Australia’s anti-gay marriage campaign warns of apocalyptic ‘consequences’ from Yes vote
An anti-gay marriage campaign is spreading outrageous lies in Australia, claiming that Pride events will become mandatory and kids will be taught how to have gay sex.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has given the green light to an informal ‘postal vote’ of Australians on equal marriage, which will be advisory and non-binding in nature.
In a bid to circumvent Parliament, the vote will be carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which means it will not be regulated under election laws or subject to regulations on misleading campaign material.
The anti-gay marriage lobby is not wasting time in exploiting the latter, with an anti-gay marriage lobbying group launching in the country this week.
The Campaign for Marriage launched this week, urging voters to reject equal marriage by promoting a laughable list of apparent ‘consequences’ of the decision, brazenly spreading outright falsehoods.
Firstly, the group is warning that if equal marriage becomes law, thousands of children will come out as transgender.
It claims: “There is increasing evidence that the removal of gender from marriage and the removal of gender from society more broadly are inextricably linked.
“In countries where marriage has been redefined, an acceptance of gender fluidity is backed by law and government policy.
“This begins with the concept of gender fluidity being taught in schools.”
The group claims that this will lead to a 4000% increase in children coming out as transgender.
It’s far from the only misleading statement, with the group’s website also claiming that “faith-based schools that refuse to teach homosexuality and gender identity issues are being faced with closure”.
The Coalition for Marriage claims: “When marriage is redefined, there are consequential changes in education programs and policies in schools, and parents are increasingly excluded from having a say in the sex education of their children.”
It claims: “In countries where marriage has been redefined, ‘optional’ programs like Safe Schools have become compulsory.
“Following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Canada, the school curriculum changed to introduce increasingly explicit content to children. This program is mandatory, even in faith-based schools.
“If you’re not sure about how changing the definition of marriage will affect what your children and grandchildren are learning in school, vote no.
Meanwhile, the group claims that letting two people of the same sex get married will lead to restrictions on churches.
It says: “The impact that redefining marriage will have on the religious freedom of every day Australians is an area of great significance to the millions of people of faith in this country.
“Concerns about the freedom of religion extend far beyond whether an individual minister of religion or celebrant is required to solemnise a same-sex wedding.
“It has to do with what faith leaders will be able to preach, what schools and parents will be able to teach, and how every day Australians will be able to conduct their businesses in accordance with their beliefs.”
The group is also claiming that equal marriage will lead to employees being “compelled to participate in LGBTI pride events at work”.
It says: “There are also the informal restrictions on free speech, with television and radio outlets refusing to broadcast views which promote traditional marriage, to say nothing of boycotts and even threats of violence against those organisations which express either a pro-marriage or even a neutral stance on this issue.
“If you’re not sure how the redefinition of marriage will affect your rights to free speech, vote ‘no’.”
LGBT campaigners had long warned that a public vote on equal marriage would lead to misleading homophobic nonsense.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten told the PM: “I hold you responsible for every hurtful bit of filth that this debate will unleash – not because the Prime Minister has said it, not because he agrees to it, he clearly doesn’t. But because the Prime Minister has licensed this debate.”
