…By Jack Sylva for TDPel Media.
Mark Latham, the leader of the One Nation party in New South Wales, Australia, recently made a homophobic comment on a radio show that has drawn widespread criticism.
Latham stated that the mere thought of two men having sex was so “disgusting” to a straight male that it made him want to “vomit.”
He made this statement on the Chris Smith TNT radio program and revealed more of his views on homosexual acts when asked to explain an offensive tweet he posted about gay MP Alex Greenwich last month.
Latham’s Offensive Tweet and Comments
Greenwich had called Latham a “disgusting human being” for attending a rally where Christians clashed with LGBTQI activists.
In response to this comment, Latham posted a tweet that compared anal sex with gay men to vomiting.
During his appearance on the Chris Smith TNT radio program, Latham further elaborated on his statement and claimed that the idea of having anal sex with another man would make him vomit.
He went on to say that he spoke for a lot of straight men when he made this statement.
Latham’s refusal to apologize for his tweet has led to criticism from various quarters.
One Nation founder and federal leader Pauline Hanson called on Mr. Latham to apologize after the tweet, but he refused.
He stated that he was not running for any committee chair positions and that he was not apologizing or backing down.
Latham’s Defense of His Statement
Latham defended his statement by claiming that it was justified by Mr. Greenwich suggesting that he had encouraged violence at the LGBTQI rally.
He also accused Mr. Greenwich of going into schools and talking to kids about being gay.
Latham claimed that he did not want to be accused of anything similar and that he had given his opinion.
He stated that the crude words were taken down off Twitter, but there would be no apology for Greenwich.
Latham’s admission that he could have phrased his tweet less crudely is not enough to make up for the harm he has caused to the LGBTQI community.
His statement perpetuates the stigma and discrimination that gay men face on a daily basis.
His assertion that he speaks for straight men is false and only serves to fuel hatred and bigotry.
It is high time that we, as a society, stand up against such hate speech and support the LGBTQI community in their fight for equal rights and dignity.