Gay man in Melbourne disinvites parents to his same-sex wedding
Image: Image: Instagram / @barnabyreiter
A gay man in Melbourne has disinvited his No voting parents to his future same-sex wedding in an emotional open letter.
Actor Barnaby Reiter posted the letter in the hopes that it would change their minds, to no avail.
In it, he explains the impact a No vote in the postal survey will have on their parent and child relationship.
“Please know that if you choose to tick the ‘no’ box you will not be invited to my wedding,” he wrote.
“Don’t get me wrong. I want you there. No child hopes their parents won’t come to the happiest day of their life.
“But if you don’t support my decision to marry a man that I love and want to spend the rest of my life with then I refuse to feel unsafe and unsupported on my big day.
“I refuse to constantly look over my shoulder to see if you’re okay and above all else I refuse to flinch when I’m asked to ‘now kiss my husband’ for fear of making you uncomfortable.”
Reiter went on to ensure that his parents knew the ramifications of voting No in the postal survey.
“When someone asks ‘do you want me to give you a lift’ it will be your responsibility to explain to them why you’re not coming,” he wrote.
“When the photos come out, when people talk about it for the rest of your lives, when your grandkids from your straight children ask ‘why weren’t you at Barney and Brad Pitt’s wedding’ you will have to tell them that you made a choice in 2017 and had to live with that.
“When the big day comes and you two are left home alone I want you to stop and notice the feeling you have – do you feel left out? Do you feel lonely and unloved?
“I want you to realise that that is exactly how I feel right now and that is exactly what you’re supporting.”
Voting in the postal survey has closed, with results expected to be announced next Wednesday 15 November.
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To be honest… I’m not a yes supporter or a no supporter… I think that marriage should be banned completely… marriage is a barbaric act that forces 2 people to go against nature and to be locked into a life of slavery for the rest of their life. While I feel your pain, What you are doing is acrually worse than them. Every body is entitled to their own opinions and should not be punished for them. Whilst it may differ to your own beliefs you can’t go around blackmailing people to push your own agenda. It makes you come across as petty and you will be forever known as the spoilt child who refused to invite his own parents to his wedding because he didbt get his own way. I hope you can live with that.
Hannah, I sincerely hope you never have children. Your thought clearly show you have no compassion.
Thank you for writing this, Barnaby! You’ve done the right thing despite how difficult it must have been for you. Your parents do not deserve to celebrate your special day when it happens, just as you deserve to celebrate it without fear. It’s a shame your parents want to stop you from enjoying a fulfilling life, but it’s great to see you have the support of your friends, extended family and random strangers!
Thanks for the love guys xxx