Erm, by definition any sell-out “gets paid for it”. Hence the word “sell”. Otherwise the phrase would be a “giving-it-away-for-free-out”.

Her PR crew is working overtime on here trying to defend this no good bigot!

I have no doubt that Wong is fighting for marriage equality behind closed doors in the Labor caucus, where she has the real possibility of changing minds and policies. But it’s simply not realistic or helpful to expect that she’ll publicly ruminate about her disagreements with her parliamentary colleagues (especially in the run up to a federal election!). If she were to do so, we’d merely end up with one less friendly voice in Cabinet. And the chances of marriage equality in Australia would be lessened considerably.

So go ahead and complain about the Australian Labor Party’s policies. There is, after all, much to complain about. But don’t go after one of the people who are working hard in the party to get things changed.

As for Penny being a pioneer, cough cough.

Clearly the blame is on the Labor Party more than on Wong. Perhaps GLBT people should consider NOT voting Labor. I would (and plan to) vote for an honest enemy rather than a fake friend.

In a perfect world, this would be a horrible betrayal.

This is far from a perfect world.

Queerty, Wong is doing the best she can in these difficult political circumstances to achieve our goals. She’s also a much better politician than you. She knows what she’s doing, and she has stated her goals of working within the party to change its position, rather than standing against it on numerous occasions.

I don’t merely think she’s the lesser of two evils. I genuinely think she is a good senator, a good cabinet minister, a savvy politician, and a template for queers about how to achieve your goals rather than just not going gentle into that good night.

It would be a tragedy if her government were to lose – all this tortured rhetoric would be for not. What then?

Queerty writers tend to be very idealistic. While it’s refreshing to some degree, it’s frustrating when the idealism creates such an inaccurate perception of someone on our side. The reality is that this is a war, and like James said, in a war you can’t go out guns blazing. Losing a battle means nothing if you win the war, and to do that, you have to be smart about what moves you make and when. Right now, in her situation, it wouldn’t be the smart move to have the boisterous american bravado everybody expects this Aussie to have.

She cannot take a stand against her party on this issue three weeks before a federal election and keep her job. It’s that simple. It’s not a “Stay on message” thing, it’s a “You can be fired for this” thing. Wong’s cabinet position depends on factional support, not public support. Without it, she is another ineffectual backbench senator who can’t get anything done.

By continuing to persue this, you are making martyrdom to our cause a requirement of being out. Martyrdom is always a choice, not an expectation. And not making this choice is the right decision in order to lose a battle so you can win the war.

I’ll repeat this as many times as it needs to be said before you get it, Queerty:

1. We do not have the same electoral system as America. American expectations do not apply here.
2. It’s not about “Staying on message”. Your analogies in your articles on this subject are seriously flawed.
3. The Labor Party has a binding caucus which will cost her her career if she breaks it. She cannot stand against her party on this issue three weeks before a federal election and keep her job.
4. You do not have the right to expect martyrdom of her.

Let it go. We should be protecting her right to prioritise her career over your wishes about how she should treat her sexuality. There is more to Wong than being a lesbian, and she doesn’t campaign on being a lesbian. She’s a senator, first and foremost. And she’s a f*cking good one.

To say that being a member of an exclusive club means you have to sacrifice your morals and ethics is wrong. So is saying that being a member of an exclusive club, in this case the gay community, means you have to sacrifice your career and livelihood for the sake of everyone else.

Hell. By merely existing as the first openly gay cabinet member she has done more for gay rights in Australia than the majority of people who are trashing her. Let alone all the stuff she has done actively.

Do half of what she has done for me as a queer Australian, and be willing to sacrifice what you are demanding of her, then I will accept your criticism as valid. Otherwise all you are doing is being an ingrate, and in doing so, you’re bringing down Australia’s most high profile pioneer of gay rights, because she isn’t able to give you 100% of what you want, in the three weeks before polling.

Heterosexuals have, quite apparently, been successful in programming Wong to believe that she is not worthy of equality.

If you think about it, it’s rather sad.