WA
Christian couple sue foster care agency that ‘rejected them over anti-LGBTIQ views’
A Christian couple from Perth who believe homosexuality is a sin that people can “overcome” have sued a foster care agency for religious discrimination after they allegedly rejected the couple’s application over their religious views. Byron and Keira Hordyk have accused WA organisation Wanslea Family Services of religious discrimination after the devout Christian couple applied …
Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas slammed for transgender comments
Perth’s newly elected Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has apologised after LGBTIQ advocates slammed “misinformed and demeaning” comments he made about the transgender community. Zempilas declared on his 6PR radio show on Wednesday genitals determined a person’s gender identity and it was “wrong” for someone to identify differently. “If you’ve got a penis mate, you’re a …
Grindr vigilantes apprehend alleged Perth child sex predator in sting
Police have charged a Perth man with a child abuse offence after two vigilantes posed as a 14-year-old on Grindr and lured him to a park. WA Police said a man in his 20s created the fake Grindr profile, pretending to be a 14-year-old boy. The 61-year-old man from the south-east Perth suburb of Camillo …
Outrage as Perth gay couple kicked out by Ola driver
Rideshare company Ola has suspended one of its Perth drivers, after a viral video shows him kicking a gay couple out of his car. Anthony Price (pictured left), who performs in WA as drag queen Scarlet Adams, posted footage of the incident to his Facebook page. He claimed the driver kicked he partner Jordan Hitch …
Australian bookstore refuses to stock JK Rowling’s books
An Australian bookstore has said it will remove JK Rowling’s books from shelves as a show of support for the transgender community. The Harry Potter author has faced backlash for much of the year over her transphobic Twitter commentary on gender and trans people’s access to identification and healthcare. This week, Rowling faced more criticism …
Perth man jailed after lying about HIV status to sex partners
A Perth man living with HIV has been jailed after failing to disclose his HIV status to four men and having “reckless” unprotected sex. The 30-year-old, who can’t be named to protect the victims, told the men that he didn’t have the virus despite testing positive some years earlier. All four subsequently tested positive, The …
Holy blood protects against COVID-19 at Court’s church
Margaret Court’s Victory Life Centre church released a statement Friday telling congregants holy blood would protect them from COVID-19. “We are all protected by the blood of Jesus.” The Victory Life Centre statement suggested ‘readily available hand sanitiser’ and holy blood would provide sufficient protection from the deadly pandemic. “Your health and safety is a …
Record damages for Christian Brothers child abuse
A West Australian judge yesterday awarded the highest payment ever to a victim in a case of Christian Brothers child abuse. Judge Mark Herron ordered the Christian Brothers to pay damages of $1.32 million to 75-year-old John Lawrence. Judge Herron described the abuse of child migrant Mr Lawrence as insulting, humiliating and degrading. He also …
Woman ‘kicked out of music festival for kissing female friend’
A security guard at Perth’s For The Love music festival allegedly kicked out a queer woman from their event because she was kissing her female friend. Asha Couch was told that she and her friend had to leave because they were “too intoxicated”, she claimed in a Facebook post. But Couch said neither of them …
Christian Brothers: pay abuse victim less because poor
A barrister representing the Christian Brothers told a Perth court an abuse victim raped multiple times as a child deserved a lesser payout because he came from a poorer family. The ABC reports Bettina Mangan told Judge Mark Herron it seems ‘illogical and unfair’ but that the man had a lower earning potential because of …