Doug PollardMELBOURNE, HOME OF TENNIS & TOLERANCE
20 January 2012.
MELBOURNE IS THE HOME OF TENNIS AND TOLERANCE.
NO PLACE FOR HOMOPHOPIA AND DISCRIMINATION HERE.
NO PLACE FOR HOMOPHOPIA AND DISCRIMINATION HERE.
The State Labor Member for Albert Park, Martin Foley, today calls on all those involved in the Tennis and Sporting communities to stand up for the rights of Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex members of our community- and to repudiate the comments and position of former tennis Champion Margaret Court on the issue.
“Margaret Court is no doubt a legend of Australian Tennis – Her achievements from a previous generation of tennis make her well qualified to comment on tennis. But her Tennis achievements from a previous generation give her no right to fuel discrimination and homophobia in this generation.” Mr Foley said.
“The notion that her religious views can be used to justify hurtful, indeed hateful attitudes, to our same sex attracted community deserves the strongest condemnation.
“Despite significant efforts and improvements in the rights framework and community attitudes to our GLBTI community the fact that these comments can be still be made show just how far we have to go to build a genuine framework of equality of rights and opportunities.” Mr Foley said.
“I call upon all those many Tennis fans, Tennis Australia and the Australian Open to take a stand for diversity, tolerance and an inclusive sporting culture. Don’t just take the view that these are the harmless comments of some old out of touch champion.
“Today the debate is at the tennis.
I therefore call upon Tennis Australia to:
• Support the display of Rainbow Paraphernalia at the Australian Open and at Margaret Court Arena in particular in its final week of matches.
Rainbow Flags Over Margaret Court Arena
• Publicly commit to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission “Fair Go Sport” campaign to promote sexual and gender diversity
Victorian Human Rights Commission
This incident is a timely reminder about how far we have still to go to achieve equality and recognition of the rights of our GLBTI community. Coming on the back as it does of the 2011 Baillieu Governments wind back of Equal Opportunity Laws the challenge is still there to achieve a genuine rights based framework for GLBTI Victorians.
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