Northern Ireland: Local candidate says she would ‘recriminalise homosexuality’
A Northern Irish independent local council candidate who has already voiced strong opposition to gay rights has said she would like to “recriminalise homosexuality.”
Susan Anne White, of Trillick, is standing as an independent candidate in the Omagh district. She describes herself as an evangelical Christian, and has made it clear that she opposes same-sex relationships.
Speaking at the Strule Arts Centre at a Question Time-style debate on Monday evening alongside other candidates, White said she would “recriminalise homosexuality”, given the chance.
White also made the claim that gay people “are not born that way, they are out to recruit. We are in danger. One demand after another.”
Becoming embroiled in a debate following questions from the audience, White said she was opposed to the idea of gay people being allowed to donate blood.
She said to let whoever campaigns for “gay blood be first to roll up their sleeve.” NB. one audience member responded: “I will be first in line.”
Chris Smyth of the Ulster Unionist Party added: “You can’t catch homosexuality. I’ll be third in line.”
Same-sex marriage was also on her agenda, as she referred to an anti-equal marriage book from the US, discussing the “gay agenda” she said: “One of their goals is destruction of marriage.”
“Marriage is now meaningless. This is the goal of this movement. This is a dangerous movement. Not the new civil rights.”
When an audience member noted to White that following bible teachings literally could see women stripped of their rights too, White responded: “I have had threats and you try to tell me this is a civil rights movement?”
She also voiced her opposition to Islam and her support for capital punishment.
In a previous interview with the Tyrone Herald, White admitted that her chances of being elected were “slim”, but claimed she had received mainly positive feedback door-to-door.
“My campaign will be run along the lines of ten bible-based principles and among them will be that we need to keep safe from the destructive homosexual agenda,” she said.
White’s comments have been widely condemned since she made them on Monday evening.
