Metro Weekly

Meghan Trainor objects to her picture being used to fight against gay marriage in Australia

Singer's image was used by anti-gay group to convince Australians to oppose same-sex marriage referendum

Meghan Trainor – Photo: Ronald Woan, via Wikimedia.

“I SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY! Someone in Australia is illegally using my picture for a campaign against marriage equality. So wrong. Not okay.”

–Singer Meghan Trainor, in a tweet objecting to her picture being used by opponents of marriage equality to encourage Australian citizens to vote “no” in the country’s upcoming survey on whether to legalize same-sex marriage.

Trainor took to social media to object after fans notified her that an unofficial campaign group called “Vote No Australia” was using her image, along with a reference to the lyrics of her song, “No,” to argue against marriage equality, reports Attitude magazine.

The poster, which was shared on Facebook, read: “My vote is no, you need to let it go.”

Trainor added: “I’ve said it before. Everyone should be able to love who they want. I support equality, period.”

Trainor then took to Instagram to encourage Australians to register to vote in the upcoming referendum. Alongside a picture reminding voters of the Aug. 24 deadline for registering to vote, she wrote: “VOTE YES FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY. LOVE IS LOVE.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYKVn2DDJO1/

As part of the upcoming referendum, all citizens, both at home and abroad, over the age of 18 prior to Aug. 24, will decide whether politicians should change the law to allow same-sex couples to marry. Because the vote is not a plebiscite, citizens are not required to cast a ballot and the result is non-binding, meaning politicians in Parliament do not have to follow the will of the voters.

Voters are encouraged to return their voting forms by Oct. 27. Ballots received after Nov. 7 will not be counted. Final results will be announced on Nov. 15.

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