Homer’s a minister and Patty’s a lesbian as Simpsons take on same-sex marriage

THE Simpsons has come out of the closet, addressing the controversial issue of same-sex marriage while embracing Marge’s chain-smoking sister Patty as a lesbian.

Springfield may never be the same again, and the revelation has thrilled gay rights activists.

In an episode entitled There’s Something About Marrying, screened in the US last night, Homer Simpson became a minister on the internet and conducted dozens of same-sex weddings, charging $152 a pop.

This prompted long-time character Patty Bouvier to explain how she fell for professional golfer Veronica.

But love was not to be.

Veronica turned out to be a man, betrayed by a protruding Adam’s apple and unmasked at the altar.

The heavily promoted episode had attracted widespread publicity with bookmakers taking bets on which character would be revealed as homosexual, and whether there would be a kiss.

The episode, which was preceded by a parental advisory warning, was hailed a “ray of light” by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

But Parents Television Council president L Brent Bozell criticised the show for addressing the issue of gay marriage.