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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 19:46 |
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GOLD AND MOULD
I hate this once every two weeks (or four if you’re rancid after DIVAs and couldn’t write a shopping list let alone a column).I had an idea that I thought I’d shelve but a few things happened this week and I still think it needs to be said.
Firstly I am a Mitcham Mole. My BF and I watched with the pride of a parent as he dove into the history books. I then read every paper, watched all the news coverage and trawled through the net reading all the positive responses and enthusiastic affirmations. He is extraordinary for thinking he is ordinary and he’s a true blue Aussie (with a tinge of pink). I sent a ‘Herogram’, went online to the Thank You Project, became a fan on Facebook and even tried to organise a ticker tape parade from Stonewall to Arq. I’ve inquired about changing my name to Mitzi Mitcham and I’m right behind the push to have him as our Chief of Parade at next year’s Mardi Gras Parade. He is such a great example of a fantastic sportsman who happens to have a boyfriend … Bravo Matty.
On the flip side of the coin is Brian McFaddden. I was outraged at his comments. There is no way that a statement like that can be misconstrued as a joke: “Saying pink is a form of red is the same as saying homosexual is a form of male”. This shows thought and hate. I’ve searched everywhere but all I’ve found is an off-the-cuff response dismissing all reactions to his homophobic slur. “If I was homophobic, I wouldn’t be in this industry,” he added. That’s not an apology for the hurt you caused with your obnoxious, sponge-minded fuckwittery. I’ve stopped listening to his music and even change the station when that ‘Twisted’ song comes on.
Last weekend I went to see Billy Elliot. A musical that celebrates being different. A few hours later I was working at Stonewall when a punter out the front was approached and was savagely punched in the face. By the time security pulled him off, he had slammed the innocent boy three times and left him bleeding and bruised. Every now and then something happens that reminds me that our battle for acceptance is far from over. There’s a fantastic line from Priscilla (another musical about acceptance): “I don’t know if that ugly wall of suburbia has been put there to stop them getting in or us getting out”. We feel safe inside Stonewall with all our little friends but you only have to step outside to see that we are far from accepted and then we have a dickhead like Brian McFadden mouthing off then not even admitting he’s wrong. This is why I think we should stand and applaud Matty Mitcham because for every two steps back we take one huge gold leap forward. Can I hear a thunderous cheer for Matty and a collective ‘boo’ (and a boycott) for everything McFadden?
Mitzi Macintosh
askmitzi@ hotmail.com
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