Are we going to have a beer and pork day when Sonny Bill comes? To keep with the spirit of things?

I'm fine with having a Pride round
Just like I'm fine with having a Mental Health round etc.
I'm ok with having a Heritage round
I'm ok with having an Armed forces round as we do every year in one format or another
We promote a Mothers day game, We sometimes promote a Valentines game etc.

But as a poster said earlier "Why is promoting acceptance shoving something in our faces, but having a military round is absolutely fine and not shoving jingoism in our faces?"

It seems to me that for some it's a case of "were alright having games/rounds dedicated to a cause as long as I agree with it?"
We either have them or we don't, not pick and choose, and as far as I am concerned the people that we tend to have those games/rounds for have in the past or in the present are fighting daily battles that I suspect most of us can't FULLY appreciate and a show of support whether it be by friends/colleagues the general public or a local sports club is the Least those people deserve.

The whole point is to make a statement that lets people who are affected by these issues know that they are not alone and that discrimination against people based on these issues is not acceptable.
If we don't have these days and people don't celebrate it then IMO we don't have a voice that pushes against the negative/Hateful comments that led to these people being discriminated against in the first place.

I don't go out my way to attend many events of this nature, I don't go to many of these events of this nature.
However
One thing I would NEVER say is that I am having these issues "Shoved down my throat".
My kids are in their late teens/20 now and we've sat down with them many times over the years since they were young to talk to them about Many subjects including Racism/Homophobia/Sexism etc.
This is no different

Why would we?
I'm struggling to think of one reason why we would do that?

Absolutely. For those saying it might confuse their children - use it as a vehicle to educate them. It doesn't have to be about sex. Sexuality is not always about sex. Your children will be aware that for example, mummy loves daddy, without bringing sex into it. Teach them that sometimes men love men and women love women. Same with race.

To basically turn it into Helen Lovejoy-ing is quite frankly a ridiculous reason.

It’s up to the parents to educate children about this issue, at a time when they see fit. Not for the club to start the ball rolling with kids asking questions.

If I wanted to go to a Pride event I’d go to one, what I won’t have is going to watch a rugby match and have the club use this subject as a cheap marketing ploy and bringing identity politics into the club.

Are they going to be handing out rainbow flags to all the kids? If so then that would be disgraceful. Keep them out of it.

We don’t have a ban on LGBTQ fans at Wigan, nor do our fans go round beating up members of the LGBTQ community. If members of the club and fans want to get behind the cause then go to Wigan pride or Manchester pride in your own time and join the fun, stop bringing it into places where it isn’t wanted or needed.

Best case scenario in the week leading up to the match we get national media coverage and as a result an extra 5k turn up, average spend £25, that's the best part of Jackson Hastings paid for for the year.
Worst case, everybody's forgotten about it, we get the usual awful crowd against Les Cats and (hopefully) our usual two points.

I'm not looking to argue as I actually don't have a strong opinion either way. I was merely explaining what I took the poster to mean. However, as you've posted a response to my post specifically I feel I have to pick you up on a couple of things.

Are you seriously saying it's better to suffer poverty or mental or physical disability than to be gay? Seriously? Is this not exactly the 'our cause is more important than yours' mentality that the poster was objecting to? Either way, I'm afraid I have to disagree with you .

As for abuse; the Muslim community is the most persecuted in Britain. If we are to have a 'day' based on abuse surely it should be a Muslim inclusion day, say when Toronto are in town. I would also take you to task on your assertion that the LGBTQ community suffers more abuse than those in poverty. Tell that to the homeless people who are suffering nightly abuse, even being murdered, for the 'crime' of having no money.

Other 'days' are also being mentioned such as the State of Mind round. Again, people seem to have missed the point. This is a sport wide initiative and, perhaps more importantly, is aimed at the target demographic most largely associated with the sport of rugby league. I've had a look but I've failed to find any evidence that rugby league is high on the agenda for the LGBTQ community although I'm more than happy to be proven wrong.

All that happens in that instance is you get the oppression olympics, who can be the most oppressed. Then this massively overshadows the rugby league and the club because it’s identity politics and divisive. Therefore should be kept out of the club.

Now if the Superleague want to wear rainbow laces for a round then fair enough, I’d back that.

So what's your stance on the Armed forces day?
Why do we have one of those?

Like I said in the last post, it’s identity politics and divisive and all you’ll get is - what about vegan day? What about straight pride? What about family day? What about mothers and Father’s Day? What about ginger day? What about tall people day? What about Muslim day? What about Jew day? What about ‘Bring a Mormon day’?

Why don’t they just concentrate on rugby league and not get involved in all that nonsense.

