"False and dangerous": Community slams Court's latest anti-gay remarks

Tennis legend Margaret Court has been slammed by a wide cross-section of the LGBTI community as well as a number of former and current representatives of Christian churches following her latest remarks about homosexuality and gay and lesbian people.

Having been afforded column space in yesterday's Herald Sun to explain her controversial views, the 24-time grand slam singles champion and current pastor at the Victory Life Centre church in Perth instead used her op-ed to state numerous dangerous falsities concerning the lives of gay and lesbian people while at the same time suggesting that the LGBTI community was to blame for the country's apparent “steep moral decline”.

“Minorities are now making it harder for the majority. They are increasingly taking everything that is good in society and pushing it to the side. Looking back, you can see that there has been a steep decline, especially when it comes to the issue of sexuality,” she wrote.

“Let me be clear. I believe that a person's sexuality is a choice. In the Bible it said that homosexuality is among sins that are works of the flesh. It is not something you are born with. My concern is that we are advocating to young people that it is OK to have these feelings. But I truly believe if you are told you are gay from a young age, soon enough it will start to impact your life and you will live it. If somebody is told they are gay they often start to believe it.”

The article was published only a day after Court, 70, (pictured) had arrived in Melbourne as an official guest of the Australian Open grand slam tournament, with organisers giving her the best seats inside Rod Laver Arena, the main court, for yesterday's matches.

Tennis Australia have previously distanced themselves from Court's controversial views which were reignited two months ago following an interview Court gave to a West Australian newspaper where she claimed gay people engage in “abominable sexual practices” and whose “unhealthy, unnatural unions” are not worthy marriage.

Court's latest comments have been widely criticised for being misleading as well as dangerous, with the LGBTI Health Alliance warning that young people and others who are uncertain about their sexuality should avoid such views.

“There is no medical or scientific evidence for the simple view that sexuality is a 'choice', as Ms Court has suggested,” LGBTI Health Alliance general manager Warren Talbot told SX.

“The risk is that people who are uncertain about their sexuality might falsely conclude that they can be 'cured' of their homosexuality ... In fact false efforts to change a person's sexual orientation could be very dangerous to long-term health.”

The concerns of the Health Alliance have been echoed by leading Brisbane-based LGBTI psychologist, Paul Martin, who said that same-sex attracted people who have absorbed negative beliefs about what it means to be gay or lesbian can feel defective and hopeless. 

“Sexual orientation is extremely unlikely to change and trying to do so can cause high levels of psychological distress. For those who are suffering from the effects of homophobia, reading these words from a sporting hero can be the last brick in the wall towards self harm,” Martin told SX.

Scott Williams, co-founder of LGBTIQ youth advocacy and support group Wear it Purple told SX that Court's comments were thoroughly “misguided” as well as being extremely “hurtful” to the many young people who have to put up with such verbal and physical abuse in schools.

“Studies show that around three quarters of rainbow youth are homophobically bullied in Australia, as well as suffering increased rates of homelessness and instances of mental illness,” Williams told SX.

“No young person would choose to be in a minority group, to be bullied and suffer verbal abuse, if it could at all be avoided.”

Australian Marriage Equality convener Alex Greenwich added that if Court "truly believed in the meaning and value of marriage" she should welcome loving and committed same-sex couples, while ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill told SX that fortunately Court's views were fast losing their appeal to many members within the wider community.

“Thankfully we no longer live in a mono-cultural society and the views expressed by Ms Court highlight how unreasonable and anachronistic such thinking is in this day and age. Negative attitudes to homosexuality have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of GLBT people, affecting both their safety and their mental health,” he said.

“Surely it is far more socially productive and spiritually enriching to encourage people to embrace and celebrate social diversity rather than judge and condemn people for who they love.”

Senthorun Raj, senior policy adviser for the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, agreed that Court’s characterisation of non-heterosexuality as an affliction or moral failing was extremely troubling.

“These sorts of messages are damaging because they promote a culture of stigma and shame, which coerces many same-sex attracted people into remaining silent about who they are,” he said.

Carl Katter, who himself made national headlines when he publicly criticised his homophobic older half-brother, federal Independent MP Bob Katter, on television last year, told SX that he was left astounded by Court's comments as well as her potential motives for making them.

“To reinforce my opinion of how truly disconnected from reality she is, Margaret Court claimed a couple of days ago she has been ‘the target of a hate campaign’. If this wasn't such a bizarre statement it would be hilarious. Australia does not need to give this person any more exposure — she is a disgrace to Australian tennis and the country,” he said.

“And as bizarre, she also requires any new parishioners of her church to contribute 10 per cent of their yearly income for the rest of their lives, making it pretty obvious that the profit motive is another motivation behind her constant attacks on Australians who happen to be homosexual.”

Christian leaders and advocates for gay Christians have also questioned Court's theological understanding of Biblical concepts, with Surry Hills Baptist Church pastor Mike Hercock telling SX that the tennis great was wrong on at least three counts in saying that homosexuality is a choice.

“One, it is not true, both in the false belief that a person can change there orientation and that a person any person is born immoral. Two, the trauma caused to young people who believe the message that Margaret is perpetuating in our Churches is serious, dangerous and irresponsible,” he said.

“Thirdly for Hetero-Sexual Baptist Ministers and members of 100 Revs [a group of Christian leaders supportive of LGBTI people] such as myself it blackens the door for many to find the genuine message and Person of Jesus who came in a spirit of Grace, truth and love.”

Anthony Venn-Brown, an advocate for LGBT people of Christian backgrounds and founder of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International, told SX that he is hopeful that the continuing fall-out over Court's comments will show how many Australians have moved on from holding hateful or ignorant beliefs.

“Australians know we are not broken and need fixing, sick and need healing. They have siblings, friends and colleagues who are gay so when religious people like Ms Court say untruths it turns them against the perpetrators.

“As a former Pentecostal minister myself who had to resolve his sexuality and his faith and worked with hundreds who have done the same journey, I know the dark places these outdated beliefs can take a person," he said.

“The old guard of the Niles, Pells and Courts will pass away and be replaced by those who are more accepting and most of all educated about sexual orientation.”

Meanwhile, organisers of the Facebook-led campaign, Rainbow Flags Over Margaret Court Arena, have said that they will not be using Friday as a day of action against Court, and are instead urging people to take down rainbow flags and other paraphernalia anytime over the next few days until the tournament's close on Sunday.

“The measure of our success will not be in the number of rainbows you see at the tennis. It'll be measured in changes at Tennis Australia,” a statement from the group said.