POLL: Do you support the PRIDE game concept?

[Griggsy]

29% voted it down. WTF!

A shame that there are so many dinosaurs still kicking.

29% proving why the pride game is necessary. It only takes a vocal minority to make people feel unwelcome.

I know a lot of people don't venture to the bigfooty side but I'd like to post a comment from there of someone sharing their story, read it and try and say we don't need this game to happen.

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/ ... t-46069665

The Saints are my new second team a team of change champions.

My partner Nikki and I both watched the inaugural Pride Match with very mixed emotions quite a few tears were shed yesterday.

Saturday in Broken Hill is football day the whole towns social fabric revolves around the four local AFL Clubs. Both Nikki and I drive Yellow Cabs in Broken Hill Football Day for a Broken Hill Cabbie is the busiest day of the week.

Everyone is dressed in their clubs colours the four local clubs all have very loyal supporters in Broken Hill you are born as either a Northy, a Southy, a Magpie or a Westy. All four clubs have distinct cultures, the Southies are the working class team the workers, the Northies are the snobs the managers the West's Club are the misfits and the Central Magpies are alot like Collingwood the team no one likes them.

The Pride Match has raised alot of conversation in Broken Hill this match was the focal conversation piece in my Yellow Cab yesterday.

Every Saturday is emotional for Nikki and I yesterday even more so. We are two AFL Fanatical Girls our house is covered in football and sporting memorabilia.

Nikki or I have not played a game of footy since 2013 not by choice we apply to play each year but each year our membership applications are rejected with no reason given. We have been heartbroken for three years, how would you all feel if you were the only person not allowed to play AFL.

Sunday is Soccer Day Nikki a life member of two local clubs and I am a very accepted player in the local Broken Hill Women's Competition. Nikki is the female sporting legend of Broken Hill a former Australian Soccer Representative Player an amazing talent.

I will never forget Nikkis' 2013 Soccer and AFL Seasons, that year she was the team premiership captain of her Saint Josephs Soccer Team, she won the team and competitions best and fairest trophies', golden boot, best on ground medal in the soccer grand final.

Nikki was runner up in the Jan Corey Medal the equivalent of the Brownlow Medal in 2013 in the Broken Hill Women's Competition, she was a premiership player in her last game of AFL the 2013 Grand Final she dominated the game she single handedly turned the match on its head and won the premiership flag for her beloved Magpie Team. It was no surprise she wad awarded the BOG Medal this day.

Why was this her last game of AFL? Nikki wasn't injured, she was not suspended she hasn't played a game because she is my same sex partner.

Don't tackle that thing you will get aides don't tackle number 30 you will get a disease. These words were yelled at me during an AFL Match in 2013 because I objected to this abuse I and Nikki have been outed from the game we are not allowed to partake in the AFL Culture of Broken Hill.

We both hope this Pride Match raises awareness and encourages more acceptance and hopefully one day both Nikki and I will be allowed to play the game we love most AFL Footy

We both were good enough to represent our country in Sport Nikki Soccer and me Modern Pentathlon and Aquathon, we both are allowed to defend our country in war but unlike same sex couples and everyone else in New Zealand, Usa and England our closest allies in war and peace we are not allowed to get married but we would love to atleast be able to run onto the footy field together.

[avid]

Goodness gracious -- you'd think in Australia that ANYONE who loved footy and sport so much would be embraced whoever they were!
I would have expected better than that of Broken Hill.
I guess I don't get out of the city much.

[st.byron]

29% voted it down. WTF!

A shame that there are so many dinosaurs still kicking.

29% proving why the pride game is necessary. It only takes a vocal minority to make people feel unwelcome.

Indeed. Please Explain and her like minded xenophobes got about 5% of the vote in the election and now we're stuck with them having the balance of power for at least three years......

It only takes a narrow and noisy minority.

[The Fireman]

I'm one of the dinosaurs and will be abused for it. We want equality but won't accept opposing points of view?

So if anyone on here wants to personally attack me please save it for a face to face meeting.

[HarryM]

It only takes a narrow and noisy minority.

You should know, you keep banging your point of view whether it be right or wrong in here almost on a daily basis.

Give someone else a go for a change.

[kosifantutti]

The floor is yours Harry.

[saintspremiers]

I'm one of the dinosaurs and will be abused for it. We want equality but won't accept opposing points of view?

So if anyone on here wants to personally attack me please save it for a face to face meeting.

