35 minutes ago, Vandenberger With The Lot said:

I'm more of a lurker than a poster, but just wanted to highlight this comment as it kind of gets to the heart of it. Statistics would say there is a better than 60% chance there is a gay player on the field in any given game of football.

I personally know one ex-footballer who is gay and has chosen not to come out, even now after he is retired.

He doesn't want to come out because one, the footy public is ruthless, both at the games and on social media, and two, he felt there would be a lot of pressure put on him being the first openly gay player. He was worried that media in their quest to do the right thing would make him a poster boy, and he just didn't want the spotlight and inevitable abuse that would bring.

Even if you were to put aside the crowd and general public who have to hear these things, you can't say that there is no victim.

I doubt it's quite at the level of the Simpsons episode of Homer taking his son to a steel mill to 'make' him straight only to find every steelworker was gay. But I wouldn't be surprised if some bigots watch games and players at times thinking how masculine and hot-blooded and straight the whole thing is(!) Who knows - it may be so the other way that every match since 1976 has included a gay (or bi-curious) footballer!

It's just a small noisy minority that kick up a fuss. But, yeah, there's little reward and lots of potential grief for the first dozen/hundred/thousand outed players. Cripes... even a player from the 90's would be silly to now come out on something like Australian Story or a Sunday papers magazine article.

3 minutes ago, Go Ds said:

I doubt it's quite at the level of the Simpsons episode of Homer taking his son to a steel mill to 'make' him straight only to find every steelworker was gay. But I wouldn't be surprised if some bigots watch games and players at times thinking how masculine and hot-blooded and straight the whole thing is(!) Who knows - it may be so the other way that every match since 1976 has included a gay (or bi-curious) footballer!

It's just a small noisy minority that kick up a fuss. But, yeah, there's little reward and lots of potential grief for the first dozen/hundred/thousand outed players. Cripes... even a player from the 90's would be silly to now come out on something like Australian Story or a Sunday papers magazine article.

why on earth would they. the whole premise of sexual preference is that its an individual thing. common knowlege players going back to the 70s lived openly as gay men and all their teamates and the public knew.

i could name names but I wont do that.

2 hours ago, 48 Year Now said:

Malicious untrue story

to be true AFL has a policy of privste first warning for homosexual slurs

would be an in confidence agreement Adelaide has just broken

would also mean Adelaide putting Isak under a bus.

just give it a rest. he has 4 weeks, going to miss a finals campaign , likely regret his action for life.

You’re STILL here?!

#MoreFarewellsThanJohnFarnham

26 minutes ago, 48 Year Now said:

why on earth would they. the whole premise of sexual preference is that its an individual thing. common knowlege players going back to the 70s lived openly as gay men and all their teamates and the public knew.

i could name names but I wont do that.

Huh? Why would gay people ever out themselves? So they have normal lives. So they don't have a big secret - and most big secrets are wrapped in shame or self-loathing - so why possibly feel ashamed? So they don't hide. So they know that teenagers now struggling with this same burden realise they're not alone and they're really not some kind of freak (and don't take their lives). Was this what you were asking?

2 hours ago, 48 Year Now said:

Malicious untrue story

When you say “Malicious untrue story” pray tell you’re NOT referring to this…

18 hours ago, Dee in a Kilt said:

I've heard more context making the sanction and AFL's stance clearer.

Adelaide Crows played North last Saturday. There was an invite-only Friday lunch in which the Crows CEO, Footy Manager and a couple of other Crows leaders spoke. There was blunt discussion on the Rankine episode.

It was said Rankine made a homophobic slur earlier in the season. The AFL found out, was angered and gave Rankine a firm first and last warning. Thus the intolerance with the latest episode.

One of the Collingwood backs, who spent much of the game on Rankine, had recently done an Insta post showing off nail polish on one of his hands. Rankine made a deal about this with the homophobic slur.

Given this and the impact on this vulnerable community mentioned in this thread, Rankine is lucky to have only 4 weeks.

The discussion also made mention of the extraordinary impact Nibbler has made at the Crows. His leadership has been exceptional - and there were no Dees supporters in the audience...

Because if you are, let me tell you something you clearly don’t yet know… Dee in a Kilt is not one who’s given to lying or even embellishing. If he tells you something happened, it happened and it happened exactly as he’s described.

