Homophobia rises again
Mardi Gras chair David Imrie received a string of abusive and threatening phone calls last week after it was announced New Mardi Gras was to be partially funded by the NSW Government.
And hundreds of irate Daily Telegraph readers and a few wellwishers left their comments on the paper’s website last week, also blasting the decision to spend taxpayer money on the 30-year-old event that injects an estimated $30 million into the Sydney economy every year.
I had not anticipated any of this, but it does show that homophobia is alive and well and it reinforces our purpose, Imrie told Sydney Star Observer.
I guess what surprises me most is that even the people on the homophobic fringe would prefer that the NSW Government did not invest in income for the NSW economy, did not invest in building the economy simply because it is something that they are bigoted against. It’s bizarre, it’s like the dark ages.
But Imrie said the abusive phone messages would not deter him or the organisation from pushing forward to produce a 2009 festival stronger than any previously seen.
And, he said, the comments only reaffirmed the reason for Mardi Gras’ existence.
But it was not only Daily Telegraph readers who reacted strongly to the funding move. NSW Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell has also blasted the decision.
If [NSW Premier] Mr Rees wants to prioritise funding, some of the announcements he’s made in the recent days would be further down the list for most people of this city and state, O’Farrell said.
But in a political tug-of-war, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon issued a statement condemning O’Farrell’s comments.
If the leader of the opposition cannot publicly declare his party’s support for the Mardi Gras it sends a damaging message about the Liberal’s policy stance on relationship equality and other key sexual diversity rights campaigns, she said.
The religious right faction in the Liberal party was active in the recent local government election, and its members including upper house MP David Clarke still wield considerable power.
New Mardi Gras and Events NSW will work together to encourage greater national and international participation in the parade by developing new marketing strategies through Tourism NSW. There are also plans to secure broadcast coverage of the event again.
The exact funding amount is unknown, but Sydney Star Observer understands it is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and will help further cement the organisation’s profitability which has been declining since its 2002 collapse.
The event only survived thanks to a financial and community rescue package put together by ACON, the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Queer Screen, Pride and Sydney Star Observer.
Following on from Shayne’s comment at 1.50pm, this article in yesterday’s SMH reinforces what he says:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/the-markets-will-stabilise-but-then-what-happens/2008/10/12/1223749846530.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Also, you all need to look at the way Gay Men conduct themselves and that reflects on the way Straights look at us. Walking down Oxford Street in a G string isnt very savoury. What if your just a Jeans and T Shirt sort of Gay?
Of course I agree, Gary, but the ferocity of the public backlash to government funding of a GLBQTI event might have a deeper implication. The global financial crisis will be marked by a new conservatism and people are going to be looking for scapegoats (just as the German people did of Jews, gays, socialists, gypsies etc., prior to WWII). Blogging for the National Review in the US this week, Mark Krikorian wrote this week that Washington Mutual’s demise was caused by its propensity for employing Latinos and gays. This is indeed a time for community to stand together, as you suggest. It is not a time for acon to be banning community groups with a proven record for successful lobbying from their ‘summit’ or for columnists of this paper to be attacking those who have already achieved successful litigations against homophobic media.
I want to say how truly shocked i am that Piers Ackerman and his blog is allowed to foment such disgusting anti-gay lies and hate – surely this cannot be allowed?
I congratulate Andrew Potts et al for their time in responding to the blog on the Daily Terror’s sire, but:
Can we all not do something constructive to challenge this?
Ben Oz, I suspect Akerman and his editor would be ‘snickering’ on the other side of their faces if they faced the same litigation that 2UE and their “journalists” did.
And are you suggesting that Mr. Penberthy is unaware of the content of that blog?
I don;t think that we should acquiesce to homophobia with, “But the Tele is what it is. And so is its readership.” I think we should -œstand up and take action as jonno says, whenever we are confronted by hate crime, whether it be verbal or physical.
I have been in touch with the campaigner who was so successful in suing 2UE, but unfortunately he is less inclined to act when he is vilified as ‘vindictive’ and so on by his own kind. Perhaps an apology might influence him to change his mind.
