In the penultimate edition for 2012, Farrago tackles sexuality in sport. In recent weeks, Melbourne University graduate and country footballer Jason Ball came out publicly to petition the AFL to tackle homophobia within the sport and its community. His action took great courage and has already yielded positive outcomes with the AFL screening ‘No To Homophobia’ advertisements during the preliminary finals and considering a pride round in 2013. We hope the AFL decides to air these ads during the Grand Final too. While these moves reflect a slowly changing culture, true inclusiveness and acceptance still seems distant.

But as the AFL makes slow progress, the federal parliament is going backwards on equal rights. The House of Representatives defeated a bill to legalise same-sex marriage 98 votes to 42. While some notable figures voted for equality, far too many of the nation’s leaders acted like cowards–including the big names like Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Malcolm Turnbull and surprise surprise, Tony Abbott.

Labor MP Stephen Jones, who introduce the private-members bill, called on marriage equality supporters to “maintain your rage.” and indeed we will. Tweet, Facebook, email and call your local member, force our representatives to actually represent us. Discrimination against the LGBTI community is still entrenched, and same-sex marriage is one important step to saving all people, however they identify, from the effects of homophobia. Such irrational fear and narrow-mindedness needs to evolve. It’s so fucking heteronormative!

Thanks to those who shared their experiences, like footballer Tom Wilson, for being leaders and champions of inclusiveness and compassion. Read Tom’s feature on page 27 and Sally Whyte’s interview with Jason Ball on page 29.

Much love, Farrago.

Our thanks and sexual favours go to many

Thanks to many, thanks to all. Farrago is especially grateful this month to Scott’s wife, Lena Jean, and her lover, sometime footballer, and supermodel, James. Thank you both for your time and flexibility.

To the MUSUL Finance Department for doing their job… much appreciated!

As always, hugs and kisses to those we love and hate for motivating us and listening to us kvetch.

Apologies

Apologies to many, apologies to all. To the Environment Department for accidentally excluding their Office Bearer report in last edition and to those who regularly read it… nothing personal, we just really fucking hate nature–particularly Max ‘I Hate the Outdoors’ Denton. To Danielle Kutchel and Adeshola Ore for all the things. We’re especially sorry to those we love and hate for enduring our late-night kvetching and general madness.