The main reason for coming to Melbourne was I had been asked to speak at La Trobe University’s Pride Week. Now it goes without saying when La Trobe puts on their Pride Week, they go all out!  On Tuesday I was one of four guest speakers that included Fiona Patten, Scott Twatt, and Wendy Goff. We touched on a variety of topics such as family, parenting, discrimination, legislature, hompobia and transphobia, but at the core the key message was theme for equality is now and we all need to play a part into bringing it into reality.

I’ve currently been staying with La Trobe’s Queer Officer Lisa Goff , her partner Kayla and their friend Justin. The hospitality these three have shown me as been overwhelming, actually everyone I have crossed paths with have been so welcoming and supportive. I’ve met a lot people down here and have had some amazing conversations. I’ve also used my time here to do some more filming for the documentary and some awesome doors have opened up. This weekend I have secured interviews with Fiona Patten from The Australian Sex Party,  Carl Katter a strong marriage equality supporter and Gay brother of Bob Katter, Liz Ross who has been involved with both Women’s and Gay Liberation since the 70′s and National Queer Officer Hiba Casablanca. Needless to say I’ve got a busy time ahead of me, but at the same time,  I believe these people have some very interesting and insightful things to share that will be very beneficial to the message of Love Like Yours. Pretty damn exciting times if I do say so myself.

I’ve totally been loving my time in Melbourne, and I’m somewhat dreading having to go back to Brisbane, but something makes me think it won’t be long before I’ll be dropping back down here for a visit

Firstly I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported the possible campaign, words cannot express how thankful I am. Now for the exiting news.  Filming is well under way and just last Friday I popped the question.  Officially.

I believe part of the process of getting married is the surprise proposal, and that is exactly what I did. While Kristan  new the official proposal was on its way,  she had no idea I would do it at work during the raffles at the Royal George Hotel. I won’t lie, I’ve always been a bit of a hopeless romantic and felt this was the perfect opportunity to run wild with my romantic side.

Inspired by this iconic scene  in Love Actually,

What can I say?  I’m all for popular culture references. I prepared four pieces of cardboard with pictures to propose to,  while I had one of my best friends the amazingly talented Julian Bingham playing the violin. It goes without saying Kristan was completely taken by surprise,  not to mention everyone else watching on during their Friday afternoon drinks.  You’d be pleased to know she said yes.  I won’t lie,  I was so bloody nervous.  So now begins the wedding planning.

Right now we’re aiming for the end of May,  and trust me,  it’s going to be one epic and very colourful wedding.  Some people ask me why on earth would I marry a lesbian? And I guess this is the short answer, the current Australian Marriage Act defines marriage between a man and a woman. The fact that two people can marry under governmental law without love just as long as they’re the opposite sex, in my opinion is making a joke of the sanctity of marriage.

So I’ve decided to prove just that, by holding what a few consider to be Australia’s first public government endorsed gay marriage. In the upcoming months I’ll be doing an interview with Kristan’s long term  girlfriend, of which I’m sure will have  a lot of interesting things to add to the equation.

So be sure to watch this space.

Exciting things are happening for Love Like Yours!!! It gives me great pleasure to announce that Brisbane-based tea brand Slurp has launched its first campaign for 2013, titled “EqualiTEA” to show their support for Marriage Equality.

Featuring 15 new tea blends including – Bathhouse Betty, Uncle Gertrude, Haus of Fierce, Unleash Me, Love Box, No Tea No Shade, Queen Bea and Love Like Yours. (yes you read that right!)

100% of the profits will be donated to the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (www.qahc.org.au) and up-and-coming film producer Chad St. James to help fund his Marriage Equality documentary “Love Like Yours”

There’s some exciting ads coming along with this campaign that will definitely have eye brows raising featuring Phoebe Bradfield and yours truly Chad St. James. So be sure to check out www.slurptea.com.au in the coming days for all the exciting announcements, not to mention some delicious teas.

So it goes without saying a big THANK YOU to Matthew Hynd from Slurp.

