An Australian advert attacking gay marriage, in which a woman claims it could lead to her son wearing a dress to school, has been dismissed as “patently ridiculous”.
The No campaign in the country has released its first TV ad ahead of the postal survey on the issue, where four women say they fear it could have implications on what their children are taught in school
“The school told my son that he could wear a dress to school next year if he wanted,” said Cella White in the 30-second Coalition For Marriage ad.
But the principal of the Melbourne school her son attends has said this never happened.
Frankston High principal John Albiston told The Sydney Morning Herald: “We checked with all the teachers, it never happened...
“I have never had any complaints that we advised the boys they could wear dresses. We didn’t offer them that option.”
The country’s education minister Simon Birmingham also said it was “patently ridiculous” to suggest introducing gay marriage could mean an overhaul in sex and gender education curriculum.
“The truth is, the reality is that schools in the future, if they are faith-based schools, will be able to teach according to their faith and including according to the definition of marriage, according to their faith,” Birmingham said.
“That will be respected in the future as it is today. It is patently ridiculous to suggest that allowing same sex couples to marry is somehow going to see some new wave of teaching reforms sweep across the country. That is just not going to happen.
“This is a simple issue and it should not be conflated with other issues.”
Australia’s Government is organising a postal survey in September on the issue of gay marriage, though it is still awaiting a decision from the High Court on whether it can actually go ahead.
The No campaign’s claims that same sex marriage would redefine the institution has inspired jokes about how seriously Australians take it...