Gay rights advocate Ian Roberts says Jeremy Finlayson must apologise to entire queer community for on-field sledge

Australian sport’s most influential gay rights advocate, Ian Roberts, says he’s less interested in a suspension for Port forward Jeremy Finlayson than a broader apology.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 05: Nic Martin of the Bombers tackles Jeremy Finlayson of the Power during the 2024 AFL Round 04 match between the Port Adelaide Power and the Essendon Bombers at Adelaide Oval on April 05, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Australian sport’s most influential gay rights advocate Ian Roberts says Jeremy Finlayson must apologise to the entire queer community for using a slur that is used “very specifically to attack gay men”.

Roberts remains the only NRL or AFL player to come out while an active player and said slurs like Finlayson’s sledge would continue to keep gay sportsmen in the closet.

Finlayson was interviewed by the AFL’s integrity team on Tuesday afternoon as the league ponders whether to suspend him for his vilification under the league’s conduct unbecoming rule.

Former NRL player Ian Roberts. Pic: John Feder/The Australian.

Roberts said it was another call to arms for the AFL to launch a campaign promoting gay rights, warning “talk was cheap” but actions from organisations had profound influence.

Roberts, who conducts gay awareness talks for the NRL, often asks playing groups if they believe they have created a safe enough space for their teammates to come out to them.

He told this masthead on Tuesday he was less concerned with a ban for Finlayson as an apology to the entire queer community.

“Up until now I have yet to hear Jeremy apologising to the queer community. He has apologised to the player involved but he hasn’t apologised to the community. It is a reference often used very specifically to attack gay men,” he told this masthead.

“I get that he understands it is wrong but he needs to apologise to the people who it is deeply offensive to. That word – people don’t say it, they spit it. When I am confronted with things like that, I tell people do you know what that word means? Did you have it in your head to degrade straight men? As a gay man, that word isn’t just meant to offend you, it’s meant to cut you. It is almost like the ‘N’ word.”

Finlayson’s punishment is yet to be determined. Picture: PAFC

In recent years Roberts has helped established the LGBTI museum Qtopia in Sydney while running awareness workshops and says an AFL which was so public about its advocacy for the YES campaign in 2017 can do more.

“This is the time to broadcast the possible consequences of this stuff. I really believe sporting bodies should be the messenger to the public with education.

“It could be a TikTok or Instagram campaign with players saying this stuff isn’t acceptable.

“The AFL now has a responsibility to do something about that and say we are not going to accept it. Not be seen to do more, actually do more.

“Words are cheap but people pay attention to actions from organisations. You can promise any person out there dealing with confusion about their sexual identity might not have heard or watched any other news report in the last weeks, but I promise you they heard that one. And it is hard to express how empty that can make you feel. You feel like a fraud.”

Originally published as Gay rights advocate Ian Roberts says Jeremy Finlayson must apologise to entire queer community for on-field sledge