Elton John and longtime lover David Furnish.

Sir Elton John has some choice words about California’s embattled Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage that was passed by the people of California on November 4.

Suprisingly, the outspoken gay says he’s opposed to pushing for measures that would permit same-sex couples to marry.

The Rocket Man believes people of his persuasion should stick to civil unions and leave the marriage business to us heteros. It’s the word “marriage” that throws people off, Sir Elton explains.

Elton and his longtime partner David Furnish tied the knot in a civil partnership ceremony in Windsor, England in December 2005. The couple now live blissfully in UK with their two cocker spaniels, Marilyn and Arthur.

“We’re not married,” the music legend said on the red carpet at the annual benefit for his Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York City Monday night. “Let’s get that right. We have a civil partnership.”

Elton added, “I don’t want to be married. I’m very happy with a civil partnership. If gay people want to get married, or get together, they should have a civil partnership. The word marriage, I think, puts a lot of people off. You get the same equal rights that we do when we have a civil partnership. Heterosexual people get married. We can have civil partnerships.”