No, gay marriage does not pave the way for bestiality

Australia, bless our little cotton socks, is in the middle of an annoying, expensive and non-binding public vote on gay marriage. It’s bringing out every ghastly view on homosexuality including the idea that normalising homosexuality by allowing gay people to marry opens the door to perversions such as marrying animals. Here is why that is not the case.

People who are attracted to animals are not stopped by the lack of legal paperwork. No one is imagining having sex with an animal but being held back by the fact that they ´can’t put a ring on her´. Most people are simply not attracted to animals. Of the small portion that are, most are held back by the social norms that say we don´t have sex with animals. The even smaller portion of people who are attracted to animals and have sex with them are not held back by anything including legal restrictions.

And let’s say that people can marry their pets. Let’s do that thought experiment. Who do you think marries a pet? It’s going to be a devoted owner who isn’t finding anyone human that gives them an emotional commitment like a pet. They decide that they want the big white dress, the big party and if they can´t find a human partner then they are going to publicly commit to their pet. Because, again, people who are attracted to animals and act on that attraction are not stopped by social norms. They aren’t going to admit their perversion publicly. Any marriages of animal and human would be an emotional commitment only.

So that’s why gay marriage doesn't lead to bestiality or animal marriage. It’s different because both parties are consenting adults. And that’s why you should vote yes, even though this plebiscite is expensive and stupid and non-binding. So that the people getting hysterical see that the rest of us are calm and can’t be scared by these dumb statements.