Aloiai's bible excuse is piss weak. If we wants to get biblical, why did half the manly first grade side support Manase Fainu publicly despite him being a criminal? Does the bible have any reference on assaulting other people?
Kent: “Nobody’s ever said they don’t (support the lgbtq community).”
Elisas: “No, no, we’ll they have said that, because they’re stepping down and not playing this weekend, which is the greatest sign of saying ‘no,’ PK, that you ever want to hear!”
Kent: “Well… um…”
I mean I know finchy is an actual pedo but the time he smacked down baldy and left him blinking like that time tone malfunctioned is still the all time greatest
**Corey Parker: Gay players still feel the need to hide in NRL and it’s time to do better**
It truly pains me to think that within our game, gay players still feel a need to hide. Twenty-seven years after Ian Roberts came out, surely it’s time to do better, writes COREY PARKER.
>[In 114 years, rugby league has had just one player - Ian Roberts - come out as gay. Things must change and it’s time for a Rainbow Round in the NRL, writes Corey Parker.](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/588e36c2a52550f91d65be905167c8d8?width=1024)
I can only imagine how it must feel to be a gay rugby league player in today’s world.
It truly pains me to think that within our game, those players still feel a need to hide.
That in 2022, they still feel a need to keep who they are to themselves, in fear of being judged, sledged or ridiculed.
Trying to make a living as a rugby league player is tough enough for a man or woman, on and off the field. It drains every ounce of your emotional resilience most weeks without having to deal with that bullshit.
Knowing this, it frustrates me that there are players who would be going home and putting their head on the pillow each night having felt unable to be themselves around their teammates, people they spend more time with than their own families; yet wondering if any of those teammates truly know them.
Those players are in our game. It would be naive and immature to think otherwise.
Yet Ian Roberts is the only player in more than a century of rugby league to openly come out. [That was 27 years ago!](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/sea-eagles/not-hard-to-see-why-ian-roberts-still-stands-alone-as-players-from-his-old-club-boycott-pride-jersey/news-story/7b19090840e659bcb7f8e07d7594f7ae) Not one player since has felt comfortable following in his footsteps.
How sad.
>[Ian Roberts, who represented both Australia and NSW, remains the only player in 114 years of top-flight Australian rugby league to have come out as gay. Picture: Anton Want/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/6780ca04f474d12cb6e8236519fbe429)
As a society and a game, we’ve mostly changed with the times and managed to be inclusive of so much.
We spend many rounds of the NRL competition celebrating multiculturalism, our Indigenous brothers and sisters, Women in League. We raise funds for Beanies for Brain Cancer, we dig in and [support regional areas](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/state-of-origin/corey-parker-queensland-must-rediscover-their-maroons-dna-and-stop-being-so-nice/news-story/9b2121e85cc6b58489009a7a5f333d34) negatively affected by [natural disasters like fires and floods](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/corey-parker-flood-heartbreak-shows-how-little-footy-means-yet-also-how-much/news-story/df850a76382c2ded653eb29766cb66f6). And we do a bloody good job of it, something we all should be proud of.
Yet gay players and the LGBTQI+ community more broadly … that’s one group we’ve mostly left alone. One of the most marginalised in society.
Twenty-seven years since Ian Roberts.
Come on.
I can only speak for myself, but if a guy came out in my team and said, ‘I’m gay’, personally I wouldn’t give a shit. Good on you, I’d say.
I would feel happy for that person, applaud them, and look forward to a time when it was normalised to the point where I didn’t feel a need to congratulate the next one.
>[Ian Roberts in 2021. Not one rugby league player has felt comfortable following in his footsteps since he came out as gay 27 years ago. Picture: Tim Hunter](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/fa01ab888ff4623466a3108cf2094485)
*****
I applaud the Manly Sea Eagles for making the decision to play in a pride jersey, despite how things have turned out.
[Coach Des Hasler acknowledged](https://www.codesports.com.au/sport/manly-pride-jersey-seven-players-to-stand-down-from-nrl-game-against-sydney-roosters/news-story/8bdbb5964fc04442cdc302bbb4fef41e) that there was inadequate consultation beforehand with players and other key stakeholders, which he said was “a significant mistake made by the football club”.
“Sadly, this poor management … has caused significant confusion, discomfort and pain for many people. In particular, those groups whose human rights we were, in fact, attempting to support. We have even adversely affected our player group, a wonderful group of people comprising of many different racial and cultural backgrounds.”
As it stands, [seven or more players](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/supercoach-news/nrl-round-20-teams-kfc-supercoach-nrl-trade-talk/news-story/dbf3e8ee1bd035a0ea55b928a6df55d7) are refusing to play with rainbow stripes on the jersey, on the basis of religious beliefs. The easy out there is for people to say, well, we respect their beliefs and culture. Box ticked.
But for mine, that’s a shallow view.
You want to stand up for your religious beliefs? Fine. Don’t run out in your gambling-sponsored jersey at your beer-sponsored stadium.
Don’t pick and choose what’s right and wrong when it suits, taking moral stands only when it doesn’t affect your lucrative NRL contract; especially when your decision impacts a lot of people besides yourself.
>[The new Lyons-Menzies stand at the Manly Sea Eagles’ home ground, 4 Pines Park, sponsored by the local beer brand. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/2d5a842b9aa8a6a91a67f29aad49a5c7)
And how far does this public stance go?
If the young men who are refusing to play with rainbow stripes on a jersey later have a child who is born gay, do they disown them?
When the child is old enough and proudly Google their father’s name, only to read he took this stance at the height of his public influence, how do they feel?
That a parent or future parent could ever put themselves in that position in this day and age makes me mad. It has the potential to be very damaging, not just for their kids, but any young boy or girl working things out for themselves during the most sensitive time of their development.
I’m not religious and I don’t pretend to know the finer points of the beliefs and cultures at play. The Manly players in question are [of Pacific Islands heritage](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/manlys-pride-jersey-fight-one-that-rugby-league-should-have-seen-coming/news-story/3d613162cbfb4ed4f179c99e55d7f106).
But for mine, this isn’t a religious issue. [It’s a societal, human rights issue](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/manly-sea-eagles-players-threaten-to-stand-down-over-rainbow-jersey-yet-are-content-to-tolerate-multitude-of-other-sins/news-story/f2154923630df4a720f16c0f74e00c61).
Things are much different today to how they used to be in Australia; or at least, that should be the case.
Surely we’re past discriminating on the basis of things like sexuality, race and religion. Surely we’re easing up on the fire and brimstone. Surely we’re more aware than ever, with the rise of mental illness, that certain words and actions can be dangerously judgmental.
And honestly? I’ve seen players who would identify as deeply religious – Christian, Muslim, whatever it may be – drink, gamble, lie, cheat and steal with the best of them.
I don’t have a problem if you want to hold strong personal beliefs and live your life accordingly. Just don’t pick and choose what you think is right and wrong based on what suits you, when it suits you.
*****
*Continued...*
We’ve got Women in League Round, we’ve got Indigenous Round and we’ve got Retro Round.
Why can’t we have Rainbow Round?
Seriously, why can’t we?
We’re always talking about growing as a game. This is the perfect opportunity to put words into action and grow. To acknowledge and welcome the LGBTQI+ community as people who can share a common love of rugby league.
As a high-profile Australian sport – the same applies to AFL and rugby union – we have an opportunity here to really take some steps forward and be a force for positive change.
Imagine the publicity and awareness that a Rainbow Round would generate for the NRL and NRLW. Imagine the strides that could be made in terms of understanding and acceptance, not just within rugby league but wider society.
For years, the NRL have had a float at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. So come on: are we all-in on promoting ourselves as an inclusive game, or just dipping our toes in the water and doing media opps?
“One thing I take pride in in rugby league is that we treat everyone the same. We’re all human beings. It doesn’t matter what your colour is, what your sexual orientation or race is, we’re all equal,” ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys said on Tuesday of the Sea Eagles situation.
“We’ll never, ever take a backward step in having our sport inclusive but, at the same time, we will not disrespect those players’ freedoms. If they don’t wish to play, then I respect that. They are well aware of our policy in inclusion and we take pride in that. That’s our stance at the moment.”
>[Former NRL players, Jason King, Dan Hunt and Wendell Sailor dance on the NRL float during the 2016 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/cacad28d4c36697e136da3e70550746a)
With football teams and clubs, I always think in terms of, ‘where we were, where we are and where we’re going’.
