Two straight men in New Zealand are getting married, but not because they love each other, they are tying the knot because they love Rugby. Travis McIntosh, 23, and Matt McCormick, 24, are best friends who are willing to repeat marriage vows in order to win a radio station competition and get a free trip to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
The “Love You Man” campaign began in August and promises a “trip of a lifetime” to “two best mates” who get married. The Edge radio station has a history of promoting “outrageous weddings, according to Media Works. They have previously prompted strangers to marry, couples to elope to Las Vegas, and for individuals to agree to “Nudie Nuptials.”
Tickets to the Rugby World Cup can cost as much as $1,217.00. Throw in the costs of flights, hotel rooms, etc. and you might end up saving money after throwing a small wedding. So, maybe it comes down to the fact that these are just two very competitive guys (I mean, their "bromance" did begin at ages 5 and 6 when they met on the Rugby field).
The New Zealand Herald has more:
"We are not here to insult anyone. We are here to do our own thing and travel our own path." Mr McIntosh said the wedding was not mocking the institution of marriage.
"It's just seeing how far two good mates would go to win a trip to the Rugby World Cup."
"We picked up our wedding certificate and the nerves are starting to really hit home."
They will marry in front of 60 family and friends at Eden Park, Auckland.
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Same-sex activists, however, are not taking the situation with such levity. Neill Ballantyne, co-coordinator of the Otaga University Students' Association Queer Support in New Zealand called the wedding an “insult:”
"Something like this trivialises what we fought for." The competition promoted the marriage of two men as something negative,"as something outrageous that you'd never consider", Mr Ballantyne said.
LegaliseLove Aotearoa Wellington co-chairman Joseph Habgood said the competition attacked the legitimacy of same-sex marriages.
The truth is, however, when marriage is no longer about having children you can get married for whatever reason you want. This sort of competition is merely the after-effect of creating blurred lines around the institution of marriage.
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