{"id":6825,"date":"2017-03-18T11:08:51","date_gmt":"2017-03-18T05:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pahichan.com\/?p=6825"},"modified":"2017-03-18T11:09:33","modified_gmt":"2017-03-18T05:24:33","slug":"lgbtiq-supporter-groups-form-across-afl-after-pride-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pahichan.com\/en\/lgbtiq-supporter-groups-form-across-afl-after-pride-game\/","title":{"rendered":"LGBTIQ SUPPORTER GROUPS FORM ACROSS AFL AFTER PRIDE GAME"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kathmandu (Pahichan) March 18 – Gay and lesbian AFL fans are pushing for an annual Pride Round after last year\u2019s game between St Kilda and Sydney prompted the formation of LGBTIQ supporter groups across the league.<\/p>\n

The pride game involved players wearing guernseys or socks that featured rainbow colours, and goal umpires who waved rainbow flags instead of white flags<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some eight LGBTIQ supporter groups have since emerged, including the Rainbow Crows, the Rainbow Swans, the Purple Bombers, Ruby Demons, Blue Roos, Pink Magpies, Golden Tigers, and Saints Pride.<\/p>\n

Brett McAloney has been a member of the Adelaide Football Club for about 17 years.<\/p>\n

Like other supporters, he barracks and cheers proudly for his team, and he even boos the umpires.<\/p>\n

He is just like the average AFL fan, and he also happens to be gay.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are just like anyone else and that\u2019s certainly what we hope to put forward. We wanted to be treated equally and have an equal playing field,\u201d Mr McAloney said.<\/p>\n

He launched the Rainbow Crows LGBTIQ Supporter Group in the wake of last year\u2019s pride game.<\/p>\n

Mr McAloney admits that in a time where his community is seeking acceptance and inclusion, he often gets questioned about why it segregated itself by forming its own supporter group.<\/p>\n

He said the group felt safer together after repeatedly hearing homophobic slurs at games and felt it could help send a message about inclusion by standing out.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing in a group helps us get to know our fellow community members,\u201d Mr McAloney said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to really encourage that supportive environment where we can go along and enjoy the football just like anyone else without that concern or worry about comments that could be yelled out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThe reaction has been really positive. People congratulate us and commend us for being visible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Together the groups have called themselves the AFL Pride Collective and are pursuing a conversation about homophobia in the game.<\/p>\n

\n

\"St<\/p>\n


\nPhoto:<\/strong>
\nSt Kilda wore rainbow-coloured numbers while the Swans wore rainbow socks during last year\u2019s game. (Twitter: St Kilda)<\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Supporter groups a \u2018positive thing\u2019<\/h2>\n

AFL general manager of inclusion and social policy Tanya Hosch said football was a game for everyone.<\/p>\n

\n

A goal umpire waves rainbow flags ahead of the game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe want to see everyone participating and enjoying the game and if there are groups in our community who want to band together to enjoy the sport together then that\u2019s only a positive thing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing\u2019s going to change overnight but the inclusion is there. I think that these supporter groups are going to help us have these conversations in a better way and in a more progressive way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AFL has no plans to launch a Pride Round and for the moment remains happy to let supporters and players drive the discussion about homophobia in the game.<\/p>\n

It is, however, one of six national sporting bodies taking part in the Pride in Sport Index \u2014 a survey to determine how inclusive a sport is.<\/p>\n

Other participants include the four major football codes as well as Cricket Australia and Water Polo Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis (Pride in Sport) Index is incredibly important in creating visible change in Australian sport so that people know that when they come to play or when they come to watch they are going to be welcome, free from vilification, harassment or bullying,\u201d Pride in Diversity senior manager Ross Wetherbee said.<\/p>\n

Study on homophobia in sport reveals startling figures<\/h2>\n

The index follows an international study in 2015 that found 80 per cent of Australians involved in sport witnessed homophobia and 75 per cent believed that an openly gay person would not be safe as a spectator at a sporting event.<\/p>\n

It also found 80 per cent of respondents believed gay people were not accepted within the sporting community.<\/p>\n

Despite the startling findings, Mr Wetherbee said the AFL was making good initial progress with \u201cvisible initiatives\u201d such as the Pride Game.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen as a code you create a welcoming environment and you send a really strong message that LGBTI people can be part of your game, whether it be as a player, a coach or a spectator, then it\u2019s a no-brainer that people want to set up supporter groups like these,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He also praised openly gay footballers who played in the inaugural season of the AFL Women\u2019s league this year.<\/p>\n

The AFLW also ran a float in Sydney\u2019s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you see people who are able to be themselves and not face taunts or negativity on and off the field, then more people are going to feel comfortable coming forward,\u201d Mr Wetherbee said.<\/p>\n

Elite male footballers yet to come out<\/h2>\n

But despite the AFL community\u2019s acceptance and celebration of gay footballers, no elite male footballer has come out publicly.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Rainbow<\/p>\n

Photo:<\/strong>
\nThe Rainbow Crows is one of eight LGBTIQ supporter groups across the AFL. (ABC News)<\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of attention on the question of why haven\u2019t we seen an elite men\u2019s player come out as gay but as our CEO Gillon McLachlan said, \u2018aren\u2019t we all past this?\u2019,\u201d Ms Hosch said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur job is to make sure the sport is safe and so that if people do want to be open about those things they can do so without any negative consequences.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have another pride game in round 18 on July 22 so I think the work that St Kilda and Sydney are putting into that is a pathway to more conversation about these issues and the way that the AFL industry shows its support to all Australians, no matter their backgrounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said a Pride Round would no doubt be discussed in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there is some criticism about the number of themed rounds we have so we want to make sure we aren\u2019t making the space too congested with themes every week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copy :\u00a0http:\/\/primenews.com.au\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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