Brian Tamaki has previously hit out at the gay community and his looming presence in Whanganui has caused a ripple of dissatisfaction.
Brian Tamaki has previously hit out at the gay community and his looming presence in Whanganui has caused a ripple of dissatisfaction.
Controversial Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki is in Whanganui tomorrow for a hui which has set off a ripple of concern among the city's gay community.
The Man Up programme will be held at the Whanganui Racecourse with organisers hoping to help turn men's lives away from violence, crime and addiction.
The flyer advertising the hui said it hoped to turn men into "better fathers, husbands and leaders in their homes and communities".
A leader in Whanganui's gay community, Ross Fallen, said he'd been asked by several friends whether he would protest outside the hui.
"I'm not opposed to the topic - but I'm totally opposed to what is behind that, their promoter, Brian Tamaki."
Fallen won't be protesting but raised his opposition to what he called a discriminatory message from Man Up.
"I just want the public to know it's not an inclusive rally. It has a 'but' on it. Which is, 'heterosexual men make great husbands and role models' and that's ridiculous.
"There are gay couples who are adopting children or raising children through other means and the law supports it. I'm just annoyed that somebody's promoting such a great topic but it's not an inclusive topic, we are excluded." Fallen questioned whether Man Up organisers would gladly say a gay man could be a good husband or role model.
Ross Fallen said while Man Up's motives were good in trying to reduce family violence, they were not inclusive of gay men. Photo / File
Man Up director Caine Warren said the question detracted from the purpose of the hui - to turn violent and disillusioned men's lives around.
"[The hui] is inclusive of all men who call themselves men and want to be better fathers, better husbands. That's definitely our motto.
"You're saying gay husbands to gay men? No, that's not what I'm saying. That's not the message I'm saying from Man Up. The feeling behind why a man is gay is because in a lot of ways like other men that have had harder upbringings, they've fallen into a place where they haven't been loved," he said.
"I guess that's what I'm saying; the men who come to Man Up, they come as they are, whether they're alcoholic, in a homosexual relationship. But I definitely know ... when they do get healed, they do overcome some of these challenges they face, whatever they may be."
He said his comments were not a judgment on men in a homosexual relationship.
"I've got homosexual cousins and friends so there's no judgment towards them. Primarily we believe in a functional man being a husband to a woman is the ideal for a family."
Warren extended an invite to Fallen to attend the hui and share his thoughts on the matter but was declined.
"It would serve no purpose, I think that's them trying to diffuse the heat by showing a degree of openness. But their position is clear," Fallen said.
The hui will start with a convoy of motorcycles from the racecourse to Whanganui Prison in Kaitoke.
Then there will be a "New Approach Hui" where members will discuss the various programmes and how they can turn men's lives around.
