Republican asks lesbian colleague if she is a ‘paedophile’ during equality debate

A Republican lawmaker has come under fire after asking a lesbian fellow politician if she is a paedophile.  

On Friday (17 March), Rhode Island’s House Committee on State Government and Elections met to discuss a bill that would require all legislation to include an equity impact statement on how it might affect minority groups. 

During the debate, representative Robert Quattrocchi expressed his concerns about what the statements might entail in practice. 

Quattrocchi described the minority groups which would come under the bill – including characteristics of race, religion and sexual orientation – as “very, very broad”. 

He said: “In my thinking about bills that I want to present, do I have to take into account, for instance, religion? 

“Do I have to take into account how it affects satanists in Rhode Island, or do I have to take in to account with sexual orientation, how it affects paedophiles in Rhode Island, anything like that?” he asked the bill’s sponsor, Democrat Rebecca Kislak.

Kislak was quick to respond that paedophilia is “not a sexual orientation” and branded the comment offensive. 

Quattrocchi apologised but then asked: “Are you a paedophile?”

The comment was met with audible outrage in the chamber, while those outside the committee hearing also responded with fury. 

In a statement published on Twitter, the Rhode Island Democrat Party said: “[We] strongly condemn the dangerous and hateful homophobic rhetoric Representative Robert Quattrocchi directed at Democratic State Representative Rebecca Kislak and our state’s LGBTQ+ residents.

“The hateful behaviour displayed by Rep. Quattrocchi in a public hearing is beneath the dignity of an elected official.

“Rhode Island has a proud tradition of tolerance and the RI Democratic Party is proud to stand up for the rights and safety of our LGBTQ+ community.” 

“These sentiments have no place in our state house”

The state’s lieutenant governor and congressional hopeful, Sabina Matos, described Quattrocchi’s question as abhorrent and said she is was disgusted by the paedophile allegation.

She wrote on Twitter: “These sentiments have no place in our state house. Apologising to @RebeccaKislak is only a starting point. The LGBTQ+ community and all Rhode Islanders deserve a full apology. We must send a clear message: hate has no home in RI.”

Paige Claussius-Parks, the executive director of advocacy group Rhode Island Kids Count, branded the question horrific, adding that it was a “wrongful and harmful characterisation of LGBTQ+ people”.