Media Release
Wednesday April 6th 2022
 
Salvation Army Social Justice Stocktake acknowledges LGBTIQ+ disadvantage but fails to take responsibility for church's contribution
 
Just.Equal Australia has welcomed the Salvation Army's focus on LGBTIQ+ disadvantage in its Social Justice Stocktake released today.
 
But the group says the Salvation Arrny needs to go further by apologising for its legacy of religious prejudice, and by lobbying against discriminatory laws, both of which contribute to the discrimination, disadvantage and mental health issues the Stocktake identifies as problems.
 
Just.Equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
 
"We welcome the Salvation Army's focus on the continued disadvantages faced by LGBTIQ+ people including stigma, discrimination and the mental health problems they create."
 
"But a major contributor to this disadvantage are religious prejudices and religious discrimination exemptions which the Salvation Army has failed to acknowledge, let alone address, in its report."
 
"For example, in most states the Salvation Army and other faith-based service providers are able to discriminate against LGBTIQ+ staff and clients with impunity."
 
"The Salvos also have an unhappy history of undermining the dignity of LGBTIQ+ people and opposing our rights."
 
"This includes opposition to marriage equality and the Safe School Program, support for rolling back discrimination protections in the name of 'religious freedom', and condemnation of homosexuality."
 
"Charity begins at home, so we urge the Salvation Army to apologise for the religious prejudices its leaders have expressed in the recent past and to come out against the discrimination exemptions it still enjoys."
 
For a copy of the Social Justice Stocktake, click here: https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/socialjusticestocktake/
Scroll down for the section on LGBTIQ+ disadvantage.
 
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668