Yisrael Beytenu MK Anastasia Michaeli apologized on Thursday for saying the day
before in a Knesset committee meeting that most gay people were sexually abused
as children and that they eventually “commit suicide when they are
40.”
Michaeli’s comments were condemned by gay groups and fellow
lawmakers from across the political spectrum. Her own Yisrael Beytenu
faction distanced itself from the MK’s remarks, clarifying in a statement that
her opinions were her’s alone and did not represent the thinking of the
party.
In a letter released on Thursday night, Michaeli wrote, “I’m sorry
if anyone was hurt,” adding that she did not believe her comments were
homophobic.
“I respect the right of every person to live as he sees fit,”
Michaeli said, explaining that she was merely attempting to raise important
issues with her remarks. “First, is the real distress members of the gay and
lesbian community are subject to in different stages of their lives, and second,
is the violent and crass programming, especially of a sexual nature, in the
media and television.”
In her comments at Wednesday’s meeting of the
Knesset Committee on the Status of Women, Michaeli charged Channel 10 with
broadcasting programs that encouraged children to be gay. “We need to find out
why Channel 10 has a right to broadcast this content that my children see, and
hear that it’s fun and nice [for men] to put on makeup and dress up in skirts,”
she said.
In her Thursday apology, the Yisrael Beytenu MK defended her
comments that gay people “commit suicide when they are 40,” saying that those
who are different and have to deal with distress on a daily basis are in danger
of committing suicide. She said that sweeping the issue under the rug and not
discussing it would only make the problem worse.