British Comedian Stephen Fry Attacks QLD’s ‘Gay Panic’ Law
12 January 2012 at 11:11 am
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| Above: British comedian Stephen Fry. Image: Some rights reserved by City College Norwich |
British comedian Stephen Fry has joined calls for an end to Queensland’s “gay panic” legal loophole as the Change.org petition on the issue passed the 10,000 signature mark.
Queensland priest Father Paul Kelly started the Change.org campaign to end the loophole that allows people accused of murder to defend themselves by claiming “gay panic”. It followed the brutal killing of a man in Father Kelly’s church grounds in Maryborough. The defendants used the “gay panic” defence – that if someone they think is gay “comes onto” them, the sheer panic they feel is partial justification for murder.
Fry has promoted the link to the Change.org petition to his 3.7 million Twitter followers.
Fry’s support came as the number of signatures on the petition passed the 10,000 mark, which is the figure that LNP MP, Ted Sorensen has said is the trigger needed for him to take the issue to Parliament.
Father Kelly said he was delighted with the response to the Change.org petition but is doubtful that the Labor Government will act, given they have had plenty of opportunity to do so while in power.
“The Bligh Government really just seems to be tinkering at the edges of reform,” says Father Kelly.
“Given that, there is an opportunity for Opposition Leader Campbell Newman to seize the initiative and to take a positive step towards reducing discrimination and violence towards gay and lesbian people in Queensland,” says Father Kelly.
Supporters of the campaign are already posting on Newman’s Facebook page, calling on him to act: https://www.facebook.com/campbell.newman?sk=wall
For updates on Father Kelly’s petition:
http://www.change.org/petitions/eliminate-the-gay-panic-defence-from-queensland-law-gaypanic
For more information on Change.org, go to:
http://www.change.org/about
Change.org is described as the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 500,000 new members a month.
Imagine how many murders there would be if women were allowed to kill someone who “came on them”? Apparently women just have to deal with it!! Why can’t men?
I second the other anonymous comment. I assume “gay panic” defense exists as judges understand men experience fear of being raped. Women experience this fear at least a couple of times during their lives and for all too many the fear becomes reality and yet where is our “panic defense”?? I guess it is assumed we just have to live with it. It’s pure male supremacy and homophobia and should contravene sex discrimination law I’d think?
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