Parliament on Friday approved legislation mandating sex education in schools in Cyprus during a tense plenary session.
The law passed with 39 votes in favour and four against from Elam and from the independent MP Andreas Themistocleous, while the eight Diko MPs abstained.
The session was marred with spats and homophobic comments.
Specifically, Themistocleous said whoever authored the law “was guided by a sick brain” and “we are living in a porn-fuelled and gay storm.”
“We will teach children that it’s ok for two women to kiss each other and for men to do the same. That two women and two men can have a child. Children will learn that there are 64 genders, a fluid gender. That a boy was born as Costakis and then became Marigoula,” Themistocleous added
In response, Akel MP, Aristos Damianou said that no one is allowed to mouth racist and hate speech in Parliament.
Elam’s MP Sotiris Ioannou said that the legislation is vague, arguing that if the goal was really to protect children, then stricter laws should be implemented on castrating rapists and paedophiles.
Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos said the legislation is unconstitutional as the Parliament cannot make decisions on the school curriculum.
The bill which was submitted by the Green party introduces holistic, mandatory sex education in schools and no longer leaves sex education up to teachers’ discretion with the lesson having to be taught from pre-primary school up until the final year of high school.
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Uncertainty prevails hours before Parliament’s vote on mandating sex education in schools
