So Manly are standing down seven players from their next game where the team is wearing a pride jersey, because they don’t want to wear it.
It turns out their god, who is quite happy by the way with the club’s regular alcohol and gambling sponsors, really hates rainbows so the players won’t wear them.
Oh sorry, did I say rainbows, I meant Gay people.
Turns out their god is sweet when it comes to promoting damaging addictions like gambling and booze but he just really hates gay people. Still what are you going to do? The old fella is stuck in his increasingly old fashioned and mysterious ways.
But what if instead of referring to God we refer to the players?
These seven players are all sweet with promoting liquor and gambling, but these players hate Gay people and they don’t want to wear the rainbow to show support for them, or to normalise homosexuality.
Is that bringing the game into disrepute? I know, it is kind of hard to bring a game into disrepute when celebratory or commiserating activities include sexual assaults, class A drugs, niche activities with pets, and even filming one self pissing into one’s own mouth.
But I reckon they have managed.
In a world trying to move past the ghastly history of prejudice against gay people in sport, or in general, I reckon standing up and saying you won’t wear a shirt in support of your fellow human beings because you claim your god hates them is actually pretty damn awful.
Certainly worthy of so much more than letting them voluntarily stand down so as not to offend the all-powerful supreme being who loves everyone, but just happens to hate homosexuals.
Now before we’re too hard on God let’s remember in the past he wasn’t that keen on supporting women in sport either, but apparently he got over that.
I’m joking of course that was a bunch of conservative men and not God, unlike this. For all we know he is still raging at women taking part or equally he might have gotten over the whole gay thing - hmm perhaps not.
Sports people aren’t exactly streaming out of the wardrobe to announce that - surprise their sport wasn’t actually 100% heterosexual after all.
You could count the number of high profile male sports stars that are openly gay in sports like football or rugby on one hand. Using a hand you also used to clear landmines in Cambodia not entirely successfully.
So if we’re not going to punish the players then why not punish God? How about we tell the team that their all powerful homophobic deity - well I’m sorry, but he can’t come to your games any more.
Those values are incompatible with what is now accepted in society and should only be observed in a museum, behind the closed doors of a Church sure, but not at a sports game where there might be impressionable young minds present.
I couldn’t help but think of the bravery of Ian Roberts, who came out in 1985.
Understandably he wasn’t best pleased:
Sea Eagles great Ian Roberts, the first rugby league player to come out as openly gay, said he was left heartbroken by the player revolt.
"I try to see it from all perspectives but this breaks my heart," Roberts said to The Daily Telegraph.
"It's sad and uncomfortable. As an older gay man, this isn't unfamiliar. I did wonder whether there would be any religious pushback. That's why I think the NRL have never had a Pride round.
So we ban God from Rugby League then what? I suppose NSW will finally start to win the battle of evil over good, albeit bigoted, if only their guy is there. Realistically though God’s game is Test Cricket, a sport so divine only he could’ve invented it.
But it’s not God is it, it is the concept. God himself died in 1955 but the concept itself lives on. I’m kidding he didn’t die in 1955 he would’ve missed the Springbok tour the following year, and he used to love it when the teams only had white people. But again that wasn’t God that was the prejudices of man.
If only that were true in this case.
I’m kidding, of course God was actually murdered in New York in 1980 while in human form. Which was a shame as he missed the All Blacks beating his holy white knights of Apartheid - the Springboks, again the year after that.
Poor old God first he had to accept brown people playing sports, then women, and now we expect him to accept people with a different sexuality! Next thing you know we’ll be allowing atheists to play.
Not in America obviously where it is still against the law for public figures not to pretend to believe in god. But sure enough in other places they’ll be allowed - and who will adhere to his prejudices then?
If you think any of this is over the top then consider yourself fortunate not to have read the first draft which included God’s views on allowing those he had afflicted with handicaps to take part in sports.
I’m kidding, but seriously the last thing the church, especially the Catholics, wants is disabled young people being able to run faster.
Maybe politicians will have something to say about it…
“So Simon O’Connor what are your thoughts on God being anti Gay people?”
He isn’t going to say anything the strategists want to hear is he? No, best he just keeps those thoughts to himself, goes about his business, and gets to vote on our laws.
Perhaps Greens MP Elizabeth Kerekere as spokesperson for Rainbow Issues will have something to say about these young men demonstrating such grotesque religious inspired bigotry in a sport wanting to project a better image?
Nope, turns out she is busy not backing Greens Leader James Shaw, a straight white man in a suit, repeatedly on One News until she realised after some days that she was the only one still standing, or not as it turns out.
Still at least Elizabeth is now getting some exposure, previously the nation only knew her as the MP that didn’t think the “Don’t travel with COVID” rules applied to her.
That is getting a bit off topic – I wouldn’t want to appear bitter over the whole betrayal of James Shaw debacle or anything.
So should the Manly Seven get off scot-free or should there be consequences as there were for Israel Folau? Should they be punished for choosing to wear their bigotry on their sleeves?
Is it fair to make them stand with a message that acknowledging, respecting, and supporting the Rainbow community is a good thing? Or should they be allowed to role model the bigotry of their religious leaders to provide symbols of hate for young fans on the company dime?
I think you can tell what I think, what do you think?
From the time of the Israel Folau saga Jordan Raskopoulos says it very well here. You should give it a listen.
Speaking of which, I’ll leave you with one of my favourite songs, one I’m sure the Manly Seven could learn a thing or two from. It doesn’t have anything to do with the LGBT community, or sports, but it does have a lot to do with love and understanding:
Re the Greens leadership struggle - I do admire Chloe for not standing, hence giving James Shaw the room at this point. I think he's done a great job - but then I'm a Labour voter.
Love that song :)
BTW - great read as usual