Pride March

[avid]

Very very proud of the club turning out in force at St Kilda's Pride March yesterday.
(Pictures on Saints.com.au and on twitter: @stkildafc @jasonball88 etc. (how do you insert a photo on this forum? -- just discovered I have no idea)

Not heaps of players (would have liked a few more) but CEO, COO and many staff made a strong contingent.
Exactly what the club should be doing if it takes its association with St Kilda (the place) seriously.

Thank you Matt and Ameet and staff.
Thank you Jarryn Geary, Tom Hickey, Josh Bruce, Spencer White and (I think) Hugh Goddard for having the conviction to turn up.
[Edit -- who I thought in the photo was maybe Hugh Goddard, is, I'm told, Jason Ball, who started the whole ball rolling in footy.
I apologise for any embarrassment this may have caused, particularly to myself.]

[kosifantutti]

To post a picture.
You need to copy the address of the image, you can usually get this by right clicking on the picture and selecting "Copy image URL" or something similar.
Then go back to the post you are writing on Saintsational. Click the "Img" button and paste your address between the two sets of square brackets.

[Dr Spaceman]

[saintbrat]

last years pic DR?

more pics and responses in Club article.
http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-02-0 ... arching-in

[kosifantutti]

Or Gilbert is in a moon boot again.

[loris]

Or Gilbert is in a moon boot again.

And he hasn't updated his wardrobe............... mustn't be on a good contract!

[saintbrat]

Or Gilbert is in a moon boot again.

last years pic kosi


but I believe he's still not great.

[saint6709]

This gives me real hope and dare I say it belief that Finnis can get us a presence in St Kilda.... Makes me think the
JO is a long way from dead

[avid]

This gives me real hope and dare I say it belief that Finnis can get us a presence in St Kilda.... Makes me think the
JO is a long way from dead

It's true -- there's a fair way to go on this yet.

I've been talking with the "Bring the Saints home" Facebook page people, and this is what they've just posted tonight:

Given there's a lot of questions and points of view on the notion of the saints at the junction, a few of us are thinking of organising a public information evening to allow the Saints and AFL to present their plans and answer questions about it.

Would you be interested in attending such an evening?

How interested are people here to turn up to such a thing?
(Sorry -- this isn't directly on the Pride March -- I'll repost it elsewhere too.)

Still interested in what we think.
And still love a true St Kilda presence in St KIlda.
Sunday was a heartening example.

[Sainternist]

Or Gilbert is in a moon boot again.

And he hasn't updated his wardrobe

Josh Bruce might need to, if the above photo is anything to go by. Or at least he could start wearing socks and roll the legs of his jeans down to normal length. What is it with that trend? Darn hipsters!

[White Winmar]

Forget pride marches, gay Round etc. What would advance the whole gay issue would be if a player actually had the courage to "come out". So far, no takers. Surprising really, seeing as many gay activists tell us that up to ten percent of the population is gay. If that figure was accurate, there should be, on average, about 70 gay players in the AFL.

Even if it's more like two percent, which I believe is a bit closer to the actual mark, there would still be at least fourteen closeted players. In these so called enlightened times, why don't they simply come out? After all, society is so supportive of them, aren't they? Ian Roberts, the NRL star came out in 1996. It was expected that it would prompt a flood of sportsmen coming out, but in the football codes there hasn`t been a single one since. What are they afraid of? Thorpey wasn't burned at the stake and doesn't seem to have suffered too much since his announcement. So what's the issue?

[plugger66]

Forget pride marches, gay Round etc. What would advance the whole gay issue would be if a player actually had the courage to "come out". So far, no takers. Surprising really, seeing as many gay activists tell us that up to ten percent of the population is gay. If that figure was accurate, there should be, on average, about 70 gay players in the AFL.

Even if it's more like two percent, which I believe is a bit closer to the actual mark, there would still be at least fourteen closeted players. In these so called enlightened times, why don't they simply come out? After all, society is so supportive of them, aren't they? Ian Roberts, the NRL star came out in 1996. It was expected that it would prompt a flood of sportsmen coming out, but in the football codes there hasn`t been a single one since. What are they afraid of? Thorpey wasn't burned at the stake and doesn't seem to have suffered too much since his announcement. So what's the issue?

My thinking is that it is likely to mostly be players out of the limelight as most players are. The problem would then be the player would be in the limelight and may not like that. Most players are happy to play their career out without getting publicity. That's my experience anyway. It would be massive news. The 2 you named did it either after their career finished or near the end of their career and both were in the public limelight before they announced it. It would be a huge step for a player especially if they had another 10 years in the system. Unfortunately there are still idiots out there.

