1 00:00:10,669 --> 00:00:14,869 Speaker 1: My Heart podcasts, hear more kids podcasts, playlists, and listen 2 00:00:14,909 --> 00:00:17,589 Speaker 1: live on the Free I hard will. 3 00:00:20,029 --> 00:00:22,428 Speaker 2: I hope you having a great drave home. If you 4 00:00:22,549 --> 00:00:24,829 Speaker 2: are an AFL fan, you'd. 5 00:00:24,509 --> 00:00:28,909 Speaker 1: Be right across this Isaac Rankin thing which has been 6 00:00:28,949 --> 00:00:31,429 Speaker 1: going on for it seems like a long time now, 7 00:00:31,509 --> 00:00:37,949 Speaker 1: where he called another player a very offensive word, which 8 00:00:38,149 --> 00:00:40,629 Speaker 1: he was then banned for playing for ards. It was 9 00:00:40,668 --> 00:00:43,468 Speaker 1: a homophobic slur, starts with front need to say it, 10 00:00:43,468 --> 00:00:46,749 Speaker 1: I'm sure you know what it is. And then today, 11 00:00:46,869 --> 00:00:50,549 Speaker 1: after some time away from the game, he came back 12 00:00:51,468 --> 00:00:54,069 Speaker 1: to address the media and address the public and he 13 00:00:54,109 --> 00:00:54,469 Speaker 1: said this. 14 00:00:55,229 --> 00:00:57,069 Speaker 3: I want to start by saying how deeply sorry I 15 00:00:57,069 --> 00:00:59,909 Speaker 3: am just for what I said. There was no excuse. 16 00:01:00,149 --> 00:01:03,189 Speaker 3: It was wrong, and I take full responsibility. I'm disappointed 17 00:01:03,229 --> 00:01:04,749 Speaker 3: in myself and I know I've let a lot of 18 00:01:04,749 --> 00:01:06,789 Speaker 3: people down. I want to apologize to anyone that I've 19 00:01:06,828 --> 00:01:10,908 Speaker 3: hurt offended. I understand that it is offensive, it's harmful, 20 00:01:11,188 --> 00:01:13,709 Speaker 3: it's hurtful and has no place in our game or 21 00:01:13,709 --> 00:01:16,149 Speaker 3: our society. I am in no way of victim, but 22 00:01:16,429 --> 00:01:18,509 Speaker 3: going away it's giving me the space to reflect and 23 00:01:18,669 --> 00:01:22,269 Speaker 3: educate myself, to understand the way of my mistake. 24 00:01:23,749 --> 00:01:25,069 Speaker 2: So he has gone away for a little while. I 25 00:01:25,069 --> 00:01:25,749 Speaker 2: think he was in Rome. 26 00:01:25,789 --> 00:01:28,309 Speaker 1: Actually they flewhim out of the country right when the 27 00:01:28,309 --> 00:01:30,309 Speaker 1: heat was arriving. So there's a big discussion over how 28 00:01:30,309 --> 00:01:31,709 Speaker 1: long you should be banned for. It should have been 29 00:01:31,789 --> 00:01:37,589 Speaker 1: five big five day ban, initially five week band four 30 00:01:37,669 --> 00:01:39,229 Speaker 1: or five game band is what I meant to say, 31 00:01:39,389 --> 00:01:41,349 Speaker 1: and then that got reduced to four. 32 00:01:41,189 --> 00:01:42,268 Speaker 2: Games after a plea. 33 00:01:42,469 --> 00:01:44,949 Speaker 1: So there's a whole bunch stuff, and that really decided 34 00:01:44,989 --> 00:01:46,509 Speaker 1: whether or not maybe he will play in the Grand 35 00:01:46,549 --> 00:01:49,309 Speaker 1: Final or not because Adelaide are a favorite to win. 36 00:01:49,509 --> 00:01:52,549 Speaker 1: So there's a lot of controversy around that. But what 37 00:01:52,549 --> 00:01:55,429 Speaker 1: we've done, what we decided to do today after he's spoken, 38 00:01:55,869 --> 00:02:00,029 Speaker 1: is he actually said then in his comments, I understand 39 00:02:00,109 --> 00:02:02,509 Speaker 1: that word is offensive, and so what we thought we'd 40 00:02:02,549 --> 00:02:05,309 Speaker 1: do is we would get up button Tom turn his 41 00:02:05,389 --> 00:02:06,429 Speaker 1: mic on because. 42 00:02:06,189 --> 00:02:09,749 Speaker 4: Thank you so much for letting me speak. Never again, 43 00:02:09,948 --> 00:02:12,668 Speaker 4: by the way, is never again careful careful. 