Northern Ireland Politician Under Investigation for Gay Hate Speech
Monday 9th June 2008
The wife of the First Minister of Northern Ireland is being investigated by local police to determine whether she committed a hate crime with recent remarks about homosexuals.
Iris Robinson, who is also the MP for Strangford, let her born-again outlook be made very clear last week. When told of a man who was viciously attacked and beaten because of his homosexuality, she suggested the assault victim should visit a psychiatrist she knows to cure him of his homosexuality.
She said on BBC Radio Ulster last week: "I have a very lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my offices and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals trying to turn away from what they are engaged in. And I have met people who have turned around to become heterosexual."
Her comments come after she had already fought hard against the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill, which removed the “need for a father” from a list of considerations doctors had to consider before going on with fertility treatments for women. The removal of the “need for a father” will help lesbian women get equal access to fertility treatments.
Mrs. Robinson, whose husband Peter Robinson recently took office as first minister, is now being investigated for her BBC Radio Ulster comments. She had called homosexuality vile and wicked, among other things, in addition to her comments about curing gays. Gay activist Andrew Muir has reported Robinson’s speech as a hate crime to the local police.
Iris Robinson, who is also the MP for Strangford, let her born-again outlook be made very clear last week. When told of a man who was viciously attacked and beaten because of his homosexuality, she suggested the assault victim should visit a psychiatrist she knows to cure him of his homosexuality.
She said on BBC Radio Ulster last week: "I have a very lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my offices and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals trying to turn away from what they are engaged in. And I have met people who have turned around to become heterosexual."
Her comments come after she had already fought hard against the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill, which removed the “need for a father” from a list of considerations doctors had to consider before going on with fertility treatments for women. The removal of the “need for a father” will help lesbian women get equal access to fertility treatments.
Mrs. Robinson, whose husband Peter Robinson recently took office as first minister, is now being investigated for her BBC Radio Ulster comments. She had called homosexuality vile and wicked, among other things, in addition to her comments about curing gays. Gay activist Andrew Muir has reported Robinson’s speech as a hate crime to the local police.
