St Kilda lobby AFL for gay pride game

[theyellowsash]

I disagree with this. I am all for gay persons being treated equally, and it is a shame that so many feel unwelcome in sports, and of course it is an even bigger shame concerning the higher rates of suicide.

However I really don't see the logic in trying to normalise being gay and treating gayness as equal to straightness by having a special 'Gay Pride Match' and perhaps even having players wear rainbow coloured strips.

You sir are the very reason we need gay pride marches and so on. Fancy that, treating different people as equals....what heresy

 

[Ramify]

Anyone be against a Crack head round? We really need to stop demonising the Crack heads and start showing a little bit more compassion to our plight.

 

[HoopsAhoy]

We really need some more roll eye emoticons to fully express some of the typical responses in this thread.

You know that you can just go to the footy and not take any notice of the 'themed' round? I hardly notice them.

Your money, your choice. My money, my choice and I have better things to spend it on than paying to have themed socio-political issues blasted at me every football round.

 

[King Frederick]

When people like you say things like the bold bits, I can understand why St Kilda want to assist in the fostering of awareness and education about LGBTI issues cos there's clearly a long way to go.

Do we not have public institutions and bodies that are funded and equipped to deal with such issues?

Is a gay pride game really going to transform his opinion?

 

[Ramify]

You sir are the very reason we need gay pride marches and so on. Fancy that, treating different people as equals....what heresy

If it were about equality we'd also have a hetro round, a bigamy round, a "I can't get none" round and so forth.
This is the point of the post.

 

[theyellowsash]

The definition of tolerance has changed.
Before it was you could disagree with someone respectfully and it's ok.

Now if you disagree with something like homosexuality (while still being loving and respectful of their free will) you are a bigot.

While we are at it why not a religious freedom round.

I think AFL "rounds" is getting out of control.

The difference is that when you disagree with someone's favourite kind of music, you don't get beaten up and publically vilified on masse by groups like the church, and have politicians publically telling you that you aren't good enough to raise children, and that you don't have the right to express your love in the same way as other people

 

[theyellowsash]

If it were about equality we'd also have a hetro round, a bigamy round, a "I can't get none" round and so forth.
This is the point of the post.

I'm sorry, I didn't realise that heterosexual people were fighting to be recognised as even just acceptable in large parts of the community

 

[Ian Dunross]

Ah, now I get why you don't agree with the thought of multiculturalism and exposure for LGBT rights. Don't worry everyone - he's 104yo!

Ask a 30 year old European what they think of multiculturalism.

 

[Ashton Agar]

You sir are the very reason we need gay pride marches and so on. Fancy that, treating different people as equals....what heresy

Going to a rainbow-themed AFL match isn't going to change his opinion.

 

[theyellowsash]

If it would make all the bible bashers happy we can offset gay pride round with I'm a religious bigot round, where you can bring all the 'God hates ****' signs you want and express your right to believe in 2000 year old fairytale above general human decency and equality

 

[NarniMagic]

Why are people freaking out? It's not even being proposed as a round it's ONE MATCH.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Saints going for the cheap cash grab

Yep, chasing the pink dollar

 

[gavaniacono]

I disagree with this. I am all for gay persons being treated equally, and it is a shame that so many feel unwelcome in sports, and of course it is an even bigger shame concerning the higher rates of suicide.

However I really don't see the logic in trying to normalise being gay and treating gayness as equal to straightness by having a special 'Gay Pride Match' and perhaps even having players wear rainbow coloured strips.

Infact I have never seen the logic in gay people creating 'pride marches', or flying their own flag either. If gay people really want to normalise their sexuality then doing all this is completely counterproductive to their aims, because marching through town celebrating your sexuality and flying your own flag is really not normal! (i.e. it is not what the majority do!).

While the moves have been widely welcomed by the St Kilda faithful, the club has also received a handful of letters from fans threatening to cancel their memberships, arguing football is no place for politics. But Finnis maintains they have a social responsibility to be inclusive to the community they serve and this is not a political issue.

The cause for gay marriage is undoubtedly a political issue - it is advocating a change in the law and is a contentious political issue at the moment. Surely fundraising for a group that campaigns on a political issue is therefore politicising the club?

Surely St Kilda FC could still be inclusive to 'their community' whilst not getting involved in political issues. Every other club seems to manage to do so...

