Australian rugby player David Pocock has pledged that he and his girlfriend will not marry until marriage equality is legalised in Australia.

As reported by Outsports.com, Mr Pocock appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Company TV show Q&A to discuss LGBT people in sports and LGBT rights in general.

He argued against former tennis champion, John Alexander, now a member of parliament for the Liberal Party which opposes marriage equality.

When Mr Alexander said that his party would not be changing its views, Mr Pocock said: “The biggest thing in this debate is that we’re dealing with people here. And how can you blame someone for what they are?

“People don’t choose their sexuality and we marginalise the LGBTI community for what they are. I think that this is a conversation that needs to be had and that needs to be discussed compassionately and actually come to something that’s reasonable.

“And in my mind, that’s marriage for everyone. We’ve moved forward on so many issues and this is the next progression.”

Mr Alexander responded by quoting from a private conversation he’d had on the subject lately: “We . . . had this flippant conversation, [and said] maybe we should institute a gay marriage for women and call it a ‘Navratilova’ and possibly an’ Alexander’ for gay men, not after me but Alexander the Great.”

Mr Pocock responded by saying: “A lot of gay people may not believe in the institution of marriage, but I believe it needs to be an option.

“How can we be challenging homophobia when we’re saying. ‘You’re equal to me but you’re separate. I’ll go sign this [marriage] document here but you can go have your civil union,’ which is the same, but not, really.”

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had also made such a pledge, but apparently tired of the wait, when, earlier this year, they announced their engagement.

This week, amid the debate over marriage equality in Australia, the country’s Green Party voiced their concerns over the government trying to bring an early vote on the bill in an attempt to clear it off the political agenda.