[Saints43]

It's not unreasonable that players (and anyone) want to keep their private life, private.

Coming out would mean signing up to be a poster boy for the issue. Not too many would be interested in having the rest of their life defined by who they sleep with.

[spert]

Wasn't there a Hawthorn player in the '60s by the name of Terry Gay?

[Sainternist]

Forget pride marches, gay Round etc. What would advance the whole gay issue would be if a player actually had the courage to "come out". So far, no takers. Surprising really, seeing as many gay activists tell us that up to ten percent of the population is gay. If that figure was accurate, there should be, on average, about 70 gay players in the AFL.

Even if it's more like two percent, which I believe is a bit closer to the actual mark, there would still be at least fourteen closeted players. In these so called enlightened times, why don't they simply come out? After all, society is so supportive of them, aren't they? Ian Roberts, the NRL star came out in 1996. It was expected that it would prompt a flood of sportsmen coming out, but in the football codes there hasn`t been a single one since. What are they afraid of? Thorpey wasn't burned at the stake and doesn't seem to have suffered too much since his announcement. So what's the issue?

My thinking is that it is likely to mostly be players out of the limelight as most players are. The problem would then be the player would be in the limelight and may not like that. Most players are happy to play their career out without getting publicity. That's my experience anyway. It would be massive news. The 2 you named did it either after their career finished or near the end of their career and both were in the public limelight before they announced it. It would be a huge step for a player especially if they had another 10 years in the system. Unfortunately there are still idiots out there.

I would agree that that would be the main concern for any AFL player to come out. Rather than the danger of being ostracized or abused by bigots, they would more than likely come under a barrage of media scrutiny and have their private life disrupted.
Nevertheless, I think it will happen sooner or later. Would be classic if the revelation came on Brownlow Medal night when the one to break the ice attends with their Brownlow date of the same gender.

[saintspremiers]

It may be a good career move for a gay player to come out near the end of his career to create opportunities post footy

[plugger66]

It may be a good career move for a gay player to come out near the end of his career to create opportunities post footy

Seems like a great idea. We wouldn't want to just see a guy come out because he proud of being gay.

[Bunk_Moreland]

Up to the gay player if they want to come out or not.

My only worry is if it is a Saints player, can he kick a footy, tackle, handball and contribute to the team.

Too bad about the father/son though

[Dr Spaceman]

Up to the gay player if they want to come out or not.

My only worry is if it is a Saints player, can he kick a footy, tackle, handball and contribute to the team.

Too bad about the father/son though

Would still be able to father a child surely

[Joe Bloggs]

Um yes technically but probably not going to as he obviously is attracted to men not women. The dude from the pies who went to freo is openly gay , probably explains why he quit .

[Dr Spaceman]

Um yes technically but probably not going to as he obviously is attracted to men not women.

Well perhaps a star female footballer with similar same sex issues may request a "donation".

May lead to a super player being produced

[plugger66]

Um yes technically but probably not going to as he obviously is attracted to men not women. The dude from the pies who went to freo is openly gay , probably explains why he quit .

I suggest the person who left isn't openingly gay otherwise we would know about him. I suggest its a unfounded rumour.

[st.byron]

I suggest the person who left isn't openingly gay otherwise we would know about him. I suggest its a unfounded rumour.

Plugger, no bulls***, I had a dream with you in it last night. Maybe I need to take a break from SS. Seriously, I met you on a train and we talked about the forum and the Saints. Off to seek mental health assistance this morning.

[stinger]

I suggest the person who left isn't openingly gay otherwise we would know about him. I suggest its a unfounded rumour.

Plugger, no bulls***, I had a dream with you in it last night. Maybe I need to take a break from SS. Seriously, I met you on a train and we talked about the forum and the Saints. Off to seek mental health assistance this morning.

."....as long as you ony talked..

[gringo]

I saw an ex AFL player in Sydney with his boyfriend once. They are out there. I wouldn't want to be defined by being the first openly gay footballer. If I was them I would keep it all in house. Footy teams are great for learning to deal with all different types and everyone finding commonality. You see farm boys like Kosi and Schnieder along side guys like Markworth who is eloquent and educated and they find a common bond. Likewise when you get to know a gay person and you realise they aren't interested in jumping you they just become another team mate with a different background like Ahmed and his religious background. You learn to get along or you struggle, I see it even in junior footy inflexible kids with no ability to join the group because of prejudice towards others or annoying habits often get ostracised and quickly pull their heads in. They are pretty egalitarian places and they are in most cases pretty tolerant groups.