Following the backlash she received for her stance on Muslim immigration, Sonia Kruger has once again courted controversy after appearing on the Today show.
Discussing an article which appeared in The Australian, which revealed that the Australian Business and Community Network Scholarship Foundation has reserved a place in its Year 10 scholarship program for an LGBTI student.
Sonia slammed it as “reverse discrimination”, saying she did not understand why the scholarship should be reserved for a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex student.
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“I don’t think it should have anything to do with the awarding of a scholarship,” he said. “I think scholarships should be given on merit.”
Sonia’s Today Extra co-host David Campbell, disagreed with her, saying it was about helping people with “significant economic, family or social challenges”.
“There are tonnes of other scholarships that are set aside for kids who are supremely talented,” he continued, listing off a number of sports-based scholarships.
To which Sonia replied, “And there’s a minority there who suffer and I get that but I still struggle with having to identify the sexuality of a person.”
Damian Wyld of Christian lobby group, Family Voice Australia, told The Australian: “Why should children, especially in a school setting, be asked to declare their sexuality or gender identity? Many 15-year-olds are still working through issues around sexuality. Offering a financial incentive to identify as ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex’ is completely inappropriate.”
However, Shelley Argent, a spokesperson for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays applauded the scholarship, saying that socio-economic disadvantage suffered by these students was a major factor.
“Most young [LGBTI] people at high school have poorer grades, higher truancy rates and are at risk of being bullying.”
