Petition against conversion therapy sent to evasive PM Morrison
Image: Image: Australian Christian Lobby / YouTube.
A 43,000 signature-strong petition against conversion therapy practices has been sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other national leaders.
Health Minister Greg Hunt, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Deputy PM Michael McCormack were also sent the petition which was organised by Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) survivors.
“Trying to “Pray the Gay Away” nearly killed me,” the petition, started by Chris Csabs, reads. “I’m not the only one.
“I was so ashamed and guilt-ridden that I remained completely celibate for years.”
Morrison already came under fire earlier today for saying he sends his children to private schools to avoid Safe Schools, and later refused to take a stance in response to the petition, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“It’s not an issue I’m focused on at all,” Morrison said on 3AW.
“I think people should make their own choices about their own lives. I’ve never been involved in anything like that, I’ve never supported anything like that.
“It’s just not an issue for me, and I’m not planning to get engaged in the issue.
“People should abide by the law and people should respect everybody else’s choices, faiths, sexuality, and lifestyle.”
When host Neil Mitchell pushed Morrison on the actual substance of the petition, which seeks to outlaw a deeply harmful and torturous practice, he responded with a bizarre deflection.
“Mate, I respect people of all sexualities, I respect people of all religions, all faiths.
“I love all Australians, and what I sometimes get frustrated by is when people say they love Australia but they don’t seem to love Australians very much,” Morrison said.
“Well you love all Australians, but you didn’t like gay marriage?” Mitchell replied.
Morrison shot back, “Well what’s that got to do with me not loving all Australians?”
Earlier this year, the Victorian branch of the Liberal Party tried to push for increased access to conversion therapy, which was defended as “free speech” by Hunt.
Labor indicated it may move to ban conversion therapy practices if elected, a move condemned by the Australian Christian Lobby, whose conferences have featured Morrison as a speaker.
LGBTI Australians have noted banning conversion therapy as their top political priority in a survey conducted by just.equal and PFLAG.
The SOCE Survivor Statement contains a list of recommendations to the government, and was included as part of the petitions. You can read the full statement here: http://socesurvivors.com.au/
If you haven’t yet signed the petition, you can do so here: http://change.org/EndGayCures
ScoMo is trying to walk every side of the fence while evading explaining his actual position on anything. Opposing gay marriage is denying civil rights, that’s not love, you dickwad, as if you needed that explained.
If you dog whistle to homophobes, you’re a homophobe. Unlike John Howard however, you can’t even fucking admit it. Pathetic.
Wow, I thought Peter Dutton would be a really fucked up choice for the Liberal Party but I never knew how screwed up ScoMo was until now, not being a NSWelshman with a local perspective.
The guy was raised Uniting Church (which has a broad range of views from conservative Methodist to progressive liberal) but converted to Pentecostal. He has previously proclaimed going to church to be his favourite hobby; he really identifies with this church. We all know converts to be the worst sorts, be it religion or even just anti-smoking.
The questions go way beyond Safe Schools, as much as I support that. I can almost accept that Safe Schools might be lost in classrooms, I’m truly terrified that schools might under ScoMo’s own church’s position that science like evolution and physics which says the Earth is more than 6000 years old might become decisions of choice based on his fucking precious “religious freedom”.
Forget driving gay rights back a decade, this fuckwit is based on his own religious freedom determined to drive education back a century.
I never thought I’d miss Malcolm Turnbull but I’m really unhappy right now.