Christie Hayes: “Australia, wouldn’t my sister make a beautiful bride? Let her be one.”

An open letter from actress and radio host Christie Hayes to her little sister, Lilli Hayes. 

Lilli Burger,

I am so proud of you.

In a world where gay people are still stoned to death, I know it must’ve been pretty scary for you to open up. There are people in this world that will want to hurt you, those who will try to make you feel as though you are less than them and not the amazing person you are, simply because of the fact that you are in love with a woman.

It is never, ever your issue. It is theirs and if they don’t want to support you, it is their loss.

I am not ashamed of you, nor do I wish you were straight. You never have to worry that while I support you in a same-sex relationship, that I deep down wish you were in a relationship with a man. I do not, not at all.

(Side note: Why the f*ck is every woman expected to be with a man anyway?!)

I’m delighted to see you in love. I relish your stories about how much you miss your girlfriend, and all the things you two want to achieve together. I love her as well. Seeing you happy after all the things you have endured in your short life makes my heart full.

I know how much you to love to plan events and be the centre of attention, and I want you to know the joy of planning a wedding one day. Should you wish to.

Even though you would be the mother of all bridezillas….I bags being your Maid of Honour, cause I will be the sister crying the most the day you get married.

Wouldn’t my little sister Lilli make a beautiful bride? Please let her be one! Xxx #voteyes #loveislove ???? @lillihayes

A post shared by C H R I S T I E H A Y E S (@christiehayes_) on Sep 13, 2017 at 4:14pm PDT

You have not let anybody down. I know that there were some people who were surprised about you coming out, and have called you “silly”. They are idiots.

It broke my heart to hear that the barista who was always so nice to you then refused to look at you after he saw you holding hands with your girlfriend. You are a beautiful person with a smile on your face for everyone – I’m so sorry people have stopped smiling back, darling.

There is nothing about you I would ever change… except for your annoying voices sometimes.

You are still, to me, my perfect baby sister.

The little girl I would play with when everyone was still asleep in the morning. The baby girl I would look forward to seeing all day while I was in school. My little sister who held my hand when she was scared at night. And who left my expensive handbag in the cinema when she was eight because I let her borrow it while I took her to see a Reese Witherspoon film.

LISTEN: Mamamia Out Loud has a message for Malcolm Turnbull about the same sex marriage plebiscite (post continues after audio…)

You will always be my baby sister, the one who was the first to arrive at the hospital when my children were born, the one to bring me Thai food and cupcakes. You are perfect to me- just as you are – the way you were always meant to be. The way you are now.

And now one day you will give me a sister-in-law, which is the icing on the cake. And who doesn’t love the icing?

It’s the best bit.

Chrissie xxxx

READ MORE:

• The do’s and don’ts of sharing your same-sex marriage vote on social media.
• A reverend, a pastor and a priest: Meet the Christians voting ‘yes’ to marriage equality.
• The 17 silliest reasons for voting “No” to marriage equality.
• PSA: Please don’t put glitter in your same-sex marriage postal vote.
• The marriage equality postal survey goes out today. Here’s what you need to do.
• All the Aussie celebrities who are lining up to say YES to marriage equality.

The award-winning podcast Mamamia Out Loud is doing their first live show. There will be laughs, disagreements and you can meet the hosts afterwards! We’re also donating $5 of every ticket price to Share The Dignity so grab your friends and come along to share the love and laughs, get your tickets here.