Mega Thread Port Forum General AFL Thread Part 28

[El Zorro]

I would say it's pretty insulting to refuse to wear the Guernsey on the basis that they don't think gay people should exist.

They are her beliefs, whether they agree with them or not. Where do you draw the line? I would draw it at the AFL stopping with these meaningless rounds and getting on fixing the league. But I doubt I'll have my way.

 

[El Zorro]

I'd say many people would be offended by her refusing to play.

What to do when it would be discrimination to call someone out on their discrimination ... just put it in the too hard basket and say nothing to see here!

Or maybe don't create division by having rainbow rounds. This wouldn't be a problem at all if the AFL stuck to administering a football league.

 

[TazD]

The gay guernseys are stopping the league from fixing the draft and HTB!

 

[JakeNeadeFan]

Or maybe don't create division by having rainbow rounds. This wouldn't be a problem at all if the AFL stuck to administering a football league.

I principally brought this up because I think it highlights how inconsistent the AFL is and how they try to play every possible side.

However this take is so incredibly bad that it deserves a special shout out.

Imagine believing that having a round to celebrate the fact that gay people can openly participate in society is divisive.

Especially in a league where a very high proportion of the players are gay.

I don't care if your magic man in the sky says gay people bad. Religious beliefs don't give you the right to be a bigot.

 

[El Zorro]

I principally brought this up because I think it highlights how inconsistent the AFL is and how they try to play every possible side.

However this take is so incredibly bad that it deserves a special shout out.

Imagine believing that having a round to celebrate the fact that gay people can openly participate in society is divisive.

Especially in a league where a very high proportion of the players are gay.

I don't care if your magic man in the sky says gay people bad. Religious beliefs don't give you the right to be a bigot.

I've been an atheist since I was 10 yo btw. I don't give a **** about religion or religious beliefs. Gay people can openly participate in society regardless of what the AFL and other organisations do to leverage this for marketing purposes. If this round didn't exist, 1) gay people would have exactly the same rights as they do now, and 2) it wouldn't put anyone in the position of having to opt-out. Simple.

 

[tribey]

Meaningless drible.

The reason Port are so high is because of "our passionate fan base and innovation approach" according to their report not the AFR's story.

So booing Ken, NTUA and what we did with the China strategy, which no other club has come close to matching, in terms of innovative strategy to grow our brand, gets us browny points with people who are more worried about image, than on field success.

Collingwood is most valuable club brand in Australian sport, Brisbane Broncos top NRL brand ladder | Press Release | Brand Finance

Collingwood is Australia's most valuable football club brand, with an impressive brand valuation of AUD145 million, according to a new report from Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy. This measurement reflects the club’s long-term success both on and off the field...

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In terms of ‘brand’, didn’t we sell ~$1,000,000 worth of prisonbar guernseys in 2022 alone?

A handy button that most clubs can’t push.

 

[sobrave]

They are her beliefs, whether they agree with them or not. Where do you draw the line? I would draw it at the AFL stopping with these meaningless rounds and getting on fixing the league. But I doubt I'll have my way.

So if someone doesn't want to play indigenous round because they hate Aboriginals, that should be ok to let them have their personal beliefs?

Part of playing AFL is signing up to the social contract to not be too much of a shit human. Sure they stretch the bounds of that sometimes, but it's part of the deal. Being against homosexuality makes you a pretty shit human.

 

[Steve Dore]

.... Being against homosexuality makes you a pretty shit human.

I agree but billions of Christians and Muslims would disagree. There's plenty of countries in the world where homosexuality is still a crime.

 

[Cam1870]

I've been an atheist since I was 10 yo btw. I don't give a **** about religion or religious beliefs. Gay people can openly participate in society regardless of what the AFL and other organisations do to leverage this for marketing purposes. If this round didn't exist, 1) gay people would have exactly the same rights as they do now, and 2) it wouldn't put anyone in the position of having to opt-out. Simple.

You're not wrong. It seems to come down to what you want/expect a societally important body like the AFL to be. In one camp, shut up, administer the game that's it. In the other camp, do that AND use your status to also do other positive things.... Food bank promotions? Indigenous round? Anti-Racism messaging etc???

My strong personal preference is the second one. If I made a million dollars a year I wouldn't have to give a cent of it to anyone, but I'd be a bit of a shit human if I didn't use my fortune to do something positive for someone. I think the AFL should do that too.

Gay people have the same legal rights. But the fact there's no openly gay M players is a fairly strong sign of the online (and maybe in club) bs that they'd cop from a sadly large number of knuckledraggers. That GWS player is free to speak her mind and not wear the Guernsey (and not get paid that week) but it's also fair to call her out for being the bigot that she is. Religion doesn't excuse that.