Brody's Notes... Australian Member of Parliament Suggests: If You're Gay? 'Grow out Of It.'

Staff Reports

BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA -- A Liberal National Party member of the Parliament of Queensland is being criticised again for a speech she had delivered in 2002, where she said that "people can grow out of the homosexual lifestyle thanks to efforts by “compassionate” support groups" such as Exodus Ministries International.

Fiona Simpson, who is actively seeking a ministerial position in a Liberal National Party government that would entail responsibilities greater than her current shadow cabinet responsibilities which now include community services and women's services agencies. Community Services Minister Karen Struthers branded Simpson’s previous comments as “way out of touch and patronising”, saying the promotion of Exodus was disturbing.

“She seeks to be the minister of an agency who will have responsibility for funding organisations, and it’s very clear her views are very supportive of groups like Exodus,” Struthers said.

Simpson's 2002 speech was revisited as the renewed debate in state politics this week over same-sex relationships and marriage equality was raised with Queensland's Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser championing a bill to allow same-sex civil unions to be registered in Queensland.

Simpson has dismissed previous and current criticism of her views as “another distraction” and insisted she had been “verballed”. She last night did not respond to questions about whether she still thought homosexuality was something people could outgrow.

Struthers also lashed out at Simpson and her party for opposing the Deputy Premier's civil partnerships legislation, which would allow same-sex as well as straight couples to register their relationships in the state.
LNP leader Campbell Newman yesterday said opposition MPs would vote as a bloc against the bill rather than be granted a conscience vote, labelling it a stunt to distract from more immediate priorities and lure the Greens' support.

“Fiona Simpson and the LNP in denying this opportunity [to register civil unions] are clearly saying gay people are not normal and we do not want to encourage this lifestyle and Fiona Simpson herself is actually encouraging people to ring a number to change their lifestyle,” Struthers said.

According to The Brisbane Times, during debate on anti-discrimination law changes in November 2002, Ms Simpson said some MPs had told tragic stories about people who had suffered due to their sexual identity or sexual orientation.

Ms Simpson said such people should be shown “compassion and understanding” and then she discussed the work of Exodus and read out a phone number for the local contact.

“I noted some comments in the debate and some very genuinely held beliefs that people are born homosexual people and cannot change and that is life,” she said at the time. [...] “I wanted to make members aware that, based on my information from some of the former homosexuals I know, there is a compassionate ministry called Exodus.

I have a number of acquaintances who have worked with Exodus. Today I was talking with a particular gentleman who is a former homosexual. They have a compassionate understanding and a desire to get alongside people who choose and who want to leave the homosexual lifestyle. This is about offering them options and not imposing only one set of values on other people.

Their mission is to support people who want to not live a homosexual lifestyle, but they also give them the freedom to grow into heterosexuality over time.

“There are a number of support groups throughout Queensland and, as I said, some very compassionate and genuine people who have come from a homosexual background who are in those groups.”

Struthers said Simpson appeared to be implying that homosexual people had a problem and should get counselling to grow out of it. Struthers said she had set up a roundtable on LGBTQ issues, and her agency also funded projects to help young people feel comfortable with their sexuality.

Queensland Association for Healthy Communities executive director Paul Martin said he hoped Ms Simpson had acquainted herself with expert research since her 2002 comments, as leading medical and psychological groups recognised homosexuality could not be “cured” or changed.

“People can, through a range of psychological interventions, be taught to suppress their homosexuality or taught to hate their homosexuality,” he said.

“The person is still homosexual; they’re just being taught to hate their homosexuality, to pretend to be heterosexual.”

Martin, whose organisation promotes healthy living within the Queensland LGBTQ communities, said attempts to “cure” homosexuality generally led to further harm and family problems down the track.

According to its website, Exodus International is a Christian evangelical ministry that aims to help men and women “find a way out of the sexual brokenness of homosexuality” but warns the journey may take years.
RELATED: Former "Ex-Gay" Leader For Exodus Denounces Anti-Gay Movement

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