Doug PollardNOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT FRIDAY
SBS Newsreader Anton Enus
Ignore the media hype.
If you are on Twitter, the message is:
There is nothing special about Friday: fly your #RainbowsOverMCA ALL WEEKEND!!
There have been many reports in the mainstream media that there will be some sort of special event or day on Friday. We talked about this on the page but WE NEVER AGREED ON A DAY!!
Chrissy Adam & offending flags & Ivan Hinton
Realistically, it’s not going to happen. Everything has happened so fast, people have been concentrating first and foremost on enjoying the tennis.
There is no ‘organisation’, just a spontaneous coming together, no funds, no offices, no support structure. Next year will be different.
Right now there are very few rainbow flags to be bought in Melbourne. Although we have tried to organise an outlet here it just hasn’t been possible in the time available.
Navratilova's Rainbows!
And frankly, we’ve had more important things to do. If community groups are too flaccid, hidebound and timid to seize a fundraising opportunity when it's staring them in the face, I'm not going to waste energy trying to change their minds.
The measure of our success will not be in the number of rainbows you see at the tennis. It’ll be measured in changes at Tennis Australia.
As we all prepare to enjoy this last weekend of tennis and rainbows I want to ask everyone: what do you want from Tennis Australia now? I want:
Tennis Australia to become a leading pro-active member of the Fair Go Sport program.
Tennis Australia to put in place a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy to cover everything, not just sexism and racism.
Tennis Australia to hoist the Rainbow Flag alongside the Aboriginal Flag and the Australian Flag at all its events and arenas.
Tennis Australia to join with us to host specific gay and lesbian events at the Open as part of the annual Midsumma GLBTIQ festival.
And outside of tennis, I’d like to see all religious run ex-gay activities exposed, investigated and recognised as the crimes they are. At the moment this cultic brainwashing flies under the regulatory radar.
John Vidovich & Luke Harris
As we reach the climax of the Australian Open, I’d like to thank everyone who has written, spoken, or simply lent their name in support of this action so far.
And a huge shout out to Ivan Hinton, who is so much more organised and disciplined that I could ever be. And his long-suffering partner Chris, who has seen what was to have been a one week tennis holiday morph into a maelstrom of campaigning, and his partner suddenly become an activist for the first time.
Christos Tsiolkas, who gave MC a Slap!
From nowhere to national and international notice in a little over two weeks, it has been an amazing journey. It’s been a mad crazy scramble with no office, no money, just some crazy people disgusted by the cult of Margaret Court and the way she abuses the unfortunate gays and lesbians who fall into her clutches.
I’ve done a lot of talking on behalf of the group. But this group is you, not just me.
Let’s have your ideas on the way forward. What will you do to make next year even better? What can you offer? What skills will you exercise on the group’s behalf?
Enjoy a great weekend of tennis. And remember: there is NO SPECIAL DAY – let’s see your rainbows ALL WEEKEND!
Tweet it!
There is nothing special about Friday: fly your #RainbowsOverMCA ALL WEEKEND!!
Doug