I agree with Ben Oz. The editor should be approached first and the issues that should be highlighted are these-
A: The publishing of comments that use anti-gay slurs when equivalent anti-racial or religious slurs would not be published.
B: The publishing of comments that imply homosexuality is equivalent to or a cause of pedophilia, or that gay men “groom” children to be gay.
C: The publishing of comments that threaten or urge violence towards the gay community.
D: The publishing of comments that contain clear errors of fact- for example the many comments published that claimed the funding allocated to Mardi Gras was $30 million.
If there are no objections I’d be happy to email Penberthy a statement outlining these concerns with practical examples from his paper’s website and then follow that up by phone to see if we can reach some sort of understanding or at least get him to release a statement to the paper outlining why he believes these sorts of comments do deserve to be published.
New South Wales Consolidated Acts: ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT 1977 – SECT 49ZS : (c) the distribution or dissemination of any matter to the public with knowledge that the matter promotes or expresses hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group of persons on the ground of the homosexuality of the person or members of the group.
Just read in the SMH this morning that there are 600 police officers on duty at the Bathurst car races this weekend.
Geez … all that taxpayer money being spent on petrol heads! Bet it’s costing more than the reported amount being given to the Mardi Gras.
Jonno:-
When you say “stand up and take action” thats where the disagreement starts.
Some want to go to the Anti Disc Tribunal.
Others feel that backfires horribly all over the community and is far more damaging than the original issue.
Passion for “doing something” is easier than finding the right thing to do.
My view? Piers Ackerman would LOVE for someone to take an action against him. I mean he would go to bed snickering, sleep with a smile on his face and wake up laughing, before writing an indignant column about the attempt to silence him.
No, I would suggest (though now too late) printing off the blogs, highlighting the violent and most foul and send a letter to Editor David Penberthy along with along with the supposed guidelines for publication of comment.
This has worked previously for the worst of the Islamo-hatred postings.
But the Tele is what it is. And so is its readership.
I mean how many Tele’s are home delivered in the eastern suburbs and inner city?? And take a deep breath and look at Piers Ackerman, his topics and his blogs…it’s all the Hansonites and Howard Huggers. They ain’t changing, even if the rest of Australia has…Prime Minister and Opposition Leader included.
“We can’t even unite against a common enemy.” I totally agree, jonno. Sydney gay politics seems to always be marked by self-interested groups battling each other for some spurious position in the grotty glammerati.
But I’m not actually convinced that the comments published by the Telegraph are illegal, which is why I suggested someone more experienced in such litigations might like to look into it.
Further, those complaining about the proposed sponsorship of the ‘filthy sodomites’ seem to forget the diversity of the parade. Last year’s parade had 10,000 participants and about 180 floats, everything from commercial venues, community groups, political orgs, and so on, including …
Community, service and religious groups including ACON, Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service, Gay And Lesbian Rights Lobby, Twenty-Ten Youth Support Service, the Luncheon Club, PFLAG NSW Inc (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), Highschoolers Against Homophobia, the Gay Straight Alliance (made up of parents, teachers and students), Macquarie Grammar School, and Gay and Straight Teens From Western Sydney and the Central Coastthe middle-eastern GLBT group Beit El Hob, Amnesty International, Metropolitan Community Church, Dayenu Sydney Jewish GLBT Group; the Pentecostal & Charismatic GLBT group Freedom 2 B(E), the Catholic GLBT group Acceptance Sydney, the Wayside Chapel and 100 ministers from various religions who marched to apologise for exclusion and treatment of the gay community; GLBT social, cultural and sporting groups such as Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, Heaven Social Group (Western Sydney), The Pollys Social Group (formed in 1964), Cronulla Gay Group, Mature Aged Gays, Leather Pride, Harbour City Bears, Sydney Spokes Cycling Club, Sydney Rams Tenpin Bowling Club, Sydney Rangers Football Club, Freezone Volleyball Club, Australian Sailing And Cruising Club, Sydney Convicts Rugby, Tropical Fruits, the Sydney Homotones Gay and Lesbian Concert band and Come Out Australia, a social community organisation with branches throughout metropolitan Sydney, regional NSW, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Geelong, Melbourne gays, Rainbow Recovery for glbqti addicts and alkies, gay lifesavers, flight attendants and large group of gay and lesbian parents and their children; corporate organisations such as IBM, ANZ Bank, Salesforce and IKEA supporting their GLBT employees; The City of Sydney, NSW Police, Australian Defence Force, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, State Transit Authority, surf Life Saving Australia, NSW Fire Brigades, NSW Rural Fire Service, Sydney South West Area Health Service, Kirketon Road Centre and Nurses from RPA, St Vincents, Prince Of Wales And Concord Hospitals, Cronulla Gay Group’s lavish Ice Castle float; New Mardi Gras’ procession of planets throughout the Parade, climaxing with an elaborate starship at the Parade’s end; the Thunderbags are Go! Marching group; the Asian Marching Boys; the Newcastle Collaborations float, Pash’n Bonker; and Divas thru the Decades and shitloads of butch queens and scary dykes …
Surely the Tele readers can’t hate ALL of those groups.
