Christian care home loses funding over homosexuality stance
by Maria Mackay
Posted: Friday, January 9, 2009, 12:11 (GMT)
Brighton & Hove City Council has pulled thousands of pounds worth of funding from a Christian care home because of its religious beliefs on homosexuality.
The council withdrew £13,000 of funding when the care home refused the council’s request to ask the elderly Christian residents about their sexual orientation every three months. The home also refused demands from the council that it use images of homosexuals in its promotional literature and show staff a Stonewall presentation on ‘gay rights’.
The home is run by Pilgrim Homes, a charity serving elderly Christians for more than 200 years. Its residents include former missionaries and a retired church minister.
Phil Wainwright, director of human resources at Pilgrim Homes, said he was told by the council that the home must ask residents if they were lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual or ‘unsure’, even if they objected.
But managers at the care home told the council that meeting its demands would “unduly distress” the residents and go against their Christian ethos. They also informed the council that residents over the age of 80 in particular would regard probing from the council on sexual matters as “hostile and intrusive”.
“There was a strong feeling among people in the home that the questions were inappropriate and intrusive,” said Mr Wainwright. “They felt they had come to Pilgrim Homes because of its Christian ethos and were upset they were not protected from such intrusions.”
The council responded by accusing the home of “institutionalised homophobia” and withdrew the funding, which was being used to pay for warden services in sheltered housing.
Pilgrim Homes said it now plans to take Brighton & Hove Council to court for religious discrimination. The legal bid is being financially supported by The Christian Institute’s Legal Defence Fund.
The Christian Institute’s Mike Judge said: “Brighton Council is displaying a very prejudiced and discriminatory attitude to the religious beliefs held by the elderly residents of the home run by Pilgrim Homes.
“After a lifetime of Christian service, these elderly men and women deserve to live in a restful environment which supports and nurtures their Christian faith.
“This case is the latest in a series of troubling incidents where the rights of Christians are seemingly being ignored in favour of ‘gay rights’.”
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Added: Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 6:59 (GMT)
The care value base would surely allow for residential homes to cater for the needs and interest of their residents - including maintaining respect and dignity.
Perhaps the local authority could explain the purpose or justification of asking residents about their sexuality every three months?... does this apply to other 'equality' measures such as age, gender, ethnicity? Since it carries so much weight in public finance, does stonewall truly believe that the 'oriention' of residents in this type of care home is likely to change????
Alison, London
Added: Monday, January 19, 2009, 16:25 (GMT)
To any even minded person, to consider asking elderly people their sexual orientation on entering a Care Home is clearly offensive and distressing. But these demands are coming from a government Council Body with further demands to attempt to promote homosexuality through imagery in the Care Home's literature! This is at the least, insane and at the most, corrupt, depraved and intrusive.
As long as Care Homes are run with love, patience, kindness and tolerance to all in their one to one handling of the elderly people in their care, then they are meeting all the possible expectations and criteria in a healthy Home. It is obvious and clear that Brighton & Hove City Council have a particular agenda to achieve and it is not sadly in the indiscriminate care of the elderly.
Mrs. Veronica Lee, Beckenham, UK
Added: Friday, January 16, 2009, 20:23 (GMT)
It seems to me that it is inappropriate to ask anyone what their sexual orientation is, whatever their age, and entirely appropriate that individuals should be able to keep their views confidential.
heather Angilley, leeds UK
Added: Thursday, January 15, 2009, 4:22 (GMT)
What purpose could possibly be served by inquiring about nursing home residents' sexual orientation? Even if their Christian beliefs didn't already make such questioning offensive to these particular residents, it seems to me to be a waste of time and resources to enforce such questioning. And to ask every three months is just plain silly. The sexual history, past and present, of these people is a personal matter and not something the public needs to delve into.
Gwen, California, USA
Added: Friday, January 9, 2009, 17:05 (GMT)
These are outrageous actions by Brighton Council. I wonder how Stonewall would feel about having some of the Christian Institute's rabid anti-gay propaganda imposed on some of their members, or how Brighton Councillers would feel about being asked about their sexual orientation every three months. Stonewall should be up in arms about being drafted in to persecute elderly residents in a Christian eventide home.
By violating the rights of Pilgrim Homes residents to privacy and freedom from intrusion, Brighton Council are violating these rights for everyone.
Jethro, Dunblane, Scotland
