Gay lifestyle is ‘abomination’ not a mental disorder: Iris
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
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Stormont Health committee chair Iris Robinson last night accused her political rivals of twisting her comments on homosexuality and denied she believed it was a mental disorder.
The Strangford MP reiterated her claim that she considered gay sex a sin and an abomination but said it was not her opinion that it was a mental health issue.
The wife of First Minister Peter Robinson has faced calls to step down from her committee post after her comments on a radio talkshow last month.
After condemning a homophobic attack on a gay man in her constituency, Mrs Robinson had gone on to criticise the practice of homosexuality and claimed certain men who were confused about their orientation had chosen a heterosexual lifestyle after undergoing counselling.
Mrs Robinson yesterday attempted to clarify her position to the Assembly after Health Minister Michael McGimpsey explained that it was accepted within international psychiatric and psychotherapy circles that homosexuality was not a mental disorder.
Alliance North Down member Stephen Farry has asked the minister to confirm that homosexuality was biologically determined and not something that needed a cure.
Mrs Robinson said: "People have attempted to suggest that I indicated that homosexuality was a mental health issue. Nothing could be further from the truth. What I did say was homosexuality, like all sin, is an abomination. "
Mrs Robinson said while she did not believe it was a mental disorder, she claimed psychiatrists could have a role helping young people struggling with their sexual identity.
"Will the minister agree with me that there are some people who are in their teenage years sexually confused and that they could do with help in terms of practitioners assessing them with talking therapies to help them realise exactly what they are, whether they are heterosexual or homosexual?"
Mr McGimpsey said he was not in a position to talk about sexual confusion. The minister said people from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups often experienced related mental health problems brought on by rejection.
He said it was essential that anyone seeking treatment from health care staff were treated in a non-judgmental fashion.
"Lesbian, gays and transgender groups experience high levels of discrimination and isolation and this leads to a higher than average incidence of suicidal behaviour and self harm and that is an issue that must be addressed," he said.
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The only abomination is this religious fanatic!
Posted by jacob | 21.07.08, 17:10 GMT
I admire those groups working for GLBT, also those online services like the one BiLoves. Many of my friends there have spent their careers working for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. I think they are really very great.
Posted by Keith | 21.07.08, 04:13 GMT
my brother is gay and has a lovely parnter - they are happy and good to each other. this is wat is important in live that we are loved and happy weather it is by man woman or beast!!! i am a straight woman and i get nothing but trouble from men i will i could turn lesbain but it is a choice you are born gay or straight. and people like iris shoould remember that! we love who we love and there gender should be a issue.
Posted by rachal | 20.07.08, 16:51 GMT
One always hopes that in the 21st Century, seemingly educated people in positions of authority would hold views which at the very least, make sense. How many people would choose to be gay if they were given the choice? Not many... Think about it Mrs. R. - were you given the choice to be heterosexual? When did they come around in the hospital you were born asking that question? Come on, smarten up. Despite all attempts to educate individuals such as Mrs. Robinson nothing seems to get through. For me, her beliefs fall into the same category as the President of Iran, who announced on a visit to a U.S. University that they do not have gay people in Iran. Is this more or less ridiculous than Mrs. R's views? I am not sure which make less sense. By the way, if you are really paying attention to the Bible's views, consider this one "Judge not lest ye be judged". I think that's accurate, why does no-one ever quote that.
Posted by Anne | 19.07.08, 17:05 GMT
As a gay man, I commend and applaud Iris Robinson for what she said in this debate in the Assembly
"What I did say was homosexuality, like all sin, is an abomination."
Thank God for Iris and her courage and honesty about this.
All Sin is an abomination.
Even those she as a sinner has committed and every heterosexual in northern Ireland all abominations.
So why Highlight the perceived Homosexual sin and just repeatedly call it abomination. In her most recent radio interview she was speaking about the killing of the unborn - she had an opportunity to call that practice abomination also - but she didn't - would this be because it would refer in the main to heterosexuals?
But he admission that all sin is an abomination is the greatest gift she could give the gay community and i thank her for it. For that truth and courage she is Friend of the Gay community and deserves to be a 'Gay Icon'
Posted by anotherbenson | 19.07.08, 01:55 GMT