So much for the chance of a reasonable discussion around this topic. Have fun picking on Proxy, folks, but you still haven't told me why you support a double standard on this issue.

Why must footballers and their culture, which has quite an extensive history and traditions. be forced to change willy-nilly?

The trouble with you lot is that you're so desperate to feel properly "liberal" and "tolerant" that you can't see the wood for the trees. The same people who are demanding that footballers assimilate gay culture into their cultural practises are, on another thread telling an Aboriginal person that assimilation is bad. Here's a tip: football is played by Aboriginal people too. They seem to do well in the cultural environment. All codes of football have strong development programs within Aboriginal communities and regional towns and many young aboriginal men have become quite wealthy through football.

It seems that you people are very badly disaffected by mainstream Australian culture. May I suggest a visit to the next football game played in your city/town? Who knows, the experience of participating in a group activity might be good for you...

Antiseptic: << Why must footballers and their culture, which has quite an extensive history and traditions. be forced to change >>

Because they exist in Australian society, in which discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation has quite rightly been made unacceptable, if not always illegal.

Your analogy with Aboriginal players is specious. In case you didn't know, there's lots of gay Aborigines.

Keep on digging, old chap.

CJMorgan:"In case you didn't know, there's lots of gay Aborigines."

There's not "lots" of gay people of any race. About 1.5% is the best figure available.

Your argument on the basis of an "appeal to popularity" fails.

Keep aquirming, little fella.

'demanding that footballers assimilate gay culture into their cultural practises '

I still don't understand this anti. Nobody is asking the players to wear fishnet vests. What 'gay culture' is football being asked to take on. The communal showers already exist.

What you're really saying is football is being asked to accept gay people exist, and deal with their own discomfort from the astounding revelation 'one of them' may decided not to hide their homosexuality in their day to day life.

'Who knows, the experience of participating in a group activity might be good for you...'

As long as you're not gay of course, as football shouldn't be forced to assimilate your culture.

BTW: I'm generally with you on the assimilation thing with indigenous cultures. It's fun watching people pick and choose what parts of ancient cultures have to be preserved. If you're anti-assimilation it's a job lot as far as I'm concerned, so you have to accept genital mutilation and such as part of the deal. Otherwise your moral relativism fails at the first hurdle.

So I'm with you that IF football culture is to be preserved, gays should be outlawed. It just happens though that I'm for-assimilation of footballers into the general community.

Proxy
Yes I am a woman. You do realise that even heterosexuals are known to partake in casual sex - not my thing either, but given you are so big on freedoms and rights I am sure you would agree we should not judge those who live different lives. Why do you isolate homosexuals specifically in regard to casual sex? What about the mile high clubbers?

You are delusional for the reason is that you cannot see past your own views, you cherry pick the worst examples of one set of people and display them as the norm. Prevention of Aids/HIV is about safe sex practices, heterosexuals can spread the virus as well.

Anti
Where is anyone saying that footballers should adopt gay culture. Aboriginal football players aren't suggesting that all football players embrace their culture (to use your analogy). A number of us have suggested cubicles to provide a solution to the showering issue. There is no double standard.

Being gay is a sexual orientation not a race or an ethnicity, you cannot compare it with being Aboriginal. Homosexuals can be of any ethnic group. I don't get the connection in regard to assimiliation. Gays are assimilated even though they continue to be discriminated.

It is a travesty that to be FOR equal rights for homosexuals is considered 'liberal'. Or even 'tolerant' for that matter, what is there to tolerate? It is no-one's business.

Well said Pelican.

Anti - why do you fear so much?

Gays, women, anyone with a different POV?

Man, you carry a load.