With the government turning to a postal vote to help decide the fate of same-sex marriage in Australia, the public debates are reaching an all time high.
Last night, Australian MP Kevin Andrews, a long-time opponent of same-sex marriage, made potentially the most bizarre marriage equality comparison we’ve ever heard.
Basically, Andrews, when trying to explain why Australia shouldn’t legalise same-sex marriage, said that gay couples have the same relationship with each other that he has with his cycling friends.
And because there’s no place in the law for him to marry his mates, same-sex couples shouldn’t get to marry either.
“Yes, there are all kinds of affectionate relationships … I have an affectionate relationship with my cycling mates who we go (sic) cycling on the weekends, but that’s not marriage,” the MP said while a guest on Sky News.
“Why doesn’t the law have a place in those sort of relationships?”
When the confused presenters prompted him, Andrews then insisted that he was not saying his cycling relationships were the same as the loving and sexual relationships between his own colleagues and their same-sex partners, but kept on making the analogy, anyway.
“I have commitments to friends, and affectionate relationships with friends as well,” he said.
The postal vote, to decide whether parliament will debate same-sex marriage, will take place in November. But there are only nine days left to ensure you and registered to vote and your postal address is correct. Check your details here.
