The Australian Rugby Union recently announced their intention to create a policy to stamp out homophobia.
Like clockwork, there were some who began questioning the priorities of the Australian Rugby Union in pursuing such a policy while the Wallabies were…well…being challenged on the pitch.
It occurred to me that many people may simply regard rugby as a game played at peak competition, failing to recognise the value of the union that acts as a foundation for the game.
While rugby union is a game of strength, skill and speed, it remains a game of different body types and specific skill sets played across all levels ages and abilities. And sexuality.
Rugby union has always been a sport that has challenged stereotypes. With a history dating back to 1864 in Australia, it is fondly remembered by some as a sport for every body.
The Melbourne Chargers, Brisbane Hustlers and Sydney Convicts have been challenging amateur rugby union clubs for a number of years to stamp out homophobia on sporting fields, to create a game for everybody, with various levels of success.
They have long stood for inclusiveness and a fair go for all in sport but it has sometimes been a struggle to find broader support at the grassroots level for such a movement.
They exist because there is a need. But they shouldn’t have to.
In local competitions, homophobia in sport is still common and is often a barrier for young people playing sport.
But the issue is now starting to get the attention it needs with major codes around the world starting to adopt anti-homophobia policies.
It’s sad to think of the talent that may have been lost over the years because the right environment and support mechanisms didn’t exist.
As Australian gay and inclusive rugby teams come together in Melbourne for the annual gay rugby fixture, the Purchas Cup, a discussion about how best to tackle homophobia in sport at all levels of the game is underway.
To complement the inclusion policy, regional rugby teams throughout New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland will soon have the opportunity to hold joint training sessions with gay rugby teams from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, with a particular focus on teams that may not be exposed to many gay and lesbian people.
Resources for coaches and sporting team management will help them deal with and reduce homophobia in their organisations and a ‘Sporting Heroes End Homophobia’ ambassador program will set the right tone from our sporting role models.
Those participating and speaking out against homophobia in rugby union already include John Eales, Nick Farr-Jones, David Pocock and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
The opportunity is there for Australia to lead the way in shaping an inclusive sporting culture that fosters growth at the grassroots level, provides options to maintain engagement with talent and builds a solid support base in a competitive market.
Much of the credit for this work must go to the Bingham Cup organisers who have created the momentum and environment for change.
But we have strong leadership in rugby union, both players and administrators, to create the change needed so players feel accepted, regardless of the level of play.
In the end, the only thing that should matter when you’re running onto the pitch with fourteen of your best mates is that you’ve got the right mix of strength, skill and speed to win.
After all, rugby union is a sport for everybody.
Bruce Willey
Guest
Beautiful response Seedy , I attended the Bingham cup and I saw first hand the spirit of rugby being held
Jason Clarke
Roar Rookie
Sounds like he is in the closet...He should remember gay people cant have babies...So why do hetrosexuals keep making gay babies,my parents were straight & im gay.
Ian
Guest
They choose to form their own team so that they can be themselves and not have to hold their tongue when there is a sexist or homophobic jokes, comments and slurs that are constantly thrown around, you only have to attend a social event at a club to notice these. This is not necessarily a Rugby problem but a social problem that modern society in general is slowly fixing, very slowly though.
Ian
Guest
Who shares ice baths? we usually just fill up wheelie bins and climb in, only one person fits. I have shared a room with a gay man before, as long as they know your orientation there is no issue.
Chikwa
Guest
Nobody should doubt their rugby ability .After all women can play rugby too.The only issues arise when the socialing takes place after the game.The banter that goes with a few drinks.Will you tolerate sexual innuendo about the favourite players in the game?Will you tolerate your fellow males making passes at you? Will you tolerate being eyed up in the shower? If the answer is yes then no worries.Discrimination is wrong but you have to find a way to deal with the practicalities of " integration" As I wrote ealier there is a reason that public houses , hotels, gyms have a ladies and gents.