44 00:02:12,668 --> 00:02:14,388 Speaker 2: The rights will be provoked very quickly. 45 00:02:14,989 --> 00:02:17,069 Speaker 1: But Tom, is that Tom, you actually are a gay man, 46 00:02:17,749 --> 00:02:20,508 Speaker 1: and I just thought it would would be great for 47 00:02:20,949 --> 00:02:23,269 Speaker 1: us to hear rather than us as two straight guys 48 00:02:23,309 --> 00:02:27,149 Speaker 1: talking about this totally from your perspective. A couple of things, 49 00:02:27,189 --> 00:02:31,749 Speaker 1: because you cards on the table here, you actually told us, well, 50 00:02:31,789 --> 00:02:33,589 Speaker 1: all this was going on, and we were talking about this, 51 00:02:33,669 --> 00:02:34,949 Speaker 1: gossiping in the studio about it. 52 00:02:35,309 --> 00:02:37,309 Speaker 2: You told us that you stayed away from the story. 53 00:02:37,429 --> 00:02:39,389 Speaker 5: Yeah, today was the first day I actually read anything 54 00:02:39,389 --> 00:02:42,948 Speaker 5: about it because we're going to do this discussion, and yeah, 55 00:02:42,989 --> 00:02:46,269 Speaker 5: it's I don't need to read about these stories because 56 00:02:46,349 --> 00:02:50,069 Speaker 5: I'm so lucky that I live in the most gayest 57 00:02:50,109 --> 00:02:52,309 Speaker 5: of all places, and I'm so lucky to be able 58 00:02:52,349 --> 00:02:54,828 Speaker 5: to do that. And I don't want to go back 59 00:02:54,829 --> 00:02:56,829 Speaker 5: to a place where I lived in the closet for 60 00:02:56,829 --> 00:02:58,629 Speaker 5: twenty two years. I don't want to have to experience 61 00:02:59,069 --> 00:03:01,788 Speaker 5: that type of language or hear about it anymore, because 62 00:03:01,949 --> 00:03:03,668 Speaker 5: ignorance is blissed in my point of view. 63 00:03:03,669 --> 00:03:05,189 Speaker 4: I don't I don't want to know that people are 64 00:03:05,189 --> 00:03:05,749 Speaker 4: saying these things. 65 00:03:05,789 --> 00:03:08,189 Speaker 6: Yeah, so what does it do to when you like, 66 00:03:08,269 --> 00:03:10,149 Speaker 6: you're having gauge with the story today now? 67 00:03:10,629 --> 00:03:10,828 Speaker 2: Yeah? 68 00:03:10,829 --> 00:03:12,509 Speaker 4: So what does that do to and where does it 69 00:03:12,549 --> 00:03:17,029 Speaker 4: take you? Yeah, it's quite it's disappointing. 70 00:03:17,069 --> 00:03:20,069 Speaker 5: I can't believe that this guy who was born in 71 00:03:20,069 --> 00:03:24,108 Speaker 5: the year two thousand, like I just can't believe that 72 00:03:24,149 --> 00:03:28,189 Speaker 5: someone would even want to use that language anymore. I 73 00:03:28,349 --> 00:03:30,469 Speaker 5: also find it interesting that I don't know whether he 74 00:03:30,509 --> 00:03:33,108 Speaker 5: would say that or a player, for example, would say 75 00:03:33,109 --> 00:03:35,949 Speaker 5: that to a gay man, Like, what if you're not 76 00:03:35,949 --> 00:03:37,189 Speaker 5: going to be able to say it to a gay man, 77 00:03:37,549 --> 00:03:39,469 Speaker 5: why do you feel like you can say it to 78 00:03:39,469 --> 00:03:42,029 Speaker 5: a straight man? But it just puts me back into 79 00:03:42,029 --> 00:03:45,389 Speaker 5: a place where I feel like I'm not accepted or 80 00:03:45,469 --> 00:03:50,389 Speaker 5: who I am. Yeah, I can't live in the world 81 00:03:50,989 --> 00:03:52,509 Speaker 5: in a place full of love and joy. 82 00:03:52,749 --> 00:03:55,869 Speaker 4: It just it just pushes it down. It's just it's 83 00:03:55,909 --> 00:03:56,429 Speaker 4: not nice. 84 00:03:56,909 --> 00:04:00,029 Speaker 6: Was the word used that the word we're referring to, 85 00:04:00,389 --> 00:04:04,669 Speaker 6: I guess any other homophobic slurs used a lot around 86 00:04:04,709 --> 00:04:07,549 Speaker 6: you when you were in teenageers. 