Championship plays pro-gay ads

A series of anti-homophobia commercials were screened to more than 30,000 hockey fans last week as Melbourne hosted the largest men’s hockey tournament since the London Olympics.

The No To Homophobia commercials, which depict homophobic harassment in sport and everyday life, were shown during half-time breaks throughout the Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy, which was held in Melbourne’s State Netball Hockey Centre in early December.

No To Homophobia campaign coordinator Daniel Scoullar said the commercials were an excellent way of reaching out to the wider community.

“We’re trying to get the message out that homophobia, transphobia and biphobia are serious health issues that do serious harm. Sporting events are a great way to reach large numbers of people and engage in some mainstream communication,” he said.

The commercials, which are being broadcast nationally, first gained attention in September after being screened during both AFL preliminary finals, gaining exposure to an audience of over 100,000.

Hockey Victoria agreed to show the commercials as part of the ‘Fair Go, Sport!’ project aimed at encouraging gender and sexual diversity in sports teams. Hockey Victoria CEO Ben Hartung highlighted the need to create safe and inclusive sporting environments.

“The screening of the No To Homophobia ads during the tournament will reinforce the strong message that there is absolutely no room for gender or sexual discrimination in hockey and other sports,” Hartung said.

The No To Homophobia campaign, a partnership between the ALSO Foundation, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and several other Victorian organisations, is designed to challenge homophobic attitudes in the workplace and social situations. The campaign was launched in August with the support of Wallabies captain David Pocock, singer Natalie Bassingthwaite and TV presenter Chrissie Swan.

INFO: notohomophobia.com.au