When they released their cautionary video, “Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriend” a week or so ago, collegehumor.com were presumably attempting to bring some light relief and positive publicity to the still contentious issue of gay marriage in the United States. In this they succeeded – the video went viral, everyone laughed, felt a bit better and then returned to the work some poor unsuspecting employer was paying them for.

Sadly, the same cannot be said of the response.

Far from being upset by the notion that another man would be happy to offer the woman in his life emotional support, friendship, understanding, Team Straight are writing thank you notes to the gays for taking the women off their hands. Apparently they’d be thrilled if they could watch the game in peace, check out tits and not have to go to a Broadway show ever again.

Oh, come on, guys, really? Is this really the best you could have come up with? Contrary to popular belief, the gay boys did not get all the sense of humour genes, nor the ones that make you sensitive, caring, fun and ironic. Although you might be onto something when it comes to the sharing out of the whole ‘being able to dance’ ish.

Point is, you were just handed a brilliant opportunity to reiterate why marriage can be a great institution, why ‘real men’ are in no way threatened by gay marriage and why stating your commitment to another human being in front of  loved ones is a privilege that should be available to everybody. And you chose to run with an outdated stereotype.

If that had been an engine you were fixing, it just backfired in your face and covered you in oil.