Inclusivity in sport and society needed
Israel Folau is a name that has been thrown around a lot recently. He’s a Christian, Australian rugby player who preached his beliefs on social media claiming that gay people were going to hell unless they repent for their sins and turn to God.
Ever since his comments, inclusivity and the question of what it means to be a Christian have been hot topics.
The coach of the ‘Heroes’ all gay and inclusive rugby team, Bastian Tremblay, said: ‘‘We have a belief and a policy within this team that we are completely inclusive, and being completely inclusive means that we accept all comers, irrespective of race, religion, sexuality.’’
Tremblay described being open and honest about his sexuality in previous rugby teams as challenging. He said he didn’t want to live that way anymore, and decided to help start up a team where everyone from all backgrounds is welcome to be themselves without judgement.
At the St Michael and All Angel Church, Parish administrator Alice Bates said society has to keep working for ‘‘inclusivity in all aspects of our lives, so the church is no different for that’’.
‘‘Some people believe that the bible says that homosexuality is a sin and it’s not allowed, I personally don’t believe that. I think the wider message of the gospels and in Jesus’ life, he taught us to love people and not condemn them and that we’re not to be the judge,’’ she said.
University of Canterbury Sociology expert Rosemary DuPlessis said some ideas about diverse sexualities have a negative impact.
‘‘There still exists a lot of informal prejudice, and ideas that have a negative impact on the lives of those that don’t fit into neat boxes.’’ she said.
Tremblay said playing his sport allows him to speak out, but doesn’t take comments like Folau’s personally.
‘‘We run out onto the field every single week to challenge rhetoric like that, to stand in opposition to rhetoric like that, but never to stand in the way of a person’s right to say it,’’ Tremblay, he said,