Tas:Sect members apologise to transgender, intersex people

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2009
Tas:Sect members apologise to transgender, intersex people

Eds: Reissuing to clarify in first par that apology was made by two church members,
rather than the church itself



By Paul Carter

HOBART, Aug 19 AAP - Two members of the Exclusive Brethren religious sect has publicly
apologised for offending sexual minorities in Tasmania.

The apology, published on Wednesday in Tasmania's three daily newspapers, followed
a conciliation suggested by the state's anti-discrimination tribunal following a complaint
by Martine Delaney.

The Exclusive Brethren members were involved in the publication of a 2006 state election
advertisement attacking transgender and intersex people.

Ms Delaney said the ads stated that the Greens' support for transgender and intersex
people would "ruin families and society" and she complained.

"It's hard enough being a transgender or intersex person in this society without your
basic human rights being hatefully attacked", Ms Delaney said on Wednesday.

"My wish has always been to ensure election debates are conducted without vulnerable
minorities being unfairly targeted."

Ms Delaney said she was pleased with the apology and accepted it.

The apology was issued by Exclusive Brethren members, Roger Unwin and Graham Lewis,
and a shell company set up to pay for the ads, TradTas.

"The advertisements highlighted some policies of the Greens, including those with respect
to transgender and intersex issues, and urged voters to consider these policies before
casting their votes," the apology says.

"Although it was never our intention, we acknowledge some people may have been offended
or hurt by the language used in the advertisements.

"We apologise sincerely to those people."

AAP pc/ldj/ash/cdh

KEYWORD: BRETHREN (REISSUING)

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