Australian politician Alex Greenwich has opened up about the “confronting impact” a homophobic tweet from fellow politician Mark Latham had on him.
Greenwich, the sole openly gay member of the New South Wales (NSW) state parliament, filed a lawsuit against Latham for a homophobic tweet made in late March, which Latham has since deleted.
The tweet was in response to an article where Greenwich labelled Latham “a disgusting human being” for an incident involving LGBTQ+ protestors being targeted outside an event where Latham was speaking. Latham replied to the article with a tweet containing a graphic and homophobic description of sexual acts.
Speaking in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Greenwich shared that he was in “shock” when he first saw the tweet and admitted that the hateful message deeply affected him, causing him to break down in tears later that night. His husband, Victor Hoeld, confirmed the emotional toll it took on Greenwich, stating that he had “never seen him cry like this before.”
According to court documents, Greenwich experienced “threats, repeated jibes, hatred, homophobic comments, contempt, and ridicule” due to Latham’s tweet. His lawyers argued that the tweet was defamatory, implying that Greenwich was unfit to be a member of the NSW parliament due to engaging in “disgusting sexual activities.”
Despite the consequences of his actions, Latham has refused to apologise. His legal team is expected to argue in court that his tweet was an “honest opinion” and pertained to “a matter of public interest.” Greenwich revealed that he received hate mail, threatening messages, and phone calls to his electorate office following the tweet.
The homophobic message significantly impacted Greenwich’s mental health, as he was constantly attacked for his sexuality rather than his policies. Greenwich has also filed a separate legal case against Latham for allegedly portraying him as someone who “goes to schools to groom children to become homosexual” and lodged a complaint of homosexual vilification, sexual harassment, and a police complaint against Latham.
This incident highlights the ongoing struggle faced by LGBTQ+ politicians, even in countries considered progressive on LGBTQ+ rights, and underscores the importance of addressing homophobia in politics, not just in Australia but globally, including in New Zealand, as we approach the 2023 General election.
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