The Project’s Hamish Macdonald reveals discovering he was gay left him with a ‘deep sense of shame’
The project’s Hamish Macdonald reveals he discovered he was gay when a schoolboy left him with a “deep sense of shame” as he cracked down on the Presbyterian Church’s ban on LGBTQ students from becoming school leaders
Hamish Macdonald has revealed that his gay childhood left him feeling shame and confusion.
The project host is a former student of The Scots College, one of Australia’s oldest and most respected Presbyterian schools in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
In discussing the Presbyterian Church’s proposed ban on gay and sexually active students from leadership positions on Friday’s show, Hamish reflected on his own experiences.
“When I think back to my time in school, I wonder what difference it would have made to know I wasn’t alone,” he said.
“For the twenty years or so since I left high school, I’ve been mindful of the verbal, psychological, and sometimes physical torment meted out in the hallways of this respected institution.”
Hamish Macdonald (pictured) has revealed that his childhood as a gay made him feel shame and confusion. The project host is a former student of The Scots College, one of Australia’s oldest and most respected Presbyterian schools in Sydney’s eastern suburbs
He continued, “A rural frontier, I was 280 miles from the safety of home – confused and occasionally petrified.
“One consequence of being educated in an environment where being gay is completely misconceived is that you are left with a deep sense of shame that takes a lifetime to shake off.”
Speaking to other students like himself, Hamish added, “I really hope you know it’s all right. You are amazing just the way you are.’
The Presbyterian Church also advocates extending the ban to anyone who has sex outside of marriage.
Macdonald, an openly gay man, came out publicly as in 2018 and is in a long-term relationship with boyfriend Jacob Fitzroy (right)
The organization argues that students “will not be able to provide appropriate Christian leadership in a Christian school that requires modeling of Christian life.”
The Presbyterian Church has over 500 congregations across Australia and operates over 20 schools and preschools, including prestigious private schools in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The Church made the extraordinary demand in a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission.
The ALRC is currently reviewing religious schools and their exemption from the federal anti-discrimination law.
An openly gay man, Macdonald came out publicly as in 2018 and is in a long-term relationship with boyfriend Jacob Fitzroy.
“A consequence of being schooled in an environment where being gay is considered completely wrong is that you end up with a deep sense of shame that takes a lifetime to shake off,” he said.