87 00:04:07,189 --> 00:04:09,029 Speaker 5: In teenage years when I was in the closet, even 88 00:04:09,109 --> 00:04:14,429 Speaker 5: use some of these words myself to try and. 89 00:04:12,749 --> 00:04:14,469 Speaker 4: Hide the fact that I was gay. 90 00:04:17,029 --> 00:04:21,829 Speaker 5: And so when you when you hear them again, you 91 00:04:21,868 --> 00:04:23,628 Speaker 5: go back to the place of not being able to 92 00:04:23,628 --> 00:04:26,629 Speaker 5: love yourself, being able to not be free to be. 93 00:04:26,669 --> 00:04:29,988 Speaker 4: Who you want to be. And it's just so disappointing. 94 00:04:31,029 --> 00:04:35,229 Speaker 1: Do you think that like the because is there a 95 00:04:35,309 --> 00:04:36,749 Speaker 1: sense of fatigue around this. 96 00:04:37,469 --> 00:04:40,749 Speaker 5: Yeah, well, yes, it's twenty twenty five. I seriously cannot 97 00:04:40,749 --> 00:04:42,469 Speaker 5: believe having a discussion about. 98 00:04:42,229 --> 00:04:44,029 Speaker 2: Not openly gay AFL players. 99 00:04:44,149 --> 00:04:46,669 Speaker 1: I'm sure there are plenty of them who are absolutely 100 00:04:46,709 --> 00:04:48,308 Speaker 1: who are gay, who are still in the closet. 101 00:04:48,429 --> 00:04:52,469 Speaker 6: Really sadly and Mitch Brown last week former West Coast 102 00:04:52,469 --> 00:04:55,749 Speaker 6: players come out bi sexuals. I think he's actually spoken 103 00:04:55,789 --> 00:04:57,909 Speaker 6: today about a lot of people now are going to 104 00:04:58,069 --> 00:05:00,789 Speaker 6: him being like, you're narcissistic, You're making this all about yourself, 105 00:05:00,789 --> 00:05:01,949 Speaker 6: and it's like, god. 106 00:05:02,029 --> 00:05:04,149 Speaker 5: Well, funnily enough, he said, yes, I am. I am 107 00:05:04,189 --> 00:05:08,508 Speaker 5: being narcissist. I'm trying to get attention because this needs attention. 108 00:05:09,029 --> 00:05:11,469 Speaker 5: The fact that these boys are using this language in 109 00:05:11,509 --> 00:05:14,229 Speaker 5: this day and age is absolutely crazy. 110 00:05:14,509 --> 00:05:17,748 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah it is. Yeah, it's backward. Do you think 111 00:05:17,749 --> 00:05:18,029 Speaker 2: that the. 112 00:05:19,789 --> 00:05:22,669 Speaker 1: Punishment was right for him, like the banning of him 113 00:05:22,749 --> 00:05:24,389 Speaker 1: and then what happened. 114 00:05:24,069 --> 00:05:25,949 Speaker 4: After that, Yeah, I do. 115 00:05:26,029 --> 00:05:28,229 Speaker 5: I mean I think there should be some repercussion for 116 00:05:28,309 --> 00:05:31,389 Speaker 5: using this type of language because I know that otherwise, 117 00:05:32,149 --> 00:05:33,349 Speaker 5: you know, they would just keep using it. 118 00:05:33,389 --> 00:05:37,709 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, yeah, and you you made a great point 119 00:05:37,829 --> 00:05:40,509 Speaker 1: before it was off my about like a way to 120 00:05:40,909 --> 00:05:43,388 Speaker 1: because I mean, punishment's one thing, sure, with these guys. 121 00:05:43,429 --> 00:05:45,829 Speaker 1: I mean that we've had the same thing with racism, 122 00:05:46,109 --> 00:05:47,909 Speaker 1: where they banned them for a little while and then 123 00:05:47,949 --> 00:05:49,509 Speaker 1: it's like slap on the reast, you did the wrong thing. 