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Australian politics discrimination sport - Rainbow Reporter

Rainbow Report Tonight

August 28th 2008 05:31

Finally back from holidays and the usual mad scramble to put a show together - and so much to talk about with . . .

Senator Louise Pratt
Pippa Grange of the AFL Players Association
Corey Irlam of the Australian Coalition for Equality
Tim Wilson from the Institute of Public Affairs

Richard Watts of MCV

We can’t go past Matthew Mitchams gold medal in the Olympics, so as he’s a Queensland boy, naturally, we’ll be talking to Ian Clachair of Pride Queensland about that, and about the renegade Catholic parish that’s in hot water with the Vatican for blessing same-sex couples – among other things.

Of course even confirmed Olympicphobes like Kaye Sera have noted Matthew Mitchams epic triumph in the diving, and his even greater triumph is acknowledging, hugging and kissing his partner Lachlan on Seven’s evening News – an event Nine news referred to in passing as ‘getting a hug from a friend’.

In the US, the NBC network didn’t even mention he was gay, but they’ve now apologized for that ‘unintentional’ omission.

Prompted by this touching display, today the Herald Sun ran another piece by Rob Mitchell, who listeners will know as a regular guest on the Rainbow Report, in which Rob urged the AFL to get with the program and start tackling homophobia in their sport.

It’s the latest in a series the paper has run on the issue, with comment from Nathan Burke, Kevin Sheedy, and most recently Jason Akermanis. There’s speculation the AFL is doing a John the Baptist, paving the way for an AFL player to come out – and the last couple of days the internet has been buzzing with rumours that the Footy Show has negotiated a big payout to an AFL player to come out on the show tonight.

The Rainbow Report has already interviewed representatives of the VCFL, the VFL and the AFL: we wanted to talk to a coach or a player, but so far no luck. However tonight we will be speaking with Pippa Grange, General Manager of People, Psychology and culture at the AFL Players Association, for her take on the issue.

Leaving football aside, Corey Irlam from the Australian Coalition for Equality joins us to report on the progress of the Family Law Amendment Bill: the report of the Senate Inquiry forced by the Opposition was tabled in parlaiemtn today, and he unamended bill passed the lower house.

Staying with politics, the newly elected Senator from WA, Lousie Pratt made her maiden speech in parliament yesterday, and in it she called for the legalization of gay marriage. She joins us on the line tonight.
And rounding out the panel tonight, Tim Wilson of the Institute of Public Affairs – bit of a comedown from needling Penny Wong on live television but hey, I hear he enjoys slumming – and the one and only Richard Watts, Editor of MCV – who coincidentally had their own AFL scoop this week, too.

That’s tonight on the Rainbow Report, Joy 94.9, streaming live www.joy.org.au - call 03 9699 2949, email onair@joy.org.au or text on 0427 JOY 949.
And join in the show by emailing onair@joy.org.au between 7-8pm AEST tonight!

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Posted By: Doug Pollard - Category: gay rights, gay marriage, equality, Melbourne, gay politics, Australian politics, discrimination, sport

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Careless talk costs lives

August 5th 2008 00:08

The old WW2 slogan is especially true when major public figures like politicians, churchmen and celebrities make ill-considered untrue statements about homosexuality. Such statements can quite literally kill.

It’s not that GBLTI folk are more at risk of suicide and depression because they’re GLBTI: they’re more at risk because of the way they’re treated by other people.

When you experience on a regular basis:

• Hostility and/or rejection from family, parents and friends
• Bullying and name-calling at school
• Rejection by your church, temple, mosque or synagogue
• Danger of violence in public places
• Harassment from neighbours and other tenants
• Casual homophobic comments on an everyday basis
• Embarrassed response (and occasionally prejudice) from professionals, such as GPs
• No protection against discrimination at work
• Negative portrayal of gay people in the media

And you try to protect yourself by

• Denying your sexual orientation, leading to conflicts, denial, alcohol abuse and isolation.
• Trying to keep your sexuality a secret through lying, pretending or leading a double life.

You end up suffering

• Low self-esteem.
• Increased risk of self-harm and suicide attempts.
• Damaged relationships or lack of support from families.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression from long-term effects of bullying.

[Thanks to the UK National Health Service for this summary]

Jeff Kennett said that country football club Bonnie Doon was correct to sack its trainer of 22 years, Ken Campagnolo, when it discovered he was bisexual, because,
"The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men - massaging young men - it ran an unnecessary risk and that's why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again.”

"It's the same if you have a pedophile there as a masseur, right?"

"And you might say the pedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk."

"….. what has been occurring in various churches . . . has heightened public opinion and led to many organisations trying to put in place programs or actions to minimise risk to individuals within organisations or clubs.”

That did several dangerous things that could leave Kennett with blood on his hands:

• Endorsed the totally false view that GBLTI people are no better than paedophiles – and look at the community reactions to paedophiles we’ve seen in the news in recent weeks
• Endorsed and gave comfort to bullies and gaybashers
• Made it more likely that young GLBTI people would be shunned by friends, colleagues, team mates, parents, teachers and others, increasing their isolation and their risk of self-harm
• Made it more dangerous for young GLTBI people to participate in or support sports, especially Hawthorn
• Made it more likely that young people coming to terms with their sexuality would try to deny their feelings, hate themselves, harm themselves, even attempt suicide

That’s why it’s very important that Mr Kennett immediately

• publicly retracts his remarks and says he was wrong
• acknowledges that there is zero risk in GBLTI people working as trainers in football clubs and indeed anywhere where intimate contact is part of the job
• undertakes a course of study to inform himself of the truth stated above
• supports, and commits beyondblue to support and fund, a major initiative to stamp out such prejudices within the AFL.