Chikwa
Guest
Nobody should doubt their rugby ability .After all women can play rugby too.The only issues arise when the socialing takes place after the game.The banter that goes with a few drinks.Will you tolerate sexual innuendo about the favourite players in the game?Will you tolerate your fellow males making passes at you? Will you tolerate being eyed up in the shower? If the answer is yes then no worries.Discrimination is wrong but you have to find a way to deal with the practicalities of " integration" As I wrote ealier there is a reason that public houses , hotels, gyms have a ladies and gents.
Chikwa
Guest
Nobody should doubt their rugby ability .After all women can play rugby too.The only issues arise when the socialing takes place after the game.The banter that goes with a few drinks.Will you tolerate sexual innuendo about the favourite players in the game?Will you tolerate your fellow males making passes at you? Will you tolerate being eyed up in the shower? If the answer is yes then no worries.Discrimination is wrong but you have to find a way to deal with the practicalities of " integration" As I wrote ealier there is a reason that public houses , hotels, gyms have a ladies and gents.
Chikwa
Guest
Your character is too be admired but the consequences of promoting gays in rugby has its complications.Would you be willing to share an ice bath with a gay man? Would you be willing to share a room with a gay man?
Jannie
Guest
It's pretty sad that in this day and age gay men should find it necessary to form a rugby team exclusively for gay men. Maybe if the objective was primarily partying, rather than love of the game, that would make sense. I would rather see teams convened on other sorts of criteria, such as Geographic location. I am also uneasy with teams convened to represent racial or cultural groups. It would be better if rugby teams had a clear gay friendly policy, to enable the development of the game, and the easy contribution of a talented segment of our society.
bennalong
Guest
Sorry fellas I don't think rugby has to take any particular stance on sexuality. It has nothing to do with the rules, and tolerance is not something restricted to race or sexual preference. Did this "move" spring from a specific incident or series of incidents? If so I would better understand. I'm happy for homosexual men who want to form their own team. It certainly challenges preconceived ideas. But since there are no exclusively heterosexual teams that I know of, I fail to see there's a burning issue here for rugby.
Twologs
Guest
The two most popular guys on the field will be the hookers :)
peterlala
Guest
Cheers, it's open to debate. Even so, I don't think it's better to slander all Australian sport, rather than just rugby.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Sandbox - I love sport but I don't take it that seriously - it's escapist entertainment a male version of soap opera, it doesn't really matter if the All blacks flog us by fifty life goes on unchanged (unless you don't have a life) the fourth estate means the political media and that does matter!
Glenn Innes
Guest
Interesting given the bulk of Australias elite Rugby players come from Christian Schools and Christianity of both the protestant and Catholic variety regards homosexuality as sinful.Just shows how dominant the cultural revolution of the sixties and seventies now is. Imagine if the post christian brothers clubs that exist throughout QLD were to draw a line in the sand and refuse to play against such teams, the commissars of pc would be at their throat in an instant.
Garth
Guest
Apartheid, democracy......
Mike
Guest
"Like clockwork, there were some who began questioning the priorities of the Australian Rugby Union in pursuing such a policy while the Wallabies were…well…being challenged on the pitch." Indeed, Michael, and with good reason. A single-issue group trying to hijack rugby for their own agenda. If you want to play rugby, play it. Don't try to soak up publicity in order to further your particular cause, whether its gay rights, save the whales or spelling reform.
Wii
Guest
Some of the blokes playing in the Falcons team would spook many a so called "straight man" those men hit hard and did not take prisoners. The improvement from their first game to their second was phenomenal.
Dave the Yank
Guest
Gareth Thomas never seemed to have an issue with the physicality of the game. As an aside go the San Francisco Fog!
ph1lstar
Guest
It would be silly to say gay players love the physical contact, and are hard and ready but I've seen the Sydney Convicts play and that's how they play. Full respect.
In Brief
Guest
Your assumption is wrong my friend. The line you refer to talks about sport, not rugby: "In local competitions, homophobia in sport is still common and is often a barrier for young people playing sport." This is confirmed in the next line which refers to 'major codes' i.e. not just rugby: "But the issue is now starting to get the attention it needs with major codes around the world starting to adopt anti-homophobia policies."