As the debate over same-sex couples' right to marry in heats up Down Under, one man raises his voice.

A gay Australian man's emotional takedown of his senator at a Q&A regarding same-sex marriage is going viral. The audience member, who described the hardships of being spat on, called a disgrace to his family, and compared to a pedophile because he was gay, asked Sen. Matt Canavan why politicians are not working to protect citizens like him.

"Now you, Mr. Canavan, have criticised my community as being delicate little flowers who need to grow a spine in the face of abuse. Isn't the role of leadership to support society's most vulnerable, rather than kick them while they're down in hopes of some political point scoring?" the young man asked, his voice quaking, during the Monday installment of the Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s QandA program.

Australia is in the midst of a mail-in poll in which citizens can register their support of or opposition to marriage equality between now and November 7. Members of Parliament will take the results into consideration when they vote on the issue.

Watch the heartfelt plea above.