A Christian kids entertainer who was fired from her Canberra job for saying she would vote 'no' in the same-sex marriage survey has hit back, saying she is "not afraid to stand up for my beliefs" and should not have lost her job.
The 18-year-old, who only identified herself as Madeline, was hired as a contractor and worked just two shifts for Capital Kids Parties in Canberra before she was "let go" on Sunday.
Madeline had updated her Facebook profile picture two weeks ago with a filter designed by the Coalition of Marriage that said "It's OK to VOTE NO".
Capital Kids Parties' owner, Madlin Sims, wrote her a private Facebook message on Sunday saying that "homophobic views being made public are detrimental to the business and don't align with my personal values or morals as the owner of the business".
"We have gay staff members, gay customers," she wrote. "CKP believes in equality for everybody."
In a public Facebook post later that day, Ms Sims wrote that she didn't want "homophobes working for me, especially in an environment with children".
"FYI this wasn't a 'you're voting no, you're fired' situation. There were prior conversations had. As a business that works with children of all kinds, we have a responsibility to working with vulnerable people," she wrote.
Madeline hit back on Tuesday, saying she was not a homophobe and should not have been fired for having an opinion.
"That is the point of this vote," she told conservative commentator Andrew Bolt on Sky News.
"This is a democracy and we were given the options and asked, as Australians, to vote yes or no and it is my opinion to vote no. And I don't think that my job should, you know, be taken away from me just because I have an opinion that someone disagrees with."
On Triple J's Hack program, she said she "loved everyone" but believed same-sex marriage would change the way things are done in schools and change adoption.
"I'm not afraid to stand up for my beliefs and being a Christian," she said.
"I simply can't vote yes without going against my God.
"If I'm attending a party and dressed up as Minnie Mouse and the child there is same-sex attracted I'm going to love that child like I would any other child."
She said she was blocked by Ms Sims after receiving the message and had no way of replying to explain her position.
Today I fired a staff member who made it public knowledge that they feel "it's okay to vote no". Advertising your...Posted by Sims Madlin on Sunday, 17 September 2017
On Tuesday night, Ms Sims posted another message on Facebook: "I risked my business and my integrity doing this but I don't really give a s--- because I can wake up tomorrow and marry any bloke I want".
