Anti-gay "stolen generation" flyers left on cars protesting AFL Pride match

Footy has come a long way in recent times. Once the bastion of non-poofterism, today big efforts are being made to be inclusive of all people, including those who are in same sex relationships. In that vein there is an AFL Pride match planned for August 13th.

News of this Pride match has reached an Australian anti-gay extremist organisation, who claims that same sex parents that deny a mother or father because of their same sex relationship, are creating "another stolen generation". As always, extremism like this is deeply offensive. That didn't stop them though from leaving these disgusting pamphlets on cars at a recent AFL run of the mill game.

For those not Australians, the stolen generations refers to the generations of Aboriginal people, who had their children stolen off them to be bought up in white christian orphanages. It caused deep unfathomable pain for Aboriginal people, to the point of Australian PM Kevin Rudd giving an official apology broadcast across the nation for what the whites did back then in taking their kids from them.

To have marriage equality compared to said stolen generations is deeply offensive for all LGBT people. More so deeply offensive to Aboriginal people, not only being reminded of the pain caused all those years ago but to have it diminished in describing what in reality are loving modern families of today.

Is this the sort of bullshit that's going to be on the airwaves, funded by the gov, during a plebiscite on marriage equality? Likely yes.

The leaflet, which opposed the AFL's first Pride match scheduled for August 13 at Etihad Stadium, included a link to the anti-marriage equality website another-stolen-generation.com and stated it was authorised by B Keogh, of Loddon Valley near Bendigo, who appears to run the site. 

Saints chief executive Matt Finnis lobbied the league for the Pride match in a bid to stamp out homophobia and celebrate diversity in sport. 

He was inspired by country footballer Jason Ball – the first gay player at any level of the game to come out – who has held a Pride Cup at his Yarra Glen club for the past three years. 

At the events, 50 metre lines were painted rainbow colours and teams wore rainbow jumpers, and coaches and players underwent anti-homophobia education. 

Finnis said plans for the landmark game at elite level were well under way and the club would not be deterred by those who oppose the fixture. 

"We understand that people will want to use our game and what we stand for in terms of celebrating diversity as a means to push their own political agenda but that misses the point of what we're doing and why we're doing it," he said. 

"We are having a Pride match because pride is the opposite of shame. Nobody should feel ashamed of their race, religion or sexuality." The Age  

Gay footy player Jason Ball