Margaret Court named homophobe of the year
Margaret Court, tennis star turned homophobic pastor. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty)
Former tennis player Margaret Court has won an award for making the worst homophobic comment of the year.
The Australian tennis player came under sustained fire last year over a string of homophobic comments.
Ranting to the media she likened gay people to Hitler, claimed that homosexuality is an ungodly “lust for the flesh”, insisted that LGBT tendencies in young people were “all the devil”, and alleged that older lesbian tennis stars have ‘converted’ younger players.
Her comments were rebuked by LGBT activists at the 9th annual GLORIAs (Gay & Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comment Awards) in Sydney.
Margaret Court (Vince Caligiuri/Getty)
Court beat a total of 47 nominees to pick up the award for most homophobic comment of the year, which was decided in a “raucous boo-off.”
An honourable mentions went to Lyle Shelton’s Coalition for Marriage, for claiming that equal marriage would make Pride events mandatory and that kids will be forced to learn how to have “gay sex” – as well as claiming that there will be a 4,000% increase in children coming out as transgender.
(Getty)
The country’s embattled Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also made the shortlist, for “putting the LGBTQI community through a postal vote inviting the whole of Australia to pass judgement on the validity of same sex relationships.”
Court claimed last year that gay people are “[doing] what Hitler did…what communism did… get in the minds of the children. There’s a whole plot in our nation and in the nations of the world to get in the minds of the children… They’re after our young ones, that’s what they’re after.”
The winners are below in full:
Media
Marijke Rancie – a.k.a. ‘Political Posting Mumma’
“For misrepresenting the law in various video blogs, including an ad saying: ‘As a mum, I’ve come to realise the importance of voting ‘no’ to changing the marriage law. If the marriage law changes, it will become discrimination NOT to teach LGBTQ sex education and radical gender theory in our schools. Don’t be fooled, they are a package deal… mums and dads, send in your ‘no’ vote right away, while there’s still time to push back.'”
Religion
Lyle Shelton’s Coalition for Marriage
“For claiming that, after marriage equality, Pride events will become mandatory and kids will be forced to learn how to have ‘gay sex’, as well as claiming that there will be a 4,000% increase in children coming out as transgender.”
Anonymous Idiots
“Everyone who chucked a tanty because they received… a… text message. For everyone who complained after receiving a text message from the Yes campaign, including people who said they felt ‘violated’, ‘outraged’, and ‘bullied’ and that their ‘privacy had been breached’. By. A. Text. Message.”
Silliest comment made from within the LGBTI community
Milo Yiannopoulos
“For telling Australians to vote against marriage equality. He said: ‘My instinct would be to vote against it… the paramount consideration is not those gay couples – it is religious freedoms.’ He made the statement just weeks after his own plush wedding in Hawaii – where he married his long-term boyfriend, John.”
Politics
Malcolm Turnbull
“For putting the LGBTQI community through a postal vote inviting the whole of Australia to pass judgement on the validity of same sex relationships, and then afterwards, at this year’s Mardi Gras parade, he said: ‘It was like the nation gave same sex couples an enormous hug.'”
Sport
Former tennis player Margaret Court
For saying homosexuality was an ungodly ‘lust for the flesh’ and that ‘LGBT tendencies in young people’ were ‘all the devil’. She then said: ‘That’s what Hitler did. That’s what communism did – get in the minds of the children. There’s a whole plot in our nation and in the nations of the world to get in the minds of the children… They’re after our young ones, that’s what they’re after.'”
The Good GLORIA – for the best positive comment
The NRL, for having Macklemore sing ‘Same Love’ at the 2017 NRL Grand Final.
