Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson is heading to Australia to film his hit TV show, and he has pledged $10,000 towards marriage equality efforts in the country.
The actor fell in love with Australia when he spent Thanksgiving there last year, but is less than happy about the nation’s same-sex marriage laws.
“Like many marriage equality advocates we were saddened to hear that Australia’s High Court recently overturned the law that legalized same sex marriage in their great country,” he wrote on the Tie The Knot website. "A marriage equality bill had JUST passed the parliament in October, so our hearts went out to those people who were suddenly stripped of those rights. Couples who had wed in that short window had to face the reality that their marriages were now annulled. Having been through a similar situation with Proposition 8 here in California, we could really empathize with the frustration and sadness of those who supported and fought for marriage equality. Newlyweds ourselves, Justin and I kept thinking how devastated we would have been if suddenly we were no longer recognized as a legal couple.
“Tie The Knot has always focused its efforts on marriage equality in the United States, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is a great opportunity to bring attention to the journey toward marriage equality that Australia is currently embarking on. We have great faith in their strength and perseverance…. so much so I am personally pledging $10,000 toward the marriage equality efforts in Australia.
“When Justin and I started Tie The Knot, we branded it with the owl to signify patience through the long, hard journey of gaining equality. This fight isn’t a quick one in the United States, and it won’t be in Australia either. But together we can make a difference!”
