Rugby star David Pocock says he won't
marry until Australia legalizes gay marriage.
Pocock, the 23-year-old Western Force
and Wallabies openside flanker, told The
New Zealand Herald that he and his fiancee Emma won't wed
until their gay friends can.
“I don't see what the big deal is
with the whole gay marriage debate in Australia,” Pocock said.
“Being brought up in a Christian home and still identifying as
Christian, I get pretty annoyed with the Christian lobbies around the
world who say gay marriage destroys the family and that kind of
rubbish.”
“I guess it is fear of the unknown –
if you talk to someone who doesn't like gay people you can almost
guarantee that they don't know too many.”
“Emma and I decided not to get
legally married until our gay friends could do the same,” Pocock
added.
Pocock's remarks were cheered by gay
marriage supporters.
“David Pocock's strong support for
equality will have a dramatic impact in a sport-mad nation like
Australia,” Australian Marriage Equality National Convener Alex
Greenwich said in a statement.
“David's stance also sends out the message that marriage equality
is a reform Christians can and should support.”