|
|
|
View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
watt price tully
Joined: 15 May 2007
|
Post subject: | |
|
think positive wrote: | Yesterday's hero better than a never
What have you achieved?
He was eloquent, respectful, honest,
Ah I see can't have Aussie sportsmen acting that way hey?
Good on you thorpedo, a great career, and a champion bloke |
+1. Well said. It must have been particularly difficult for him to go through what he did. Brave to out himself as he did. Good on him. Do I need this to be on the front page - nope. But good luck to him. _________________ “I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman |
|
|
|
|
David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda
|
Post subject: | |
|
stui magpie wrote: | If I've been reading things correctly it's not just whether Thorpe felt he needed to lie to anyone but that for a fair while there he wasn't sure himself. He needed to process it and be comfortable with who he was before being public with it.
As far as no one being surprised, as he said he was first asked about his sexuality when he was 16. Being a public figure while still technically a child and having your sexuality being put under the microscope would be pretty daunting.
Interesting there's becoming more noise that there is a "gay gene" that determines sexuality. That could make things interesting if it becomes proven. |
I'm no expert on genetics, but as far as I can tell it's pretty speculative. There might be a gene that predisposes someone more to homosexuality than heterosexuality, but the idea that there's a gene that determines your sexuality strikes me as odd. But then, what do I know? I find it all very puzzling, and I dare say when you cut through the politics of the matter you'll find most people agree. _________________ All watched over by machines of loving grace |
|
|
|
|
1061
Joined: 06 Sep 2013
|
Post subject: | |
|
Bloody rampant Homosexuals, I mean Homophobia!
http://www.smh.com.au/national/study-shows-gay-athletes-face-rampant-homophobia-20140715-3bzlm.html
Quote: | It started with whispers in the change rooms and ended with a call from his coach.
At 18, Jay Claydon had told close friends and family he was gay. They accepted him. But inside his rugby club, he didn't feel safe coming out. He was right to be fearful.
"At training one night, people were looking at me funny. Somehow they'd found out.
"On the Friday night, I got a call from my coach saying the players had taken a vote at a meeting behind my back and they weren't comfortable having me in the team any more. He said, 'they don't want you to come back.' "
For those who wonder why Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe took so long to come out, Claydon's experience provides some timely and painful answers.
His story forms the backdrop to an alarming new study that reveals 85 per cent of gay athletes have experienced or witnessed homophobic abuse.
In the largest survey of its kind, Out on the Fields paints a picture of a national sporting environment openly hostile to gay and lesbian participants, with half reporting they have been the direct target of verbal threats, bullying, violence or exclusion from sport.
Of those who said they had been targeted, 13 per cent suffered physical assaults.
Claydon, 25, from Alexandria in Sydney, first experienced homophobia at the club that banished him in Christchurch.
But when he moved to Australia in 2008, playing semi-professional rugby at inside-centre for Gordon, the star player found homophobic slurs were an accepted part of sporting culture. At the clubs he played for in Perth and Sydney, he felt compelled to keep his sexuality secret for fear of being ostracised.
Like many who responded to the survey commissioned by organisers of the Bingham Cup, the gay rugby World Cup, to be held in Sydney next month it forced him from the game he loved. It was only last year when he joined the Sydney Convicts, Australia's first gay rugby union club, he found a team where he was free to be himself.
"It's such a stereotype, but at most clubs they see a gay guy and think you can't be sporty or masculine," he said. "They think that you're weak or you're not as tough as them. Even when they didn't know I was gay I'd hear the word '$%^$^' all the time."
The research found the most common form of homophobia was verbal, with 82 per cent saying they had heard, or been the target of, slurs such as "fag", "dyke" or "(I'm a dinosaur)" either as players or spectators.
Backed by the Australian Sports Commission, Victoria University and the Federation of Gay Games, the study involved almost 2500 people at all levels of sport and was split evenly between gay and straight participants, aged 15 upwards.
It found homophobic jokes and casual comments such as "that's so gay" were commonplace. One in five gay and lesbian participants had been excluded from social groups because of their sexuality.
Gay men were much more likely to be targeted than women. The study also revealed one in four straight men had been the target of homophobia.
Channel Seven commentator Brian Taylor called Geelong's Harry Taylor a "big (I'm a dinosaur)" live on Saturday night's pre-game broadcast. "To all of the people who thought that Brian Taylor's comments weren't a big deal, this research shows that homophobic language has a profound impact on our sporting culture," said Jason Ball, the first openly gay Aussie rules footballer at any level of the game. "Until we create a more inclusive sporting culture, people will feel forced to stay in the closet until their careers are over."
In an interview with Michael Parkinson on Sunday night, Thorpe said he had not come out earlier because he was worried Australia would not accept a gay Olympic champion.
Sixty-four per cent of gay and lesbian respondents to the survey said homophobia was more common in sporting environments than in other areas of society.
In April, the heads of Australia's major sporting codes launched a world-first anti-homophobia strategy, pledging to tackle discrimination.
Sydney Swans ruckman and Bingham Cup ambassador Mike Pyke, who helped launch the strategy, said the survey results were disappointing. "Playing sport should be about the love and passion for a game," he said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005 Location: In flagrante delicto
|
Post subject: | |
|
David wrote: | stui magpie wrote: | If I've been reading things correctly it's not just whether Thorpe felt he needed to lie to anyone but that for a fair while there he wasn't sure himself. He needed to process it and be comfortable with who he was before being public with it.
