My son came home from last night’s and this morning’s hockey matches with a rainbow coloured band round his wrist with which he was playing on which were printed the words “Fair go, sport!” This is a pilot campaign launched last year by Sports Minister Mark Arbib and it’s some kind of joint venture between the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, and Hockey Australia and Hockey Victoria.
This is from Hockey Victoria’s press release.
Hockey teams around Victoria stand up for fairness and equality
This weekend, hockey clubs around Victoria will throw their support behind Fair go, sport! – a unique project that celebrates sexual and gender diversity in sport by increasing awareness and promoting safe and inclusive sporting environments for everyone.
For the first time ever, Hockey Victoria will host a Fair go, sport! hockey round from Friday 20 July until Wednesday 25 July, comprising of 650 hockey teams of all ages from around the state.
Acting Commissioner Karen Toohey said it was fantastic to see so many clubs getting behind Fair go, sport! and doing what they can to send a strong message that there is no place for homophobia in sport.
“By wearing the Fair go, sport! rainbow socks and wristbands, each team is saying that a player’s sexuality should no longer be cause for comment,” Ms Toohey said.
Wonderful initiative I reckon. Good on all involved. Reminds me of one of my favourite pictures (above).
Excellent concept. I’m disgusted though that someoe a ignorant as Stephanie Rice is in the Australian Olympic team after posting onTwitter a grossly offensive pejorative term specifically directed against homosexuals. An offence of this nature merited banning for life.
Part of the problem is that children are taught merely to “tolerate” gay lifestyles.
Something much more positive is required. We must be taught to celebrate gay life as something to be proud of, even something to aspire to, in much the same way as the community is being instructed to revere aboriginality.
Odd that it would start with hockey, a pretty minor sport (one that I played through school and Uni).
we just got some bumph from AusKick (man the AFL spend a lot of money on that), the two kiddies on the front cover, one was a girl, the other one was African.
Not many girls or Africans doing AusKick in Gippsland! But I did manage a conversation with by six year old about it.