Pizza shop has a perfect response to anti-gay marriage billboard next door
A pizza shop in Australia had a perfect response when an anti-gay marriage billboard went up next door.
The Coalition for Marriage, the primary anti-gay marriage lobbying group in the country, had paid for a billboard in Launceston, Tasmania to encourage people to oppose equal marriage.
Ahead of a public vote on whether same-sex couples should get married, the billboard read ‘It’s OK to say No’.
However, the message did not go down well with the staff of Wiseguise Pizza, the restaurant located right next door to the billboard.
With permission from the management, they decided to add to the message – painting the words “…to pineapple on pizza” on the restaurant wall right next to the billboard.
Wiseguise worker Ben Barwick told ABC: “It’s a huge debate at the moment, obviously, everyone’s talking about whether pineapple should be on pizza or not.”
He added that the shop is “respectful of everyone’s opinions” and “we’re just here to make pizza”.
The worker added that their actions were entirely legal, as “we are painting the side of our building, not on the sign”.
Managing director Alex Jones said he had been worried that the anti-gay marriage sign would scare away customers, who would wrongly believe his shop had endorsed it.
He said: “We try not to have a political point of view as a business, so I think we’ve taken the stance away from it.
“I think this is a better solution to just the sign on its own.
“It’s the Australian way, you know, to take an issue that’s got a lot of people divided at the moment and make it a little bit more light-hearted.
“Obviously we’re big believers in freedom of speech, and we’re very lucky that we live in a country that allows us to be like that.”
The Coalition for Marriage has had an influx of funding as the country votes on equal marriage, splashing out on a high-profile ad blitz.
It is believed to be drastically outspending the Equality Campaign, which has struggled to gain traction with its messaging.
A pizza restaurant in North Carolina recently shut down any argument against them having a trans-inclusive toilet policy.
