The debate over same-sex marriage is roaring in Australia, where same-sex marriage is still against the law, and—surprise!—all the failed arguments used against marriage equality in the United States, Canada, the UK, etc., are getting trotted out.

For example, here's some incredibly stupid shit being said in Australia that we heard during the debate here:

A Sikh community leader has told the Australian parliament that putting through a bill in support of same-sex marriage would “destroy the whole human race.” Bawa Singh Jagdev, who is the current Secretary of the National Sikh Council of Australia, also suggested that same-sex couples should instead call their relationships “homo unions." The comments came in a public submission to the current Senate inquiry into the government’s draft marriage equality bill. He said in the submission: “What the proponents of the bill are proposing and supporting is against the law of nature. God created humans on this planet to propagate the human race and not to destroy it. This bill will destroy the whole human race.”

There are currently 7.5 billion human beings on the planet. The biggest threats to the survival of the "whole human race" are overpopulation, fossil fuel consumption, habitat destruction, and human stupidity. We're propagating ourselves to death, thanks in part to religious traditions that fetishize reproduction, seek to control women's bodies, and stigmatize birth control, abortion, and homosexuality. But, okay, sure, keep pointing a finger at the "threat" homosexuality poses to the survival of humanity, religious folks, if you it makes you feel better less culpable for rising seas and the sixth mass extinction.

Buy you gotta love Jagdev's compromise: call them homo unions, not marriages. It's the only way to save the planet! Gee, who knew a silly semantic game was powerful enough to save the human race from extinction?

The Dowager Pontiff—the previous pope—made the exact same argument back when we were fighting for marriage equality in the United States. (Coming soon: The fight to preserve marriage equality in the United States.) I responded at length at a college appearance. I am forever grateful to the rightwing activist who recorded my remarks and put them up on YouTube in an effort to discredit me. Now please enjoy "Dan Savage Attacks the Pope! [WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE]"...

I would like to gift my remarks on the pope to any Australian activist fighting for marriage equality who wants to adapt them. Swap out "the pope" for "Bawa Singh Jagdev," go find a podium to stand in front of and a gullible anti-marriage-equality activist stupid enough to signal boost your response to this idiocy, and help defeat this idiotic argument.