Doug PollardRabbi Cowen
Heartening to see that mX has covered the story of Rabbi Cowen and his attack on Safe Schools: and not too shabby for a throwaway tabloid! They don't publish online so here's a snapshot of the front page followed by a transcript:
Gay abandon – Jewish leader slams anti-bullying campaign
Nadia Salemme
Anti-bullying programs for gay teens have been criticised by a Jewish leader who says they are ‘‘unethical’’ and may ‘‘encourage homosexuality’’.
Rabbi Dr Shimon Cowen’s comments have been slammed by gay and lesbian lobby groups, which have labelled them ‘‘damaging’’ and ‘‘irresponsible’’.
Cowen, a Monash University academic and the son of former governor general the late Sir Zelman Cowen, has hit out at Safe Schools Coalition Victoria’s program supporting gender and sexual diversity in schools.
He said it was ‘‘using bullying as a pretext to teach all schoolchildren that homosexual conduct is equally normative with heterosexual conduct’’.
‘‘This program could in fact cultivate and encourage homosexuality amongst many children who would ordinarily grow into heterosexual lifestyles.
‘‘The bullying of homosexually inclined children should be stopped and it should be stopped by a process which eliminates all kinds of bullying.
‘‘What the program wants to do is tackle bullying by celebrating homosexuality as one form of legitimate human expression. To eliminate bullying does not require that.
‘‘Let’s say a child was being bullied because the child was fat, you don’t have to celebrate obesity.’’
Cowen said he had ‘‘nothing against people with homosexual inclinations’’ and wanted ‘‘a full parliamentary debate’’ into programs in schools.
But Safe Schools Coalition Victoria co-ordinator Roz Ward said the comments were ‘‘offensive’’.
‘‘The program has been widely well received and is having an impact in schools to reduce bullying and I just think these kinds of comments are unfounded,’’ Ward said.
‘‘It sounds like something you might have heard in the 1950s.’’
Micah Scott, general manager of youth gay and lesbian support centre Minus 18, said the view was ‘‘damaging’’.
‘‘Same-sex attracted young people are . . . already a vulnerable group due to homophobia,’’ Scott, 23, said.
It comes as Kath & Kim actor Magda Szubanski, who publicly came out yesterday, admitted she was suicidal as a teenager.
‘‘I know how those kids feel, believe me, I know how those kids feel."
Yesterday mX Melbourne followed up with a strong rebuttal from Michael Barnett of Aleph, the Jewish gay and lesbian group.
Rabbi’s remarks dubbed delusional
Nadia Salemme
Jewish community groups have distanced themselves from a rabbi who criticised antibullying programs for gay teens.
Aleph, a social and support group for Jewish gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, has condemned the remarks by Rabbi Dr Shimon
Cowen as deluded.
He had claimed support programs about gender and sexual diversity in schools ‘‘could in fact cultivate and encourage homosexuality amongst many children who would ordinarily grow into heterosexual lifestyles’’.
Aleph spokesman Michael Barnett said of Cowen: ‘‘He needs to understand that people who impose their religious beliefs on same-sex-attracted people are doing more harm than good, and that it actually adds to their suffering, misery and is completely unacceptable.
‘‘It’s not a very helpful perspective when it comes to understanding the issues behind sexuality and the very sensitive nature of young children.’’
Barnett said he regularly received calls from ‘‘distressed’’ Jewish families who needed support for young gay people.
‘‘These people are suffering badly – it’s because of the attitudes of people like this rabbi who have repressed discussion in the community, repressed
tolerance and inclusion, and unconditional love,’’ he said.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has also distanced itself from Cowen’s comments.
In a statement, it described Cowen as ‘‘highly respected in our community, but that does not mean that his views on any subject are representative’’.
I spoke about this issue on my program Tuesday
mX Melbourne Wed 15th Feb 2012
Gay abandon – Jewish leader slams anti-bullying campaign
Nadia Salemme
Anti-bullying programs for gay teens have been criticised by a Jewish leader who says they are ‘‘unethical’’ and may ‘‘encourage homosexuality’’.
Rabbi Dr Shimon Cowen’s comments have been slammed by gay and lesbian lobby groups, which have labelled them ‘‘damaging’’ and ‘‘irresponsible’’.
Cowen, a Monash University academic and the son of former governor general the late Sir Zelman Cowen, has hit out at Safe Schools Coalition Victoria’s program supporting gender and sexual diversity in schools.
He said it was ‘‘using bullying as a pretext to teach all schoolchildren that homosexual conduct is equally normative with heterosexual conduct’’.
‘‘This program could in fact cultivate and encourage homosexuality amongst many children who would ordinarily grow into heterosexual lifestyles.
‘‘The bullying of homosexually inclined children should be stopped and it should be stopped by a process which eliminates all kinds of bullying.
‘‘What the program wants to do is tackle bullying by celebrating homosexuality as one form of legitimate human expression. To eliminate bullying does not require that.
‘‘Let’s say a child was being bullied because the child was fat, you don’t have to celebrate obesity.’’
Cowen said he had ‘‘nothing against people with homosexual inclinations’’ and wanted ‘‘a full parliamentary debate’’ into programs in schools.
But Safe Schools Coalition Victoria co-ordinator Roz Ward said the comments were ‘‘offensive’’.
‘‘The program has been widely well received and is having an impact in schools to reduce bullying and I just think these kinds of comments are unfounded,’’ Ward said.
‘‘It sounds like something you might have heard in the 1950s.’’
Micah Scott, general manager of youth gay and lesbian support centre Minus 18, said the view was ‘‘damaging’’.
‘‘Same-sex attracted young people are . . . already a vulnerable group due to homophobia,’’ Scott, 23, said.
It comes as Kath & Kim actor Magda Szubanski, who publicly came out yesterday, admitted she was suicidal as a teenager.
‘‘I know how those kids feel, believe me, I know how those kids feel."
Yesterday mX Melbourne followed up with a strong rebuttal from Michael Barnett of Aleph, the Jewish gay and lesbian group.
Rabbi’s remarks dubbed delusional
Nadia Salemme
Jewish community groups have distanced themselves from a rabbi who criticised antibullying programs for gay teens.
Aleph, a social and support group for Jewish gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, has condemned the remarks by Rabbi Dr Shimon
Cowen as deluded.
He had claimed support programs about gender and sexual diversity in schools ‘‘could in fact cultivate and encourage homosexuality amongst many children who would ordinarily grow into heterosexual lifestyles’’.
Aleph spokesman Michael Barnett said of Cowen: ‘‘He needs to understand that people who impose their religious beliefs on same-sex-attracted people are doing more harm than good, and that it actually adds to their suffering, misery and is completely unacceptable.
‘‘It’s not a very helpful perspective when it comes to understanding the issues behind sexuality and the very sensitive nature of young children.’’
Barnett said he regularly received calls from ‘‘distressed’’ Jewish families who needed support for young gay people.
‘‘These people are suffering badly – it’s because of the attitudes of people like this rabbi who have repressed discussion in the community, repressed
tolerance and inclusion, and unconditional love,’’ he said.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has also distanced itself from Cowen’s comments.
In a statement, it described Cowen as ‘‘highly respected in our community, but that does not mean that his views on any subject are representative’’.
I spoke about this issue on my program Tuesday
