The moral of several recent stories seems to be: when homophobia comes from white people it’s plain homophobia, when it comes from brown people it’s really just coming from white people | OPINION from Julie Szego
I’ve been contemplating the pride flag lately because how can I not? It is ubiquitous: on playing fields, at the Commonwealth Games, at the bottom of corporate emails, illuminating the Shrine – almost.The pride colours would have lit up the Shrine to promote a long-overdue exhibition honouring LGBTQ people who served in the armed forces had the plan not provoked an ugly, homophobic backlash. Some argue the abuse shows just how necessary the display was; to signify solidarity against hate.
At the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the pride flag was waved to protest the criminalisation of same-sex relations in 35 of 56 sovereign states of the Commonwealth. Such laws are a “colonial legacy, they come from UK,” said several prominent activists in the cause. I’m not about to interrogate history, but the takeaway was: homophobic oppression in the former colonies is Britain’s fault.
Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Haumole Olakau’atu, Josh Aloiai and Josh Schuster are five of the seven Manly players who withdrew from the pride round clash.The seven Manly Sea Eagles players, six of them Islanders, were flushed out for thought crimes in a country that voted resoundingly for same-sex marriage. Some nasty bigots harassed staff at the Shrine. Daley is campaigning against medieval brutality that persists across much of the globe.
So much hurtful fallout from this appallingly executed “diversity” pitch; from the forced allyship, which by definition is not allyship. I admire the players for resisting managerial bullying as much as I cringe from the likely beliefs underpinning their refusal.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rainbow colours, racism and the hierarchy of victimhoodOpinion: I’ve been contemplating the pride flag lately because how can I not? It is ubiquitous: on playing fields, at the Commonwealth Games, at the bottom of corporate emails ... The flag says a great deal about power – about who has it and who doesn’t...
Read more »
Brawl breaks out outside Leichhardt Oval after Sydney FC soccer matchPolice have launched an investigation after multiple flares were lit and a brawl broke out at the end of an Australia Cup soccer match at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday night | sarah_keoghan
Read more »
This is a human rights, not a radical, issueReaders discuss whether the front of the Shrine of Remembrance should be lit with the LGBTQ+ colours.
Read more »
Meet you under the colour-field: bold art coming to a station near youFive artists are creating works for Melbourne’s new train stations as part of a series commissioned by Metro Tunnel to brighten the transit hubs.
Read more »
Meet you under the colour-field: bold art coming to a station near youFive artists are creating works for Melbourne’s new train stations as part of a series commissioned by Metro Tunnel to brighten the transit hubs KerrieO36028873
Read more »