The way to do this is through education, not through filling out a module, and by reading and signing a code of conduct, but from being educated by those who have suffered the debilitating effects of being subject to homophobia. Perhaps, also, a code specifically for verbal comments dealing with racial and homophobic remarks is needed, outlining the attached penalties. It has been suggested the penalty could be a combination of suspension and financial consequences, on a ratio basis linked to salary.
This stain on the game is not confined to men’s competitions; AFLW players are also subject to it, at least from the outside. Last year’s Pride Round was sullied by homophobic online remarks aimed at Richmond’s Kate Dempsey following the publication of a picture of the player with her child. In supporting her, the club said, “There is zero tolerance for homophobia, discrimination or any form of hate in our game. In short, everyone has the right to feel safe.”
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And yet, there are players, the victims of homophobic slurs, who still feel a little less safe because of what has been flung at them. Football, of course, is a game of passion, hard knocks and touches of genius. Personal slurs diminish the game and demean the victim. It may be impossible to eradicate sledging, but it should not be to remove the stain from these kinds of remarks. That would be a day to celebrate.
The AFL must lead on this issue and be unequivocal about what’s acceptable or not. In a little over a month, the grand final will be held. Looking from the outer, it shouldn’t be too hard a thing to arrange entertainment. This year the centrepiece act is American rapper Snoop Dogg.
Not everyone is rapt. In defending the choice, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said: “We want grand final day to be an unforgettable celebration of footy … Snoop fits that brief better than anyone.” There may be an unintended irony in that remark.
Snoop Dogg came up through the ranks of rapperdom on a platform of sexist, misogynistic views. That may well have been the audience to which he was performing, but context comes into play here. Many are questioning the choice on a day of family entertainment.
This is not about his music, per se, but about the merging of messages the AFL is bringing to the game and its fans. The boundary lines of what is in or out should not be so blurred.
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