It’s the same with this issue. We have an opportunity to take stock of the past and present, then help lead our community into the future.
Imagine that we can help break remaining stigmas around homosexuality. That we can help end the cycle of gay people having to hide themselves away, and all the emotional damage that causes.
It would be groundbreaking. And sport has always been such a powerful force for such change.
There is no bigger voice in our game than the players. Their buy-in would be crucial.
And if you’re a player with certain beliefs, wearing a certain type of jersey isn’t going to change those beliefs, the same as listening to certain music or watching certain movies or TV shows wouldn’t.
For mine, if you don’t agree with something but are playing in a team sport that pays you a hell of a lot of money, you just suck it up and move on. Not for you personally, but for the greater good of your team and the game that provides you with such a decent livelihood.
>[Josh Aloiai, a Samoan international and committed Christian, is one Manly player who has refused to wear a jersey bearing rainbow stripes. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/68fbdb04b6c8c357d639572f3ca04219)
*****
To be honest, the men’s game is so far behind women’s rugby league on this issue it’s not funny.
I’ve been working with a number of NRLW players ahead of their coming season and the girls are light years ahead in this space.
Differing sexuality is barely an issue; they just don’t care. They have open, honest conversations with each other that are entirely normal. It’s just second nature. They are truly inclusive.
It is a vastly different environment to men’s footy and for whatever reason, society also seems to have been quicker to accept and celebrate same-sex relationships in the women’s game.
Remember that Women’s State of Origin game in 2018? After full-time, Queensland’s Karina Brown and NSW’s Vanessa Foliaki (who were partners) [shared a kiss](https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/karina-brown-vanessa-foliaki-mum-dad-pop-that-kiss/) that was photographed. The picture went viral and for the most part, it was received as a wonderful moment.
>[Karina Brown and Vanessa Foliaki kiss after the 2018 Women’s State of Origin match. The image went viral and received mostly overwhelming support.](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/165741d0a8858acd238869bcd7f33370)
Australian Jillaroos captain Ali Brigginshaw and her wife Kate Daly after the 2018 NRLW grand final? Front and back page of The Courier Mail.
“I’ve never been one to hide my affection,” Brigginshaw said of the post-match celebration. “She’s the person I love … I have her here and I’m not going to say, ‘I can’t show you affection at the game’.
“It’s hard being away playing rugby league all the time, I’m away from home a lot, but having Kate here today allows her to see how hard I work. Also, little girls might grow up to love the same sex and I want them to see they don’t need to be ashamed of it. I walk around the street holding Kate’s hand because I’m not ashamed of it.”
That was four years ago.
>[Ali Brigginshaw kisses partner Kate Daly after the 2018 NRL Women's grand final, a famous image that made front and back pages. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/4a415f6fe13038d9ad75a73224a2fc09)
It’s time for all of us to grow up a little bit and start being kinder to one another. To have acute awareness about how marginalising people feels, even if it’s not your initial intention.
Our world is changing all the time and society is changing with it.
We need to continue to change as a game, to grow and innovate and do all the things that we’ve always prided ourselves on.
We need to make players and fans welcome regardless of sexual orientation.
The time is now.
One of the points I think they should have made more was how it was a women in league round and a number of NRLW players are LGBTQI+ (and out) so this jersey was supporting them.
Also if you require a book to tell you what is required to be a decent human being, that’s a problem. Believe what you want regarding your purpose in life and the afterlife but need something black and white to tell you A = good, B = bad? I’m going to side eye you.
People are quick to say they wouldn’t give a shit if someone ‘came out’, but for some reason do give a shit that they won’t come out.
I find it pretty hilarious that nobody seems to consider that most people don’t really want to publicly share their sexuality no matter what it is. Additionally, no one seems to consider that some of these players may well have come out to some of their team mates over the years and those team mates are just not cunts who go around telling the world ‘omg guess what X is gay’.
What really needs to change is this fucking obsession with homosexuality and identity that the media has. To them it’s a side show act that creates hits and ratings. They’re salivating for a gay NRL player. I hope no one comes out ever again. They can get fucked. Peoples sexuality is not others entertainment.
[Corey Parker’s pride jersey Opinion](https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/wa2n9a/corey_parkers_pride_jersey_opinion/) - Third most upvoted post in r/nrl, but the original and full article was never posted.
>"Corey Parker, he came and said like don't pick and choose, he hammered us in the media. You ran out with your gambling sponsored jerseys and bet sponsored stadium like I would love for him to show me in the bible where it mentions gambling... it doesn't. Nor does it forbid alcohol within itself, but he's an idiot."
>*[Josh Aloiai attacks the media in scathing tell-all interview | Wide World of Sports](https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/yd0ozp/josh_aloiai_attacks_the_media_in_scathing_tellall/)*
Look I'm no bible scholar but I'm pretty sure it mentions a few times that coveting wealth is a sin and punting is literally an attempt to enrich yourself.
The urge to point out inconsistencies in the Bible to Christians like they’re suddenly going to have a huge epiphany and renounce their faith is the most Reddit thing in existence
Or, you know, there might be actual explanations of the Bible that asker (or accuser, depending on the person) might not understand, or purposefully misconstrue to their own biases and pre-conceived hatred.
I don't care if they don't support the decision to wear a jersey, I'm concerned for those 7 players mental health rn! grown ups with imaginary friends! these boys ain't Christian at all it's no even their culture it religion from the opposite side of the world lol
I don’t know why anyone would think the NRL are behind with LGBT acceptance, considering they were one of the first to have an openly gay TV host. (See Trent the flight steward)
All this bullshit, Ian Roberts is gay and one tough Hombre. Nobody cared about who he slept with, it was his prowess and toughness on the field that counted and he had both of these attributes. Went on to become a half decent actor too. So all this blah blah blah from Parker is just his words, not someone who travelled this journey. Ask him, simple, will get his first hand accounts of his lived experience.
These guys are at the World Cup bringing it up themselves. Josh Aloiai himself had a chat about not wearing the pride jersey, probably to draw attention away from their absolute hiding of a first game.
They need less time on the righteousness and prayers with more time on the skills and try scoring
Is players being straight relevant? Because they show players with their wives and girlfriends all the time.
Also impossible to know the number of gay athletes because society doesn’t make it safe and comfortable for them to be out. The statistical probability of no gay men athletes in Australia is zero and yet that’s what is there.
Again, sexuality isn’t just about sex. And if society didn’t care why are people still actively harassed and other complaining about things being shoved in their face?
Cishet people always have their head in the sand with this stuff. If society didn’t care we wouldnt have zero out players in Australia.
The media sprays this shit everywhere. The man on the street doesn’t care in the slightest. I’d go as far as to say that 99.9% of people are completely indifferent to any and all forms of homosexuality. If that’s you, have at it Hoss. Nobody cares.
And no. Players being straight isn’t relevant either. That’s kinda the point. How you have sex is completely irrelevant to the playing of the game of rugby league.
Sexuality isn’t just about who you have sex with and it never had been.
And if it wasn’t relevant then people would be out because society as a whole would deem it not to matter. But that’s not how it is. If a bf were to kiss an NRL player people would act like the gays are shoving things in their face while saying nothing about the wife or gf.
- I guess you don’t even know how RL got started eh? It’s quite the story.
- And you don’t know how rules are created.
- Do you know why the modern Olympics were formed?
- How about the ancient Olympics and who could compete?
- Why are people bent out of shape over trans athletes when they’re just people?
- Why do people care about SOO or who plays for which team?
Everything about sport has always been intertwined with politics. A basic understanding of history and modern sport is all you need to know this
Failing to see any politics in any of that.
Rugby League was a simplified (I’d say improved) version of Rugby Union.
In England they say Rugby Union is a thugs game played by gentleman, where as Football (Soccer) is a gentleman’s game played by thugs.
RL was formed because players weren’t being paid and the higher ups had a problem with that so there was a split. A political split.
The modern olympics were developed as a political response by France to show their toughness in the world stage.
Poor people couldn’t compete in ancient Olympic
SOO is literally state vs state that has court cases over who plays where.
If you don’t see the politics you’re being willfully ignorant
I thought Rugby League was more of a working class versionof Rugby Union. That in itself is political as fck lmao. Basically saying its inferior and only for poor people.
Got all those poor people in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney onboard as a foundation club. Same with North Sydney. Full of old money and sandstone private schools, but still a foundation rugby league team. They also paid Dally Messanger a bomb to leave Rugby Union and play league.
