Gay Article Defended (Press, 9 April 1975)

On 9 April 1975, a member of the Christchurch Gay Liberation Front issued a statement clarifying that a controversial article featured in their newsletter did not reflect the group's collective views. The article, authored by Paul Mating, had been described as a "disgraceful and scurrilous" piece advocating sodomy, which prompted criticism from Mr D. S. Thomson, a National Party representative from Stratford, during a parliamentary debate. The Christchurch Gay Liberation Front explained that although the newsletter's content, including the article in question, was not considered libellous or overtly obscene, it elicited significant reaction among its members. The newsletter is published by a subset within the organisation that emphasises that its contents do not necessarily represent the official policies of Gay Liberation. The group values freedom of expression and allows for a range of opinions, with censorship imposed only in cases deemed legally objectionable. The statement further emphasised that the controversial article represented the views of only one individual and should not be interpreted as the stance of the broader group or indicative of what homosexuals desire regarding potential law reforms. It was noted that the newsletter was distributed exclusively to those on the group's mailing list and not made available for sale or general distribution.

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