Roxon under fire over 'anti-gay' health ambassadors
- http://www.theage.com.au/national/roxon-under-fire-over-antigay-health-ambassadors-20081126-6is1.html
- Leo Shanahan
- November 27, 2008
NICOLA Roxon has been embarrassed by the revelation that two men she appointed as health ambassadors put their names to a publication saying homosexuality is a mental disorder and gay people are more likely to take drugs and molest children.
The Health Minister, who is under pressure to dump them, said last night she found the document "unacceptable and repugnant".
"My office is currently in discussions with both men to determine what role they played, and whether the views expressed are their own," Ms Roxon said. "I regard this as a serious matter and will consider closely the responses I receive."
The appointment of six men's health ambassadors has turned into a PR disaster for Ms Roxon, who was already under fire for appointing Tim Mathieson, partner of Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, despite him having no health background.
Two of the ambassadors — Warwick Marsh and Barry Williams — were listed as among 34 contributors to a paper published last year by the Fatherhood Foundation entitled 21 Reasons Why Gender Matters.
Among its claims are that gay people are more likely to cheat and hit their partners than those in "normal" relationships.
Mr Marsh, from the Fatherhood Foundation, said he "absolutely" stood by the content of the paper. But he said he was not homophobic. "I hope we're in a free society that still allows us to speak our mind. I don't wish any evil on anybody," he said. "I'm there for men's health and I'm there to support the wonderful policy."
But Mr Williams, the president of Lone Fathers, said he did not write any of the paper, having merely provided advice on family law issues. He said he believed people "should be accepted the way they are born" and that he did not discriminate against anyone.
Associate Professor Anne Mitchell, from Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria at La Trobe University, said the document amounted to gay-hate literature and it was not appropriate for its authors to be associated with promotion of men's health.
The paper talks about the importance of the role of men and women in marriage and warns of the dangers of the acceptance of homosexuals in families and society.
It characterises homosexuality as a mental illness and says that people turn gay as result of dysfunctional families and abuse.
"The sad truth is, homosexual abuse of children is proportionately higher than heterosexual abuse of children," the paper says. "It must be stressed that most homosexuals do not abuse children, and most are not pedophiles, but it seems a significant number do, and are."
It also says that the "condition" can be cured by psychological treatment.
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