The straight couple who vowed to divorce if same-sex marriage was legalised has revealed what’s next
(Facebook/Nick Jensen)
The straight couple who said they would get a divorce if Australia passed same-sex marriage into law has reacted to the country doing exactly that.
Earlier today, Australia voted through a bill which will allow two people – regardless of gender – to marry, with the House of Representatives passing it almost unanimously.
Of course, this couldn’t happen without a homophobic outburst from member Bob Katter, who said gay people had existed for existed for “maybe 60 years” during a rant in which he blamed LGBT people for suicides and murders.
(Facebook/Nick Jensen)
Nick and Sarah Jensen previously told Canberra’s CityNews that they would divorce, but still “live together and call each other ‘husband and wife’ in the ‘eyes of God'” if their Parliament equalised marriage.
Legally, the couple must live separately for 12 months and prove their marriage is “irreconcilably broken” before seeking a divorce – but a lawyer selflessly offered to help with that issue.
Following today’s news that Parliament has legalised same-sex marriage, the Jensens were asked what their plans were.
(Facebook/ Nick Jensen)
After all, they made a promise, and it doesn’t seem right to break a vow.
But when asked about the pledge, which they made in the eyes of a reporter and to hundreds of thousands of readers, Nick Jensen backed away from their stated position.
“My previous public comments regarding civil divorce never envisaged me separating from my wife, but rather our marriage from the state,” he told news.com.au.
“The legislation currently makes it untenable for us to do this under the law,” Jensen added, speaking immediately after the House of Representatives’ overwhelming vote in favour of equal marriage.
(Getty)
“The point we were highlighting and that still stands, however, is the fact that a redefinition of marriage changes the agreement under which we were originally married.
“We will be making no further comment.”
The change to which he referred to, of course, was not an alteration to his rights, but to those of non-heterosexual people.
(Getty)
His and his wife’s decade-long marriage, as far as we can be aware, is the same.
The couple’s original announcement sparked a reaction which included just a little schadenfreude.
(Getty)
A Facebook event called “Celebrating Nick and Sarah Jensen’s divorce” was created soon after the couple’s announcement, gaining over 140,000 RSVPs in the first week.
Despite this, Nick wrote a piece for the Bible Society in which he said he regretted nothing.
(Getty)
“In all honesty if I had the opportunity I don’t think I would do anything differently or change any part of my opinion piece,” he wrote.
“Some have painted our act as simply a petty tantrum, a toddler’s reaction who doesn’t want to share and will simply take his toys home if he can’t win,” he added.
(Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Can’t imagine why.
He continued: “This decision is not due to any dislike of any people, same-sex-attracted or not, but simply around how we understand marriage as defined by God.”
