Fellow travellers, here is a story that should give those of us who truly abhor speciesism a little more hope for a better world: A man in Toowoomba called Joseph Guiso has "married" his animal companion Honey, a labrador.

The ceremony was conducted more or less as a joke. But remember that "many a true word was spoke in jest". Also, not so long ago people were openly laughing at things that eventually came to pass - women getting the vote, and gays in the military, for example.

And the fact that the wedding was well attended showed that nowadays people are a lot more relaxed and comfortable about the idea of deeply loving inter-species relationships. For this we can thank people like Greens leader Bob Brown and the great philosopher and animal rights activist Peter Singer. They have bravely challenged our thinking on this issue, and allowed us to shrug off the stultifying human-centric paradigms of the past.

As you all know I have a very close personal (and political!) relationship with my feisty feline fellow traveller Jocelyn. She and I have often discussed the possibility of marriage. She is somewhat reticent about the idea, unfortunately. Being a feminist she does think that the institution is inherently degrading to women (of all species). So, if she were to marry me, she believes, she would be "participating in her own oppression".

I have some sympathy with this position. But I believe that to tie the knot with her would actually be greatly empowering for both her species and her gender. I often tell her it would be such a radical and paradigm busting act that it would effectively break the marriage mold and thereby remove any inequality that exists.

That's when she gives me one of her feline death stares and says: "Typical male human. You think only you have the power to change society, don't you?"

Then she shakes her head nonchalantly, and jokes about marrying a human female instead. "That Portia de Rossi is very attractive," she purrs. "Is she single?"

Oh, she's adorable. Just adorable.