I am seriously disturbed reading some of these comments .. not just the fact that people posted them on the telegraph’s website, but that they actually tracked down david imrie and abused him.
seriously, the more things change the more they stay the same.
sad shameful world … sad
What a shame this has degenerated into a discussion about something else entirely.
Aren’t you people outraged at these phone calls?
Doesn’t it make you want to stand up and take some action?
No, seems all you want to do is bitch and moan and argue with each other. No wonder gay Sydney is in such a sad and sorry state. We can’t even unite against a common enemy.
Honestly, do you think the ’78ers bitched and moaned as they stood united against the police 30 years ago? I seriously doubt it.
Come on people, stop moaning, start repecting other people’s difference, and unite again.
Gay Sydney won’t survive unless you do.
No one will disagree with you Raycol but we would also like to know the amounts for the Olympics (including the ongoing venue maintenance ones), the car races, World Youth Day and the myriad other things govts at all levels contribute to.
Raycol, don’t you mean “invest”?? They aren’t subsidizing but investing in an event that brings in millions of dollars.
And Jason, I don’t think that “Muslims being a minority like us” necessarily means that they won’t complain about homosexuality. If you think this is the case, then I suggest you hang out at Bankstown square some thursday night holding hands with your boyfriend and see if any people of the Muslim faith “complain” about your public displays of affection.
You really should be so naive as to think that because both groups are minorities that we have anything in common with each other.
Taxpayers, gay or straight, are entitled to know exactly how much subsidy the State Government is giving to support Mardi Gras.
Oliver I note you state: “Muslim faith dont accept Homosexuality” – The fact is Muslims are a minority like us and they are seeking acceptance as well. Muslims come to Australia knowing the australian lifestyle so they cant really complain – just like if you went to a muslim country you cant really complain.
I’m sure there were many hands that made light work of that case, Andrew, however it does seem a little disingenuous to negate Mr. Burn’s tireless efforts. Again, as Rodney Croome has averred: “This is a landmark case for all those Australian jurisdictions which prohibit incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexuality.
Congratulations to Gary Burns for having the tenacity to pursue the issue.”
http://www.rodneycroome.id.au/weblog?id=C20_66_1
Never mind, at least you managed a half-arsed acknowledgement of the great work CAHH have done. :>)
Andrew:-
Would that you just wrote your column.
Instead you pop up on blogs as a roving social commentator and arm chair expert on all matters gay.
Ben- “You seem quite content to write columns, offer opinions and muse about the actions of everyone else”.
I believe that is the job description for an opinion columnist.
Shayne- I appreciate all those things, however I think the real thanks should go to Gary’s pro bono lawyers.
I’ve always encouraged people to attend CAAH organised protest events- I attend them myself. CAAH fill a necessary hole in GLBTI activism in Australia and particularly in NSW. I’ve only ever criticised them when I genuinely believe they’ve performed poorly or in a counterproductive manner. Personally I think they should have been included in the summit.
Although I dont agree that Mardi Gras should get Government funding and the money should go to more important things. I just want to say, whenever theres a Blog to do with Homosexuality youll always get the most Vilest comments from the general public, these are the people who come up to you at a gathering or party and carry on how they dont mind Gays, But….. and then they talk just drivel. On the internet they can hide their identity and say what they want. Also dont forget and just remember, Muslim faith dont accept Homosexuality.
