Gay Dad Answers to MP’s Outrage at Age of Consent Lowered for Teen Boys
Australian Conservative MP George Christensen was outraged last week when Queensland lowered the age of consent for anal sex, suggesting the move would lead to16-year-old boys being “preyed upon and groomed” by 50-year-old men.
It prompted one of his constituents and long-time party supporters, 71-year-old Peter Roberts, who has a gay son, to write this reply that has started going viral on Twitter.
Mary Roberts:
A few Anzac years ago you bought me a beer, as a 20 plus
veteran with two tours of Vienam. If you did it now I would tip the bloody thing
over your head. The typical homophobic, they must be pedophiles. So it is
alright for old men like me to try and find a younger women but not a Gay man.
I have a GAT SON who Iam so proud of what he has achieved in his life. His
condition, or what you want to call it, came from my fathers ancestry so I
have passed it on to him. He should have the same right as I have to marry, to
adopt if he and his partner wants to and not have clowns like you who live in
the past helping run this country and make decision for us and him. If you
decide to come to the Reef Gateway hotel at Cannonvale for an anzac day
please ask for me. 18201 Warrant Officer Second Class Peter Roberts. I have
hacked my wives Facebook for this as she probably would be harsher.
Dale Robets
@Ozdale
My dad is a Nats supporter in Dawson - last night he wrote this on George Christensen's page
It reads:
Peter’s son Dale told BuzzFeed News that his Dad saw the Facebook post as a “direct attack on myself and our family”.
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“Dad is by no means public with his politics. And definitely not on social media. He’s 71 and doesn’t have his own account,” said Dale.
“He’s very quietly supportive of me (he met my partner for first time recently at mum and dad’s 40th wedding anniversary), I think he’s just frustrated that we don’t have the same rights and opportunities he does.”
Dale said growing up gay in Christensen’s north Queensland electorate of Dawson was tough for him and his family, and the politician’s comments “comparing gay men to pedophiles” doesn’t help.
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“Growing up and knowing other gay people in his electorate I know how damaging his comments can be, not just for LGBT people but also their families as well,” he said.
Dale said the other thing that frustrates his dad is Australia dragging its feet on marriage equality.
“I think dad’s post and the reason it’s gone off is because people can relate to the frustration with it all, marriage equality can happen immediately.
“Let’s get it done and treat all Australian people and families the same.”
Mark Di Stefano is a political editor for BuzzFeed News and is based in Sydney.
Contact Mark Di Stefano at mark.distefano@buzzfeed.com.
Comments
I was happy to see the age of consent equalized for both straight and gay younger people. I started dating at a young age and got my first serious boyfriend around age 14 or so. It would have felt very unfair if we had been treated differently before the law than our straight friends.