If Dee in a Kilt’s post IS NOT to what you were referring... Ignore what I’ve said. Ignoring something should be easy for you.

Edited 20 hours ago20 hr by Ghostwriter

3 minutes ago, Go Ds said:

Huh? Why would gay people ever out themselves? So they have normal lives. So they don't have a big secret - and most big secrets are wrapped in shame or self-loathing - so why possibly feel ashamed? So they don't hide. So they know that teenagers now struggling with this same burden realise they're not alone and they're really not some kind of freak (and don't take their lives). Was this what you were asking?

no it wasnt. sexuality as the gay community have said for decades is no one elses business. And as i have said many ex players going back to VFL days made no secret of being gay or being involved in gay activities.

No big deal. Gays have always been part of footy, as players, as club officials, as trainers, cheer squads, supporters and members of social clubs. i know this from being involved in two VFL clubs, both big Clubs.

As to why no one would go on 60 minutes or similar. The media would be in a frenzy and what if that person , like all of us, being human, was not a good role model. What then?

im really stuggling with what more , some people want.

i said before i have done my last post. now i am going to log out of demonland . Enjoy the rest of your footy supporting as the game gets more dictated and separated to by interest groups.

4 minutes ago, 48 Year Now said:

Enjoy the rest of your footy supporting as the game gets more dictated and separated to by interest groups.

Awwww. Somebody needs a big (non-gay) hug.

7 minutes ago, 48 Year Now said:

no it wasnt. sexuality as the gay community have said for decades is no one elses business. And as i have said many ex players going back to VFL days made no secret of being gay or being involved in gay activities.

No big deal. Gays have always been part of footy, as players, as club officials, as trainers, cheer squads, supporters and members of social clubs. i know this from being involved in two VFL clubs, both big Clubs.

As to why no one would go on 60 minutes or similar. The media would be in a frenzy and what if that person , like all of us, being human, was not a good role model. What then?

im really stuggling with what more , some people want.

i said before i have done my last post. now i am going to log out of demonland . Enjoy the rest of your footy supporting as the game gets more dictated and separated to by interest groups.

I just want to know that homophobic slurs aren't flung about on the football field. Someone at my workplace was sacked for doing the same. It would also be great if there were great gay footballer role models who helped gay youth come to terms with their difference and everyone be less homophobic. But I've already said I don't expect this.

As for interest groups ruining the game when teams start the game with one performing the Haka and the other dresses in leather and lipsyncs I Will Survive I'll get back to you.

Well, this is timely. Former West Coast player Mitch Brown has openly identified as bisexual.

https://thedailyaus.com.au/sport/first-openly-bisexual-afl-player-26-08-2025

Edited 19 hours ago19 hr by Demonstone

3 hours ago, Vandenberger With The Lot said:

I'm more of a lurker than a poster, but just wanted to highlight this comment as it kind of gets to the heart of it. Statistics would say there is a better than 60% chance there is a gay player on the field in any given game of football.

I personally know one ex-footballer who is gay and has chosen not to come out, even now after he is retired.

He doesn't want to come out because one, the footy public is ruthless, both at the games and on social media, and two, he felt there would be a lot of pressure put on him being the first openly gay player. He was worried that media in their quest to do the right thing would make him a poster boy, and he just didn't want the spotlight and inevitable abuse that would bring.

Even if you were to put aside the crowd and general public who have to hear these things, you can't say that there is no victim.

Timing of this comment. Probably not who you are referring to but former West Coast player Mitch Brown has come out as bi.

1 hour ago, 48 Year Now said:

i said before i have done my last post. now i am going to log out of demonland

Goodbye Farnsy 👋

12 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Well, this is timely. Former West Coast player Mitch Brown has openly identified as bisexual.

https://thedailyaus.com.au/sport/first-openly-bisexual-afl-player-26-08-2025

I just got an alert on this and was going to post it. This article underscores lots of the discussions we’ve been having on this board. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-27/afl-mitch-brown-first-openly-bisexual-man-in-league-history/105702662

I honestly don’t know what people’s obsession is with concerning themselves with who an individual (legally) sleeps with.

18 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I honestly don’t know what people’s obsession is with concerning themselves with who an individual (legally) sleeps with.

