Australian Gay Leaders Want to Meet Threatened Pol

Gay rights leaders in Australian have written to politician Tony Abbott to request a meeting in the wake of his statement that he felt "threatened" by homosexuality.

Abott, the current leader of the opposition in the Australian house of representatives and leader of the center-right Liberal Party, expressed his fear to the Sixty Minutes program Sunday on the Nine Network, according to the Melbourne Herald Sun.

"It's a fact of life, and I try to treat people as people and not put them in pigeonholes," said Abbott.

The Australian Coalition for Equality responded by inviting Abbott to meet with them.

"Mr. Abbott can pick any place he feels safe, and we'll invite ordinary members of the gay and lesbian community to come and talk with him to show him he has nothing to fear from us," said spokesman Corey Irlam.

Advocates hope to persuade the powerful politician to support federal antidiscrimination legislation.