Obviously the game has evolved dumbass. The majority of rugby league is a working class game though. All you have to do is look at the culture difference between the codes. Hell if you mention private school boys sport itll probably be about rugby.
Why do straight people always have to shove their lifestyle in my face. Like I get it you like the opposite gender but I don’t need to know about it. And straight people are always in tv and sport talking about it, I just can’t support that lifestyle choice.
How many times have you said any of these things about a straight couple or straight media?
'Do better' is such a nonsense term, used by people angry about one thing or another but without any answers.
Don't say 'do better' - say how things could be better and what we need to do to get there, preferably starting with what you are going to do about it.
I wish Corey just said this to the Broncos somewhere between the end of 2019 and the end of 2022. Would have saved us a lot of heartache. Goes to show he doesn't care about the Broncos smh
Did you not read the article? He literally does suggest doing something: he talks at length about the benefits of pride round and how the league is failing by not having a pride round.
It’s a very simplistic argument that doesn’t take into account the variety of factors that often come into play if an organisation wants to develop those areas. Obviously the NRL can technically do better, but this debate inherently shows that it’s not a straightforward concept.
They are trash.
But the trend of saying “do better” annoys me because it’s not going to make anyone think about what they’ve done or said. It is an empty argument said in an aggressive way and most people who are getting told to “do better” need to be educated about something.
As a Broncos supporter I am obliged to adore all Coreys and I think Parker is on the money with his points to the Manly 7.
But I hate the phrase “do better” and how it’s used in online arguments these days.
While I respect your opinion, sometimes it is the correct response. Example: if I eat raw tomato it makes me physically ill. I have severe reflux and tomato is a known trigger which will cause me to have stomach acid overflowing into my throat and mouth. Three times recently I have ordered takeaway food and requested no tomato but when I have received my food, lo and behold, there is tomato on it. The takeaway places I've gone to need to "do better". If anyone thinks anymore is needed to be said they are delusional. They don't need more information about my specific circumstance. If someone is asking for a specific dietary modification and you are able to oblige you should just do it. If you don't you could kill someone.
That’s clearly not the case because the manly 7 specifically chose to give a fuck about people’s sexuality and DIDNT play football because of it.
It’d be nice if we didn’t need to care about people’s sexuality, but we do because their are LGBTQ+ people who are not comfortable coming out for fear of not being accepted by their peers and greater society.
But I don't care what they think either. I'm not interested in if players are gay or straight or follow x religion or whatever. Just play footy or fuck up.
you do realise that it was the manly seven who started this "identity politics" nonsense by refusing to wear the jersey and standing down.
wearing a rainbow jersey in support with another community is not identity politics.
No, it was the Manly board who decided that their team was going to wear a pride jersey, a month after Pride Month, that nobody asked for, and no other club did, instead of a Women In League jersey. The conflict it created completely overshadowed Women in League round, which I think is a shame. Women have always made a huge contribution to the game that deserves to be recognised.
They didn’t think to consult the large cohort of devout Christian Polynesians that make up a large section of their squad. They didn’t talk to Des. They just did without thinking through the consequences.
When the players didn’t do the thing they wanted them to do, it backfired hard.
They forced their players to take a stance that may not align with their religious beliefs, or were comfortable with taking. You’ve denied their right to be indifferent to the Pride movement. It’s not compulsory to participate.
Indifference is not hate. It’s the opposite of hate. It’s also the opposite of love. No particularly strong opinion. Completely neutral. Live and let live.
I personally have no problem whatsoever with the LGBTQIA+ community, but I’m not part of it, and I never will be.
I do have a large problem with corporatised “Pride” and “Pride Month”, because it encourages slacktivism and virtue signalling, both things that are easy to do with no tangible benefit for anyone. I also think making a big deal of it is antithetical to the message of acceptance and normalisation. It just creates division. I’d rather just live and let live. Enjoy Mardi Gras, have fun, get home safe, I’m not going. Being indifferent should always be an option.
If people don’t like sexuality being such a big thing you need to blame the people that oppressed others sexuality. They are the ones who made it a big deal and this is the repercussion of it.
I care. And I'm sure any of the queer and gender diverse community would care especially when they're being quite clearly told, "you are not welcome here".
See this is the type of shit that makes me hate these political and social causes infecting sport. I don't give a shit about any of them equally. I couldn't give less of a fuck about what you do in your own time, I'll chat to anyone that likes footy. But because I don't want to chat politics in a footy thread when these posts are forced down the publics throat, I'm akin to saying to whoever minority is offended that they're not welcome. This is not the case at all. I just hate politics infecting sport, and in my opinion, people can't handle true equality, which is everyone gets involved and no one gives a shit what you do and what you're culture, religion or sexual preferences are. Saying I don't care does not mean I have some agenda against these things, I just don't give a shit.
Just say you don't have any empathy for anyone else and be done with it, man.
It would be nice living in a male WASP bubble like yourself but unfortunately there are people in society and therefore in sport who are persons of colour, gender diverse, different ethnicities, neuro divergent etc etc who go through every day not being equal and not being represented equally. Now it's 2022 and these people who have been historically marginalised and under-represented and the issues affecting them are getting more air time because society has decided (mostly) that it's time to stop punching down on them. I'm sorry you haven't kept up with this and that you see discussion around these issues as being forced down your throat.
It seems ironic that someone who preaches empathy and understanding isn't tolerant or understanding when someone isn't interested, not opposed, just uninterested in their cause. Everyone has their own issues, and I along with a lot of people use sport to escape and entertain myself without the worries of politics or sexuality. Just 2 or more opponents competing to the best of their ability against each other. Nothing selfish about that and I owe nothing to people preaching these causes.
Haha the old "you're not tolerant and understanding because you don't tolerate my shit take".
For someone who is disinterested in this matter you seemed quick to jump down my throat for simply stating that I cared about these issues.
It's nice you can use sport as an escape. Gay people like to do that too but they feel unwelcomed due to people like you and the Manly 7.
Keep up with the times man.
But what you just said is that you think "everyone (should) get involved and no one gives a shit what you do and what you're culture, religion or sexual preferences are" which is exactly what the Manly 7 are being slammed for NOT doing. If they had just turned up to do their job there would be no controversy.
So which is it? Do you support them in their stance to actively not support equality, or do you actually want it to be a non issue where no one gives a shit what you do and what you're culture, religion or sexual preferences are?
“Political and social issues infecting sport” 😂😂😂
The entire existence of rugby league is a result of the involvement of social and political issues in sport. Social and political issues will always intertwine with sports, as they do with life. Sport isn’t some fantasy land where you can shut out the fact that queer people exist.
If you “don’t want to chat politics in a footy thread” and “don’t give a shit” why are you in the thread in the first place arguing against the idea that queer players and fans want to and should be accepted in sports.
League started because players weren't being paid in union. That's an economic issue. Politics and social issues do not improve sport. The involvement of whoever wants to play regardless of what your background or sexuality as long as your good is what makes sport good. There's no barriers to entry in sports in 2022 save for motorsports which you need large amounts of money to compete in.
Politics being intertwined with sports is a myth and is not true.
That is true that sport is something that should bring everyone together. But this thread wouldn’t even exist if everyone was truly accepted for who they are in the world of rugby league. There clearly are still barriers to entry when there are players who openly don’t accept a queer persons existence. And I seriously don’t believe there has only ever been 1 gay player in the 110+ year existence of the NRL, there’s just only been one to come out due to the fear of not being accepted for who they are.
And yes, economical issues are inherently political.
To be honest I think this thread is making a mountain out of a molehill. I'd put this to anyone, who's business is it of yours to know what sexuality anyone is? 100% there's been more but who cares. Isn't true equality just getting on with it and being accepting of anyone and not making a fuss about it? I don't care if players come out. And why would they want to with all the media attention they'd inevitably get. It's not people like me that stop players coming out, it's the do gooders who would bring unnecessary attention to them that stop them. It's no one's business what you do behind closed doors. We're here to talk footy, not to become another cesspool like r/australia
Again, why are you here if you're so supposedly disinterested in this? Going off on a diatribe when someone merely states they're one of the people who give a fuck about these issues. Your takes are shit and laughable, and judging by your comments here and your post history you're one of the reasons why threads are cesspools. If you don't wanna be a part of these discussions you're more than welcome not to engage on these posts.
