January 7th, 2010
Anti-gay Northern Ireland MP Iris Robinson and wife of Northern Ireland’s First Prime Minister Peter Robinson, said in 2008 that homosexuality was worse than pedophilia and that gay people suffered a mental illness that could be “cured.” Well now she has recently admitted to some mental troubles herself. At about the same time she made those statements, Robinson was having an affair with a friend who needed “consoling” following a death. What’s more, Robinson herself then had a mental breakdown of her own and attempted suicide, and announced in December that she is stepping down from politics.
Now the BBC is reporting that the young lover Mrs. Robinson took up was 19 years old at the time. Robinson was 59, more than three times Kirk McCambley’s senior. McCambley now runs a cafe in South Belfast after Robinson encouraged friends to invest in his business. The cafe is located in a visitor’s center built by the Castlereagh Borough Council. Robinson is also a member of that council.
Latest Posts
Featured Reports
In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.
When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.
In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.
On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.
Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"
At last, the truth can now be told.
Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!
And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.
Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.
Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.
Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.
The FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.
Dotty Daphon
January 7th, 2010
Re the age difference: I personally cannot see a problem in age gaps between two consenting people as long as both parties have reached the legal age of consent.
BobN
January 7th, 2010
Dotty, it’s pretty clear that Mrs. Robinson, who knows better than anyone what her own motivations and actions were, does find a problem with the relationship and her role, otherwise she wouldn’t have tried to commit suicide.
59/19 when both parties are both legally of age and sufficiently mature and not under duress… Fine.
59/19 when both parties are both legally of age and there is immaturity or manipulation or some other factor at work… legal but not so good.
David Roberts
January 7th, 2010
I think the age difference is at least germane, but the fact that linked text is underlined probably makes it look more emphasized here than might have been the intent.
Richard Rush
January 7th, 2010
Can these anti-gay fundamentalist Christians get any more hilarious? (This is the funniest story since Carrie Prejean’s porn flick.)
I wonder if Kirk is old enough to be a graduate yet. At least Benjamin was a recent college graduate.
And here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson.
Jesus loves you more than you will know.
Lindoro Almaviva
January 7th, 2010
Hell, at 39, getting a 19 year older is hard (Not that i would want to), so at 59 I have to say: YOU Go Girl!
That being said, I do have to revel in the fact that her hypocrisy has been revealed for all the world to see.
Ben in Oakland
January 7th, 2010
richard. I’m so jealous. I didn’t even think of that!!!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!.
Leave Iris alone! Leave Iris alone!
KZ
January 7th, 2010
Her comments were abhorrent. But I hope she receives the help she needs.
John
January 7th, 2010
It is quite possible that the law was broken. This young man may have in part been motivated by a desire to get ahead. Mrs Robinson encouraged “friends” to set this kid up in business.
“Friends” of politicians who have enough disposable income to set the politician’s extra-curricular love interest up nicely in business, often have financial interests that come before said politician. This whole thing reeks of corruption. If she was willing to lean on her “friends” for this guy, I would wonder if it isn’t part of a pattern–her pattern, her husband’s pattern or both.
I do hope that a prosecutor is looking into this whole mess.
Quo
January 8th, 2010
Expressing pleasure at the fact that someone is suffering from depression, or attempted suicide, is distasteful in the extreme.
Désirée
January 8th, 2010
who is taking pleasure in her mental illness?
AdrianT
January 8th, 2010
I couldn’t script this any better….
By the way Mrs Robinson is also in big trouble in the MPs expenses scandal – (which last summer exposed hundreds of politicians, claiming back huge amounts of personal expenses). Her claims were enormous….that alone should have been enough to make her resign as a member of parliament. As a result, it’s not just the LGBT community that is glad to see the back of her.
AdrianT
January 8th, 2010
PS The figure in question was £150,000 expenses (nice jobs for relatives), plus combined income of £500,000. See article in the (London) Times newspaper.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6979128.ece
She hasn’t apologized at all to the GLBT community for the appalling remarks, and she should. She is hypocrite and a charlatan – interfering and demeaning the private lives of others, while carrying on in her own sweet way, and showing no sign of repentance or admission of guilt until she was found out by the BBC. Congratulations to the BBC for redeeming itself, and exposing this ridiculous woman.
Timothy (TRiG)
January 8th, 2010
Very good, Richard Rush, but Paul Sinha got in ahead of you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5olCShzwlng (audio only)
TRiG.
Priya Lynn
January 8th, 2010
Quo, anyone who thinks children don’t have a right to be free from sexual touching doesn’t have a lot of credibility when claiming the expression of pleasure at another’s depression is distasteful.
John Ward
January 18th, 2010
It’s interesting that news of our “Celtic Cougar” should reach Texas – you know we have our own “El Paso” in Crossmaglen, County Armagh on the border with the Republic of Ireland.
FYI: Peter Robinson was First Minister (before he temporarily stood down) not First Prime Minister.That was Sir James Craig, from 1921-40, under the old Stormont regime.
Timothy (TRiG)
August 29th, 2011
Reiterating John Ward: Peter Robinson’s title was First Minister, not First Prime Minister.
TRiG.
Leave A Comment