*Age Of Consent & Legal Sexual Activity for the State of
23rd
July 2003 Letter
from the office of Premier of
N.B:
“sodomy (anal intercourse)” is not equivalent to “homosexual sex”:
Unfortunately the Premier’s letter errs twice in suggesting that I am
“advocating a reduction in the age of consent for homosexual sex” – which is
not the case at all.
It is important to note that the age of consent is already technically equal, at 16 years, for all
men and women – regardless of their sexuality. The big stumbling block to equal
treatment of gay and bisexual young men in Queensland is the state’s “Sodomy
Law” (Sections 208 & 209 of the Criminal Code 1899) .
I have been lobbying since March 2000 for removal of the “Sodomy Law”, a discriminatory and unnecessary law which prohibits all men and women
aged under 18 from engaging in the specific sexual activity of anal intercourse.
The
Sodomy Law must be removed so that all
consenting sexual activities can be seen to be equally
legal for all consenting adults, regardless
of their individual sexuality. This is the only way that gay and bisexual 16 & 17 year old men
can hope to be treated equally, in every other respect, to their heterosexual
peers.
A major problem concurrent with the Sodomy Law is the common
misconception that “gay sex” necessarily involves anal intercourse (sodomy). This misconception persists because the vast majority of people are
simply too timid to speak in any detail about the “taboo” subject of anal
intercourse.
The act of anal intercourse is commonly practiced by some heterosexuals as
well as by some homosexuals.
It is not equivalent to “homosexual sex”.
When our most eminent public servants, even
inadvertently, equate “sodomy” with being “homosexual sex”, then it is little
surprise that the vast majority of the general public wrongly
believe that all male-to-male
sex is illegal for 16 and 17 year olds. These young men need the societal support
to know that they can express their sexuality in legal and safe ways. They
need to know that their sexuality is as equally good and valuable a part of
them, as is the sexuality of any of their heterosexual peers.
Text as scanned
from original letter stored as a jpg image HERE.
Office of the
Premier
Executive
Building
100
George Street Brisbane
P0
Box
Queensland
4002 Australia
Telephone
+617 3224 4500
Facsimile
+617 3221 3631
Email
ThePremier@premiers.qld.gov.au
Website
www.thepremier.qld.gov.au
Please quote 33243/MB/L&J Policy
23 JUL 2003
Mr John Frame
82 Main Avenue
WAVELL HEIGHT QLD 4012
Dear Mr Frame
Thank you for your email of 27 June 2003
advocating a reduction in the age of consent for homosexual sex. I have been
requested to reply to you on the Premier’s behalf
Unfortunately your invitation for a
representative of the Premier to attend the forum for youth was received too
late to make such arrangements.
You would be aware of the recent changes
put in place by the Government to remove discriminatory provisions for same-sex
couples. The Government does not have any plans to make further changes to
existing legislation in the current term. However, the Premier has again noted
your support for a reduction in the age of consent for homosexual sex.
A copy of your correspondence has been
referred to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice the Honourable Rod Welford MP, for
his attention. On behalf of the Premier, I want to thank you for taking the
time to write to him about your views on this issue.
Yours sincerely
Rob Whiddon
Chief of Staff