Since when did our colours change to Rainbow?

[David]

For anyone who's curious, the rainbow (initially a gay and lesbian symbol) + the other colours is a new pride flag that's further inclusive of transgender people (blue, pink and white) and queer people of colour (brown and sometimes also black). Variants of this have been appearing a lot in recent years – on Australia Post mailboxes, for instance: https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/rainbow-street-post-boxes-pop-up-in-sydney-perth/201267

You can read more about the history of this particular flag here: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-progress-pride-flag

[Pete 70]

In some countries you get killed for being yourself. Anyone here intellectually decide who they were attracted to? Really the absurdity of the extreme religious overlay in society. And I was raised an Irish Catholic and still have a sense of faith, and I have a beautiful, gentle teenager who is gay. So I have seen what subtle discrimination is. And it’s horrible. It’s 2023, and no male player has come out. Imagine being told you are wrong for just being yourself. I think what we did falls under the heading of leadership.

[David]

^ very well said, Pete.

[lazzadesilva]

Excellent post Pete 70 and you have summarised the entire issue in a nutshell. However I find that irrespective of how progressive society has become, there will always be some with views that can be considered going against the grain. To me that is okay as long as they don’t behave in a threatening manner or engage in unacceptable conduct towards others who do not share their beliefs or values. I advocated for years for clients with intellectual disabilities or acquired brain injuries who some people ostracised or actively disliked or bullied because of the way they presented. It may be 2023 but it could be 2123 and if the planet survives, so will people with awful attitudes that do not accept others who are different to them. In other words they don’t read the room! However as long as they live and let live, I don’t have a problem with that.

[Meredith1965]

I think it’d be great if Collingwood had a statement on its website that the club opposes all forms of discrimination and supports the right of people to live their lives in freedom.

The so-called rainbow flag is, however, associated with far wider meanings than that. It’s a progressive Left-wing political symbol associated with a cluster of ideologies. For example, using the issue of the day, try and find someone who adores that flag who thinks Israel has a right to exist. Corporates only like it because they are on board with pseudo-righteous pseudo-Left-wing crap as long as the virtue does not extend to paying more taxes or wage equity. It’s a giant distraction to them.

[David]

The notion that this flag is in any way associated with anti-Zionism or other unrelated left-wing causes is entirely in the imagination of you and others who are making those assertions, I'd say – and I dare say it would particularly be news to the sizeable LGBT rights lobby in Israel (see, for instance: https://theconversation.com/israeli-protesters-fear-for-the-future-of-their-countrys-precarious-lgbtq-rights-revolution-205915), let alone many Democratic Party voters over in the US who are pro-Israel and pro-LGBT rights.

I think most people are capable of understanding separate issues and that a pride flag is what it represents, which is rights, freedom and dignity for queer and gender-diverse people – no more and no less. Anyone who wants to lobby for recognition on other issues is free to do that, but I doubt that most people complaining about this genuinely feel that any particular cause is being unfairly overlooked; they just don't like the pride symbol being there at all.

[Meredith1965]

It is clearly a progressive Left banner. Anyone who thinks it is not, doesn’t want to see how it is used and by whom. Lots of gay people I know despise the way gay people have been conscripted with the other groups in this flag. The fact that Israel, as a thriving democracy, has its own pink hair trendies who like it does not invalidate the fact that its a logo representing the unholy alliance between big business and student union politics.

It’s the symbol for a certain related set of political beliefs, which the statement I suggested above would *not* be.

[WhyPhilWhy?]

[Meredith1965]

^ Congratulations. Welcome to a small minority. You know the point I am making. It is strongly associated with a certain cluster of political attitudes. Does the rainbow extend to embracing and welcoming political views that its celebrants do not like ? There is not much evidence of it.

Anyway, enough of this on a football site. It is what it is. I support Collingwood, the jumper, the magpie flag, our history and the club. The club management and corporate elites can push whatever dead-end so-called “progressive” politics they like at us. That will pass as the busybodying and contradictions of it become more evident each year. It does not change what’s important and actually unifying about Collingwood.

[thesoretoothsayer]

[masoncox]

[Mr Miyagi]

I wish we’d change them permanently, it might shut Port Adelaide up

[lihei]

I just want to see the club get behind Australia Day (again). A bit hard when they’re constantly jumping from one cause to another!

[David]

What did we used to do for Australia Day? Hold an open training session?

[Pies4shaw]

^ We have NEVER lost a Grand Final on Australia Day - it's one of Collingwood's proudest traditions.