Saturday, 3
October 2009
2 October 2009
Irish Unionist politician Iris Robinson has rejected
an invitation to see a new play that lampoons homophobia - despite it
incorporating her infamous anti-gay comments.
The voice of Robinson - the wife of Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter
Robinson - will be included in the production of To Be Straight With You, a stern
dramatic piece that seeks to expose the bigotry and violence suffered by gay
people at the hands of homophobes.
Robinson - herself voted Bigot of the Year at the 2008 Stonewall awards -
caused controversy last year after becoming a born again Christian and publicly
claiming that she knew of a psychiatrist who could help queers “turn away” from
homosexuality.
At a subsequent Northern Ireland Grand Committee session, she drew further
criticism by comparing homosexuality to child abuse.
In response to director Lloyd Newson’s open invitation, a representative for
Robinson replied: “Thank you for your invitation and kind offer of tickets. Mrs
Robinson will not be able to attend the Belfast event, as she already has
engagements in her diary for those dates.”
To Be Straight With You will appear in the programme of this year’s Ulster Bank
Belfast Festival at Queen’s from 21 October.