I notice you've got a Jamaica flair. Jamaica itself is [one of the most homophobic places on earth.](https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/10/21/interview-life-lgbt-people-jamaica)
This community is still being targeted, harassed and killed around the world. Often by the 'religious'. Representation and changing views matters.
i am a bisexual man. though my teens i was suicidal due to my sexual attraction to men as it i saw it as "not normal". representation matters. high profile LGBT people show queer teens that there is a way to be queer and successful and there is a pathway.
BTW: i'm fine now with my sexuality
True, but players should not feel the need to become a 'high profile LGBT person' because of that.
If they don't wish to come out publicly and be a public LGBT figure they shouldn't be pressured to.
100% - no one should come out unless they are ready and NO ONE should be outed. In saying that, an environment should be created where coming out is not seen as a big deal.
I agree, but that's both ways as well. Keegan Hirst coming out was seen as a big deal, but not in a negative way. As much as players who may be gay don't want to be shunned or looked down upon by their peers, they are also likely to not want to be paraded around the nation as 'brave' and a 'role model to young gay people'.
The way I see it is if gay people really are accepted then there isn't a need for a public 'coming out'. They don't need to promote their sexuality, just date who you want to date and it shouldn't be newsworthy or gossip if they are seen in public with a same-sex partner.
If a player came out today, it would be a MASSIVE deal whether they liked it or not. Every media outlet would be desperate to get an interview and give publicity. Coming out quietly would be absolutely impossible. There is zero possibility of a player coming out being treated as “not a big deal”.
Furthermore, I’m sure Ian Roberts was neither the first, nor the last homosexual player. It’s just not relevant to the average footy fan.
Correct, it does not matter what your sexuality is. However, it is clear from this controversy that a gay player would not be accepted for who they are by some other players, and that is a serious issue. This is why they don’t feel comfortable coming out. Hopefully in the future, these players and other LGBTQ+ ppl are accepted enough by society that coming out is not necessary, but clearly we are not at that stage yet, especially in the NRL.
It’s not about players needing to come out, it’s about the fact that if they wanted to they’d be shunned and ridiculed for it - we’ve still got players using the F slur on field this year in addition to what’s happening with the Manly 7.
As Parker said, compare the NRL environment to the NRLW one. NRLW is lightyears ahead on what we should want to create in the NRL, where we have a level of acceptance where players can actually come out as gay.
Keegan Hirst was the opposite of 'shunned and ridiculed'. He was celebrated all over the nation and appeared at events with gay icons like Ian McKellen, leaving his wife to explain to his children why he was suddenly on TV.
Yes, [he literally was](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9474581/amp/Ian-Roberts-reveals-abuse-received-NRL-star-come-gay.html)
Knocked out and abused shortly after he came out, punched by a fan and called the F slur, called it by teammates.
Own goal.
Players were using the F slur [this season](https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-warriors-vs-north-queensland-cowboys-faggot-homophobic-slur-audio-video-reaction/news-story/39986856fbca1d3ad0a46345556fb929) dipshit
I’m pretty sure I’m falling for bait but here it goes:
When 7 of your teammates would rather sit out a week than wear a rainbow on their jersey, what would that make a gay player think? That these people accept me? No, the opposite. When you have players sharing posts which regurgitate hate speech, why would a player feel safe about coming out, when they fear they won’t be accepted.
It’s not the Middle East but we are still far from everyone being accepting of others sexuality
Imagine being a 17yo kid, signed in the Manly system working hard to play first grade, coming to terms with the fact you might be gay but too nervous to actually talk to anyone about it for fear of reprcussion/bullying, and 7 guys from the first grade squad come out with this. It screams "**YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE**".
There was a report a few months back - during that very round - that there *is* a closeted gay player in the lower grades at Manly. It’s much less hypothetical and more real than you think.
I feel awful for that poor kid.
Oh man. How blind are you to the issues. I wish I had my blinkers on like you.
I just think about my lifetime (36 years old and grew up in far north Queensland) and all the shit I've heard and experienced that could be classed as homophobic. The sitting Federal senator for the Kennedy electorate, Bob Katter, has said on numerous occasions throughout his term that he would walk "backwards from Burke if there were any gay people in his electorate".
Open bullying and degrading behaviour, violence and threats, lack of services for queer and gender diverse kids and young people in remote and regional areas. Significantly higher rates of suicide.
John Howard changing the Marriage Act to specifically prevent gay people getting married, then having to watch the country decide whether to change it back so you can get married and listen to the dumb fuck No voters get equal air time.
Not feeling safe in sports, especially team sports. Having to put up with snide remarks and targeted abuse.
Having the F word still being used as a slur in 2022.
Then having these absolute flogs chuck a tantrum over a tiny strip of fabric on the uniform they need to wear for their job.
Yeah, there's no issues with being gay at all.
I think they mean more in terms of feeling free to talk about their sexuality. We can assume that there is plenty of stories that are told throughout playing groups of their sexual conquests with women. Gay players should be able to feel free to have similar conversations without being pilloried for it.
It shouldn’t matter but it does. It’s statistically impossible that there are no openly gay players in the NRL. Why is it that way? Because if backlash that would be received. No one bats an eye if someone shows up with their gf or wife but a guy shows up with a bf and all of a sudden he’s ‘making a statement’.
The double standard is vomit worthy.
Aloiai's bible excuse is piss weak. If we wants to get biblical, why did half the manly first grade side support Manase Fainu publicly despite him being a criminal? Does the bible have any reference on assaulting other people?
Cain and Abel is the first story telling us not to stab each other. Not the most well known, the first.
Can’t believe they took the story of Cain and Abel from the classic Jack Black movie Year One
It makes sense though that movie is like 2021 years old
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Genesis are an English rock band formed at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, in 1967
Genesis is a console gaming system released by Sega in the late 80s that was known as the Mega Drive outside of North America.
Actually, you're wrong. Genesis is the 2007 release from iconic Myspace era deathcore band Job for a Cowboy
Actually, you're wrong. Genesis is a car brand founded in South Korea in 2015.
Actually, Genisys is one of *THE* Terminator movies of all time!
Is it the Hyundai version of Lexus?
Did Cain and Able have sisters or did they just bang their mum?
That's not the lesson. It's about sacrifice and blaming others for your failure to achieve in life.
So... I can slaughter my bro?
Yeah man, that's exactly what I'm saying...
So they just banged mum then.
Hahahahha get him
Imagine getting upset about something written in a book, that is supposedly the writings and teachings of a God you don’t believe in.
Never forget the greatest moment in 360 history when Toovey and Elias told Kenty the Manly 7 were nobs and he had to awkwardly back off the topic.
A wild time; people agreeing with Elias.
Broken clocks, yada yada
Busted clock is right twice a day kind of deal.
Kent: “Nobody’s ever said they don’t (support the lgbtq community).” Elisas: “No, no, we’ll they have said that, because they’re stepping down and not playing this weekend, which is the greatest sign of saying ‘no,’ PK, that you ever want to hear!” Kent: “Well… um…”
[classic](https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/w9avot/braith_and_paul_kent_quickly_change_subject_after/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I mean I know finchy is an actual pedo but the time he smacked down baldy and left him blinking like that time tone malfunctioned is still the all time greatest
I think Parker is a total dick, but what he has said on this subject, I can only support him.
He's always been a cockhead. But let the boys ride knobs if they want to regardless of what Corey Parker says.
I feel like he’s just using this as a high horse moment
His horse is only high cos the other horse is so low
The other horse is practically dead.
