“We love our children unconditionally and want only what is best for them. Isn’t that all that matters?”

In 2014, Canadian photographer Lindsay Foster captured this heartwarming image of new dads B.J. Barone and Frankie Nelson meeting their son Milo for the first time, and it quickly went viral.

"This picture represents everything pride is about. Love has no colour nor gender nor sexual preference. Love is unconditional," the couple said at the time.

Lindsay Foster

But now the photo is being shared for very different reasons, with anti-same-sex parenting and surrogacy campaigners appropriating it.

Independent politician Mary E. Fitzgibbon from Ireland has repeatedly posted the image on social media.

Twitter: @MaryFitzgibbon

Extreme right-wing party Fratelli d'Italia has used the image in posters in Italy.

The accompanying text translates to: "He will never be able to say 'mom'. We should be defending the rights of the children."

cbc.ca

Barone told BuzzFeed that he and his partner were shocked and upset when a cousin in Italy told them their photo was being used, without permission, to undermine the rights of LGBT families.

"They are campaigning that every child NEEDS a mother," he said, "and they are using our picture to support their political agenda that we are denying our son Milo the right to a mother. Obviously this is a something we do not support or agree with!"

Supplied

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