Cameron criticized by gay rights campaigner

Actor Kirk Cameron has come under fire from gay rights activists after he called homosexuality "unnatural" and "detrimental" during a TV interview on Friday (02Mar12).

The former Growing Pains star, now an evangelical Christian, caused controversy after speaking out against homosexuality during his appearance on Piers Morgan Tonight.

He told the CNN host, "I think that it's unnatural. I think that it's detrimental and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilisation."

Cameron was also open about his disapproval of gay unions, adding, "Marriage is almost as old as dirt, and it was defined in the garden between Adam and Eve. One man, one woman for life till death do you part. So I would never attempt to try to redefine marriage. And I don't think anyone else should either. So do I support the idea of gay marriage? No, I don't."

Bosses at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have moved swiftly to fire off a statement condemning Cameron's comments, blasting his views as "out of step".

Herndon Graddick of GLAAD writes, "In this interview, Kirk Cameron sounds even more dated than his 1980s TV character. Cameron is out of step with a growing majority of Americans, particularly people of faith who believe that their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters should be loved and accepted based on their character and not condemned because of their sexual orientation.

"With an increasing number of states recognizing marriage equality, Americans are seeing that marriage is about committed couples who want to make a lifelong promise to take care of and be responsible for each other and that gay and lesbian couples need equal security and legal protections. That's not 'redefining' anything."