The fact that Victoria has their own 'Gender and Sexuality Commissioner' is proof that this issue has become way too politicised. People should be able to have an opinion on sexuality and be able to express it - I believe that government should reflect that opinion, not seek to change it.

All of this reminds me of the 'Multicultural Round' - something else I disagree with. Multiculturalism is simply a political ideology and I really don't think politics has a place in sport. I think an 'Anti-Racism Round' would be much better than a 'Multicultural Round'. I obviously want Australia to be a racist-free country and really don't mind the multiracial nature of our country. However race and culture are completely different and having seen how destructive multiculturalism has been in countries like France, Netherlands, Denmark - I don't think this is a good political ideology or direction for Australia. I don't think the AFL should be promoting it, and I think in 20-30 years time they may regreat doing so.

One last thing - what on earth are all these sexualities?? I am in my 20s yet when I was younger it was just Gay (men like men), Lesbian (women like women) and Bisexual (men/women like both). Considering heterosexuality accounted for 95% of humans, I was told these three sexualities accounted for 5% of humans. However all this was quickly changed to LGBT, then to LGBTI, and there was a lady on the news a couple of weeks ago who talked about sexuality starting with "straight, gay, lesbian..." and then she must have said about 15 different types of sexualities - most of which I had never heard of before. Has it got to the point where people are making them up now?!

Please define normal for me? Or do you mean "what most people do or believe in?". Are you a normal 20 year old with such conservative John Howard views? As a 50 something year old you make me feel very liberal and "with it".

Was the 1968 Olympic Games black power pose normal? Was mr Schindler behaving normally? Do you remember Quentin Crisp, was he a normal fella?

I'm all for people being who they are and having consensual relations with whoever they want. However I don't thing a LGBTI round would actually work. What would work and be incredible would be the 7 % of non heterosexual AFL players coming out.

 

[theyellowsash]

Ask a 30 year old European what they think of multiculturalism.

Are you going to Chinese restaurants, drinking German beer and later eating kebabs after cheering on footballers from migrant families while you hate multiculturalism?

 

[JeffDunne]

If it were about equality we'd also have a hetro round, a bigamy round, a "I can't get none" round and so forth.
This is the point of the post.

So you're a straight bigamist that can't get any?


That must take rejection to another level...

 

[1061]

Might be a good way to help mend the issues between St Kilda and Collingwood after the heated exchanges from a few years ago.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Anyone be against a Crack head round? We really need to stop demonising the Crack heads and start showing a little bit more compassion to our plight.

Isn't that what Showdown is for?

 

[gavaniacono]

If it would make all the bible bashers happy we can offset gay pride round with I'm a religious bigot round, where you can bring all the 'God hates ****' signs you want and express your right to believe in 2000 year old fairytale above general human decency and equality

I know quite a few people who would be celebrating indigenous, LGBTI, and ancient religion belief days / rounds all at the same time with no contradiction. Don't you?

 

[1061]

Isn't that what Showdown is for?

Your confusing Crack heads with Cracked Heads!

 

[gavaniacono]

Why are people freaking out? It's not even being proposed as a round it's ONE MATCH.

People are freaking out because they don't know what the hell they'll wear!

 

[Ashton Agar]

People are freaking out because they don't know what the hell they'll wear!

Black tee and trackies.

 

[Ian Dunross]

Are you going to Chinese restaurants, drinking German beer and later eating kebabs after cheering on footballers from migrant families while you hate multiculturalism?

Are the Europeans enjoying being barred from whole neighbourhoods because whites or Christians aren't welcome in their own country?

 

[bigfarter]

I'm always a bit confused when people get defensive and/or angry about initiatives like this, claiming that the AFL is ramming a political agenda down their throat. If you want to ignore the 'theme' aspects of the game, it's very easy. I've never been to a 'theme' round or game and felt like something was being foisted upon me. If the pre-game entertainment is not to your liking, it's easy to go to the bar or look at your iPhone for ten minutes. The irony is that many people who complain about this stuff go on about the PC-Brigade and society becoming soft - meanwhile they themselves are going out of their way to be outraged by something that's very easy to ignore.

 

[JeffDunne]

Are the Europeans enjoying being barred from whole neighbourhoods because whites or Christians aren't welcome in their own country?

Which mythical place are we talking about now?

 

[HoopsAhoy]

Black tee and trackies.

Funny, I imagined you as more a Borat Monokini kind of chap.