Sidney hosts homophobic Christian group

The Tab can reveal that Sidney Sussex College is hosting a camp, known as the ‘Wilberforce Academy’ for prominent religious group, Christian Concern. This organisation holds a number of extremely controversial views. They are anti-abortion, think homosexuality is a sin, that aspects of embryo research are the work of the devil and most surprisingly, that the world is only 4,000 years old.  

The group have been against all laws relating to abortion rights and gay rights. They consider ‘secular liberal humanism, moral relativism and sexual license’ to be the cause of ‘widespread family breakdown, immorality and social disintegration’.

They denounce their detractors as ‘rotten’ and they actively lobby senior government figures to advance their agenda.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, the leader of the group famously claimed that Tom Daley turned gay because his father died. She is also reported to have urged Jamaica’s parliament to keep gay sex illegal.

Their leader Andrea Minichello Williams is famously reactionary

CUSU LGBT+ Chair, Simon Percelay, commented “More than saddened, CUSU LGBT+ is angry that Sidney Sussex College would accept to host the conference of a group that has expressed such reactionary views, both regarding the LGBT+ communities and British Muslims.”

He also stated that the college is to blame for the presence of the camp: “This group could have held its conference at another venue – by accepting to host it, Sidney Sussex is implicitly declaring passive support for the expression of such views.”

Sidney’s LGBT+ Officer stated “I think Sidney has always been a progressive and tolerant college, but I am saddened and concerned”. There was also concern for incoming freshers’ opinions of the college, which must surely be marred by their hosting of this reactionary group.

This incident yet again demonstrates that Cambridge is still not up to speed on LGBT+ rights. We’re getting a pride festival, but students still receive homophobic abuse.

The Tab is waiting for comment from Sidney Sussex. Members of Sidney JCR have drafted a petition to deny platform to Christian Concern and other hate groups at the college. You can sign it here.