Davenport boycott call
Calls for a
A local man who is boycotting Davenport underwear over swimmer Stephanie Rice’s use of the word ‘faggot’ to abuse the South African rugby team said the company and Rice still need to do more to respond to the issue.
Elizabeth Bay resident Jim Morris wrote to Davenport, telling them that he and around 25 friends would boycott their products while they sponsor Rice.
Davenport told Morris the company did not “in any way” condone Rice’s comment. “We can also say that the Davenport brand values are such that they do not discriminate between gender, sexuality, race, creed or religion,” the statement said.
“We believe Stephanie is not nor has ever been homophobic … Davenport will continue to monitor Stephanie’s commitment to improvement as she learns from this mistake.”
Morris told Sydney Star Observer the use of the term as an insult was inherently homophobic as it implied homosexuals were sub-standard, and Rice should have mentioned gay people as the group she might have offended when making a teary apology at a press conference.
“The fact that she didn’t reference gay people as a group simply shows she still didn’t understand or acknowledge the wider effects her choice of words can have.”
I’m sorry bed but the word ‘faggot’ is still offensive, just like the word ‘nigger’ even though blacks themselves use it. When spoken by a gay person it obviously is not homophobic, when spoken by Rice it was and is. I suspect there will be many, like me who won’t buy Davenport anymore. Not until Rice is gone anyway. And I’m straight, just hate bigotry.
Oh please, the word ‘faggot’ is no longer offensive and is being progressively adopted more and more by gay guys when referring to themselves or other gay guys. This is like the word ‘wog’ which was once offensive and is now a label used by that community. Storm in a tea cup I say.
I must say I had never heard of Davenport underwear and only a vague idea of Stephanie Rice’s existence. So I guess my boycott is going pretty well.
One letter claiming to represent 25 un named people and the SSO thinks this is a story…Rice apologised…move on, please, my sympathies are beginning to shift her way…