Rugby player David Pocock shows support for same-sex marriage

David Pocock, described as a leading Rugby player in Australia, has made a political stand again the ban on same-sex marriage down under.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper report Pocock as saying, “I don’t see what the big deal is with the whole gay marriage debate in Australia.” Adding, “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 all that kind of rubbish.”

Making a stance again the view of some religions, and politicians, he has vowed he won’t marry his girlfriend until the law is changed.

Speaking before the World Cup finale against South Africa yesterday he continued, “They claim to follow someone who always stood up for the oppressed and marginalised… …if you talk to someone who doesn’t like gay people you can almost guarantee that they don’t know too many.”

Pocock suggests “These are the prejudices that you have to challenge and break down. Emma and I decided not to get legally married until our gay friends could do the same.”

Since 2001, ten countries have begun allowing same-sex couples to marry nationwide. These are currently Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. Same-sex marriages are also performed and recognised in Mexico City and parts of the United States.

In Austalia however the idea of changing the law has met with resistance. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is openly apposed to gay and lesbians marrying as its against her religious beliefs. There has however been some support toward the equality changes. The Australian Capital Territory was the first jurisdiction in Australia to legally recognise same-sex couples in 1994. It was the second to allow joint adoption petitions by same-sex couples in 2003, following Western Australia. Other states in the country to allow Civil Partnerships include New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Victoria was an early state with a large LGBT movement in the 1960s and 70s, however Tasmania has been the most vocal in recent times calling on the Federal government to legalise same-sex unions to the level of hetrosexual marriages.

Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich is pleased with the high profile rugby player’s support, “David Pocock’s strong support for equality will have a dramatic impact in a sports-mad nation like Australia,” adding, “David’s stance also sends out the message that marriage equality is a reform Christians can and should support.”