Is Gay Marriage Legal In Australia? Why Ben & Jerry’s Bans ‘Same-Flavor’ Scoops
Gay marriage isn’t legal in Australia, but Ben & Jerry’s wants to change that. The famous ice cream company banned “same-flavor” ice cream scoops Thursday to protest the ban on same-sex marriage. That means customers won’t be able to get two scoops of ice cream that are the same flavor until people of the same sex are legally permitted to marry in Oz.
The marriage equality push is happening at all 26 Australian stores. “It is time to stand up for fair and equal rights for all by letting our leaders know that we demand Marriage Equality!” the chain said in an official statement on their website Thursday.
“Imagine heading down to your local Scoop Shop to order your favorite two scoops of Cookie Dough in a waffle cone. But you find out you are not allowed – Ben & Jerry’s has banned two scoops of the same flavor. You’d be furious! Don’t live near a scoop shop – no problem!” the company started to explain.
“But this doesn’t even begin to compare to how furious you would be if you were told you were not allowed to marry the person you love. So we are banning two scoops of the same flavor and encouraging our fans to contact their MPs to tell them that the time has come – make marriage equality legal! Love comes in all flavors!”
The idea is to contact local representatives to make gay marriage legal before the parliamentary session June 13. The ice cream store promised to have post cards for people to send to the government to request the change.
We’re banning any same-flavour love in the fight for #marriageequality! Join us by signing petition to get Australia moving. pic.twitter.com/DV5MHOrCsZ
— Ben & Jerry's Oz (@BenAndJerrysOz) May 25, 2017
“At Ben & Jerry’s we love love, and we think most Australians do too,” the company continued. “More Australians than ever before believe everyone should have the right to love who they love – and marry them too, if that's what makes you happy. Let’s make it happen! Go to your local scoop shop to send a message to your local representative and tell them you support marriage equality!”
More than 70 percent of Australians are in favor of marriage equality, Ben & Jerry’s claimed, but in order for the law to pass there must be a free vote.
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The federal Marriage Act of 1961 is what currently makes same-sex couples unable to wed. Even if Australians are married in other countries, Australia will not recognize the marriage, “closing the door for any couples of the same gender hoping to marry overseas and return home as a happy couple. This needs to change now,” Ben & Jerry’s wrote.
It’s not new for the Vermont-based company to support same-sex marriage legislation. Before Australia, they supported marriage equality in the U.S., U.K., New Zealand, and Germany, Fortune noted.
Ben & Jerry’s isn’t alone in their support of passing marriage equality in Australia. There are more than 1,200 companies and organizations, including AirBnB, that want it to be legal for same-sex couples to get married Down Under, the Telegraph said.
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