I think all we want is human rights. The right for anyone who is law abiding to not feel threatened and want to take their life as a result of it.

That's the most important issue. Much more important than gay marriage which is also nowadays a human rights issue.

Surely people can agree on the first point even if they're not comfortable with the second?

[The Fireman]

I'm one of the dinosaurs and will be abused for it. We want equality but won't accept opposing points of view?

So if anyone on here wants to personally attack me please save it for a face to face meeting.

I think all we want is human rights. The right for anyone who is law abiding to not feel threatened and want to take their life as a result of it.

That's the most important issue. Much more important than gay marriage which is also nowadays a human rights issue.

Surely people can agree on the first point even if they're not comfortable with the second?

well said.

[st.byron]

It only takes a narrow and noisy minority.

You should know, you keep banging your point of view whether it be right or wrong in here almost on a daily basis.

Give someone else a go for a change.

We all put forward our points of view. Don't think I'm in the banging on incessantly category. Maybe you just don't agree with me on pretty much everything.

[WellardSaint]

Being a "pride" game,
do you think Keiran Jack swallowed his own pride
and invited his folks down from Sydney, or are they still banned from Swans games?

[st.byron]

I'm one of the dinosaurs and will be abused for it. We want equality but won't accept opposing points of view?

So if anyone on here wants to personally attack me please save it for a face to face meeting.

I think all we want is human rights. The right for anyone who is law abiding to not feel threatened and want to take their life as a result of it.

That's the most important issue. Much more important than gay marriage which is also nowadays a human rights issue.

Surely people can agree on the first point even if they're not comfortable with the second?

well said.

+1. Great post SP.

[saynta]

Being a "pride" game,
do you think Keiran Jack swallowed his own pride
and invited his folks down from Sydney, or are they still banned from Swans games?

Stuff his parents who are obviously a couple of real arseholes.

[The Fireman]

Being a "pride" game,
do you think Keiran Jack swallowed his own pride
and invited his folks down from Sydney, or are they still banned from Swans games?

Stuff his parents who are obviously a couple of real arseholes.

what did they do ?

[saynta]

Being a "pride" game,
do you think Keiran Jack swallowed his own pride
and invited his folks down from Sydney, or are they still banned from Swans games?

Stuff his parents who are obviously a couple of real arseholes.

what did they do ?

They don't like his partner who looks like a real sweetie.

Asked him to choose between them and her.

He choose his partner. His mother went on social media bagging him out big time when he gave tickets and airfares to the in-laws for his 200th game.

[Con Gorozidis]

Being a "pride" game,
do you think Keiran Jack swallowed his own pride
and invited his folks down from Sydney, or are they still banned from Swans games?

Stuff his parents who are obviously a couple of real arseholes.

what did they do ?

They don't like his partner who looks like a real sweetie.

Asked him to choose between them and her.

He choose his partner. His mother went on social media bagging him out big time when he gave tickets and airfares to the in-laws for his 200th game.

Must be more to the story surely.

[BigMart]

I'd rather just go to the footy to watch footy....

Nothing against gay/lesbians at all, just don't think footy footy should become a political platform... It is what it is...

I even hate the fact that kids associate ANZAC spirit with a game of footy...

[saintspremiers]

I'd rather just go to the footy to watch footy....

Nothing against gay/lesbians at all, just don't think footy footy should become a political platform... It is what it is...

I even hate the fact that kids associate ANZAC spirit with a game of footy...

It's not about politics, it's about equality and LGBTI's having a fair go.

Don't you get it??

[Griggsy]

I'd rather just go to the footy to watch footy....

Nothing against gay/lesbians at all, just don't think footy footy should become a political platform... It is what it is...

I even hate the fact that kids associate ANZAC spirit with a game of footy...

See bold...that's what they want too. But it often becomes a different experience to what most of us are used to.

It would be nice if we could all do just that.

If society just sat back and accepted the way things are for the comfortability of not doing anything then we never would have got this far in the first place.

[SemperFidelis]

Well put Griggsy.

Hopefully the Pride Game and other special games and rounds aren't needed in years to come. But for the moment, I think a great initiative

[saynta]

Being a "pride" game,
do you think Keiran Jack swallowed his own pride
and invited his folks down from Sydney, or are they still banned from Swans games?

Stuff his parents who are obviously a couple of real arseholes.

what did they do ?

They don't like his partner who looks like a real sweetie.

Asked him to choose between them and her.

