OPINION
When the ACT parliament voted this week to allow same sex marriages it was expected that conservative groups would make various statements about how terrible the move would be for society and families.
Surprisingly many of the groups that were vocal in the lead up to the vote were quite sedate in the aftermath. There were still some ridiculous claims to be put forward though.
Winning the award for most ridiculous claim was Ros Phillips from Family Voice Australia. Phillips issued a press release arguing that the allowance of same sex marriage in the ACT would cause confusion for the nation’s tradies. Plumbers and Electricians whose work relies on the ability to match male and female sockets and plugs effectively.
“Let’s not confuse apprentice electricians, plumbers and carpenters in the ACT – lest the lights go out, the drains leak and the chairs collapse in the Legislative Assembly!” Phillips said.
Aside from her bizarre statement Phillips’ media release also contained a series of diagrams of plugs and pipes and instructions on how they fitted together,
Phillips later said that media she was amazed when media outlets labeled her comments offensive, defending her press release as light-hearted fun. She continued to poke fun further by passing on the comments of a reader.
“if we can’t get male and female ends, we have to get two male ends, one slightly smaller than the other, and grease them right up to fit together. Normally don’t last long and have to be constantly repaired…”
It doesn’t take a Mensa member to read between the lines of the second comment as an allegory on homosexuality and the stability of gay relationships.
Phillips comments are even more ridiculous than those of the Westboro Baptist Church who linked the passing of the legislation in the ACT to the deadly bush fires in NSW. While the Westboro Baptist Church’s comments are also offensive, it’s their standard operating procedure, Phillips has found a whole new reason to stop marriage equality. While we’ve heard the fear that existing straight marriages will instantaneously fall apart, and been told of the fear that people will be forced to marry their siblings and the worrying scenario that cats will want to wed dogs. All have previously been raised, the Tradie disaster though is a whole new apocalypse.
Phillips added on that she hoped everyone was now realising that marriages are not primarily about love and companionship but about having children. I’m guessing Phillips has probably been to more weddings in her lifetime than I have, but I’m yet to go to one that didn’t have a large focus on love, support and companionship. I’m yet to hear the vow, “I promise to give you many children” read out in a marriage ceremony.
Let’s hope that Phillips doesn’t travel to Isreal where there has been a lot of debate recently over two puppets called Plug and Socket. Plug and Sockett, or Sheka and Teka in Hebrew, have been promoting the state owned company Israel Electric for over a decade. Isreali’s have always playfully suggested that the pair might be gay. Now in their latest advertising campaign promoting clean energy, Plug and Sockett have a baby – representing the next generation of Israelis. The arrival of the baby has sparked (pun totally intended) a debate about gay parenting in the country.
Each year the GLORIA Awards are given out to people who make ridiculous and homophobic statements, is it too early to call it for 2013/14?
Graeme Watson
Stock Image: Yay Micro/phovoir
