The Australian Christian Lobby has launched a new campaign arguing that rainbow flags associated with the LGBT+ community should not be flown on public land.
The ACL says the ACT government has made a poor decision by flying the rainbow flag along Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and Garema Place in Canberra.
The group’s Managing Director Lyle Shelton said it was no longer appropriate for the rainbow flag to be flown as it had become a symbol closely linked to a political movement.
“The rainbow flag has become the standard of a political movement that believes children should be taught their gender is fluid at a ‘safe school’, something many parents would take issue with,” Shelton said.
“It is the flag of the movement to redefine marriage – a movement that is pushing for children to be denied their biological parents through unethical assisted reproductive practices such as commercial surrogacy and anonymous sperm donation.
“It is the flag of a movement that wants to use so-called hate speech laws to fine Australians who refuse to bow to its political agenda,” Shelton said.
The ACT’s Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, is adamant the flags will be staying. In a video posted to social media Barr said the ACT aimed to be inclusive.
“Canberra is Australia’s most LGBTI friendly city,” Mr Barr said in the video, “We want to celebrate that and show our support for marriage equality.”
Barr told The Canberra Times that the ACT parliament supported marriage equality, the majority of Canberra’s residents supported marriage equality and it was time for the federal parliament to change the laws.
“The vast majority of Canberrans support marriage equality and want the Federal Parliament to do its job and legislate as such,” Barr said.
“The ACT government will continue to advocate on this issue and on the rights of LGBTIQ people more generally because it is the right thing to do.
“Last year the Assembly voted the ACT should do what it can to support same sex marriage.”
History of the Rainbow Flag
The rainbow flag that is a symbol for the LGBTI+ communities was created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker for their Pride festival in 1976. Originally the flag had eight colours but since 1979 it has usually had six colours.
The colors were determined to symbolize: life (red), healing (orange), sunlight (yellow), nature (green), harmony (blue), and spirit (purple/violet). The removed colors stood for sexuality (pink) and art/magic (turquoise).
Baker created the flag after being challenged by gay rights activist Harvey Milk to create a symbol for the gay and lesbian community.
After Milk’s assassination in 1978 demand for the flag increased dramatically and it began to be commercially made. Due to a shortage of pink fabric the pink section was dropped, later the turquoise section was removed so the flag would look even when hung vertically.
One Nation candidate says rainbows make her sad because of link to LGBTI+ community.
Last week OUTinPerth revealed that One Nation candidate Meyers comments stating that the sight of rainbow patterns make her sad.
The candidate in the upcoming state election expressed several negative comments about the LGBTI+ community on her personal, but public, Facebook page. Alongside her claim that the gay community utilises a covert Nazi-styled mind control program, Meyers also shared that rainbows make her sad.
Alongside a photo of a cushion with a five coloured striped pattern, Meyers shared that the sight of a rainbow makes her sad. She said the rainbow has become an emblem for a “sexually corrupt and morally bankrupt society”.
“The rainbow has been raped and sullied. its colors [sic] have been purloined and paraded as a trophy of the culture war being waged worldwide. But its fruits are bitter, it’s victory hollow and its legacy toxic.” Meyers said.
Elsewhere on her publicly available Facebook page the candidate suggests on multiple occasions that gay people are sexually confused and need training and therapy. Meyers said, gay people should realise that they are the ones who “need to change”.
Meyers has previously been a candidates for the Australian Christians. She is an outspoken anti-abortion campaigner who regularly protests outside abortion clinics.
Following widespread media reports about he comments the candidate’s personal and official social media pages were filled with comments featuring rainbow images and emojis. The candidates official Facebook page was later deleted.
Images: top image – Rainbow flags fly in Canberra (ACL), second image: Rainbow flag flying at Curtin University.
OIP Staff
