NO TROLLS Homophobia in the AFL - 4 Corners

[Cmarsh]

The AFL boss said the first out gay player would carry a burden. This former captain says it'd be a superpower

No professional male AFL player, past or present, has ever publicly come out as gay or bisexual. Insiders say a culture of homophobia lingers.

www.abc.net.au

It is a curiosity why there has never been an openly gay player in the AFL.

Clubs need to look at their environment and culture to ensure a fully safe workplace for true acceptance of these players.

 

[ChristianBoy]

The AFL boss said the first out gay player would carry a burden. This former captain says it'd be a superpower

No professional male AFL player, past or present, has ever publicly come out as gay or bisexual. Insiders say a culture of homophobia lingers.

www.abc.net.au

It is a curiosity why there has never been an openly gay player in the AFL.

Clubs need to look at their environment and culture to ensure a fully safe workplace for true acceptance of these players.

Maybe they have all these things and the players would prefer to keep their business private.

 

[Underarm]

Maybe they have all these things and the players would prefer to keep their business private.

So none of them want to get married have kids and bring those kids onto the ground to share the big moments of their career? None of them want those kids to grow up and play for their club?

I'm sure the clubs aren't the problem, but we've still got a long way to go.

 

[Cmarsh]

Maybe they have all these things and the players would prefer to keep their business private.

Its amazing how all the straight players can so comfortably share their lives including their families and partners lives in social media, take them along on Brownlow night etc.

 

[CrowToon]

This is another generational thing that will at some point cascade quickly.

20 years ago we were still intolerant to homosexual relations. Heck it took Tasmania until 1997 to decriminalise it.

The wheels of this stuff turns slowly, you've still got people who were ingrained in this culture within the game but ultimately the last 20 years has provided a soft landing space for whomever chooses to be the first.

Now it's up to them. Once one does it there will likely be a flurry. Most of society will support them, some morons won't but that's life. Then we will all get over it (save for some people who want to commemorate the moment forever) and move on.

There isn't anything that can be done further until someone takes that next step. Society is ready.

 

[Kwality]

The AFL boss said the first out gay player would carry a burden. This former captain says it'd be a superpower

No professional male AFL player, past or present, has ever publicly come out as gay or bisexual. Insiders say a culture of homophobia lingers.

www.abc.net.au

It is a curiosity why there has never been an openly gay player in the AFL.

Clubs need to look at their environment and culture to ensure a fully safe workplace for true acceptance of these players.

& interesting timing by the ABCs 4 Corners team ....

 

[Kwality]

Its amazing how all the straight players can so comfortably share their lives including their families and partners lives in social media, take them along on Brownlow night etc.

Amazing ?

 

[Cmarsh]

So none of them want to get married have kids and bring those kids onto the ground to share the big moments of their career? None of them want those kids to grow up and play for their club?

I'm sure the clubs aren't the problem, but we've still got a long way to go.

The clubs are still part of the problem...
From the article...

"In 2000, the Australian Sports Commission issued a "compliance warning" to all Australian sports to warn them that homophobic language in sporting clubs was a breach of anti-discrimination laws and could leave them vulnerable to costly litigation.

"It said, these behaviours are widespread in sport, 'you have a legal and human rights obligation to do something about it'," says Monash University's Erik Denison, a leading researcher charting homophobic language in sport.

The warning included detailed guidelines about how to avoid breaching the law, including setting up an elaborate complaints procedure, keeping a record of complaints and engaging in meaningful anti-homophobia education campaigns.

More than two decades on, none of the AFL clubs have fully complied with the guidelines.

When Four Corners approached each club, one said it couldn't reveal the information for privacy reasons and another banned us from filming on the premises from that time forward."

 

[ChristianBoy]

Its amazing how all the straight players can so comfortably share their lives including their families and partners lives in social media, take them along on Brownlow night etc.

Again maybe they don't want to. Maybe they prefer to just keep to themselves. Maybe all their team mates know and that's all that matters.

 

[Cmarsh]

& interesting timing by the ABCs 4 Corners team ....

Not sure what you are getting at but is there supposed to be a right "time" to discuss this is there?

 

[Gough]

The first out AFL player is probably playing school footy at the moment, his sexuality will be part of the package when he's drafted and it will only really be a big deal to people who want to make it one.

 

[ice444]

As a gay man it does not surprise me - if a player did come out, what abuse would he cop?

I am still reluctant to come out at work or hold my partners hand/kiss him in public - we have been hassled just sitting together.

