Advocates Protest Catholic Church's Position On Condoms, Contraception Prior To Pope's Visit To Australia

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 10 Jul 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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Members of the group NoToPope Coalition on Wednesday protested Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to Sydney, Australia, for Catholic World Youth Day, in part because of the Roman Catholic church's ban on condom use and contraception, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports (Gelineau, AP/International Herald Tribune, 7/9). Wearing T-shirts reading "The pope is wrong, put a condom on," among other anti-pope messages, the protesters were responding to a new Australian law that allows authorities to fine anyone who demonstrates behavior that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants" of the World Youth Day next week (AFP/Google.com, 7/9).

Those who violate the law, which will apply to dozens of areas throughout downtown Sydney that are designated venues for the festival, could face a fine of 5,500 Australian dollars, or $5,300. Rachel Evans, a spokesperson for the coalition, said the "annoyance laws are outrageous." Police and the New South Wales state government said the law is a necessary security measure, the AP/Herald Tribune reports.

According to the AP/Herald Tribune, the coalition -- which organized the protests and is made up of gay rights, student and atheist groups -- is planning to distribute condoms to participants of the meetings and speak to them about human rights issues. Danny Casey, chief operating officer of World Youth Day, said officials are not concerned about the protest. "Protesters tend to make a lot more noise prior to the event than they do during the event," he said, adding, "People are free to protest. We believe in free speech, we practice it ourselves, so we don't have any particular concerns about disrupting the event" (AP/International Herald Tribune, 7/9).

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