I do take your point and I hope eventually it's only relevant..... when it's relevant. Think about that. As an employer it's not relevant. As ....well almost anything it's not relevant. But when someone is talking about their same-sex partner and / or non-hetero love life then it's relevant. (And it's relevant any time someone's trying to make out gay or similar people are somehow lesser or deserve to die.or suffer horribly.)

On 24/08/2025 at 21:33, 48 Year Now said:

Sorry to hear your story but surely that is a personal situation that has nothing to do with Rankine

It’s a shame old mate 48 YN has gone* because I’d like him to know that I attended my son’s psych appointment this morning and one of the first points of discussion was the ”recent homophobic slur on the football field” which was brought up - not by me - but by the medical professional.

*or has he?

10 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

It’s a shame old mate 48 YN has gone* because I’d like him to know that I attended my son’s psych appointment this morning and one of the first points of discussion was the ”recent homophobic slur on the football field” which was brought up - not by me - but by the medical professional.

*or has he?

As a straight white male (the REAL victim in all of this) I find it offensive that the Psych didn’t bring up how hard it is being a straight white male right outta the gates.

Woke agenda gone mad.

1 hour ago, BoBo said:

As a straight white male (the REAL victim in all of this) I find it offensive that the Psych didn’t bring up how hard it is being a straight white male right outta the gates.

Woke agenda gone mad.

Don't be silly! Obviously the psych is pandering to the son's wellbeing.

On 25/08/2025 at 12:52, 48 Year Now said:

Un named player who doesnt identify as gay. No victim, pretty simple

Oh ffs. A slur is a slur regardless of the person who was targeted.

You can't be this obtuse, surely?

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by Hopeful Demon

I can understand why we have not had a current player come out yet, it is a crappy situation, but i get it.

but i have wondered why, for a while now, a past player that has no connection with football anymore has gone... "Who cares, Yeah I'm Gay"

you do not want to be the First current openly gay player, as the media and public scrutiny would be massive, partly abusive and very distracting. A past player will get a short moment of media, and that is all

but after a few past payers come out, who's lives it will barely effect, it will make it easier for current player to feel comfortable to be themselves in the public eye

4 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Goodbye Farnsy 👋

As a lawyerly person (and there are many on here), the bit I am most interested in is:

"...now i am going to log out of demonland".

Now, words are pretty powerful (topical in this case, with what is said to another human being during a game of footy, as part of one's employment, at the workplace...). Anyway, yeah words are powerful, even if the English language is pretty clumsy.

But in this case, and I will carve out the important bits that I think (should) reflect precise, unambiguous statements of intended action:

"...now...log out"

Not later. And not just close the browser. Log OUT. Admittedly he didn't say forever (one can dream), but still, I never log out of here lol

Let's see if Farnsy takes the hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s for another spin!

Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by Red But Mostly Blue

19 minutes ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

As a lawyerly person (and there are many on here), the bit I am most interest in is:

Damn, and you seemed so nice too 😭

4 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

Damn, and you seemed so nice too 😭

haha if it gives you any comfort at all... I used 'lawyerly' as I don't hold a practising certificate. So, legal qualifications only, although I do work with legislation.

On 23/08/2025 at 09:25, VNightCityLegend said:

It was a throwaway, heat of the moment slur that wasn’t necessarily aiming to target a group of people. A bit of context in this regard would have gone a long way.

With all due respect, the fact that it was in the 'heat of the moment' doesn't make the whole thing less reprehensible.

I've witnessed and been involved in many heated exchanges where no one has even thought of making any slur whatsoever.

He literally could have used hundreds of other names that would have caused far less backlash.

Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by Hopeful Demon

I was a massive Sledger in my football and cricket days, and copped plenty back! I've been called everything and nothing was of limits. I was called a 'White Honky" by a big West Indian quick who played Test cricket, which I laughed of! Still think its pretty funny. In our Woke getting woker society, I can see the thought police right around the corner!

1 minute ago, picket fence said:

I was a massive Sledger in my football and cricket days, and copped plenty back! I've been called everything and nothing was of limits. I was called a 'White Honky" by a big West Indian quick who played Test cricket, which I laughed of! Still think its pretty funny. In our Woke getting woker society, I can see the thought police right around the corner!

Can't wait! 😂