Think tank says child abuse ‘breeds gays’

A think tank run by a former Queensland government policy developer claims child abuse and neglect is the major factor influencing children who “become ‘gay’”. 

The Centre for Policy and Development Systems (CPDS), run by former government policy developer John Craig, who worked for the government in the seventies and eighties, claims to address “local and global issues from the perspective of Queensland”.

Craig wrote to the Courier Mail on behalf of CPDS in response to revelations that teachers were involved in homophobic bullying in schools [see report in Qld Pride, March 1, 2013].

Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Brisbane (PFLAG) brought the issue to public attention when they met with a senior public servant in the Education Department last month.

PFLAG gathered stories from school children, one claiming that the bullying that impacted most on them was from teachers, including comments from a teacher that “homosexuality was a sin and I was going to burn in hell”.

Among the many articles on the CPDS website of which Craig takes authorship, is one about the dangers of acceptance of gays in schools:

“In fact public acceptance of homosexual behaviour (which some groups apparently label 'homophilia') seems morally indefensible because it may (often unwittingly) involve: (a) giving tacit endorsement to past child abuse and neglect – which seems often to play a role in breeding 'gays'; and (b) facilitating future child sex abuse.”

Craig quotes an article by Chris Keane, “a long term member of Sydney's gay community and now a leader in a 'Liberty' program which aims to help people who are struggling with homosexual tendencies” stating: “homosexuality has identifiable causes eg there is often a history of emotional deprivation and sexual abuse as children and a retarded emotional and intellectual development”.

Shelley Argent, national spokesperson for PFLAG, told Queensland Pride Craig’s views demonstrated “absolute ignorance”.

“All he will succeed in doing is giving people with a gay child that added emotion of guilt,” she said.

Argent said Craig would find few in agreement with him who were not already set against homosexuality.

“I would think that if you are already against homosexuality or equality you would use [Craig’s views] as a tool. If you’re already supportive you’d brush him off as a dill.”