GLORIA nominations open
The most outdated, offensive and homophobic comments of 2012 have gone under the spotlight as nominations open for the fourth annual GLORIA awards.
Organised by state Labor MP Penny Sharpe (pictured), the Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant Comment Awards (GLORIAs) aim to highlight and ridicule the most prominent homophobic comments made by public figures.
The awards night will be hosted at State Parliament House on May 8 by journalist and social commentator David Marr. Finalists will be announced in the media, sport, politics, religion, and international categories, with the winner decided by the audience via a ‘boo-off’.
Sharpe said the fact that this year’s GLORIAs wouldn’t be suffering from “any lack of material” prove their importance.
“Instead of yelling at the television or the radio when you hear something offensive, the GLORIAs are a great way looking at the kind of casual homophobia and transphobia that gets around in public life all the time and saying it’s not okay,” Sharpe said.
Parramatta Lord Mayor John Chedid was nominated for asking gay youth counselling service Twenty10 to remove an “offensive” banner from a community event they were invited to by Parramatta Council, as well as independent Parramatta councillor Paul Garrard for saying that Twenty10 were a political organisation who “shouldn’t have been there”.
Other nominees include Katter’s Australian Party candidate Tess Corbett for comparing gays and lesbians to paedophiles, as well as conservative lobby group Family Voice Australia for their open letter urging Premier Barry O’Farrell to abandon the NSW Proud Schools anti-homophobia program.
Former Polish president and human rights campaigner Lech Walesa was nominated in the international category for saying that gay people had no right to play a prominent role in politics, including suggesting that LGBTI parliamentarians sit behind a wall.
Past ‘winners’ include conservative commentator Miranda Devine, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Australian Christian Lobby managing director Jim Wallace.
INFO: theglorias.com.au
