Anti-marriage equality group receives backlash for controversial Twitter post
TWO leading mental health organisations have publicly criticised to a controversial Twitter post by Marriage Alliance which depicted a rainbow-coloured noose photoshopped on a stock photo of a office desk worker.
Marriage Alliance has courted controversy since it was founded in mid-2015 for its vocal opposition to marriage equality.
In its tweet posted last night, the group claim marriage reform would lead to increased job insecurity for and workplace bullying towards people who oppose it.
Both beyondblue and Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) responded to Marriage Alliance’s latest claim with tweets criticising them:
@MarriageAll Hi admin, you may not have thought about it, but you may want to consider the harm that depicting someone in a noose may cause.
— beyondblue (@beyondblue) February 3, 2016
@richardthewatts @MarriageAll evidence says depicting method harmful, suggest image also deflects real debate @SANEAustralia #stigmawatch
— SuicidePreventionAUS (@SuicidePrevAU) February 3, 2016
A second tweet by beyondblue sparked Marriage Alliance to react, who asked for neutral stance.
@beyondblue a biased position in the same sex marriage debate deflects from core mission. A neutral stance is always best governance.
— Marriage Alliance (@MarriageAll) February 3, 2016
Despite asking for a neutral stance, Marriage Alliance have previously never responded to requests for comment from the Star Observer. Several other media outlets have also reportedly stated the same thing.
In Federal Parliament today, Gellibrand federal Labor MP Tim Watts highlighted the tweet in a speech over the “respectful debate” of the $160 million marriage equality plebiscite.
Beyondblue and SPA weren’t the only ones publicly criticising Marriage Alliance’s tweet.
Australian author Kaz Cooke called Marriage Alliance a “danger to others”.
@MarriageAll Use of hanging imagery in your anti-marriage tweets defies mental health guidelines. Take it down. You are a danger to others.
— Kaz Cooke (@reallykazcooke) February 3, 2016
A few other tweets asked for evidence in the statement on Marriage Alliance’s controversial post, of which it has not shared yet.
@MarriageAll you people are clearly morons: national une will increase because of gay marriage?! Have you the slightest of evidence?
— Sibylla (@Miss_Sibylla) February 3, 2016
Marriage Alliance uses noose in anti-equality image, calls for suicide prevention orgs to have neutral stance pic.twitter.com/nBAK1AzqZ9
— Chris Pycroft (@chrispytweets) February 3, 2016
the latest take from Marriage Alliance:
Marriage equality is a rainbow hangman’s noose that makes you hate your job? pic.twitter.com/nSoQBJbDmL— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) February 3, 2016
Marriage equality will pass no problem and then @MarriageAll will be relegated to the annals of history as an embarrassing footnote!
— Drew Francis (@DJRooRox) February 4, 2016
@MarriageAll This is incredibly disturbing. Please remove this photo.
— Alicia Ames (@aliciiames) February 4, 2016
@MarriageAll what the fuck you are assholes and your picture abhorrent
— carpediem (@mrsbeaker1) February 4, 2016
How’s that respectful, civil debate going, @ACLobby, @MarriageAll? Really despicable stuff. pic.twitter.com/5ox4KtAJsG
— Jacob Holman (@JacobLeigh) February 4, 2016
A rainbow noose. Seriously? What will a plebiscite campaign look like if we’re here already? https://t.co/zE5aC3YEEW
— Jill Stark (@jillastark) February 3, 2016
Support is available for anyone who may need it. Phone Qlife 1800 184 527; Lifeline 13 11 14 or beyondblue 1300 22 4636.
This is the reason why I vote Labor everytime!
This bigotry has to stop, it is getting really old! Gay marriage will happen, whether you like it or not – so stop the winging and wining and get on with it! In 2016, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, still do not recognise interstate or overseas same-sex unions or marriages, for some stupid reason!?
If you do not like gay marriage, do not get one! SIMPLE!
I have an idea: The Australian federal police should do a raid on the ACL and the Marriage Alliances offices, put a court order freeze on all monies donated to both the ACL and the Marriage Alliance and have all the members and supporters, charged and convicted with terrorism offences! That should fix this mess!
AGREED!
If all political advertising and donations were 100% banned now, there would not be this trash and think of the government budget savings too!
So in 2016, Liberal party policy is that “marriage is a union between a man and a woman”. Why would anyone want to support or vote for the Liberal party, with there outdated policy – if they support and advocate for marriage equality?! It will lose the Liberal party critical votes!
They need to change their name to the bigots party! There is NOTHING Liberal about the Liberal party! Truth in labelling!
I have just repealed my membership from the Liberal party! Malcolm Turnbull is an asshole, for funding the marriage alliance and the ACL lunatics! I for one will be voting Labor now and forever!
With disgraceful ads like this, I think the whole world has gone completely mad and bonkers! The Liberal party are truly off there trolley!
Weather you believe in marriage equality or not this poster is absolutely abhorrent a vial discussing degrading of any human being. These types of un-useful and unnecessary things makes me ashamed to be an Australian, this great nation was founded on a fair go for all, not a openly degrading of our fellow Australians. Do these narrow minded people believe that a persons sexuality is all their net worth?
P.S by the way I am not gay myself however condemn no one
So very true! More trash and complete garbage from the ACL and the Liberal party! I am deeply embarrassed to be Australian! This is an import of anti-gay religious hate speech propaganda rubbish, from the USA!
This is a disgrace and an outrage! I for one will never ever vote for the Liberal party, since they actually funded this as well as the ACL and the Marriage Alliance. Referendums never pass in Australia, so what is the point of wasting millions of dollars in having them?! The Australian parliament need to pass marriage equality, senate reform, media reform and the 3 Omnibus repeal bills immediately, before we head of to a federal election!
In 2016, this is what a ACL referendum looks like! All funded by the ACL and the Liberal party. Thanks Malcolm Turnbull, you really hate us gays don’t you! I for one never ever trusted Malcolm Turnbull or Tony Abbott. This was there secret plan all along! I for one hope the Greens get in, at the next federal election! The Liberal party is the party of the 1916! And the Labor party is the party of the 1996! The are both so out of touch on so many different levels!
Remember this was funded by the Liberal party, the ACL and other donors. I for one am very truly outraged at this in 2016! This is the outdated and bigoted Liberal party in 2016! This is the very reason why marriage equality, will not happen in Australia until 2020! Vote 1 Labor
Well what can I say in February 2016? Well done Australia, you are a complete embarrassment! I would of thought that Australia was grown up, but I was dead wrong! This is what a referendum looks like on LGBTI issues in Australia!