Trolls target family after anti-gay marriage advertisement

Heidi McIvor’s husband has received vitriolic comments online after publishing an anti-gay marriage ad in the local newspaper, of which he is the advertising manager

A mother and church pastor who appeared in a controversial advertisement advocating against gay marriage and her family have been viciously trolled online.  

Heidi McIvor and her husband Julian, who are both active members of the City Builders church in Sale, Victoria, have been accused of being behind an advertisement in their local paper.

The ad, posted last week, also took a stance against same-sex marriage, claiming there could be no same sex marriage because that union could not conceive children.

Comments on social media directed at the devout couple ranged from cruel taunts towards the family to threats against their church, despite the McIvor’s claims they had nothing to do with the ad, The Australian reported.

‘I hope he hasn’t got children that have his DNA,’ one local posted to Facebook.

‘Let’s burn their church,’ wrote another.

The ad, not written by any member of the McIvor family, suggests same sex marriage should not be legal as a homosexual union could not naturally conceive children

The ad, not written by any member of the McIvor family, suggests same sex marriage should not be legal as a homosexual union could not naturally conceive children

Julian McIvor (left) is the husband of Heidi McIvor (right), who recently appeared in a controversial anti-gay marriage television commercial

Julian McIvor (left) is the husband of Heidi McIvor (right), who recently appeared in a controversial anti-gay marriage television commercial

The ad’s publication resulted in locals returning their newspapers in disgust, with a Facebook event created to encourage others to do the same.

It enraged not only same-sex marriage supporters, but also those who used IVF to conceive, as it shunned any artificial attempt at creating a family in its bizarre description of conception.

‘When the wife’s egg is fertilised by the husband’s sperm in the marital act of love, a flash of light occurs and a baby is conceived,’ the ad said.

‘This is not physically possible for two people of the same sex. A baby produced has to be manufactured.’

Ms McIvor said children in Year 7 had been asked to role play being in a same-sex relationship during her short time on screen 

Ms McIvor said children in Year 7 had been asked to role play being in a same-sex relationship during her short time on screen 

The family have been threatened with cruel taunts, and one angry local suggested burning down the family's church

The family have been threatened with cruel taunts, and one angry local suggested burning down the family’s church

Despite the public and angry response her husband received after merely printing a newspaper advertisement, not writing it, Ms McIvor is not concerned about backlash she may receive for her participation in the Coalition for Marriage’s television ad.

She told The Australian she was happy to debate the issue with ‘anybody’ if they approached her regarding her appearance in the advertisement.

But the church worship leader slammed people who took a stance against her without participating in a rational conversation. 

‘What does worry me… is that it seems no one can put forward an alternative opinion about marriage without it ­descending into personal attacks and threats,’ she said.

The McIvor family are not the only ones to face backlash for their contribution to the same sex marriage debate. 

Cella White, who appeared on the Coalition for Marriage’s television ad alongside Ms McIvor, has also faced public shaming, with the principal of her son’s school slamming her claims as lies. 

Cella White (pictured) has also faced backlash for her stance on marriage equality, but has strongly refuted claims she is lying about her son being told he could wear a dress to school

Cella White (pictured) has also faced backlash for her stance on marriage equality, but has strongly refuted claims she is lying about her son being told he could wear a dress to school

Ms White said during the commercial that her son had been told he could wear a dress to school if he felt like it. 

The mother-of-four had shared the story on a national scale previously, while appearing on an episode of Q&A early last year. 

But John Albiston, the principal of Frankston High School where her son attended, denied the claims and said the incident ‘never happened’, and said she had not contacted the school before going public with the story.

Ms White has not backed down, and told The Australian she had spoken to multiple members of staff at the school, and two people from the Department of Education.

‘To suggest the school was not aware of my concerns is a lie,’ she said.  

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk