Local level leagues need to back moves to kick homophobia out of sport, writes Kym Morgan

THIS week’s announcement that Australia’s football codes will tackle homophobia in sport is a massive, necessary step all local level leagues should support.

THIS week’s announcement that Australia’s football codes, along with Cricket Australia, will tackle homophobia in sport is a massive, necessary step all local level leagues should support.

Maybe I’m an optimist, given some recent high ­profile setbacks, but I feel Australian sport is winning its fight against racism.

If nothing else, it has come a long way from a time not much longer than two ­decades ago when racist taunts from the terraces were just part of a day at the footy.

Sadly, I don’t think we’ve come as far with homophobia in sport or society.

I am not gay — I’m married with a child.

I have close friends who are homosexual and I’ve never cared what their sexual preference is.

I’d rather talk sport or life with them. Sexuality never comes up in conversation.

Most of my straight friends are exactly the same in their attitudes and, naively, I once thought homophobia was dying out with older generations.

The more life and work have taken me out into the world, the more I’ve realised I was wrong. Homophobes remain prevalent in all tiers of society and, therefore, exist in sporting clubs.

Recently, I witnessed a friend of mine subjected to aggressive, unprovoked homophobic taunts by a man at an eastern suburbs hotel.

I’d chatted to this late-30s aged peanut an hour prior to his disgusting tirade and he purported to be an educated professional from Adelaide’s eastern suburbs.

It was the most overt recent example of homophobia I’ve witnessed, illustrating that this scorn is not confined to uneducated bogans.

Most examples of homophobia are more casual.

Comments or jokes at the office, worksite or sporting club create an uncomfortable atmosphere for gay ­people and endorse the attitudes of overt homophobes.

This is where education in sport, especially at local level, is needed.

We should aim to get to a point where everyone feels comfortable to disclose their sexuality at their club if they chose.