124 00:05:50,029 --> 00:05:52,909 Speaker 1: But there needs to be some form of education involved here. 125 00:05:53,229 --> 00:05:54,909 Speaker 5: And I was reading that some of the training that 126 00:05:54,909 --> 00:05:59,389 Speaker 5: they're using in clubs, the lgbt QI training is it's 127 00:05:59,469 --> 00:06:02,549 Speaker 5: basically just like an online form and you have to 128 00:06:02,549 --> 00:06:05,389 Speaker 5: answer questions just like any online training. But I don't 129 00:06:05,389 --> 00:06:07,949 Speaker 5: think that's really effective. I mean, I've heard that a 130 00:06:07,949 --> 00:06:10,469 Speaker 5: lot of the get passed around in WhatsApp group so 131 00:06:10,509 --> 00:06:12,229 Speaker 5: they can quickly get through the training, which of. 132 00:06:12,149 --> 00:06:15,629 Speaker 4: Course, like we all would like, yeah, boring work training. Yeah. 133 00:06:15,709 --> 00:06:17,988 Speaker 5: I think that the best way to get around this 134 00:06:18,069 --> 00:06:21,549 Speaker 5: culture problem is just to get fifty, because I know 135 00:06:21,709 --> 00:06:24,109 Speaker 5: so many gay blokes that love the footy and just 136 00:06:24,189 --> 00:06:25,589 Speaker 5: want to be a part of it and just. 137 00:06:25,509 --> 00:06:27,829 Speaker 4: Want to like live and breathe that action. 138 00:06:28,469 --> 00:06:31,909 Speaker 5: If we just got like fifty gay footy loving blokes 139 00:06:32,229 --> 00:06:36,269 Speaker 5: and fifty of the people in each club, chuck them 140 00:06:36,269 --> 00:06:36,949 Speaker 5: in a pub. 141 00:06:36,749 --> 00:06:39,189 Speaker 4: And have some peers, and everybody would realize that we're 142 00:06:39,189 --> 00:06:41,669 Speaker 4: all very similar. We all just want to live our 143 00:06:41,709 --> 00:06:47,748 Speaker 4: lives and have joy. There's other words you can use. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 144 00:06:47,949 --> 00:06:49,469 Speaker 4: say the players. You don't need to say it. 145 00:06:50,189 --> 00:06:55,429 Speaker 1: Yeah, it doesn't matter. That's I think that's a great idea. Actually, 146 00:06:55,509 --> 00:06:56,709 Speaker 1: it just feels like exposure. 147 00:06:56,749 --> 00:06:58,988 Speaker 5: You just need exposure to gay people because I don't 148 00:06:59,029 --> 00:07:00,709 Speaker 5: know how exposed these players are. 149 00:07:01,309 --> 00:07:03,149 Speaker 4: That's it, or that you can use it. Yeah, it's 150 00:07:03,189 --> 00:07:03,868 Speaker 4: just insane, it's not. 151 00:07:03,949 --> 00:07:04,309 Speaker 2: Okay. 152 00:07:05,709 --> 00:07:07,469 Speaker 1: Maybe there's an idea there where you could have a 153 00:07:07,469 --> 00:07:10,389 Speaker 1: pub and it was filled halfway gay, half with gay dudes. 154 00:07:10,149 --> 00:07:12,469 Speaker 2: And half not with gay dudes, and they just didn't know. 155 00:07:12,549 --> 00:07:15,669 Speaker 4: It sounds like a straight pub. I don't go on. 156 00:07:19,069 --> 00:07:22,589 Speaker 2: The town on Smith Street there, come to the land. 157 00:07:22,669 --> 00:07:27,469 Speaker 4: That's what we like. Mad, Mad Monday, the lid Monday 158 00:07:26,989 --> 00:07:28,789 Speaker 4: may well spoken, Tommy. 159 00:07:28,869 --> 00:07:31,149 Speaker 2: I'm sure that will empathize with a lot of people. 160 00:07:31,269 --> 00:07:34,429 Speaker 1: It's a it's it sucks, and yeah, it's a shame 161 00:07:34,469 --> 00:07:37,309 Speaker 1: that it is still such a thing when it's running 162 00:07:37,309 --> 00:07:40,309 Speaker 1: their noses. And hopefully it all will change very very quickly. 163 00:07:40,389 --> 00:07:42,789 Speaker 1: I actually thought that Isaac was quite contracted. I think 164 00:07:42,789 --> 00:07:46,549 Speaker 1: he actually he seemed genuinely remorseful, So hopefully there was 165 00:07:46,549 --> 00:07:47,069 Speaker 1: a change there. 166 00:07:47,229 --> 00:07:48,269 Speaker 4: I'm going to turn my mark off. 167 00:07:48,269 --> 00:07:50,989 Speaker 2: Now, oh, you're done permanently.