An arvo out at the footy, smashing back some pies and having a couple of bevs with ya mates is a pretty quintessential aussie experience. Sport is in our blood, woven into the cloth from which we are cut. We just bloody go off like a frog in a sock for sport.
But how do we go when it comes to discrimination in the sporting arenas, and in particular homophobia? Mates, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but we’re just not very good.
A ‘uge chunk of the homophobia is streaming out of the spectator stands; according to the Out On The Fields study, 50% of Aussie participants believe most of the problem lies in the crowd, and 75% think that someone of the LGBTQIA community wouldn’t feel safe as a spectator.
So what’s being done about it? We sat down with ex-olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, GWS Giants marquee player, Emma Swanson, and co-founder of the Pride In Sport Index, Andrew Purchas to chat about how far we’ve come with acceptance of the LGBTQIA community in sport, and how much work we’ve still gotta get done.
Photo: Getty / Ashley Feder.
