12 Dec 2017

Tuilaepa says no to same sex marriage in Samoa

1:22 pm on 12 December 2017

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is adamant there will be no same sex marriage in Samoa.

Tuilaepa described same sex marriage as an abomination and a "Sodom and Gomorrah practice" at his weekly media conference on Friday.

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Photo: Creative Commons/Ludovic Bertron

He said there is no true Christian country in the world which would allow it and it would not be allowed in Samoa as long as it remained a Christian country.

Tuilaepa and his Human Rights Protection Party changed the country's constitution earlier this year to formally make Samoa a Christian state.

Tuilaepa earlier joked to reporters he would try to have fa'afafine participate as women weightlifters at international meets in a reference to the New Zealand transgender weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard, who beat Samoan lifter Iuniarra Sipaia to win won gold last week at an Australian competition.

Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi conducting his weekly radio address.

Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi conducting his weekly radio address. Photo: RNZI/Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia

Tuilaepa who is patron of the Samoa Fa'afine Association joked, "I will make them lift in the women's competition bringing in lots of gold medals".

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