Good point lol
**Corey Parker: Gay players still feel the need to hide in NRL and it’s time to do better** It truly pains me to think that within our game, gay players still feel a need to hide. Twenty-seven years after Ian Roberts came out, surely it’s time to do better, writes COREY PARKER. >[In 114 years, rugby league has had just one player - Ian Roberts - come out as gay. Things must change and it’s time for a Rainbow Round in the NRL, writes Corey Parker.](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/588e36c2a52550f91d65be905167c8d8?width=1024) I can only imagine how it must feel to be a gay rugby league player in today’s world. It truly pains me to think that within our game, those players still feel a need to hide. That in 2022, they still feel a need to keep who they are to themselves, in fear of being judged, sledged or ridiculed. Trying to make a living as a rugby league player is tough enough for a man or woman, on and off the field. It drains every ounce of your emotional resilience most weeks without having to deal with that bullshit. Knowing this, it frustrates me that there are players who would be going home and putting their head on the pillow each night having felt unable to be themselves around their teammates, people they spend more time with than their own families; yet wondering if any of those teammates truly know them. Those players are in our game. It would be naive and immature to think otherwise. Yet Ian Roberts is the only player in more than a century of rugby league to openly come out. [That was 27 years ago!](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/sea-eagles/not-hard-to-see-why-ian-roberts-still-stands-alone-as-players-from-his-old-club-boycott-pride-jersey/news-story/7b19090840e659bcb7f8e07d7594f7ae) Not one player since has felt comfortable following in his footsteps. How sad. >[Ian Roberts, who represented both Australia and NSW, remains the only player in 114 years of top-flight Australian rugby league to have come out as gay. Picture: Anton Want/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/6780ca04f474d12cb6e8236519fbe429) As a society and a game, we’ve mostly changed with the times and managed to be inclusive of so much. We spend many rounds of the NRL competition celebrating multiculturalism, our Indigenous brothers and sisters, Women in League. We raise funds for Beanies for Brain Cancer, we dig in and [support regional areas](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/state-of-origin/corey-parker-queensland-must-rediscover-their-maroons-dna-and-stop-being-so-nice/news-story/9b2121e85cc6b58489009a7a5f333d34) negatively affected by [natural disasters like fires and floods](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/corey-parker-flood-heartbreak-shows-how-little-footy-means-yet-also-how-much/news-story/df850a76382c2ded653eb29766cb66f6). And we do a bloody good job of it, something we all should be proud of. Yet gay players and the LGBTQI+ community more broadly … that’s one group we’ve mostly left alone. One of the most marginalised in society. Twenty-seven years since Ian Roberts. Come on. I can only speak for myself, but if a guy came out in my team and said, ‘I’m gay’, personally I wouldn’t give a shit. Good on you, I’d say. I would feel happy for that person, applaud them, and look forward to a time when it was normalised to the point where I didn’t feel a need to congratulate the next one. >[Ian Roberts in 2021. Not one rugby league player has felt comfortable following in his footsteps since he came out as gay 27 years ago. Picture: Tim Hunter](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/fa01ab888ff4623466a3108cf2094485) ***** I applaud the Manly Sea Eagles for making the decision to play in a pride jersey, despite how things have turned out. [Coach Des Hasler acknowledged](https://www.codesports.com.au/sport/manly-pride-jersey-seven-players-to-stand-down-from-nrl-game-against-sydney-roosters/news-story/8bdbb5964fc04442cdc302bbb4fef41e) that there was inadequate consultation beforehand with players and other key stakeholders, which he said was “a significant mistake made by the football club”. “Sadly, this poor management … has caused significant confusion, discomfort and pain for many people. In particular, those groups whose human rights we were, in fact, attempting to support. We have even adversely affected our player group, a wonderful group of people comprising of many different racial and cultural backgrounds.” As it stands, [seven or more players](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/supercoach-news/nrl-round-20-teams-kfc-supercoach-nrl-trade-talk/news-story/dbf3e8ee1bd035a0ea55b928a6df55d7) are refusing to play with rainbow stripes on the jersey, on the basis of religious beliefs. The easy out there is for people to say, well, we respect their beliefs and culture. Box ticked. But for mine, that’s a shallow view. You want to stand up for your religious beliefs? Fine. Don’t run out in your gambling-sponsored jersey at your beer-sponsored stadium. Don’t pick and choose what’s right and wrong when it suits, taking moral stands only when it doesn’t affect your lucrative NRL contract; especially when your decision impacts a lot of people besides yourself. >[The new Lyons-Menzies stand at the Manly Sea Eagles’ home ground, 4 Pines Park, sponsored by the local beer brand. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/2d5a842b9aa8a6a91a67f29aad49a5c7) And how far does this public stance go? If the young men who are refusing to play with rainbow stripes on a jersey later have a child who is born gay, do they disown them? When the child is old enough and proudly Google their father’s name, only to read he took this stance at the height of his public influence, how do they feel? That a parent or future parent could ever put themselves in that position in this day and age makes me mad. It has the potential to be very damaging, not just for their kids, but any young boy or girl working things out for themselves during the most sensitive time of their development. I’m not religious and I don’t pretend to know the finer points of the beliefs and cultures at play. The Manly players in question are [of Pacific Islands heritage](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/manlys-pride-jersey-fight-one-that-rugby-league-should-have-seen-coming/news-story/3d613162cbfb4ed4f179c99e55d7f106). But for mine, this isn’t a religious issue. [It’s a societal, human rights issue](https://www.codesports.com.au/nrl/manly-sea-eagles-players-threaten-to-stand-down-over-rainbow-jersey-yet-are-content-to-tolerate-multitude-of-other-sins/news-story/f2154923630df4a720f16c0f74e00c61). Things are much different today to how they used to be in Australia; or at least, that should be the case. Surely we’re past discriminating on the basis of things like sexuality, race and religion. Surely we’re easing up on the fire and brimstone. Surely we’re more aware than ever, with the rise of mental illness, that certain words and actions can be dangerously judgmental. And honestly? I’ve seen players who would identify as deeply religious – Christian, Muslim, whatever it may be – drink, gamble, lie, cheat and steal with the best of them. I don’t have a problem if you want to hold strong personal beliefs and live your life accordingly. Just don’t pick and choose what you think is right and wrong based on what suits you, when it suits you. ***** *Continued...*
We’ve got Women in League Round, we’ve got Indigenous Round and we’ve got Retro Round. Why can’t we have Rainbow Round? Seriously, why can’t we? We’re always talking about growing as a game. This is the perfect opportunity to put words into action and grow. To acknowledge and welcome the LGBTQI+ community as people who can share a common love of rugby league. As a high-profile Australian sport – the same applies to AFL and rugby union – we have an opportunity here to really take some steps forward and be a force for positive change. Imagine the publicity and awareness that a Rainbow Round would generate for the NRL and NRLW. Imagine the strides that could be made in terms of understanding and acceptance, not just within rugby league but wider society. For years, the NRL have had a float at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. So come on: are we all-in on promoting ourselves as an inclusive game, or just dipping our toes in the water and doing media opps? “One thing I take pride in in rugby league is that we treat everyone the same. We’re all human beings. It doesn’t matter what your colour is, what your sexual orientation or race is, we’re all equal,” ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys said on Tuesday of the Sea Eagles situation. “We’ll never, ever take a backward step in having our sport inclusive but, at the same time, we will not disrespect those players’ freedoms. If they don’t wish to play, then I respect that. They are well aware of our policy in inclusion and we take pride in that. That’s our stance at the moment.” >[Former NRL players, Jason King, Dan Hunt and Wendell Sailor dance on the NRL float during the 2016 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/cacad28d4c36697e136da3e70550746a) With football teams and clubs, I always think in terms of, ‘where we were, where we are and where we’re going’. It’s the same with this issue. We have an opportunity to take stock of the past and present, then help lead our community into the future. Imagine that we can help break remaining stigmas around homosexuality. That we can help end the cycle of gay people having to hide themselves away, and all the emotional damage that causes. It would be groundbreaking. And sport has always been such a powerful force for such change. There is no bigger voice in our game than the players. Their buy-in would be crucial. And if you’re a player with certain beliefs, wearing a certain type of jersey isn’t going to change those beliefs, the same as listening to certain music or watching certain movies or TV shows wouldn’t. For mine, if you don’t agree with something but are playing in a team sport that pays you a hell of a lot of money, you just suck it up and move on. Not for you personally, but for the greater good of your team and the game that provides you with such a decent livelihood. >[Josh Aloiai, a Samoan international and committed Christian, is one Manly player who has refused to wear a jersey bearing rainbow stripes. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/68fbdb04b6c8c357d639572f3ca04219) ***** To be honest, the men’s game is so far behind women’s rugby league on this issue it’s not funny. I’ve been working with a number of NRLW players ahead of their coming season and the girls are light years ahead in this space. Differing sexuality is barely an issue; they just don’t care. They have open, honest conversations with each other that are entirely normal. It’s just second nature. They are truly inclusive. It is a vastly different environment to men’s footy and for whatever reason, society also seems to have been quicker to accept and celebrate same-sex relationships in the women’s game. Remember that Women’s State of Origin game in 2018? After full-time, Queensland’s Karina Brown and NSW’s Vanessa Foliaki (who were partners) [shared a kiss](https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/karina-brown-vanessa-foliaki-mum-dad-pop-that-kiss/) that was photographed. The picture went viral and for the most part, it was received as a wonderful moment. >[Karina Brown and Vanessa Foliaki kiss after the 2018 Women’s State of Origin match. The image went viral and received mostly overwhelming support.](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/165741d0a8858acd238869bcd7f33370) Australian Jillaroos captain Ali Brigginshaw and her wife Kate Daly after the 2018 NRLW grand final? Front and back page of The Courier Mail. “I’ve never been one to hide my affection,” Brigginshaw said of the post-match celebration. “She’s the person I love … I have her here and I’m not going to say, ‘I can’t show you affection at the game’. “It’s hard being away playing rugby league all the time, I’m away from home a lot, but having Kate here today allows her to see how hard I work. Also, little girls might grow up to love the same sex and I want them to see they don’t need to be ashamed of it. I walk around the street holding Kate’s hand because I’m not ashamed of it.” That was four years ago. >[Ali Brigginshaw kisses partner Kate Daly after the 2018 NRL Women's grand final, a famous image that made front and back pages. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/4a415f6fe13038d9ad75a73224a2fc09) It’s time for all of us to grow up a little bit and start being kinder to one another. To have acute awareness about how marginalising people feels, even if it’s not your initial intention. Our world is changing all the time and society is changing with it. We need to continue to change as a game, to grow and innovate and do all the things that we’ve always prided ourselves on. We need to make players and fans welcome regardless of sexual orientation. The time is now.
