‘Wedding’ video used in anti-gay campaign

A GAY Irishman whose “wedding” video was used by the Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a speech denouncing homosexual “marriage” said he was horrified his happiest day was used to stir up hatred.

Brendan Fay, who lives in New York with his partner Tom Moulton, was speaking after Mr Kaczynski showed footage of the couple’s “wedding” ceremony as part of a television rally against the Lisbon Treaty.

Mr Kaczynski said if Poland ratified the treaty it would be opening the door to gay “marriages”.

“What was appalling about it was if it was any other married couple, how would they feel if images of their wedding were used as part of a campaign to promote intolerance?

“We were in shock that images of such a day of joy being used in a campaign of hate,” said Mr Fay.

After hearing about Mr Kaczynski’s rally, Mr Fay wrote a letter to the Polish consulate in the US and has spoken with them.

Mr Fay was told the consulate acts on behalf of the Polish government, not the president, and parliament had distanced itself from the homophobic position.

Yesterday Mr Fay told 2FMs Gerry Ryan Show he was particularly angry Mr Kaczynski was using the video to suggest gay “marriages” would undermine Catholic values in Poland as both Mr Fay and his husband are both deeply religious.

“He had no way of knowing who he was picking but of all the gay couples in the world, we met at Sunday mass [in 1996]. He was trying to promote that we were anti-Catholic and trying to promote anti-Catholic feelings,” he said.

Mr Fay said he does not believe the president’s view reflects Polish people generally and he thinks they are far more tolerant of same-sex relationships than their head of state.

“I was in touch with the gay community in Warsaw, which is very strong, and ironically its leader is presently in California celebrating the five-year anniversary with his partner,” he said. Mr Fay said he was still trying to figure out how Mr Kaczynski acquired the images of their Canadian “marriage” certificate and footage from their “wedding”.

However, Would You Believe screened a documentary on Mr Fay’s relationship with Mr Moultan and this may have been the source of the material.

Mr Fay said given the level of public attention his story is getting in Poland, he hopes the Would You Belive documentary would be shown there to balance the negative publicity surrounding the couple’s “marriage”.