Telling LGBTIs they shouldn’t have families or they present a danger to children is fairly inconsistent with the chair of the national depression initiative’s responsibility to serve the needs of all groups in society at risk of anxiety and depression.
In beyondblue chair Jeff Kennett’s most recent homophobic gaffe, which cited Professor Patrick Parkinson’s For Kids’ Sake report incorrectly, he not only attacked same-sex marriage and gay and lesbian parents but drew on his leadership role with beyondblue in doing so.
“There is no substitute for parents of both genders,” wrote Kennett in a column in last week’s Herald Sun. “Happy heterosexual marriages are the best environment for the mental health of children.
“During my 11-year leadership of beyondblue, the national depression initiative, I have become increasingly concerned that so many children starting out in primary school are already stressed and anxious.”
Beyondblue had existed for almost a decade before it took any concrete steps about the mental health needs of LGBTI Australians.
Now the organisation has started the recruiting stage for an online community research forum on depression and anxiety among LGBTI people — and Kennett makes a gaffe like this.
It couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Kennett should have been removed from the organisation after his 2008 decision to wade into controversy over a bisexual trainer being fired by a Victorian football club.
“The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was … massaging young men, it ran an unnecessary risk … It’s the same if you have a paedophile there as a masseur,” he said then.
If beyondblue is to serve the mental health needs of the LGBTI community alongside those of all other Australians, its chair needs to choose between being a spokesperson for the organisation and writing opinion columns for daily newspapers.
If he cannot choose, then it needs to find a new chair.
The former NSW Opposition leader John Brogden would be an excellent choice, as a man who has been through a breakdown and successfully rebuilt his life.
But in the meantime, comments like Kennett’s can only dissuade LGBTI people with experience of mental illness from taking part in beyondblue programs when, if the organisation is to get serious about our issues, it is it that needs our help.
This is not the time for us to walk away.
Beyondblue needs LGBTIs over 18 years old to participate in its In My Shoes online research forum to assist it in developing a campaign to highlight the impact of homophobic and transphobic discrimination on mental health.
I’ve put my name down. If you’ve have had some experience of depression or anxiety, I hope you will too.
INFO: www.webq11.researchnow.co.uk/wix2/p605374396.aspx
Seriously KenNut you are beyond the pale
Write to the beyondblue board and press them to remove Jeff. I haven’t been able to find addys for everyone but here’s the best I can do. And some lovely straight allies have drafted a polite letter for your inspiration http://www.currentaffairs.net.au/draft-letter-to-beyondblue-directors/
Directors
Dawn O’Neil AM – CEO of beyondblue (Director – as of February 15, 2011). Previously CEO of Lifeline Australia and currently a member of the Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council (ASPAC) and the National Advisory Council for Mental Health (NACMH). [email protected]
Dr Michael Bonning – Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital; Chair of the AMA Council of Doctors in Training (CDT); Past President Australian Medical Students Association (2008). Director since 19 August 2008. twitter @michaelbonning
Ms Kate Carnell AO: CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council and former CEO of the Australian General Practice Network. Former member of the ACT Parliament including ACT Chief Minister. Director since 19 August 2008. Email AFGC via web http://www.afgc.org.au/contact.html, Telephone:, (02) 6273 1466 Fax:, (02) 6273 1477
The Honourable Morris Iemma: Former member of the New South Wales Parliament including Health Minister and Premier of NSW. Director since 17 August 2010. No info
Mr Tim Marney: Western Australian Under Treasurer and beyondblue Ambassador. Director since 19 August 2008. No info
Associate Professor Brett McDermott: Child and Youth Psychiatrist and Director of the Mater Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Mater Hospital, Brisbane. Director since 26 October 2006. [email protected]
Dr Leanne Rowe AM: Deputy Chancellor Monash University and General Practitioner. Past Chairperson of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, rural medical practitioner for 26 years. Director since 19 August 2008.
Ms Natasha Stott Despoja: Retired Senator and former leader of the Australian Democrats in the Federal Parliament of Australia. Director since 19 August 2008. {I have her private address but I promised not to publish it, so please send any msgs to me at [email protected] and I will forward]
Professor Steven Larkin: A Kungarakany man, has extensive leadership experience in Indigenous organisations, Pro Vice-Chancellor – Indigenous Leadership at Charles Darwin University in Darwin NT. Director since 17 February 2009. [email protected]
Members
I haven’t been able to track addresses for everyone. In those cases I have made some ‘best guesses’ based on standard practice at their workplaces, or a link to an online feedback form.
The Commonwealth of Australia: Represented by Professor Jim Bishop AO – Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Ageing. [email protected]
Northern Territory of Australia: Represented by Ms Bronwyn Hendry – Director Mental Health, Department of Health and Community Services. Personal probably [email protected]. au
South Australia: Represented by Dr Margaret Honeyman QSM (NZ) – Chief Psychiatrist, Director Mental Health Policy, Mental Health Unit, SA Health. Email: [email protected]
Tasmania: Represented by Dr John Crawshaw – Chief Executive Officer, Statewide and Mental Health Services. Online feedback form http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/contact/contact_us2 direct email unknown but probably [email protected]
Australian Capital Territory: Represented by Dr Peter Norrie – Acting Director of Mental Health, ACT Health. [email protected]
Victoria: Represented by Dr Karleen Edwards – Executive Director, Mental Health, Drugs and Regions, Department of Health. [email protected] v.au
Queensland: Represented by Dr Aaron Groves – Executive Director Mental Health Directorate, Queensland Health. Probably [email protected]
New South Wales: Represented by Dr Richard Matthews – Deputy Director-General, Strategic Development Division, NSW Department of Health. [email protected] personal probably [email protected].n sw.gov.au
Western Australia: Represented by Mr Eddie Bartnik, Commissioner, Mental Health Commission. Via [email protected] .au Try [email protected] a.gov.au