On My Soapbox and Not A Challenge In Sight - Bigots

So I hear on the way to work this morning that Jason Akermanis has urged gay AFL players to stay in the closest - oh please Mr Akermanis - why should you have an opinion that is so bigoted.

Oh I see that you say it might make other players (you??) uncomfortable because Australian Rules Footy is just not ready.

So I assume that is because you and other AFL players think that when a person is gay they can not control their sexual urges? Sorry, I think you might be a little wrong there.

I always knew you were an idiot, and now you have quite publicly confirmed the fact.

If gay members of our society are ever to be accepted then it is in bastions of maleness like footy clubs that the first steps need to be made. I don't think it hurt Rugby when Ian Roberts announced he was gay.

I also see that Mr Akermanis thinks it is okay for gay sports women to come out - would that be because of your fantasy factor - oh sorry that was a little off of me wasn't it. I just did the same as you made an assumption of why it is more widely accepted. But see if I make an assumption it is not newsworthy - you on the other hand have a responsibility to think of the wider picture if you are going to be the spokesman for all of AFL.

One can only hope you never have a gay child Mr Akermanis - for God only knows how you would handle that. If this outburst is anything to go by - not well I would think.

Me on the other - I am proud of my gay children - oh and I treat all my children the same, I don't make assumptions that they are perverts because of their sexual preference - gay or not. Maybe you could learn a lesson here?

Bigotry Boycott

Last year I made a decision to boycott watching Channel Nine's Today Show - I also sent an email to them, they said they would get back to me, they never have. And so I have refused to watch the show ever since. We are one of the Neilson TV rating families and I hope at some point they ask why when I log in, if Channel 9's Today Show is on it gets turned off immediately.

Now what happened may not seem a big deal to a lot of people, but I was outraged as never before that someone could show such blatant bigotry and not be censored in any way. Now I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but when you are one of the hosts (although not the co-anchors) of a high rating TV show, you should keep your outdated offensive comments to yourself.

What set me off I hear you ask, well it was over a newspaper article that stated that in Queensland (that other forward thinking State - not) there was a proposal that Year 12 gay students should not be able to bring same sex partners to their Year 12 Ball/Formals. Now that in itself made my blood boil, but then that self-righteous bigot Cameron had the audacity to not only agree with the proposal but to liken a young gay man/women bringing a same sex partner as being exactly the same as a student bringing hard drugs to a formal and handing them out. What sort of idiot is this man? I don't care if he is a fundamentalist Christian or just an uneducated fool, how dare he make such a statement on television as a Channel 9 employee. Different if he was someone asked to comment but he is in a position to influence others because he is a face that is regularly on TV. He went on and on about how it could influence other kids to try it out - come on as if kids need any encouragement to try anything out, if they want to they do. What it does do is make kids aware that it is okay to be different to the norm, that you don't have to live a lie, that if you are gay your can also have a loving relationship. What did he think the gay kids were going to do, have sex on the dance floor, because all gay people are perverts? Please - get real.

So vote with your television remote - if you ever have a reason to take offence at something a TV personality, co-host, anchor or the like says - that comes from their own prejudices refuse to watch.

Here is my email:

As the mother of a gay son, who came out at 15, how wonderful it would have been for him to go to his school formal with his partner if he had one at that time. My son, knew he was gay from a young age, has never doubted his sexuality and is loved and supported by his whole family.

Cameron, I hope that you never have a gay son or daughter, because your backward, bigoted attitude is a disgrace and I doubt you would have the compassion to support what it is a hard road for your child. How dare you sit in judgement and compare a personal sexuality with taking illegal drugs.

The world needs less people like you, especially espousing their outdated opinions in the media.