‘Degeneracy’ In California (Press, 15 August 1985)
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Summary: ‘Degeneracy’ In California (Press, 15 August 1985)
On 15 August 1985, Rev. Louis Sheldon, chairman of the California Coalition for Traditional Values, presented testimony to the Justice and Law Reform Select Committee in New Zealand regarding the controversial Homosexual Law Reform Bill. His remarks were based on what he described as a decline in societal values since the liberalisation of homosexual law in California over the previous decade. He expressed concerns about homosexual educators potentially entering schools to teach about homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle, although he noted that most school districts maintained traditional values against this approach. Sheldon further illustrated his points by presenting an address book that he claimed could be acquired at adult homosexual or pornographic bookstores across the United States. He stated that the book contained 900 listings where individuals could engage in public homosexual acts, which he used to emphasise his concerns about the implications of the bill. The Homosexual Law Reform Bill, which was being promoted by the Junior Government Whip, Ms Fran Wilde, aimed primarily to amend legal restrictions on consensual homosexual acts among males aged 16 and older, as well as to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. The bill had sparked significant debate and opposition, with advocates such as Sir Peter Tait and Mr Keith Hay arguing that the matter was of profound importance to New Zealand’s society. They contended that such a significant issue should not be settled by a simple conscience vote among the 95 members of Parliament. They also highlighted that an estimated 750,000 people had signed a petition opposing the proposed changes, reflecting a substantial portion of the population’s disapproval of the reform. The discussions around this bill underscored the deep societal divides regarding issues of sexual orientation and the rights of homosexual individuals within New Zealand during that period.
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