Good luck in your cause Jim, you have my full support.

You are exactly right in saying the first step in eliminating homophobia is to remove the legal discrimination. The blatant discrimination represented by our Federal Government (and supported by the Labor Party in 2004) is something that I cannot comprehend and am deeply ashamed of.

Unfortunetly you won't be successful in convincing some of the so-called Christians on this forum that you are not the spawn of Satan, and the worst thing part about that is that our Government supports them.

here here and here come the GB's come to push one of their two obssession's sex.

With no substantive argument to fall back on, the anti-gay commentators will soon descend into quoting apocryphal bible passages as evidence that one doesn't need evidence to be anti-gay.

Pre-emptive strikes are all the rage these days, so I'll try one myself:

A dispossessed, landless tribe facing extinction in the desert needs all the children it can produce. It makes perfect sense that a religion forged in such circumstances forbids non-procreative sexual behaviour, be it homosexuality or masturbation.

However, it makes no sense at all to enforce such taboos in an enlightened, over-populated world.

‘In every way but one, Andreas and I are an ordinary everyday middle-aged couple, living lives just like those of all the people around us’, claims the author.

But that ‘one’ point is a rather big one. You don’t need to have strong views one way or the other about homosexuality to know it is unnatural. It’s hard to believe that even homosexuals themselves can claim that it is natural and maintain a straight face.

People who stray far from societal norms should expect to be treated differently. It’s accepted that they don’t like it, but it’s a fact of life that the ‘system’ is set up for normal standards of behaviour. There are many other groups of people who are in some way affected because they don’t slot in under ‘average’. They manage. Homosexuals need to stop yammering about their problems and be thankful that they are not treated far more harshly by society.

It is extremely arrogant for these people to try to force government and the rest of society to bend to their will. The author complains of ‘homophobia’ in Australia, so perhaps he could move to one of the five other countries he has lived in without problems. He managed to get his partner permanent residence here, why not do it in reverse? If there are better places for homosexuals, why stay here and suffer? It’s quite trendy to be a ‘refugee’ these days.

In the meantime, let’s have a break from homosexuals with an axe to grind and hear from professionals who can educate us on a subject that most people find deviant and disgusting.

Is it a disease? Can it be cured? Or, have some of us got it wrong, and is it OK for people of the same sex to be sexually attracted to each other?

I hope the editors can find an unbiased source. I am not interested in references to weirdo websites from posters.

Leigh, such unchristian views. I am sorry for you.

Only this week my son came back from school to say that he and his mate were ridiculed for being homosexual.

My son and his friend are 10 years old. They are not even of an age when their sexual identity is formed. His friend comes from a family who happily show affection for each other by hugging. The two boys have a wonderful close friendship that is a joy to see.

It is not only gays who are discriminated against. It is any people of same sex who show normal human affection for each other.

As a male I know all about the cringe I instinctively feel when wanting to show physical affection for a male friend. I am stuck with this cringe.

This aweful instinct is a hateful put-on by un-christian folks who can't handle their own sexuality. As members of society we are variously infected with this ugly cultural discrimination.

All the gay lobby wishes to do is to enable us to mature as a society and celebrate the natural variety that is wthin the human experience.

In the final analysis it is simply a message about love rather than hate.

"People who stray far from societal norms". Now theres a profound comment, and what are societal norms one asks. Maybe the poster could enlighten us less informed members of society.
My belief is being a contributing member of the community, respecting others, irrespective of who or whom they are, not interfering in other peoples lives. A belief that has bode me well throughout my life.
Another question I would ask the poster. Why do you have such a vitriol opinion of people, that you appear to consider inferior to yourself, or should I say to your own personal dictate of societal norms.