Israel Folau leaps to Magda Szubanski’s defence

Israel Folau has broken his social media silence to defend gay rights activist and actor Magda Szubanski.

Israel Folau leaving Church today. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Israel Folau has broken his social media silence to defend prominent gay rights activist and actor Magda Szubanski.

The former Wallaby star, who has used his social media platforms sparingly since his $4 million contract with Rugby Australia was terminated in May, took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to call for an end to “online attacks” on Szubanski.

Actor and activist Magda Szubanski. Picture: AAP

“Hey everyone I totally agree with @bairdjulia — please stop the anonymous online attacks on @MagdaSzubanski who has entered this debate very respectfully,” Folau wrote.

Hey everyone I totally agree with @bairdjulia - please stop the anonymous online attacks on @MagdaSzubanski who has entered this debate very respectfully. She is entitled to express her views - let’s all have this important discussion with love in our hearts.

— Israel Folau (@IzzyFolau) June 30, 2019

“She is entitled to express her views — let’s all have this important discussion with love in our hearts.”

Folau was referencing tweets posted earlier by journalist Julia Baird, who was calling out the “ugly hate campaign” against Szubanski which has surfaced online after she earlier this week announced a rival GoFundMe page called “For Love”.

“A note for those who support Folau’s desire to protect & assert Christian faith: you cannot preach peace in the language of war,” Baird wrote.

“Or love in the language of hate. Jesus said to love your enemies, not troll them.”

Just saw the ugly hate campaign on here against @MagdaSzubanski. A note for those who support Folau's desire to protect & assert Christian faith: you cannot preach peace in the language of war. Or love in the language of hate. Jesus said to love your enemies, not troll them.

— Dr Julia Baird (@bairdjulia) June 29, 2019

Folau’s online fundraising page, asking for $3 million to help pay for legal fees in the “fight of his life” against his former employer, was taken down after GoFundMe Australia found it breached the organisation’s terms and conditions.

More than $650,000 in funds donated to the 30-year-old sacked rugby star are expected to be refunded.

Szubanski’s For Love campaign page, which has garnered more than $250,000 in donations, states that fundraising efforts which “seek to divide us divert time and energy from those in real, immediate need”.

“There are too many in Australia in the “fight of their lives” — doing their best to survive, and not seeking the chance to put others down,” it reads.

The page states that 90 per cent of the funds raised will go to the Children’s Cancer Foundation, and the other 10 per cent will go to Twenty10, which provides health, legal, and housing services (among others) to people of diverse sexualities and gender identities.