There’s a reason US sports haven’t had an Israel Folau-like scandal
Australian sports are lagging behind North America when it comes to LGBTQI inclusion, argue Erik Denison and Sarah Kogod, who work with US sporting codes like the NBA and NFL. But stepping up isn’t just necessary to avoid future Israel Folau-like scandals. It’s good business.
American sport has not been immune to professional athletes behaving badly. But no athlete has ever posted something anti-gay to social media, then refused to take it down. This is despite America’s deep evangelical roots, and fierce protection of freedom of speech.
How is it possible that America has never had an Israel Folau? We were asked this many times as we travelled Australia recently, speaking with sport administrators, corporate sponsors, and government about how to embrace diversity despite controversies plaguing the NRL, rugby, cricket, and soccer. And since then, Folau has lodged a claim with the Fair Work Commission, seeking $10m in damages.
Home of the brave, or the commercially savvy?
North America is way ahead of Australia when it comes to ending LGBTQI discrimination in sport.
Thanks for the article, very interesting insight into USA sports business.
However I cant help but think the Folau issue is slightly different – the inference this article makes is that players in the States do not make the same sort of potentially harmful proclamations in fear of harming the business of their sport. Is this really the case? Are they that commercially mindful? Or are they even that altruistic when it comes to the commercial success of their league or club?
I am not sure Folau cared one jot about the commercial upside of inclusion – he (for all its faults) has a belief that goes beyond money and proudly proclaimed it via his own channels.
He certainly seems conscious of the financial impact given he is suing for $10m in damages.
I think this article is incorrect in many of its assumptions and very badly researched.
Religious decriminalisation like what happened to Israel Folau had not happened in America because they already have clear laws protecting religious freedom. The First Amendment (Amendment I) for example protects religious freedom and the expression of religious opinions etc. The 1st is part of the supreme law of the land.
Australia on the other hand do not even have a Religious Decriminalisation Act, nor do they have a Religious discrimination commissioner (they have sex, race, age, disability etc commissioners within the human rights commission).
I think this comment is incorrect in many of its assumptions and very badly researched. The article isn’t about discrimination OF Israel Folau, it’s about discrimination FROM Israel Folau.
Yes we need a religious discrimination act and a religious discrimination commissioner.
In my life I have seen so much appalling discrimination here in Australia by numerous and various religious organisations. They definitely need keeping avery close eye on.
No-one is stoppimg Folau from ‘practising his religion’ (as he puts it). He is 100% free to practice it. But I wasn’t aware that part of practicing his religion means spewing forth vile homophobic tweets. Fortunately he is the exception to the rule and harming the image of many of his ilk. Not that he would care about that.
“But no athlete [in America] has ever posted something anti-gay to social media, then refused to take it down.”
Results of a quick google:
Tim Tebow (American baseballer, former football quarterback) is well known for preaching and sharing online that no individual should have a sexual relationship outside of man-woman marriage. Nobody’s sacked him.
Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers Quarterback), a Catholic, ‘regularly speaks to youth groups’ about abstaining from sex outside of man-woman marriage. Again, nobody sacked him.
There are also large numbers of mormon athletes, including Jimmer Fredette (basketball). The Mormon church statement of faith, which all Mormon members must sign, describes same-sex marriage as a ‘serious transgression’ and ‘immorality’ that will bar a participating individual from attending temple services (oh, and lead to the individual going to hell). Go trawl through every Mormon athlete’s social media accounts and you’ll find plenty of posts you’ll probably term as ‘anti-gay’!
America is just more tolerant that Rugby Australia
Your article makes for interesting reading but does not deal with the core message Folau was trying to convey. That’s not the premise of your article of course. Naturally, people generally are reactive to anything they don’t agree with. That’s their prerogative. Perhaps you may not have read a piece written by Kel Richards in The Weekend Australian, June 1-2, 2019 – ‘Folau’s faith compelled him to shout a warning: repent’. I also don’t think you’ve heard of a Christian Apologist named Ravi Zacharias (and many others) who defend Christian teaching against homosexuality. It has nothing to do with that ugly word ‘homophobic’. If you dig far enough, you won’t find hate, you’ll find true love of others. I challenge you both to find whom and what that true love is…
The reason is that in the US Folau style statements are so common that the media doesn’t bother making much fuss about them. They are not seen as news worthy and no athlete is sacked for making such statements. There is an organisation for Christian athletes (FCA) that makes statements that far exceed Folau’s.
The Sydney Sixers themed one their 7 home games last season LGBTI Night #PrideParty at the SCG, a fabulous example of inclusion.
Except they have had a Falu-like scandal
Colin Kaepernick took a knee for the national anthem in a protest “against racial injustice and systematic oppression in the US”.
Fans sent death threats, the owners destroy his career and the media did everything they could to ruin his life. Even the President was baying for blood, challenging the owners to sack the player. All because he drew attention to real injustices within American society.
Interesting to note the player got his payout, which I imagine Folau will too, which will be an undisclosed figure of course.
I think this is being framed as an inclusion issue when it isn’t.
As other have observed, many US sports stars have expressed opinions that many would see as regressive, but there is no scandal. This is because anti-homosexual views endorsed by religious groups are more common in the public conversation in the US, so an athlete sharing these views is not seen as an outlier.
No amount of Pride events will change that – indeed the US shows is that this is true.
This issue goes much deeper than inclusion and pride flags. It is about society and culture, including sport. If anything, the Folau case is a huge positive for Australia.
Digging up this thread. So who won with RA cutting a deal with Falau?