Well Andrew, my mention of Gary was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but since you’ve taken it so seriously, I have to say I think it’s a bit much for you refer to him as ‘vindictive’ etc.
I’m sure Gary can speak for himself, but I’d like to point out that as part of the positive settlement of his case against radio station 2UE, he recorded a community service announcement to encourage people to donate to the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and the station also agreed to pay $10,000 to the HIV-AIDS charity.
Referred to as an ‘anti-hate speech campaigner’ by Rodney Croome, Burns has now also written to the ADB complaining of possible -œvilification of homosexuals by former Victorian Premier and President of the Hawthorn AFL football club Jeff Kennett after that club sacked its trainer of 22 years, Ken Campagnolo, when it discovered he was bisexual.
So yes, he’s probably a bit of a ratbag, but then Australian history is full of reforms achieved by larrikins like him and at least he does get off his butt and achieve results while others just bitch in online forums.
(I’ve also got to add that it’s a bit rich that you’re advocating that CAAH might take up the cause considering they were just chucked out of acon’s inaugural glbqti ‘summit’ and had the poo put on them in these very comments columns. Sometimes queer politics in this town just amazes me.)
Andrew Potts, if you feel so strongly, TAKE UP THE BATTLE YOURSELF. You seem quite content to write columns, offer opinions and muse about the actions of everyone else.
Although I appreciate that Gary (I assume we’re talking about Gary Burns here) has acted in the past when no one else was prepared to get off their butts, I’d urge extreme caution before involving him in this. His past antics in front of television cameras and vindictive, changeable nature make him an extremely poor public face for the community- not to mention his history of political endorsements for people including Fred Nile and verbally abusing Malcolm Turbull’s wife in the street during the last Federal Election campaign. If the NSW GLRL sees this as outside their charter then CAAH might take it up instead.
The deafening silence from some quarters of 2GB is amazing. Whilst some radio presenters on 2GB have been frothing at the mouth about this issue, a particular breakfast presenter has been solidly silent on this issue.
This looks like a job for Media Watch !
Think Outside The Triangle !
Here is Piers Akermans email if anyone would like to make there thoughts known: [email protected]
I actually complained about the abusive comments to News Ltd, then a few days latter I recieved an email from Piers Akerman and his response was:
“Many thanks for your note, as your would have observed, the debate about censorship v freedom of speech is ongoing. Particularly when activists of any stripe respond to articles”
I hope somebody complains NSW Anti-Discrimination Tribunal and I would be willing to provide the email as evidence to whoever lodges a complaint.
I’d hope that any glbqti that actually buy the Telegraph are made aware of the comments made in that journal and boycott it. Same with it’s affiliate, the Sun-Herald in Melbourne. One especially tasty comment on that blog, wishing that ‘gays and Muslims fight it out outside the Sleaze ball and kill each other so that decent living folk…etc’ reminds me that 2GB has been brought before a tribunal again. Alan Jones had referred to Lebanese Muslims as “vermin” and “a national security problem in the making,” and it was time to “take the gloves off and teach these bastards… etc.,” during one of his broadcasts in April 2005. Keysar Trad of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia made a complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Board, which took two years to reach no finding, but referred him to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal’s Equal Opportunity Division. So I suppose that body, as well as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Australian Press Council would be the organisations to approach. Now all we need is someone with the energy and time to file the complaint. Where’s Gary?
I would say some of the comments on the Telegraph’s forum are potentially unlawful homosexual vilification (if they can be construed by an ordinary reasonable person to be inciting contempt, hatred or severe ridicule of homosexuals).
A complaint the NSW Anti-Discrimination Tribunal would not be out of place. I do not think The Daily Telegraph can limit it’s liability over such comments because the forum is moderated (ie. the decision to allow those comments through was a conscious one on the part of a News Ltd employee who should be well aware of legal risks and obligations in these matters).
Some of the comments on Piers Akerman’s blog are downright frightening. Is it legal to publish such homophobic vilification, including calls for gays to be bashed?