meanwhile in Poland — LGBTQ org wins in court against Paul Cameron
Court says that they don’t have to apologize for calling him ‘homophobic liar’ and ‘pseudoscientist’
Paul Cameron is a psychologist expelled from American Psychology Association for non-cooperation with an ethics commitee’s investigation. Position statements issued by the American Sociological Association, Canadian Psychological Association, and the Nebraska Psychological Association have each accused Cameron of misrepresenting social science research. He’s a founder of Family Research Institute (FRI), organisation claiming that there are associations between homosexuality and the perpetration of child sexual abuse and reduced life expectancy. FRI has been classed as a hate group by Southern Poverty Law Center.
He sued Polish NGO Stowarzyszenie na rzecz Osób LGBTQ Pracownia Różnorodności (SPR, The Diversity Workshop) that actively opposed inviting him with lectures to polish universities. In letters sent to universities rectors SPR called him ‘homophobic liar’, ‘pseudoscientist’ and ‘fraud’. Cameron stated in his lawsuit that it was slander and questioning his scientific credibility that has resulted in a cancellation of his lectures.
First instance court ruled that SPR had to apologize Cameron, but denied compensation of 30.000 zł ($7.500) that he demanded. NGO appealed and mostly won. March 30th, 2017 second instance court ruled that Paul Cameron is a public figure, and therefore he must reckon criticism of his work. Thus, the terms “homophobic liar” and “pseudoscientist” do not infringe his personal rights. However, court obliged SPR to apologize for calling Cameron ‘a fraud’.
The failure of the plaintiff in the appeal is also a failure of the public prosecutor’s office, which claimed that the ruling of the first instance court is justified. We judge the prosecution process as a new state-of-the-art appearance of homophobia in the country, revealed with change of Polish government.
— Said SPR spokesperson for pochodnia.info
