Polish MP Robert Wegrzyn apologized Thursday for comments he made while discussing marriage options for gay men and lesbians, Reuters reported.

Wegrzyn, a 42-year-old married father of two, said his response to a TVN24 reporter's question about civil partnerships was supposed to be humorous.

“We can forget about gay men, but I would gladly watch lesbians,” Wegrzyn, a member of the center-right Civic Platform (PO), said on Wednesday.

“Human nature, human beings are made in such a way that we should live in a partnership according to nature. If somebody wants to live differently, that's his problem but he should not flaunt it.”

Women's groups quickly condemned the lawmaker's comments.

“I am sorry if this joke insulted anybody because it really could have sounded sexist. That was not my intention,” he said.

“My views on relationships between two people are unchanging and conservative but this does not mean I am a homophobe or discriminate against anybody.”

“I oppose discrimination against anybody on grounds of sexual orientation,” he added.

Anti-gay sentiment in the Roman Catholic stronghold remains high and politicians and church leaders routinely speak out against gay people.

More than 2,000 police officers, some in riot gear, were needed to protect revelers last year as Warsaw hosted EuroPride.