I also think about what happened to Ian Roberts - it is 2023 but I'm not sure australians ready to see 2 men kissing (as a player and his wife do).

 

[Bostonian]

Its amazing how all the straight players can so comfortably share their lives including their families and partners lives in social media, take them along on Brownlow night etc.

Its amazing how many people don't give a shit about that either.

Get rid of the WAGs from the Brownlow.

 

[projectv]

The first out AFL player is probably playing school footy at the moment, his sexuality will be part of the package when he's drafted and it will only really be a big deal to people who want to make it one.

Sadly yes but it often takes that for people to get over it and for subsequent players there will be less focus on it.

 

[The Educator]

The clubs are still part of the problem...
From the article...

"In 2000, the Australian Sports Commission issued a "compliance warning" to all Australian sports to warn them that homophobic language in sporting clubs was a breach of anti-discrimination laws and could leave them vulnerable to costly litigation.

"It said, these behaviours are widespread in sport, 'you have a legal and human rights obligation to do something about it'," says Monash University's Erik Denison, a leading researcher charting homophobic language in sport.

The warning included detailed guidelines about how to avoid breaching the law, including setting up an elaborate complaints procedure, keeping a record of complaints and engaging in meaningful anti-homophobia education campaigns.

More than two decades on, none of the AFL clubs have fully complied with the guidelines.

When Four Corners approached each club, one said it couldn't reveal the information for privacy reasons and another banned us from filming on the premises from that time forward."

Not sure you've proven that with that copy pasta

 

[HaroLad]

How much of it is an issue with the public/fanbase and fear of being targeted as opposed to internal league/club/player culture?

 

[edgie]

The AFL boss said the first out gay player would carry a burden. This former captain says it'd be a superpower

No professional male AFL player, past or present, has ever publicly come out as gay or bisexual. Insiders say a culture of homophobia lingers.

www.abc.net.au

It is a curiosity why there has never been an openly gay player in the AFL.

Clubs need to look at their environment and culture to ensure a fully safe workplace for true acceptance of these players.

Read the article. It perfectly talks about why a teen struggling with sexuality will drift away from footy.

I find it very easy to believe there has never been a gay player make the AFL.

Bi, at the absolute most, and even that's unlikely.

 

[The Sultan]

If the knuckle draggers in Rugby league can handle it with Ian Roberts coming out, then the AFL can. If/when it happens it will be the media, and the associated LGBTI*+ interest groups will make a circus of it for a while, though the general public couldn't give a shit.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Again maybe they don't want to. Maybe they prefer to just keep to themselves. Maybe all their team mates know and that's all that matters.

This.The hetro thirst for "outing" is ****ing bizzare and just kind of sick to me.
Leave them the alone, and let them do/say as they please.

 

[ice444]

I find it very easy to believe there has never been a gay player make the AFL.

I know for a fact there are gay players - I know a few who have dated friends, they do exist but won't come out as it damaged their image and may damage the teams brand etc.

 

[kane249]

How much of it is an issue with the public/fanbase and fear of being targeted as opposed to internal league/club/player culture?

Harry O'Brien / The Do Better report wasn't too long ago, it shows that club culture is still lagging in some regards

 

[FakeTaxi]

Read the article. It perfectly talks about why a teen struggling with sexuality will drift away from footy.

I find it very easy to believe there has never been a gay player make the AFL.

Bi, at the absolute most, and even that's unlikely.

You find it hard to believe that from a pool of approx 700 players not one is gay?

How naive of you

 

[edgie]

You find it hard to believe that from a pool of approx 700 players not one is gay?

How naive of you

I find it easy to believe that culture turns almost all of them away.

Statistics from general culture don't have be be equally represented in every subculture and industry.

That would be like assuming that greater sexual identity ratios as equally represent at a Kylie Minogue concert.

 

[Barrybran]

It wouldn't surprise me if the reason gay/bi AFL men's players didn't come out wasn't because of homophobia by players and fans (it's 2023 - noone cares what you do in your bedroom) but rather the media beat up around being the first to do it ('omg, you're so brave').

 

[Freomaniac]

If the knuckle draggers in Rugby league can handle it with Ian Roberts coming out, then the AFL can. If/when it happens it will be the media, and the associated LGBTI*+ interest groups will make a circus of it for a while, though the general public couldn't give a s**t.

Good point. This is not Qatar where saying you are a member of the LGBT community equals a public execution or beheading.

There's a reason why Ricky Martin did go to Qatar world cup.

We are in Australia where we accept people if all backgrounds