As far as no one being surprised, as he said he was first asked about his sexuality when he was 16. Being a public figure while still technically a child and having your sexuality being put under the microscope would be pretty daunting.
Interesting there's becoming more noise that there is a "gay gene" that determines sexuality. That could make things interesting if it becomes proven. |
I'm no expert on genetics, but as far as I can tell it's pretty speculative. There might be a gene that predisposes someone more to homosexuality than heterosexuality, but the idea that there's a gene that determines your sexuality strikes me as odd. But then, what do I know? I find it all very puzzling, and I dare say when you cut through the politics of the matter you'll find most people agree. |
Unfortunately politics and science rarely work well together.
One piece. http://theconversation.com/born-this-way-an-evolutionary-view-of-gay-genes-26051
The interesting bit would be if it was proven to be a gene, how would it work if gene selection was allowed? Would it be ethical for hetro parents to select against having a gay child? Would it be eithical for gays to select for a gay child? _________________ Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
|
|
|
|
David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda
|
Post subject: | |
|
stui magpie wrote: | David wrote: | stui magpie wrote: | If I've been reading things correctly it's not just whether Thorpe felt he needed to lie to anyone but that for a fair while there he wasn't sure himself. He needed to process it and be comfortable with who he was before being public with it.
As far as no one being surprised, as he said he was first asked about his sexuality when he was 16. Being a public figure while still technically a child and having your sexuality being put under the microscope would be pretty daunting.
Interesting there's becoming more noise that there is a "gay gene" that determines sexuality. That could make things interesting if it becomes proven. |
I'm no expert on genetics, but as far as I can tell it's pretty speculative. There might be a gene that predisposes someone more to homosexuality than heterosexuality, but the idea that there's a gene that determines your sexuality strikes me as odd. But then, what do I know? I find it all very puzzling, and I dare say when you cut through the politics of the matter you'll find most people agree. |
Unfortunately politics and science rarely work well together.
One piece. http://theconversation.com/born-this-way-an-evolutionary-view-of-gay-genes-26051
The interesting bit would be if it was proven to be a gene, how would it work if gene selection was allowed? Would it be ethical for hetro parents to select against having a gay child? Would it be eithical for gays to select for a gay child? |
I don't really see why not; how can something that doesn't harm anyone really be unethical? Given the current climate on these issues I hardly think it'd be that much of a common phenomenon anywaymost people are pretty relaxed about homosexuality these days (and funnily enough, the ones who aren't are also the ones most likely to be opposed to "playing god" with genetic intervention).
Russia might be a different story, but hey, at least they'd be protecting potential Russian children from a lifetime of misery and oppression. _________________ All watched over by machines of loving grace |
|
|
|
|
think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere
|
Post subject: | |
|
Of course it's genetics, but so were his big feet, who care as long as he wins? _________________ You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
|
|
|
|
The Prototype
Paint my face with a good-for-nothin smile.
Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Location: Hobart, Tasmania
|
Post subject: | |
|
Just a bit on Jay Claydon that popped up in my newsfeed last night, seems him getting voted out of the club had nothing whatsoever to do with his sexual orientation...
http://www.humanheadline.com.au/hinch-says/some-poster-boy
Quote: | It is true that the team voted to expel him but not because Claydon was gay. It was because Jay Claydon was charged with the indecent assault of a minor. That charge was later upped to attempted sexual assault and on that he was found not guilty with the judge ruling the prosecution had not proved intent.
Claydons defence was that he was drunk and did not remember any of the events that night.
His alleged victim was eight years old.
A family friend wrote to me and said: Over the last few days I have been reading news articles about Jay Claydon making a brave and courageous stand for gay athletes and I am in full support of what was portrayed in these articles. However he states he was outed by his team and club in NZ for being gay and this is untrue. He was voted out because he was charged for sexually assaulting my close friends 8-year-old son, but got off on a technicality. The rugby club did what they thought was right. It disgusts me he has created this fake backdrop to a more serious issue and he is hiding behind his sexuality to get back at a rugby club that punished him for something the courts failed to do. |
_________________ avg
https://www.facebook.com/davehardingphotography
https://www.facebook.com/Davage |
|
|
|
|
think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere
|
Post subject: | |
|
I got nothin _________________ You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
|
|
|
|
David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda
|
Post subject: | |
|
Obviously puts a very different spin on the story, but the fact remains that he was kicked out of his club for a criminal charge he was found not guilty of. That's wrong. _________________ All watched over by machines of loving grace |
|
|
|
|
think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere
|
Post subject: | |
|
David wrote: | Obviously puts a very different spin on the story, but the fact remains that he was kicked out of his club for a criminal charge he was found not guilty of. That's wrong. |
Oh man David
If you switch courses again, go to civil rights lawyer school
But you'll have to work on the Matthew mccaughtney Abs! _________________ You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
|
|
|
|
David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda
|
Post subject: | |
|
Something I once seriously considered, believe it or not!
(Law, not abs.) _________________ All watched over by machines of loving grace |
|
|
|
|
think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere
|
Post subject: | |
|
David wrote: | Something I once seriously considered, believe it or not!
(Law, not abs.) |
_________________ You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
|
|
|
|
HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
|
Post subject: | |
|
Oops. Too much data. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
|
|