Also don’t forget to like Slurp on their Facebook page and send them some love for getting behind this film and Queensland Association for Healthy Communities.

So guys it’s time to Slurp EqualiTEA!

]]> http://lovelikeyours.com/tea-brand-slurp-launches-equalitea-in-support-of-love-like-yours/feed/ 0 http://lovelikeyours.com/luciana-interviews-for-love-like-yours/ http://lovelikeyours.com/luciana-interviews-for-love-like-yours/#comments Sat, 12 Jan 2013 05:04:31 +0000 Chad St. James http://lovelikeyours.com/?p=76

I recently got to interview the fabulous electro-pop sensation Luciana and I won’t lie, it was one awesome interview even if it did have my own version of Janet Jackson’s nipple slip. lol.

This wonderful talented woman had so much to say and words cannot express how thankful I am for the opportunity to interview her and all the advocacy work that she does.

Below are some questions that I originally emailed Luciana to be covered during the interview for ‘Love Like Yours’. While during the actual interview we discussed these questions and numerous other thing,s the answers below were posted on her official website and gives you a good idea of what went down in the interview. Enjoy!

You have been very vocal in your support of marriage equality, why is this issue important to you?

Equality should be important to everyone; I have no idea why as a species we feel the need to discriminate. It’s heart breaking. On a personal level some of my closest friends and my best friend is Gay, Of course I will use my position to stand up for gay rights because I see it as act against my friends and loved ones.

Having a massive LGBTI fan base do you think this has opened your eyes to some of the injustices the LGBTI community faces on a daily basis for simply being who they are?

Yes of course, every day I read something online that discriminates against the LGBT community and it makes me so angry. It makes me hypersensitive to their issues and I become very protective.

In Australia we have governmental legislation in the form of the marriage act, it defines marriage as between a man and a woman. What are your thoughts on this?

I think most rules and acts are outdated and need modernizing. Religion for example can be so misleading and open to interpretation. I think the whole thing needs updating to this century. It’s a fact that human beings produce gays and lesbians. We just need to get over it, accept it and adapt the law to be fair to everyone.

It is quite well known that LGBTI youth suffer higher rates of bullying and suicide, and then that of heterosexual youths, why do you think this is so?

I think this is because these young people see that from the top that they are discriminated against, it’s almost as if we condone hatred of them. Of course this will make them feel unloved and unprotected and no one wants to feel that way.

Do you believe that while governments endorse discrimination through legislation such as the marriage act, that homophobia, trans phobia and gay teen suicide will continue to be a problem?

Until we see acceptance and tolerance coming from the highest positions then we cannot move forward and these problems will not go away. These kids need to see their political leaders and people in authority saying “it’s ok; you can be who you are.”

2012 in Australia, and in specifically in Queensland under the new government saw the repeal of civil unions, a right won late 2011 watering it down to what is a register of relationship equal to that of registering a car or a pet dog, it also saw the defunding of QLD’s only LGBTI health organization Healthy Communities, and they’re announced a proposal to take away the surrogacy rights from same-sex couples. From an outsider’s perspective would you think of this as an attack on the LGBTI community’s simple civil rights?

How could you not take it as an attack? It’s shocking and unfair. In this day and age, in an era where most of our television and media personalities have strong and healthy ties to the LGBT community it seems archaic. It seems to me that the only people that have a real problem with this are the people who make the rules and are in authority. Why is it anyone business if 2 people from the same sex want to be married and have children? It’s beyond my comprehension.

I recently interviewed a trans woman called Rachel who married as a male and during nearly 24 years of marriage she has made steps of transitioning and identifying as female. Her and her partner are still happily married, but because of the legislation in Australia she cannot change her gender marker unless she divorces her wife. What are your thoughts?

My thoughts are sad ones. She should be allowed to stay married, it seems like too many rules and regulations are stopping people who are in love being legally married and not enough legislation is there to help them be secure. You cannot stop progress and history has shown us that one day all this will pass and we will look back and see how ridiculous it was.

