Ben & Jerry’s bans same-flavour ice cream scoops until same-sex marriage is legal in Australia
Ben & Jerry’s has renewed efforts to push for marriage equality in Australia, banning people from getting two scoops of the same flavour ice cream until same-sex marriage is legal.
Despite a majority now supporting the right of same-sex couples to get married in Australia, the Government has insisted on a costly public vote to decide whether it should become legal or not.
The ice cream giant has long supported equal marriage and has stepped up its campaign once more, noting that 72 percent of Australians back same-sex marriage.
“Imagine heading down to your local Scoop Shop to order your favourite two scoops of Cookie Dough in a waffle cone. But you find out you are not allowed – Ben & Jerry’s has banned two scoops of the same flavour. You’d be furious!” said the company.
It continued: “But this doesn’t even begin to compare to how furious you would be if you were told you were not allowed to marry the person you love.
“So we are banning two scoops of the same flavour and encouraging our fans to contact their MPs to tell them that the time has come – make marriage equality legal! Love comes in all flavours!”
Ben & Jerry’s adds that it will provide postboxes and postcards in all 26 stores across Australia, urging customers to write to their MPs in support of equal marriage.
It urges a free vote for MPs, a majority of who now also support same-sex marriage.
The company last year launched a campaign urging customers to sign petitions pushing for same-sex marriage.
The campaign links to the Equality Campaign website, with a petition to have same-sex marriage legalised.
$170 million of government money earlier this year was allocated to the Australian public vote on same-sex marriage.
Same-sex couples are not allowed to marry in the country, even though polls have long shown that most of the public want to make it legal.
A clear majority of MPs and Senators are also in favour of same-sex marriage, with the balance shifting decisively in last year’s federal election.
After his narrow victory in July’s election, right-wing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pledged to bring a public plebiscite as soon as possible.
But a national vote is not necessary to make same-sex marriage legal in the country, and efforts to bring one about have so far been rejected.
Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of supporting marriage equality around the world.
The company back in 2012 changed the name of one of its flavours in the UK in order to push for same-sex marriage.
Oh! My! Apple Pie! became Apple-y Ever After and tubs featured a gay couple atop a wedding cake decorated with rainbows.
An ad for a new Antonio Federici flavour which showed two priests about to kiss was banned after it was ruled to be offensive to Catholics. The Advertising Standards Authority said the picture was likely to cause “serious offence”.
