Doug PollardCareless 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.
| 46 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by TimmyH
Tech News
Can you HACK it?
Genyration
Comment by Doug Pollard
Rainbow Reporter