Tzedek cancels controversial guest speaker
Tzedek cancels guest speaker after 'reparative therapy' controversy.
TZEDEK has cancelled guest speaker Dr Norman Goldwasser.
Dr Goldwasser was invited to speak at a Community Education Forum in Melbourne because “of his considerable experience dealing with the dynamics of sexual abuse in the Jewish community”.
But Michael Barnett from Aleph, a Jewish GLBTI group in Melbourne, slammed Goldwasser’s invitation because of his links to now widely discredited “reparative” sexual reorientation therapies for non-heterosexuals.
Tzedek Australia president Josh Bornstein announced today that the organisation has become aware of controversies relating to Dr Goldwasser and how now rescinded the invitation.
“Amongst other things, we have taken on board concerns raised by the LGBTI community,” Bornstein said.
“As a result we have reviewed the matter and decided that it is no longer appropriate for Dr Goldwasser to speak at the forum.
“We wish to make clear that Tzedek does not in any way endorse or condone what has been described as ‘reparative therapy’.
“Such ‘therapy’ has been completely discredited.”
The forum will proceed on September 6.
For more information and who will speak see next week’s AJN.
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