XN000022-1990-07-11 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1990 1

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DECRIMINALISING HOMOSEXUAL ACTS WOULD HAVE UNIMAGINABLE CONSEQUENCES

* * * *

TWO

THE DECRIMINALISATION OF HOMOSEXUAL CONSENTING ADULTS

ACTS IN PRIVATE BETWEEN WOULD OPEN THE FLOODGATES LEADING

HON DAVID CHEUNG SAID

IN

ΤΟ THE

THE CONSEQUENCES, UNIMAGINABLE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHEUNG WOULD WERE

OPPOSING THE MOTION IN THE DEBATE ON HOMOSEXUALITY, SAID THE VALUE AND LIFESTYLE OF A MINORITY GROUP OF HOMOSEXUALS

THROUGH SOCIETY IF THEREBY BE DISSEMINATED

DECRIMINALISATION

ALLOWED.

LIFESTYLE OR ARE HOMOSEXUALS, THEN TERM DAMAGING

"IF ADOLESCENTS ARE EXPOSED TO A HOMOSEXUAL EFFECTIVELY INFLUENCED BY THOSE WHO ARE THEMSELVES THIS MAY AFFECT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND HAVE LONG EFFECTS ON THE YOUTHS, HE SAID.

14

THE LAW

HE SAID ALTHOUGH

REFORM COMMISSION HAD SAID THAT LEGAL APPROVAL, TO THE DECRIMINALISATION DID NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY YOUNG MINDS, IT WOULD PASS A DEADLY-WRONG-YET-STRAIGHT-FORWARD MESSAGE THAT SUCH ACTS WERE ACCEPTABLE TO SOCIETY AND THEREFORE BE PRACTISED,

COULD

THAT

MR CHEUNG ARGUED

BY DECRIMINALISATION,

IT HAND, WOULD BE CONTRADICTING ITSELF: ON THE ONE

SEX EDUCATION MORAL AND PROPER

SCHOOLS BUT, IN ENCOURAGED PERMISSIVENESS OF HOMOSEXUAL ACTS.

THE ENCOURAGED

GOVERNMENT

ON

MORB THE OTHER,

HE

SAID THAT

DECRIMINALISATION

OF HOMOSEXUAL

ACTS WOULD AS THE MOVE ALSO OPEN THE FLOODGATE OF VERY DAMAGING OPPORTUNITIES,

RIGHTS WOULD GIVE RISE TO OPPORTUNITY FOR SERIOUS ATTEMPTS TO SECURE

CLAIMING SPOUSAL STATUS FOR HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS TO MARRY ONE ANOTHER, CLAIMING

SOCIAL BENEFITS, AND FOR TAX AND

ADOPTING AND RAISING CHILDREN.

FURTHER, THERE WAS THE AIDS FACTOR.

THAT HE

WANTED A CLEAR MR CHEUNG STRESSED BACKED UP BY LEGAL CONSTRAINTS TO BE MAINTAINED.

MORAL STANDARD

THAT HOMOSEXUALITY

"THIS WILL GIVE A CLEAR MESSAGE TO SOCIETY IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF BEHAVIOUR FROM SOCIETY'S POINT OF VIEW.

"IT WILL ALSO PREVENT THE FLOODGATE MIGHT LEAD TO ALL KINDS OF UNDESIRABLE POSSIBILITIES.

WHICH

FROM BEING OPENED

FAVOURED PEOPLE

THE DECRIMINALISATION MUCH AS HE SUPPORTED THE SEEN AS AN INSURANCE OR A

ON

NOTING THAT SOME BASIS OF HUMAN RIGHTS, MR CHEUNG SAID AS BILL OF RIGHTS, THE BILL MUST NOT BE PROTECTIVE UMBRELLA FOR WRONGDOINGS.

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FROM WHATEVER ANGLE WE LOOK AT THE ISSUE, HAS DOES NOT GIVE HIM/HER THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS UNACCEPTABLE," HE SAID.

T

A PERSON THE RIGHT

WRONG OR SOCIALLY

SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ALL-OUT PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ΤΟ COME FORWARD TO GET

MR CHEUNG PROPOSED THAT HOMOSEXUALS SEEK PSYCHOTHERAPY. HE SUGGESTED THAT AN SHOULD BE MOUNTED TO ENCOURAGE HOMOSEXUALS HELP, SO AS TO CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

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