The AFL has already done it with racism: it can do it with homophobia. The English Football League has done it: there’s a ready-made model sitting on the shelf, ready to go. The VCFL are doing it. The Victorian Ministry of Sport governance manual will mandate it. It’s time for Kennett and beyondblue to get off their butts and get to work before another kid dies.

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Posted By: Doug Pollard - Category: Melbourne, Victoria, gay politics, Australian politics, discrimination, sport

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Kennett now equates bisexual footy trainers with pedophile priests (LINK)

August 2nd 2008 21:00

Dark Night Priest

Well, I was going to lay off Jeff Kennett, but the man just keeps chewing on that foot in his mouth. In the Herald Sun today he continues to make a link between bisexuality and pedophilia. Such a link does not exist, and such a slur is incredibly damaging.

To recap, Bonnie Doon Football Club (BDFC) sacked trainer Ken Campagnolo when he was outed as bisexual, saying they couldn't have him working with young boys because he was bisexual.

As a result, people assumed Ken was a potential pedophile, he was spat at on the street, unable to find work, lost his home and is now living rough as he tries to piece his life back together.

Jeff Kennett was approached to try to mediate because, as chairman of beyondblue, an anti-depression charity, he would be aware that one of the triggers of depression in country areas and sporting clubs is the exclusion and vilification of people who are, or who are seen to be, of a different sexual orientation.

And because he is also chairman of Hawthorn, an elite Australian Rules Football (AFL) club, so his prestige would be useful in persuading the directors of BDFC they'd got it wrong.
Instead of which he backed the directors all the way Really Long Link

He said, "The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men - massaging young men - it ran an unnecessary risk and that's why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again," said Kennett.

"It's the same if you have a pedophile there as a masseur, right? And you might say the pedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk." Really Long Link

Since then he's been trying to claim that his remarks were taken out of context, although he refuses to permit the release of the transcript of the original interview to be released, which would settle the matter.

Now another sgment of the interview has appeared, in which he says, "My reference to pedophilia was to make the point of what has been occurring in various churches . . . this has heightened public opinion and led to many organisations trying to put in place programs or actions to minimise risk to individuals within organisations or clubs."

He's still equating pedophilia - a psycho-sexual disorder - with bisexuality, a normal position on the spectrum of human sexuality, and arguably the default state of human sexuality.

There's a half page ad** from multiple gay organisations in The Age today calling for Mr. Kennett's resignation from Hawthorn Football Club, because these attitudes are perpetuation the silencing and vilification of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in sport. The VGLR says he should also resign from beyondblue, and donate his salary for the last year - around $30k - to pay some of Kens legal fees.

There's a rally today at the State Library of Victoria, in support of the full recognition of gay relationships. Come along and show your support for us at the Melbourne State Library, Swanston Street 1pm today.

**The ad reads:

Unacceptable

Our organisations represent the community, experiences, needs and interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people across Victoria.

We work extensively in areas of community building, media, arts, sport, health, advocacy, law reform, research and most importantly delivery of programs and services aimed at addressing the systemic and individual consequences of historical criminalisation, stigmatisation, isolation and deprivation of our community.

It is a tribute to enduring community values that much has changed over the past 30 years and our human rights and related entitlements are now well established at law, with everyday opportunities and options being strengthened.

Our collective mission however, underscores the enduring impact of misplaced and discriminatory attitudes towards our community. Chief amongst these impacts is the ongoing social isolation and disengagement of seniors, poor access to the full spectrum of community services for all and, most pertinently, increased mental health concerns amongst young people exploring and questioning their sexuality.

The President of Hawthorn Football Club, Mr Jeff Kennett has been reported as comparing that the presence of a bisexual trainer at a football club to ‘having a pedophile working as a masseur at the club’. We are appalled at Mr Kennett’s ill informed, misguided and plainly indefensible slur against our community in promoting the utterly spurious and discredited link between homosexuality and paedophilia.

Mr Kennett’s public expression of these views suggests a complete disregard for the harmful impact they have on our community and particularly on young people. It is absolutely unacceptable that any football club would countenance such behaviour from its President, behaviour which we believe is both unlawful and immoral.

Football clubs have a special and important leadership position within the Australian community, in particular in shaping and influencing the lives of young people. In recent times we have seen this influence used positively to signal appropriate values in relation to racism, sexual violence and reconciliation.

We therefore demand an immediate and public apology from Hawthorn Football Club. We call on the AFL to issue a statement making it clear that they do not support those views. We seek an urgent discussion with both Hawthorn Football Club and the AFL regarding the ways in which the club and the League might commit to the promotion of anti homophobia initiatives in this sport.

ALSO Foundation
Joy 94.9
Victorian Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby
OutBlack
Transgender Victoria
OutGames
Victorian AIDS Council
People Living with HIV/AIDS
Minus 18
Country AIDS Network
Midsumma Festival
Melbourne Queer Film Festival

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