Troye Sivan plays venue named after ‘homophobic’ pastor: ‘This is literally the gay agenda’
Troye Sivan performs at the Margaret Court Arena on September 25, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty)
Troye Sivan played at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena, named after the homophobic pastor and former tennis player, and said the concert was “literally the gay agenda”.
Court won the award for homophobic comment of the year at the 2018 GLORIAs (Gay & Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comment Awards) in Sydney.
She has previously 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 made younger players gay.
But playing at her namesake arena on Wednesday, September 25, when someone in the audience shouted that they would “turn gay” for Sivan, he replied: “Oh, you’d turn gay for me? I don’t think that’s how that works but I’m still down, I appreciate it.”
He then laughed as he said: “God, this is literally the gay agenda! This is what everyone was worried about.”
Troye Sivan performs at Margaret Court Arena on September 25, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty)
Lesbian tennis legend Billie Jean King has previously called for the Margaret Court Arena to be renamed in light of Court’s continued homophobic and transphobic comments.
She said: “If I were playing today, I would not play on it. I personally don’t think she should have her name anymore.
“I think it’s really important if you’re going to have your name on anything that you’re hospitable, you’re inclusive, you’re open arms to everyone that comes. It’s a public facility.”
Margaret Court, tennis star turned homophobic pastor. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty)
She added: “I think if you were talking about indigenous people, Jews or any other people, I can’t imagine the public would want somebody to have their name on something. Maybe because of our community, the LGBTIQ community, people might feel differently.
“But we’re all God’s children. We are all God’s children, so I probably don’t think it’s appropriate to have her name.”