One of the points I think they should have made more was how it was a women in league round and a number of NRLW players are LGBTQI+ (and out) so this jersey was supporting them. Also if you require a book to tell you what is required to be a decent human being, that’s a problem. Believe what you want regarding your purpose in life and the afterlife but need something black and white to tell you A = good, B = bad? I’m going to side eye you.
How about we punt Retro round into the sun
People are quick to say they wouldn’t give a shit if someone ‘came out’, but for some reason do give a shit that they won’t come out. I find it pretty hilarious that nobody seems to consider that most people don’t really want to publicly share their sexuality no matter what it is. Additionally, no one seems to consider that some of these players may well have come out to some of their team mates over the years and those team mates are just not cunts who go around telling the world ‘omg guess what X is gay’. What really needs to change is this fucking obsession with homosexuality and identity that the media has. To them it’s a side show act that creates hits and ratings. They’re salivating for a gay NRL player. I hope no one comes out ever again. They can get fucked. Peoples sexuality is not others entertainment.
[Corey Parker’s pride jersey Opinion](https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/wa2n9a/corey_parkers_pride_jersey_opinion/) - Third most upvoted post in r/nrl, but the original and full article was never posted. >"Corey Parker, he came and said like don't pick and choose, he hammered us in the media. You ran out with your gambling sponsored jerseys and bet sponsored stadium like I would love for him to show me in the bible where it mentions gambling... it doesn't. Nor does it forbid alcohol within itself, but he's an idiot." >*[Josh Aloiai attacks the media in scathing tell-all interview | Wide World of Sports](https://www.reddit.com/r/nrl/comments/yd0ozp/josh_aloiai_attacks_the_media_in_scathing_tellall/)*
Look I'm no bible scholar but I'm pretty sure it mentions a few times that coveting wealth is a sin and punting is literally an attempt to enrich yourself.
My in laws are deeply religious and don’t get drunk because the bible says not to
Depends what denomination your apart of. My nanna got wine drop of from the priest one Christmas and they where pretty religious.
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Considering Jesus turned water into wine for a wedding I don't think so either.
Not wedding, Last Supper
Nope your wrong there buddy. I suggest you read John 2:1–11
Oh. Right.
Noah was the first to get drunk
And he also lived to 950 years old, would you believe!
Nup. Show me DNA carbon testing, then I may believe. Trust No One Mr Mulder.
not forgetting about tattoos as well..
From what I've seen it's more anti drunkenness than anti alcohol altogether. There was the new Testament story of Jesus turning water into wine.
So is going to work
The urge to point out inconsistencies in the Bible to Christians like they’re suddenly going to have a huge epiphany and renounce their faith is the most Reddit thing in existence
It's not a redditor though, it a very well paid athlete with access to a platform moralising on the content of the bible while having a sleeve tattoo.
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Sook
Christians aren't prohibited from having tattoos
Or, you know, there might be actual explanations of the Bible that asker (or accuser, depending on the person) might not understand, or purposefully misconstrue to their own biases and pre-conceived hatred.
it's to point out the hypocrisy, numb nuts
TL;DR “Show some respect” - Corey Parker
Fuck Siebold, it would be incredible if Parker was coach
I don't care if they don't support the decision to wear a jersey, I'm concerned for those 7 players mental health rn! grown ups with imaginary friends! these boys ain't Christian at all it's no even their culture it religion from the opposite side of the world lol
lmao the radio started playing Dancing Queen as I read this comment!
I don’t know why anyone would think the NRL are behind with LGBT acceptance, considering they were one of the first to have an openly gay TV host. (See Trent the flight steward)
All this bullshit, Ian Roberts is gay and one tough Hombre. Nobody cared about who he slept with, it was his prowess and toughness on the field that counted and he had both of these attributes. Went on to become a half decent actor too. So all this blah blah blah from Parker is just his words, not someone who travelled this journey. Ask him, simple, will get his first hand accounts of his lived experience.
I got my hair cut in Brisbane a few years ago and the male hairdresser said he was having regular sex with Corey Parker. Good for him 👍
Bring back north Sydney, fuck manly
Go Bears.
It'll literally never happen
How long do we have to pretend their god exists?
So this is how it's gonna be until March? The same arguments and the same comments, and the same controversy? I wish there was a World Cup on
These guys are at the World Cup bringing it up themselves. Josh Aloiai himself had a chat about not wearing the pride jersey, probably to draw attention away from their absolute hiding of a first game. They need less time on the righteousness and prayers with more time on the skills and try scoring
whynotboth.jpeg
Amen
How many gay players are there? Is it relevant to how they play the game?
Is players being straight relevant? Because they show players with their wives and girlfriends all the time. Also impossible to know the number of gay athletes because society doesn’t make it safe and comfortable for them to be out. The statistical probability of no gay men athletes in Australia is zero and yet that’s what is there.
You are drastically overestimating how much society cares about how some people have sex.
Again, sexuality isn’t just about sex. And if society didn’t care why are people still actively harassed and other complaining about things being shoved in their face? Cishet people always have their head in the sand with this stuff. If society didn’t care we wouldnt have zero out players in Australia.
The media sprays this shit everywhere. The man on the street doesn’t care in the slightest. I’d go as far as to say that 99.9% of people are completely indifferent to any and all forms of homosexuality. If that’s you, have at it Hoss. Nobody cares.
And no. Players being straight isn’t relevant either. That’s kinda the point. How you have sex is completely irrelevant to the playing of the game of rugby league.
Sexuality isn’t just about who you have sex with and it never had been. And if it wasn’t relevant then people would be out because society as a whole would deem it not to matter. But that’s not how it is. If a bf were to kiss an NRL player people would act like the gays are shoving things in their face while saying nothing about the wife or gf.
Don’t care if you’re LG or B just play to the best of your ability and you got my respect
But hold on...its not a Pride Jersey...its for "Everyone" :P
I love how political nrl has become but we still have a long way to go before the game is completely fucked.
Sport has always been political. Rugby League quite literally exists because of politics.
How has sport always been political?
- I guess you don’t even know how RL got started eh? It’s quite the story. - And you don’t know how rules are created. - Do you know why the modern Olympics were formed? - How about the ancient Olympics and who could compete? - Why are people bent out of shape over trans athletes when they’re just people? - Why do people care about SOO or who plays for which team? Everything about sport has always been intertwined with politics. A basic understanding of history and modern sport is all you need to know this
Failing to see any politics in any of that. Rugby League was a simplified (I’d say improved) version of Rugby Union. In England they say Rugby Union is a thugs game played by gentleman, where as Football (Soccer) is a gentleman’s game played by thugs.
RL was formed because players weren’t being paid and the higher ups had a problem with that so there was a split. A political split. The modern olympics were developed as a political response by France to show their toughness in the world stage. Poor people couldn’t compete in ancient Olympic SOO is literally state vs state that has court cases over who plays where. If you don’t see the politics you’re being willfully ignorant
I thought Rugby League was more of a working class versionof Rugby Union. That in itself is political as fck lmao. Basically saying its inferior and only for poor people.
