Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has
come under fire after comparing same-sex marriage to dogs getting
married.
The 57-year-old Van Damme made his
remarks during a recent appearance on the French talk show On
N'est Pas Couché.
On
the program, Van Damme and Gender Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa
disagreed on Van Damme's belief that a woman's place is in the home.
“According
to your theory, if a man marries another man or a woman marries a
woman – how does that work?” Schiappa asked.
“Men
marry other men?” Van Damme rhetorically asked. “Men get
married. Women get married. Dogs get married. … Everyone is
getting married and everybody is getting divorced.”
After
Schiappa criticized Van Damme – saying that gay men and lesbians
need support rather than being called dogs – the actor apologized,
saying it's okay by him if his gay friends get hitched. Later, Van
Damme suggested that such unions threaten society.
“But
the question is, if all the boys marry each [other] and the women
marry each other, how are we going to have children?” Van Damme
asked.
Several
outlets reported that France's ombudsman for broadcasting standards
had received more than 20 complaints about Van Damme's comments.