Top psychiatrist resigns over anti-gay stand

ONE of Australia's leading psychiatrists has resigned from Victoria's Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission after his opposition to same-sex marriage became public.

Professor Kuruvilla George, who is Victoria's deputy chief psychiatrist and a former Christian missionary, was a member of a group of doctors known as Doctors for the Family who made a submission to a Senate inquiry declaring their opposition to gay marriage.

Their submission argued it was "important for the future health of our nation" that heterosexual unions should be the only ones recognised in Australian law.

Doctors for the Family also expressed a concern that legalising gay marriage could "normalise" homosexual behaviour.

The Equal Opportunity Commission said it had received several emails and phone calls in response to Prof George's stand on gay marriage since it was made public.

t maintains it was unaware of the Doctors for the Family submission until coverage of it appeared in the media.

"As the agency responsible for promoting and protecting human rights in Victoria, the Commission sees the harmful effects that discrimination and inequality have on people and the hurt and damage caused by prejudice, vilification and damaging stereotypes," the Commission said in a statement.

While gay rights groups welcomed Prof George's resignation, the Australian Christian Lobby called it a scalp for activists "in their relentless persecution of anyone who does not support their agenda".


(2012-05-15/perthnow)