Veena Malik voices support for gay marriage

Islamabad: Actress Veena Malik has raised eyebrows by boldly voicing her support for same-sex marriages.

“I openly support the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and I don’t feel shy about doing it,” the express tribune quoted her as saying. Giving the examples of starlets Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga, who stand up for gay rights, Malik justified her stance. “If US President Barack Obama and Hollywood beauties can stand up for gay marriage, why can’t every citizen support this cause,” she said. Malik added that “every person has the right to live their life” without interference. When Malik shared the news of her pro-LGBT stance on micro-blogging site Twitter, the more liberal members on the social media forum applauded her. One person reacted to Malik’s statement by posting “Way to go! LGBT people are loving and caring human beings who deserve happiness, love and acceptance!”, while another wrote: “This is why I love her.” Some claimed that she was the first Pakistani celebrity to openly support gay unions. The more conservative quarters, however, expressed their indignation by using profanities. “She is taking all the shortcuts to become famous,” read one post. ANI