One of the arguments used by opponents of same-sex marriage is “What about the children?” The claim is same-sex parents cannot equally fulfill the role parents as a heterosexual couple could. What are your views on this?

What about the children of heterosexual couples who have children and mistreat them and screw up and don’t fulfill their roles as parents. We know that there are sadly huge amounts of heterosexual couples who are not fit to look after children but you don’t see people lobbying to ban straight people having kids. There are good and bad parents whatever gender preference they have is irrelevant. We should be more concerned about children being cared for correctly by straight and gay couples.

What do you believe makes a solid foundation for a family?

I think love, makes a solid foundation for a family. I was lucky enough to come from a family where there was loads of love.

What does Love mean to you?

It means the world to me, it is my driving force and I think we cannot live or function happily without it. 
Do you believe love has no gender?

I strongly believe that. Without a shadow of a doubt.

Lastly do you have a message that you would like to share with the world?

I think we should all do something everyday, no matter how small to remind the people in power, that, until we have equality we cannot move forward as a race.
I would say never give up hope that it will come, because it will come. You cannot stop progress and one day our youth with all their new values will grow up to change the laws for the better and the old dinosaurs with their antiquated morals will die off and be forgotten.
Keep moving Forward and remember love is the answer, you know that for sure.

Check out Luciana’s official website Here!

Also be sure to like her on Facebook by clicking Here!

There are many ways that you can help with the making of ‘Love Like Yours’

Making a film isn’t cheap, and while I’ve been able to lower the costs and hopefully gain extra sponsorship, extra funding is needed for the use of copyrighted images and video, travel and accommodation costs to interview certain people interstate,  extra equipment, not to mention putting on a wedding can cost a little bit of money.

Firstly there is assisting with the funding where you can pledge money to the production by clicking http://www.pozible.com/lovelikeyours

Remember payment is only processed once we meet the goal.

While I completely understand not everyone has money that they can freely give, especially at this time of year, there are other ways you can assist without it costing you money and instead just taking a few minutes of your day. You might be wondering, “What would that be?”

One word, awareness. The key to making the production of ‘Love Like Yours‘ successful is bringing awareness to the film. We live in the digital age where videos of sneezing kittens can be instant viral hits, so I would encourage as many of you to share above link or the following video.

Share it on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and wherever else you can think of. As a matter of fact share it with as many publications as possible. Imagine if it got on Ellen or someone like Lady GaGa tweeted it. See where I’m going with this? They key to the successful production of ‘Love Like Yours’ is bringing awareness. In doing so, I think we will be pleasantly surprised with the help that might start coming in.

Oh and let’s not forget the Facebook page by clicking here!

‘Love Like Yours’ is not only a story that needs to be shared with the world, it might also make a difference in people’s lives and the way they think about LGBTI rights.

So will you help me in making a difference?

This past weekend was a busy one for the production of ‘Love Like Yours.‘ On the Saturday we filmed United We Dance For Marriage Equality. Two flash mobs, that I have to say was so much fun. Then on Sunday we had Equal Love’s Rally for Marriage Equality. Considering the extremely hot weather and the different day then usual, we still had quite a nice turn out. Speakers on the day shared the importance of marriage equality and how it also effects them personally. One such speaker was Rachel Gilmore.

As many of you are aware. Rachel was one of the first people I interviewed for ‘Love Like Yours’, her story as a transwoman and how the Australian Marriage Act effects her is without a doubt one of the most emotional stories I have heard and really touched me. I’d be lying if I didn’t say she has a special place in my heart.

On Sunday she gave one heck of a powerful speech and touched many of those that attended. As I’ve said previously, “While we often push for same-sex marriage, we do sometimes overlook the “T” in LGBT”, it was great to see her representing the transgender community at the rally, and I believe it opened up a few minds as to how the current legislation effects more then just gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

Below is a copy of her speech transcript.

Hello everyone present…
I wish to thank the original owners of this land and for accepting the original boat people, my descendants sent in convict ships…
I say acceptance because that’s what we are all about as Australians… or that is what all my ancestors would have you believe …
There is no practice to that though!!! 