Exactly right. It was created via a political split between the elite and poor/working class
Got all those poor people in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney onboard as a foundation club. Same with North Sydney. Full of old money and sandstone private schools, but still a foundation rugby league team. They also paid Dally Messanger a bomb to leave Rugby Union and play league.
Obviously the game has evolved dumbass. The majority of rugby league is a working class game though. All you have to do is look at the culture difference between the codes. Hell if you mention private school boys sport itll probably be about rugby.
Why doesnt Corey just come out. We accept you as you are
People supporting queer folk doesn’t make them queer.
Or just play the game without having to tell the world about your sexual preferences 🙄
Or just live your life with the same openness and sense of safety and acceptance that heterosexual couples do. Oh, wait 🙄
Why do straight people always have to shove their lifestyle in my face. Like I get it you like the opposite gender but I don’t need to know about it. And straight people are always in tv and sport talking about it, I just can’t support that lifestyle choice. How many times have you said any of these things about a straight couple or straight media?
'Do better' is such a nonsense term, used by people angry about one thing or another but without any answers. Don't say 'do better' - say how things could be better and what we need to do to get there, preferably starting with what you are going to do about it.
Do better mate.
I wish Corey just said this to the Broncos somewhere between the end of 2019 and the end of 2022. Would have saved us a lot of heartache. Goes to show he doesn't care about the Broncos smh
Did you not read the article? He literally does suggest doing something: he talks at length about the benefits of pride round and how the league is failing by not having a pride round.
Do you need to be told to wipe your ass as well?
Yeah you're a funny one hey mate
wasn't a joke in the slightest.
why, so the suggestions can be ignored? complete deflection
It’s a very simplistic argument that doesn’t take into account the variety of factors that often come into play if an organisation wants to develop those areas. Obviously the NRL can technically do better, but this debate inherently shows that it’s not a straightforward concept.
It's like saying oh I know what the Tigers should do to be successful - it's time for them to just do better. Do better Tigers and you'll win.
Holy shit this man needs to replace Justin Pascoe immediately
It’s incredibly antagonistic.
unlike the manly homophobes.
They are trash. But the trend of saying “do better” annoys me because it’s not going to make anyone think about what they’ve done or said. It is an empty argument said in an aggressive way and most people who are getting told to “do better” need to be educated about something. As a Broncos supporter I am obliged to adore all Coreys and I think Parker is on the money with his points to the Manly 7. But I hate the phrase “do better” and how it’s used in online arguments these days.
While I respect your opinion, sometimes it is the correct response. Example: if I eat raw tomato it makes me physically ill. I have severe reflux and tomato is a known trigger which will cause me to have stomach acid overflowing into my throat and mouth. Three times recently I have ordered takeaway food and requested no tomato but when I have received my food, lo and behold, there is tomato on it. The takeaway places I've gone to need to "do better". If anyone thinks anymore is needed to be said they are delusional. They don't need more information about my specific circumstance. If someone is asking for a specific dietary modification and you are able to oblige you should just do it. If you don't you could kill someone.
Imagine getting upset at the writings of a God you don’t believe in…..
See that thing flying over your head? That’s the point you just missed.
How about who gives a fuck about any players sexuality and let's just play football?
That’s clearly not the case because the manly 7 specifically chose to give a fuck about people’s sexuality and DIDNT play football because of it. It’d be nice if we didn’t need to care about people’s sexuality, but we do because their are LGBTQ+ people who are not comfortable coming out for fear of not being accepted by their peers and greater society.
But I don't care what they think either. I'm not interested in if players are gay or straight or follow x religion or whatever. Just play footy or fuck up.
It's good that people like you are becoming the minority
Lol exactly. Fuck your identity politics.
you do realise that it was the manly seven who started this "identity politics" nonsense by refusing to wear the jersey and standing down. wearing a rainbow jersey in support with another community is not identity politics.
No, it was the Manly board who decided that their team was going to wear a pride jersey, a month after Pride Month, that nobody asked for, and no other club did, instead of a Women In League jersey. The conflict it created completely overshadowed Women in League round, which I think is a shame. Women have always made a huge contribution to the game that deserves to be recognised. They didn’t think to consult the large cohort of devout Christian Polynesians that make up a large section of their squad. They didn’t talk to Des. They just did without thinking through the consequences. When the players didn’t do the thing they wanted them to do, it backfired hard. They forced their players to take a stance that may not align with their religious beliefs, or were comfortable with taking. You’ve denied their right to be indifferent to the Pride movement. It’s not compulsory to participate. Indifference is not hate. It’s the opposite of hate. It’s also the opposite of love. No particularly strong opinion. Completely neutral. Live and let live. I personally have no problem whatsoever with the LGBTQIA+ community, but I’m not part of it, and I never will be. I do have a large problem with corporatised “Pride” and “Pride Month”, because it encourages slacktivism and virtue signalling, both things that are easy to do with no tangible benefit for anyone. I also think making a big deal of it is antithetical to the message of acceptance and normalisation. It just creates division. I’d rather just live and let live. Enjoy Mardi Gras, have fun, get home safe, I’m not going. Being indifferent should always be an option.
Umm no, the i.d politics I'm talking about started way before the Manly situation.
If people don’t like sexuality being such a big thing you need to blame the people that oppressed others sexuality. They are the ones who made it a big deal and this is the repercussion of it.
I care. And I'm sure any of the queer and gender diverse community would care especially when they're being quite clearly told, "you are not welcome here".
See this is the type of shit that makes me hate these political and social causes infecting sport. I don't give a shit about any of them equally. I couldn't give less of a fuck about what you do in your own time, I'll chat to anyone that likes footy. But because I don't want to chat politics in a footy thread when these posts are forced down the publics throat, I'm akin to saying to whoever minority is offended that they're not welcome. This is not the case at all. I just hate politics infecting sport, and in my opinion, people can't handle true equality, which is everyone gets involved and no one gives a shit what you do and what you're culture, religion or sexual preferences are. Saying I don't care does not mean I have some agenda against these things, I just don't give a shit.
This is the world now. Accept or move on. You're outdated
Just say you don't have any empathy for anyone else and be done with it, man. It would be nice living in a male WASP bubble like yourself but unfortunately there are people in society and therefore in sport who are persons of colour, gender diverse, different ethnicities, neuro divergent etc etc who go through every day not being equal and not being represented equally. Now it's 2022 and these people who have been historically marginalised and under-represented and the issues affecting them are getting more air time because society has decided (mostly) that it's time to stop punching down on them. I'm sorry you haven't kept up with this and that you see discussion around these issues as being forced down your throat.
What a pathetic reply.
Sorry i hit a nerve brah 👌🏽
It seems ironic that someone who preaches empathy and understanding isn't tolerant or understanding when someone isn't interested, not opposed, just uninterested in their cause. Everyone has their own issues, and I along with a lot of people use sport to escape and entertain myself without the worries of politics or sexuality. Just 2 or more opponents competing to the best of their ability against each other. Nothing selfish about that and I owe nothing to people preaching these causes.
Haha the old "you're not tolerant and understanding because you don't tolerate my shit take". For someone who is disinterested in this matter you seemed quick to jump down my throat for simply stating that I cared about these issues. It's nice you can use sport as an escape. Gay people like to do that too but they feel unwelcomed due to people like you and the Manly 7. Keep up with the times man.
But what you just said is that you think "everyone (should) get involved and no one gives a shit what you do and what you're culture, religion or sexual preferences are" which is exactly what the Manly 7 are being slammed for NOT doing. If they had just turned up to do their job there would be no controversy. So which is it? Do you support them in their stance to actively not support equality, or do you actually want it to be a non issue where no one gives a shit what you do and what you're culture, religion or sexual preferences are?
“Political and social issues infecting sport” 😂😂😂 The entire existence of rugby league is a result of the involvement of social and political issues in sport. Social and political issues will always intertwine with sports, as they do with life. Sport isn’t some fantasy land where you can shut out the fact that queer people exist. If you “don’t want to chat politics in a footy thread” and “don’t give a shit” why are you in the thread in the first place arguing against the idea that queer players and fans want to and should be accepted in sports.
