religious freedom
National survey of LGBTIQ folk in religious organisations
Religiously affiliated schools in NSW can sack LGBT+ teachers, but in Tasmania, they can’t. Researchers from the University of Tasmania say that difference has a profound impact on the lives of LGBT+ people. The researchers are conducting a national survey — the first major study of this kind in Australia. Government-funded organisations with religious affiliations …
Noosa Satanists slam ‘hypocrisy’ of threats targeting Black Mass ceremony
Members of the Noosa Temple of Satan say they’ve received death threats from “hypocritical” people of faith ahead of their Satanic “Black Mass” this Halloween. The Sunshine Coast Satanists are planning the Black Mass ceremony for Friday, October 30 at The J Theatre. The Temple was formed last year in the wake of the Morrison …
Jerry Falwell Jr: unzipped, unrepentant and unemployed
The Board of Trustees of the holier than thou Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia today asked homophobic college president Jerry Falwell Jr to take an ‘indefinite leave of absence’. Falwell agreed to stand aside following a controversy surrounding a photo of him with his pants unzipped. The image also showed him holding a drink that …
Moreton Bay Boy’s College responds to backlash over sex ed
Moreton Bay Boy’s College responded yesterday to a parent backlash to the Teen Sex By The Book sex education resource. Kylie Lang reports in the Courier-Mail that the school principal sent a letter to parents about the issue on 3 August. Until yesterday the school used the handbook to Teen Sex By The Book in …
$4,000,000 taxpayer funds for ‘God Hates Homosexuals’ school
A Queensland boy’s school which uses a sex education handbook that asks students to consider whether “God hates homosexuals’, received over $4 million in taxpayer funding in 2018, the last year for which figures are available. The Teen Sex By The Book handbook by Belinda Elliot provides class exercises based on excerpts from Patricia Weerakoon’s …
Margaret Court—consulate set up for anti-gay African regime
Infamous homophobe Margaret Court is making headlines again today after her church set up a consulate for Burundi — an anti-gay African regime. The Federal Government approved the consulate despite the African Republic of Burundi’s homophobic reputation. Now, you can find the honorary WA office listed on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website. …
Student walkout over fired teachers at Seattle school
A student walkout at Kennedy Catholic High School in Seattle today arose from the abrupt departure of two popular teachers. The school claims the ‘highly capable’ teachers ‘voluntarily resigned’. However, the fiancé of one of the teachers said the school ‘specifically’ no longer employed Paul Danforth because of their engagement. However, both Sean Nyberg and …
Brian Greig on Margaret Court: a champion of homophobia
Margaret Court is not the flag bearer of religious freedom that the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) and her supporters would have you believe. She is in fact, a champion of homophobia. Elected to federal parliament in 1998, Brian Greig declared he was gay in his maiden speech. As an LGBTI rights activist in Western Australia …
No rainbow flags allowed at Folau’s debut
Catalans Dragons insisted on no rainbow flags at Israel Folau’s debut match for the team. Club officials forced two fans to remove flags during the match. Folau recently signed a contract with Catalans Dragons, agreeing to make no public comments on homosexuality. Catalans Dragons won the game against Castleford Tigers at Perpignan in France. During …
ACL conversion therapy expert panel: Professor Parkinson
Last week, Wendy Francis from the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) organised a talkfest at Queensland’s Parliament House. Francis promoted her ACL conversion therapy ‘expert panel’ as unpacking ‘gay conversion therapy’. However, the ‘experts’ made scant mention of the advertised topic. In this special series, we look at the claims made on the night. First up …