Both performances were a success attracting spontaneous audiences at both locations. This particular United We Dance flash mob was used to help promote the upcoming rally for marriage . Frances and I wanted it to carry a clear message of love and equality. Too often lies and negativity are spoken over us and sometimes we can’t help but believe them as truth, however as Rihanna’s song goes “We Found Love in a hopeless place”, we brought those very words to life by staging our very own “same-sex wedding” in midst of adversity through the forms of performance and dance.

Special thanks has to go out to Brendan Burke for the photography.

And an extra special thanks to my film crew Brent Dunner and Zac Loy for filming. You guys are amazing!!!

To see more photos of United We Dance for Marriage Equality click HERE!

Don’t worry guys there’s a video coming real soon!!!

I’ve recently put together a five and a half minute promotional trailer for ‘Love Like Yours’. Sourced from over one hundred hours worth of footage from online, my personal collection and interviews that I’ve already done for the film, the purpose of this video is to contrast the United States with currently what is happening in Australia, and how for an alleged progressive country we’re kind of falling behind. The video also gives a brief insight into what to expect in the feature length film including my intentions as a gay man to marry my lesbian friend Kristan due to the current Australian Marriage Act.

It  may define marriage between a man and a woman, but  it doesn’t say anything about them being gay!

Check it out below.

Australia it’s time!!!

As you can understand making a film comes with its costs and I’ve currently worked out that I will approximately need $4000 to complete the film. So I would just like to encourage you to spread the video through your social networks or alternatively promote funding page which can be found at http://www.gofundme.com/lovelikeyours

Either way I plan to make this film, but with the extra help it means this film will happen sooner then later. Hope you enjoyed the video and I’ll post again soon x

Just a short one minute video about ‘Love Like Yours’. Check it out below.

If you’re keen to assist in the completion of this film, check out the funding page HERE!  There’s some pretty cool awards for donating too!

This weekend is set to be a busy one as filming for ‘Love Like Yours’ will be taking place at two exciting events. So if your free either of these days come join in on the fun and hopefully end up on the big screen

The first exciting event is the United We Dance for Marriage Equality flash mob taking place this Saturday. We’ll be meeting at Queens Park for a rehearsal of the pretty simple but extremely fun choreography and then hitting up Brisbane Square for the performance. We want as many people to join in on the fun as possible so be sure to spread the word. For full details of the event click HERE!

The next exciting event taking place of which I’ll also be co-MC at with the amazing Jessica Payne from Equal Love Brisbane, is The Rally for Marriage Equality.

“64% of Australians, the ALP National Conference, Barack Obama, 10 national governments across Europe, South America, North America and Africa and 6 states of the USA all support marriage equality.

I’ll have a small camera crew attending both events filming for ‘Love Like Yours’, so be sure to say hi to the video cameras

Too often in the fight for equal rights, we hear the phrase “What about the children?” being passed around. This is especially the case in regard to opponents of marriage equality.  Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Seamus and Phoebe Bradfield, two siblings who with their brother Cormac, were raised by their father who happens to be gay. He came out when they were children. Due to family issues the three moved in with their father.

For most of their childhood they were raised in a same-sex couple household. Knowing them personally I have had the privilege to interact with them on numerous occasions, and I won’t lie, the love they have for each other and their father is something that most families would be lucky to have. I have never seen such a close-knit family and there is a lot many can learn from their example.We discussed growing up with a gay father, how it effected them as individuals and a family, and also what they thought of the current legislation that is in place here in Australia.

There are those who say gay parents only bring up gay children, and looking at the Bradfield siblings this is definitely not the case. They feel that they are just like any other family if not closer then most and feel due to the fact that they have been brought up by a gay father are far more accepting then most. The bond they have for each other is unbreakable and to put it quite simply, anyone who would dare accuse their father of being a bad parent for being gay, would definitely get a good serve from all three of the Bradfield siblings.

