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This is so sad, we thought that Australia has a forward anti-discrimination policy making Government with Prime Minister Rudd, he promised a lot before being elected like most politicians do. Wake up!, Australia!!, Michael Mitcham is one of the best you can have to represent you at the forthcoming Olympic Games in London 2012, surely all Corporate Business is not Anti-Gay in Australia!!
Are we sure it’s not because corporate budgets are slashed, though? Are his competitors finding it easier to get sponsorship?
I thought he ended up being taken on by Telstra (which in Oz is like fronting up the BT ads in the UK).
Unlike the USA and GB, Australian companies still haven’t come to grips with the power of the “Pink Dollar”, the Rudd government in some ways is even more conservative than the Howard government. Australia still has a long long way to go.
michael casley
melbourne, Australia
Australia is backward! Kinda like Texas when it comes to gay rights.Even New Zealand has equal rights for gay people.Rudd is a disapointment.
I don’t think the comments about Australia are entirely fair. Mitcham did get sponsorship by Telstra, but he is disappointed he didn’t get more. While he did have a point, I think the problem is that divers generally get less sponsorship than more high profile sports, particularly in this economic climate.
Australia has strong anti-discrimination laws protecting sexual orientation, particularly in employment. Furthermore, under the Rudd Government, same-sex couples were provided with nearly all of the rights of marriage. The only difference with the UK is that there is no civil partnership scheme or formal registration system. Same-sex couples simply gain these rights after cohabitating together for 2 years.
Of course, there’s a lot further to go, but I don’t think Australia can be called “backward” in terms of gay rights or compared to Texas!
Australia is backward and like Texas on gay rights says stephen kay, if that is true remind me never to live there. Earlier reports say he was the only out male gay athlete in Beijing ,which to me seems to suggest he is either very brave or Australian community attitudes must be reasonably progressive. Either way it is good to see an out and proud olympian.
I stand by my comments.Recent events have shown a rolling back of gay rights gaining momentum.(South Australia private schools)Also why can Australia not give gays marriage or civil unions? It is the only ANZAC country not to do so.I say because it is still homophobic at it`s core.
where are the large gay companies???
He’s fit :P The pink pound is big business, not sure it checks out.
He’s fit :P The pink pound is big business, not sure it checks out.
He’s fit :P The pink pound is big business, not sure it checks out.
Maybe the whole gay community should get behind people like that and sponsor them. If everyone who identified as being LGBT put in £1 or $1 then I am sure in no time all our LGBT sportsmen and woman would have all the sponsorship they needed.
Only the other week he went on record as saying that being gay hadn’t affected his sponsorship; but now he is telling us that it has? Stereotypical dizzy gay or what?
He heads up national campaigns for both Aussie Bum and Telstra. How many of the UK’s gold medallists head up even one (let alone two) national advertising campaign?
Mitcham is full of s–t and attention-seeking.
Why should we care? He wasn’t even the only out Olympian .. he was just the only one waving like a little girl and making a big song and dance about it.
“Mitcham, 20, who beat 14-year-old Brit Tom Dale…” Pinknews, you’re not hinting that our little Tom might be gay when he grows up big and strong and is no longer jailbait, are you? Bad boys!
I noted something interesting…………..
”
Australia is backward! Kinda like Texas when it comes to gay rights.Even New Zealand has equal rights for gay people.Rudd is a disapointment.
“Comment by stephen kay — April 18, 2009 @ 6:22″
Hey, That is my name also. We aren’t related, since the family name was originally Katziff, but changed back in the 50′s due to lingering discrimination against Jews.
But I am a player and major advocate of gay rights here in the USA, live about 30 miles from Washington Dc.
I thought that Australia had a defacto gay civil union arrangement with most of the legal marriage benefits for gay people.
Say hello if you wish. Stephen_1553-k@comcast.net
Comment by Finn — April 20, 2009 @ 12:24 – that’s the way, Finn. Don’t want none of those nancy poofters running around now, do we? Steroetypically dizzy gay? Since when did YOU know what he actually said? Or do you believe newspapers?
We need a list of those companys who discriminated against him/us, so we can be sure not to spend our money on their products and services. Hit ‘em where they’ll take notice.