For the past five episodes of Bride and Prejudice, Australia has watched with a box of tissues by their side as several couples have struggled with their family’s disapproval of their chosen partners.
From age difference to sexuality to religion, all have been hard to watch. But there is one story that has grabbed us the most – that of Chris and his partner (now husband) Grant.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen him try to convince his very traditional and devout Jehovah’s Witness parents to give their approval for his relationship and attend his wedding.
Listen: If there’s one dating show you should be talking about – it’s Bride and Prejudice.
“It’s not going to happen Chris. You know I have very strong beliefs on that. For us, it’s not an option. I find homosexuality to be wrong, it’s actually condemned in the bible,” his mum Yvonne told him after he broke the news that he was getting married.
In a later secret meeting, Chris’ father said it was just something he couldn’t accept.
“I don’t hate you or anything. Just some of your choices run the wrong way way with us. It’s not the way I was brought up,” he said.
Yvonne doesn’t like her sons ‘personal choices’. Homosexuality isn’t a choice. Being a homophobic bigot is. #BrideAndPrejudice
— Arkady (@Arkady2009) March 13, 2017
Top Comments
The most upsetting fact is that some people think homosexuality is a matter of choice. Some even believe it is an illness.
Most of my life I believed this was because not everyone had the intellectual capacity to understand it but still, this should've been a low percentage of population.
Reality is, which I slowly discovered over years, that there is a shocking number of fairly intelligent people who have these beliefs.
This made me realize that the problem is not of the intellectual but more of the psychological nature.
There is a seed of fear planted deep inside the minds of these people. What is it that they are afraid of?
My heart broke for Chris and I have the utmost respect for him and how he has handled the whole situation. He is a bigger person than his parents will ever be.