I wanted to interview this family for the simple fact that too often we hear same-sex parents are inferior next to heterosexual parents, and in the case of the Bradfields, this is definitely not the case. I feel these kind of stories are important for the film as this is yet another example of how even though their father might be gay, his love for his children is just like that of a heterosexual father, if not stronger.

Their story is just one of many featured in ‘Love Like Yours’

One of these people was one of my good friends, fellow activist and transwoman Rachel Gilmore. About a month a go I had the privilege of interviewing her and I won’t lie, her interview nearly moved me to tears. Rachel’s journey as a transwoman was heart-warming, inspiring and worthy of a documentary to be done just on her.

While we often push for same-sex marriage, we do sometimes overlook the “T” in LGBT. 

When Rachel got married nearly 24 years ago, she identified as a male. An aspect of her identity she struggled with for many years. However, it was during her marriage that she finally embraced who she really was, and that was identifying as a woman. Since then she has made steps to transition, changing her name, her appearance, taking hormone treatments, but she has come face to face with a hurdle in regards to changing her gender marker on her birth certificate.

Due to the Australian Marriage Act, for her to change her gender, she has to be single. This means that she has to divorce her wife of nearly 24 years, of whom she loves as much as the day they got married, if not more.

Rachel’s story really hit a nerve with me. The fact that legislation states that for her to accept her true self and changer her gender marker on her birth certificate, she has to divorce the very person she loves is an injustice and form of discrimination at worse. The fact that Rachel’s wife has stood by her during her journey of discovery as a transwoman shows that their love for each other is not on the basis of gender but on something so much more.

Rachel’s story is just one of many that will be featured in ‘Love Like Yours‘ that further cements the thought that “Love is like perfection, it comes in many different forms.”

Love does not discriminate and neither should the legislation set in place to govern it!

Hey guys Well Love Like Yours.com is finally up and running. So I thought I better write a bit of an introduction about this site and my upcoming documentary ‘Love Like Yours’

My name is Chad St. James, I’m a film student, I work in hospitality and media, and I also happen to heavily involved in the Equal Love campaign in Brisbane. Some might say I’m a gay activist, but with all honesty I see myself as a humanitarian. I believe everyone should be treated equal no matter what their race, gender or sexuality might be.
Since attending my first rally for marriage equality last year, I guess you could say it opened up a door that has since seen me actively involved in fighting for equal rights for those of the LGBTI community. Lily Tomlin once said “I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.”
These words have without a doubt had a massive impact on my life and my motivation behind a lot of what I do. It is these words that also inspired me in a time when it felt like the Australian government was constantly slapping the LGBTI community both on a state and federal level. The defunding of Queensland’s only LGBTI health organisation, the watering down of Queensland Civil Unions to a register of relationships, the proposed removal of surrogacy rights from same-sex couples, and the marriage equality bill failing in federal parliament even though over 60% of Australian’s support marriage equality.

While some countries are making progressive steps forward in providing equal rights for members of LGBTI community, Australia seems to be falling behind. ’Love Like Yours’ is my story as a Brisbane gay rights activist and film-maker challenging the current Australian legislation with the hope to bring awareness to the the daily discrimination faced by members of the LGBTI community on a daily basis for simply being who they are.

‘Love Like Yours’ will provide an entertaining, captivating, heart-warming and at times hilarious insight into the fight for equal rights not just in Australia but also on an international level pushing the boundaries of governmental law, religious discrimination and his own personal quest for marriage equality. Expect Happiness, tears, laughter, hope and a take on the Australian Marriage Act that no-one saw coming!
About Love Like Yours.com

The purpose of this website is not only to give regular updates about the production, but to also provide others to be involved in an online community with the opportunity to share my journey as I embark on making my debut feature film, but also to see how they can participate and support in the making of this film.
There are some pretty exciting plans being put into motion, so be sure to become a fan of the official Facebook page by clicking HERE, or even follow the official Twitter HERE! Trust me you won’t want to miss out on any of the exciting things that will be taking place over the next few months.