On Wednesday, Labour MP Louisa Wall’s private members bill passed its second reading in Parliament. If passed into legislation, the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill will allow same-sex couples to marry.

An issue like this would have once divided our country.

Wait, it still does.

Here’s how our political parties voted. All Green, ACT, United Future, Mana, and Maori Party MPs; 91% of Labour MPs; and 44% of National MPs voted for the amendment. New Zealand First? All against. Although the bill is on its way to being passed, the one-third who voted nay show that discrimination still exists.

For our young people, though, it’s a non-political issue and a non-issue in general. Instead of a division across the political spectrum, they hold a united front. Amazingly, on Monday, the youth wings of all eight of New Zealand’s parliamentary parties unanimously declared their support for the crazy idea that anyone can marry the one they love.

Some people argue the sanctity of marriage between a man and his wife should be preserved. But how does allowing same-sex couples to marry take away the sanctity of anyone’s marriage? Why is it still an issue?

Perhaps the issue is – what’s next? If this legislation passes, same-sex couples may have the right to adopt children as well. This is the fear. Currently, one person in a relationship can apply to adopt a child and the other would apply for additional guardianship. Existing law does not allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt together.

But what would happen if same-sex married couples were allowed to adopt a child? The national director of Family First, Bob McCoskrie says, “Same sex couple and single parent adoption … potentially harms children because it intentionally creates motherless and fatherless families."

There is, however, not a shred of evidence that children are harmed by being raised by two mothers or two fathers. On the contrary, research shows that what matters for children’s well-being is the quality of relationships and parenting, not family structures. That sexuality would have a negative bearing on parenting is discrimination.

But for young people, again, the issue of sexuality and parenting is non-existent. Those I know who have parents in same-sex relationships don’t hide it like some dirty secret, nor do they raise it as an issue. It doesn’t warrant a discussion because it’s not even registered as being different.

The issue is discrimination. But thanks to our young people banding together and showing their support, discrimination too may become a non-issue in New Zealand.