Australia faces ‘war of TV adverts’ over equal marriage
Australia’s pro-equal marriage campaign has put out an ad calling out the anti-gay Coalition for Marriage, ahead of a public vote on same-sex unions.
Pro-equal marriage group The Equality Campaign released a new campaign advert today directly calling out the Coalition for Marriage, after the release of a surreal TV ad that made a string of misleading assertions.
Though the upcoming vote on equal marriage has nothing to do with transgender issues, the Coalition for Marriage’s TV advert features a mother urging people to vote ‘No’ because “[a] school told my son he could wear a dress next year if he felt like it.”
(Photo: The Equality Campaign/ Youtube)The Equality Campaign’s advert is a direct response, and features grandmother and doctor Kerryn Phelps calling out the scaremongering campaign.
In the advert, Phelps says: “Over the coming weeks we’ll be hearing a lot about whether our family and friends who are gay or lesbian can get married.
“Sadly, some are trying to mislead us, by saying marriage equality will have a negative impact, including on young people.
“The YES campaign is about uniting Australians while the NO campaign is about dividing our nation.”
The TV ad war is set to only intensify. PinkNews can reveal that the Coalition for Marriage is aggressively soliciting donations from conservatives in the country, seeking to raise $35,000 a day “to keep [their] ad on the air”.
In a mailout to supporters, the group wrote: “Last night we launched our first TV ad of the campaign.
“This commercial will play an important role in helping Australians understand the consequences of changing our marriage laws.
“We need to make sure as many Australians as possible have a chance to see this ad.
“So please watch it, share it with your friends and family – and please give to ensure we have the $35,000 needed each night to keep this ad on the air.”
Much of the debate surrounding the upcoming postal vote on marriage equality has mixed up sexual orientation and gender identity, with one Australian group asking their supporters to email companies including McDonald’s to stop ‘transgender marriage’.
Anti-LGBT+ groups have warned that a ‘Yes’ result in the postal vote will lead to dire consequences, particularly for young people.
Explainer: What the hell is going on with same-sex marriage in Australia?
The Coalition for Marriage made several spurious claims about the potential consequences of a ‘Yes’ postal vote result, including a 4000% increase in children coming out as transgender, which they say would be disastrous.
Phelps sad: “The only young people affected by marriage equality are young gay people who, for the first time, will have the same dignity as everyone else in our country and they deserve that.”
Executive Director of the Equality Campaign Tiernan Brady said: “The next few weeks must be a campaign of respectful conversations, not angry debates, because this is about real people’s lives and their dignity.
“Lesbian and gay people are our family members, friends, neighbours and workmates and we would ask all who take part in our national conversation to remember that.”
Watch the full Equality Campaign advert below:
