An open letter to Israel Folau

A proud North Queenslander and openly gay man has penned a heartfelt letter, slamming the rugby star for fuelling gay hate and suicide. READ THE LETTER

A PROUD North Queenslander and openly gay man has penned a heartfelt message to Israel Folau.

In the letter sent to The Courier-Mail, Jack Barnett sheds light on the experiences of LGBTI youths who suffer from high rates of suicide and self harm and accusing the former rugby star of fuelling the issue.

READ THE LETTER BELOW:

FOR HELP CALL LIFELINE 13 11 14 OR KIDS HELPLINE 1800 551 800

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Dear Israel,

You don’t know me, but I know you, and that’s our problem.

We run in different circles however your message has still made its ways through the internet and on to my screen.

Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, and idolators HELL AWAITS YOU REPENT!

This message scares me, Israel. I write not because I fear for my eternal soul but I fear for the mortality of thousands of Australians.

We have different narratives. I don’t know yours, but let me tell you a snippet of mine so you can make that comparison. I reside in a highly Jewish area in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

This was not always my story. I was born and raised in North Queensland with a typical NQ upbringing — spending Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights watching the NRL. I can still imagine the iconic vocals of Ray Hadley bellowing your voice.

I would go to school with fellow boys, each with their own Cowboys or Broncos player they’d support through thick and thin — a hero. I grew up, grew out of watching NRL and grew into my identity.

My story holds significance. My story illustrates that you, a professional athlete, provide guidance of values and morals to youths.

When I was eleven I did not have Instagram, nor was I exposed to the unsolicited, uncensored content of a social media platform used by millions.

This platform gives you the power to disseminate text and image that shape they way our youth’s values and morals are developed.

By inciting hatred towards minority groups, you are developing ideologies of hatred within the younger community, making that community an unsafe place for anyone in these groups.

Let’s look at the statistics: LGBTI youths ages 16 to 27 are five times more likely to attempt suicide, six times more likely to consider suicide and twice as likely to self-harm when compared to the general population (lgbtihealth.org.au).

Israel Folau speaks at The Truth of Jesus Christ Church, Kenthurst. Picture: Facebook.

What does this mean, Israel? It means that our LGBT youths are dying, and your hateful comments are fuelling this fire.

Personally I believe your position as a professional athlete in Australia should be stripped from you as you have taken this and used it in a way which may be detrimental for a whole community of people.

As an Australian you have a right to religious freedom, and as an Australian I have a right to live my life unhindered by your reckless content.

Sincerely,

Jack Barnett — proud gay man, early childhood educator, boyfriend, brother, son — but most importantly — human being.

FOR HELP CALL LIFELINE 13 11 14 OR KIDS HELPLINE 1800 551 800

Originally published as An open letter to Israel Folau