UK Gay News - Gay Group Demands Clarification on Homophobia from DUP

Gay Group Demands Clarification on Homophobia from DUP

Councillor At Centre of Row Over Offensive Remarks About Hurricane Katrina

BELFAST, November 18, 2005 – The remarks of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Councillor, Maurice Mills, in which he described Hurricane Katrina as being sent by God to punish lesbian and gay people and to prevent the gay Southern Decadence weekend in New Orleans from going ahead, are “stupid, irresponsible and rooted in deep-seated homophobia”, the Rainbow Project in Northern Ireland said today.

The remarks by Councillor Mills (right), twice deputy mayor of Ballymema, were first published this week in the Ballymena Guardian newspaper and have caused outrage in Belfast as LGBT delegates gathered for a UNISON conference.

“These remarks are depressingly typical of DUP discourse,” the Rainbow Project said in a statement. “It would appear that an adherence to homophobic principles is demanded of recruits to that party, such is the verbal hate which emanates from many of its representatives.”

“We demand that the DUP clarify its position on both racism and homophobia, as its public representatives are often to be found delivering barely articulate, pseudo-religious diatribes which run contrary to one of their election pledges, which states that the party is committed to “Equality for all, including equality of funding for all”.”

The statement reminded the DUP of a recent court case where Newtonabbey DUP councillor Arthur Templeton was fined £250 with £4,000 court costs after being found guilty of harassing a gay colleague.

The statement goes on to list a number of other homophobic incidents perpetrated by the DUP.

“When the lesbian and gay community was afforded a civic reception in City Hall in Belfast last year, certain DUP councillors attempted to block it and afterwards grumbled about the amount of wine consumed. When lesbians and gay men laid a wreath at the Cenotaph to remember the gay war dead, including those murdered in Nazi death camps, they were ridiculed by the same politicians.

“When lesbians and gay men held Pride parades, the predictable homophobic comments followed. When the case was made for civic partnerships for same-sex couples, a DUP member of the policing board voiced appalling homophobia, while others quoted scripture and retreated into red-faced apoplexy.

“Even the DUP’s former darling, Paul Berry, has sought to protect himself from his colleagues through court injunction. No doubt, Mr Berry is fully aware of how his alleged dalliance with another male might be dealt with by the inner council.

“Wherever the lesbian and gay community go, DUP representatives are never far behind.

“It would appear that the politics of the DUP is contaminated with a particular brand of religious fundamentalism, which is used by its adherents as a cloak to justify their vile homophobia.

“We also want to know if disciplinary action will be taken against Councillor Mills and if the DUP is aware of how his offensive comments may be challenged through the utilisation of hate crime legislation,” the statement concluded.

Mary Murphy, a councillor from Manchester in England and a delegate at the UNISON LGBT conference, told the Press Association that if such comments were made in Manchester, the person would be stripped of all powers.