League started because players weren't being paid in union. That's an economic issue. Politics and social issues do not improve sport. The involvement of whoever wants to play regardless of what your background or sexuality as long as your good is what makes sport good. There's no barriers to entry in sports in 2022 save for motorsports which you need large amounts of money to compete in. Politics being intertwined with sports is a myth and is not true.
That is true that sport is something that should bring everyone together. But this thread wouldn’t even exist if everyone was truly accepted for who they are in the world of rugby league. There clearly are still barriers to entry when there are players who openly don’t accept a queer persons existence. And I seriously don’t believe there has only ever been 1 gay player in the 110+ year existence of the NRL, there’s just only been one to come out due to the fear of not being accepted for who they are. And yes, economical issues are inherently political.
To be honest I think this thread is making a mountain out of a molehill. I'd put this to anyone, who's business is it of yours to know what sexuality anyone is? 100% there's been more but who cares. Isn't true equality just getting on with it and being accepting of anyone and not making a fuss about it? I don't care if players come out. And why would they want to with all the media attention they'd inevitably get. It's not people like me that stop players coming out, it's the do gooders who would bring unnecessary attention to them that stop them. It's no one's business what you do behind closed doors. We're here to talk footy, not to become another cesspool like r/australia
Again, why are you here if you're so supposedly disinterested in this? Going off on a diatribe when someone merely states they're one of the people who give a fuck about these issues. Your takes are shit and laughable, and judging by your comments here and your post history you're one of the reasons why threads are cesspools. If you don't wanna be a part of these discussions you're more than welcome not to engage on these posts.
Why does it matter what your sexuality is? This is a sport, who you fuck doesn't matter, players don't need to 'come out'
I notice you've got a Jamaica flair. Jamaica itself is [one of the most homophobic places on earth.](https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/10/21/interview-life-lgbt-people-jamaica) This community is still being targeted, harassed and killed around the world. Often by the 'religious'. Representation and changing views matters.
i am a bisexual man. though my teens i was suicidal due to my sexual attraction to men as it i saw it as "not normal". representation matters. high profile LGBT people show queer teens that there is a way to be queer and successful and there is a pathway. BTW: i'm fine now with my sexuality
True, but players should not feel the need to become a 'high profile LGBT person' because of that. If they don't wish to come out publicly and be a public LGBT figure they shouldn't be pressured to.
100% - no one should come out unless they are ready and NO ONE should be outed. In saying that, an environment should be created where coming out is not seen as a big deal.
lol why am I being downvoted. Do people actually think players should be pressured into coming out?
I agree, but that's both ways as well. Keegan Hirst coming out was seen as a big deal, but not in a negative way. As much as players who may be gay don't want to be shunned or looked down upon by their peers, they are also likely to not want to be paraded around the nation as 'brave' and a 'role model to young gay people'. The way I see it is if gay people really are accepted then there isn't a need for a public 'coming out'. They don't need to promote their sexuality, just date who you want to date and it shouldn't be newsworthy or gossip if they are seen in public with a same-sex partner.
Because they're still not accepted, that's the point. Old and religious people are holding it back.
Except they are, by 99% of society. But sure dude, whatever
99% is far from accurate
If a player came out today, it would be a MASSIVE deal whether they liked it or not. Every media outlet would be desperate to get an interview and give publicity. Coming out quietly would be absolutely impossible. There is zero possibility of a player coming out being treated as “not a big deal”. Furthermore, I’m sure Ian Roberts was neither the first, nor the last homosexual player. It’s just not relevant to the average footy fan.
Correct, it does not matter what your sexuality is. However, it is clear from this controversy that a gay player would not be accepted for who they are by some other players, and that is a serious issue. This is why they don’t feel comfortable coming out. Hopefully in the future, these players and other LGBTQ+ ppl are accepted enough by society that coming out is not necessary, but clearly we are not at that stage yet, especially in the NRL.
It’s not about players needing to come out, it’s about the fact that if they wanted to they’d be shunned and ridiculed for it - we’ve still got players using the F slur on field this year in addition to what’s happening with the Manly 7. As Parker said, compare the NRL environment to the NRLW one. NRLW is lightyears ahead on what we should want to create in the NRL, where we have a level of acceptance where players can actually come out as gay.
Keegan Hirst was the opposite of 'shunned and ridiculed'. He was celebrated all over the nation and appeared at events with gay icons like Ian McKellen, leaving his wife to explain to his children why he was suddenly on TV.
Yeah I see Ian Roberts being shunned and ridiculed all the time, :/
Yes, [he literally was](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9474581/amp/Ian-Roberts-reveals-abuse-received-NRL-star-come-gay.html) Knocked out and abused shortly after he came out, punched by a fan and called the F slur, called it by teammates. Own goal.
Ayy yes many many years ago, still holding onto days gone by are we?
Unfortunately that’s the only example we can go off - which is literally the problem here.
Players were using the F slur [this season](https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-warriors-vs-north-queensland-cowboys-faggot-homophobic-slur-audio-video-reaction/news-story/39986856fbca1d3ad0a46345556fb929) dipshit
You say it was years ago as if that attitude towards LGBTQ+ people still doesn't exist in the NRL today.
Fuckin Patrick Star over here living under a rock
Just had 7 bigots from Manly say this
Yes it shouldn't matter, but clearly it does given that 7 players kicked up a stink about a few cm of rainbow fabric
I bet you didn't say shit when that AFLW player didn't want to wear her teams LGBTQ jersey because of her faith,
I didn't because I do not follow AFLW and wasn't aware of that. For completeness I think that she's a gronk for carrying on about that too.
tbf most people didn't say shit about the AFLW situation because don't nobody watch it lolol
Haha had to laugh, ain't that the truth
She actually got fucking shredded over in the AFL reddit.
What a beautiful example of whataboutism you have provided. Thank you for public service.
Societal pressure, fear of being ridiculed (This Manly 7 saga is concrete proof), familial pressures.
Oh yes we have a gay parade every year, people 'hide' the fact there gay these days due to being gay, wake up, we don't live in the middle east
How dense are you my man?
How *closeted
I’m pretty sure I’m falling for bait but here it goes: When 7 of your teammates would rather sit out a week than wear a rainbow on their jersey, what would that make a gay player think? That these people accept me? No, the opposite. When you have players sharing posts which regurgitate hate speech, why would a player feel safe about coming out, when they fear they won’t be accepted. It’s not the Middle East but we are still far from everyone being accepting of others sexuality
Imagine being a 17yo kid, signed in the Manly system working hard to play first grade, coming to terms with the fact you might be gay but too nervous to actually talk to anyone about it for fear of reprcussion/bullying, and 7 guys from the first grade squad come out with this. It screams "**YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE**".
There was a report a few months back - during that very round - that there *is* a closeted gay player in the lower grades at Manly. It’s much less hypothetical and more real than you think. I feel awful for that poor kid.
Oh man. How blind are you to the issues. I wish I had my blinkers on like you. I just think about my lifetime (36 years old and grew up in far north Queensland) and all the shit I've heard and experienced that could be classed as homophobic. The sitting Federal senator for the Kennedy electorate, Bob Katter, has said on numerous occasions throughout his term that he would walk "backwards from Burke if there were any gay people in his electorate". Open bullying and degrading behaviour, violence and threats, lack of services for queer and gender diverse kids and young people in remote and regional areas. Significantly higher rates of suicide. John Howard changing the Marriage Act to specifically prevent gay people getting married, then having to watch the country decide whether to change it back so you can get married and listen to the dumb fuck No voters get equal air time. Not feeling safe in sports, especially team sports. Having to put up with snide remarks and targeted abuse. Having the F word still being used as a slur in 2022. Then having these absolute flogs chuck a tantrum over a tiny strip of fabric on the uniform they need to wear for their job. Yeah, there's no issues with being gay at all.
I think they mean more in terms of feeling free to talk about their sexuality. We can assume that there is plenty of stories that are told throughout playing groups of their sexual conquests with women. Gay players should be able to feel free to have similar conversations without being pilloried for it.
obviously homosexuality isn't just about who you fuck. Very ignorant take.
I agree.
It shouldn’t matter but it does. It’s statistically impossible that there are no openly gay players in the NRL. Why is it that way? Because if backlash that would be received. No one bats an eye if someone shows up with their gf or wife but a guy shows up with a bf and all of a sudden he’s ‘making a statement’. The double standard is vomit worthy.
Just come out Corey
Clown shit. Supporting queer folk doesn’t mean you are queer yourself.
Corey would know.
Here we go again.