He choose his partner. His mother went on social media bagging him out big time when he gave tickets and airfares to the in-laws for his 200th game.

Must be more to the story surely.

I'm only posting what has been reported. The dad is a big deal in NSW so it copped a lot of press. All negative towards the parents though.

[saynta]

I'd rather just go to the footy to watch footy....

Nothing against gay/lesbians at all, just don't think footy footy should become a political platform... It is what it is...

I even hate the fact that kids associate ANZAC spirit with a game of footy...

The anzac day match really pisses me off, as will any good Friday match next year.

[White Winmar]

One thing that I found puzzling was the assertion that gay people don't feel "safe" at the footy. In 45 years of going to the footy, I've never witnessed anyone being assaulted or being verbally attacked for being gay. How would you know who was gay anyway? As for anti-gay slurs coming from the crowd, that I can understand a little more. "Stop playing like a poof" and all that. But what about all the other people?

Women have had to put up with far worse, as have people of various ethnicities. Don't get me started on the shyte aborigines have copped over the journey, and still do. I've heard far more racist and misogynistic slurs than gay. Even this year I've heard blatantly racist comments yelled out, players parentage and ethnicity questioned, but not a single gay slur. I know that just because it happens to others doesn't make it right. No one should be slagged off for what they are. I recall many times being threatened and abused just for wearing my club colours. Victoria Park in 1976 and 1993, when we had rare wins and 1987, where we lost by a goal. Lucky to get out of the place in one piece.

Of course, sport and politics not only mix, but are inextricably entwined. They are both the same thing. They have replaced armed warfare in the more developed societies. Combat without the bullets. As such, sport is a powerful agent of social change, as it should be. It is a universal language, that can transcend race, gender, and sexuality.

I understand and accept the significance of the Pride match. Inclusion is important for the overall health of society, but there is a point where the majority gets tired of being demonised for something that has very little to do with them. Fireman had to defend himself in advance when having the temerity to point out that just because you don't support the concept, it doesn't make you a dinosaur, bigot or homophobe. Most people I speak to, couldn't give a stuff either way. They just want to watch the footy. That's ok too. As with most LGBTI issues in the media, this one is in danger of being received cynically because of the hyperbole involved. As Voltaire famously said, "believe everything except that which you are not allowed to argue against." Or it might have been Lara Bingle who said it.

[loris]

Oh White Winmar.......... that final sentence !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SaintPav]

One thing that I found puzzling was the assertion that gay people don't feel "safe" at the footy. In 45 years of going to the footy, I've never witnessed anyone being assaulted or being verbally attacked for being gay. How would you know who was gay anyway? As for anti-gay slurs coming from the crowd, that I can understand a little more. "Stop playing like a poof" and all that. But what about all the other people?

Women have had to put up with far worse, as have people of various ethnicities. Don't get me started on the shyte aborigines have copped over the journey, and still do. I've heard far more racist and misogynistic slurs than gay. Even this year I've heard blatantly racist comments yelled out, players parentage and ethnicity questioned, but not a single gay slur. I know that just because it happens to others doesn't make it right. No one should be slagged off for what they are. I recall many times being threatened and abused just for wearing my club colours. Victoria Park in 1976 and 1993, when we had rare wins and 1987, where we lost by a goal. Lucky to get out of the place in one piece.

Of course, sport and politics not only mix, but are inextricably entwined. They are both the same thing. They have replaced armed warfare in the more developed societies. Combat without the bullets. As such, sport is a powerful agent of social change, as it should be. It is a universal language, that can transcend race, gender, and sexuality.

I understand and accept the significance of the Pride match. Inclusion is important for the overall health of society, but there is a point where the majority gets tired of being demonised for something that has very little to do with them. Fireman had to defend himself in advance when having the temerity to point out that just because you don't support the concept, it doesn't make you a dinosaur, bigot or homophobe. Most people I speak to, couldn't give a stuff either way. They just want to watch the footy. That's ok too. As with most LGBTI issues in the media, this one is in danger of being received cynically because of the hyperbole involved. As Voltaire famously said, "believe everything except that which you are not allowed to argue against." Or it might have been Lara Bingle who said it.

No Lara said something like if you want to know who rules over you, find out who you can't criticise.

I'm not against the concept but thought the night was a little cliched..eg music, effeminate presenter with the lisp...thought it was cringe

[White Winmar]

Now you mention it, SP, she did say that as well. What a great philosopher!