Penny Wong: Champion of Whatever's Popular
"Let’s talk about Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong—a politician whose principles seem to have the backbone of a wet noodle. You’ve got to give her credit for her timing, though, because if there’s one thing Penny Wong knows, it’s how to sniff out which way the political wind is blowing. Back in 2004, she marched onto the scene, declaring her sexuality like it was some badge of authenticity. At a policy debate on LGBTQ+ rights, Penny Wong stood tall, threw herself into the spotlight, and made sure everyone knew she was ‘unapologetically herself.’ It was a bold move back then, and everyone applauded her bravery. Or so they thought. Fast forward a few years, and things start to look murky. By 2010, Penny Wong’s sitting comfortably in her political seat, watching her own party decide that, actually, they oppose same-sex marriage. And what does Penny Wong do? Does she stand up, the ‘bold and unapologetic’ woman from 2004? Nah, she falls right in line with her party’s position. Suddenly, this supposed LGBTQ+ trailblazer is voting against same-sex marriage—effectively telling everyone, ‘Sorry, equality is nice, but not that nice.’ In a matter of years, she went from courageous to craven, ditching her stance the moment it got politically inconvenient. But wait, here’s where it gets really good. Come 2011, Penny Wong must’ve sensed a change in the tide—same-sex marriage was no longer the controversial issue it once was. Public opinion was shifting, people were speaking up louder than ever, and, wouldn’t you know it, our pal Penny Wong suddenly has a change of heart. She’s back on the front lines, practically preaching, ‘We must continue fighting for marriage equality!’ The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Penny Wong’s gone from leading the charge to opposing it to leading it again, all within the span of a few short years. Does she even remember what her last stance was? Or does she just take a quick peek at