One of my grips is why is LGBTQ pride and all that palaver being brought into a family environment where there are young kids. Like the club are bringing the whole subject to the topic of conversation for parents to have with their kids, that’s a decision that should be made by their parents and not by a rugby club.

Are we going to have a domestic abuse day? Whereby kids are taught it’s wrong to drink 8 cans of Stella and knock women about?

I think although I am sure they will give their own opinion later is that any kind of abuse is bad and no-one is playing a one up-manship game here over whoever's situation is worst.

However Racism/Homophobia/Sexism etc. are causes where any individual who falls into that category has no choice in their situation and are being discriminated against in many ways, verbally,physically, socially etc for being nothing more than WHO THEY ARE.

I don't think anyone who's speaking up in favour of the LGBTQ round would have any issues if we did have a round to highlight the plight of the homeless, in fact let's do it.
But would posters then state that they were having that "Rammed down their throat"?
Or is it just this one particular cause that is an issue?

As I say I'm fine with not having an LGBTQ round, but at the same time we can't have any other rounds relating to mental health, Armed forces etc.?

I haven't looked - But I guess we haven't seen any previous posts from yourself or anyone else stating that we shouldn't be having an Armed forces day or any other Themed events?

Heritage day - Yes
Community day - Yes
Mothers Day - Yes
Father’s Day - Yes
Rememberance Sunday - Yes but we don’t get to celebrate this, so the armed forces day is used instead.

Don’t know any other days the club does but I’m fine with just the above. What’s the club going to do? Have rainbow flags, Prosecco on tap, bobbing for hot dogs, Diana Ross after each try? All for a very, very small minority?

I thought we were the Wigan Warriors, not Social Justice Warriors?

I rest my case

Do they have Father’s Day parades? Mother’s Day parades? Do they have parades for old Wigan players? Parades for our armed forces?

I’m just disappointed in the club, if grown up people want to go to a pride march then go and have a ball, but don’t be forcing it on me and my kids!

That is exactly what the poster I responded to DID do. May I remind you:

"Why sexual orientation in particular? Probably because, of those things you mentioned, none of the abuse is anywhere near that towards LGBT people".

In a nutshell that, it seems to me, is people's objection to having a round featuring one specific socio-political cause. Some of the responses seem to support that viewpoint.

You appear to be of the opinion that we're on different sides of this argument. However, as I stated above, I am not stating my views per say but merely expressing the opinion that the argument isn't as clear cut as "you either support this initiative or you're homophobic" which has already come up several times in this thread. As long as you can give a reasoned alternative view that isn't based on prejudice then your opinion is as valid as any other.

For my own part I actually don't care either way beyond the fact that I don't think it's in a sporting club's remit to favour one cause above another unless there are specific links to that club or to the sport or community they represent.

Are mothers, fathers, old wigan players or armed services not accepted by large groups of people? You and yours get celebrations in earshot, everyone else has to do it where you can't see it.

Heaven forbid your children find out about homosexuals and grow up to realise they're as normal as you and I.

"I'm not homophobic, but..."

What, an it takes a rugby club to teach us that? Give me a break.

Sorry, double plus ungood wrongthink. Throw my opinions down the memory hole.

No, it doesn't, at no point have I said it's a rugby clubs responsibility to do it. As a side effect it's an opportunity to do it yourself though. It doesn't seem like something you want to do though. A child won't blink an eye if you tell them that it's not always a mummy and daddy or whatever, I certainly didn't at 8 when I was told my auntie was living with a woman instead of my uncle.

So what you’re saying is indoctrinate the kids, no leave them alone.

Nobody needed to tell my brother he was gay, nobody needed to educate him, he found out for himself in his teens. He was supported by all his family and came out in his late teens. Good for him. He babysits for me, comes round for parties and so in and he and his partner are very welcome, if he starts telling the kids about pride and homosexuality then that’s when I’ll tell him to stop but he won’t, because he’s not preaching, he’s not a militant in your face, like LGBTQ or you’re a bigot type, he just gets on with it.

This isn’t a workplace whereby everybody is a free thinking adult, this is a rugby club where many of the fans are children with impressionable minds and they shouldn’t have this issue thrown in their faces, it’s uo to the parents to teach it to them if and when they see fit.

Bit odd to throw the term indoctrination when we're talking about someones Christian values meaning they don't like gay people. I'm not sure saying "LGBT people are normal" is indoctrination either. Is educating a child about race indoctrination?



If this is true, then that's great, however, many families don't welcome and support. Many people grow up hating people like your brother, and perhaps some conversations at an early age might change that.



Do you think telling children that sometimes men can love men and women can love women will give them the gay? Do you think it's more damaging than having soldiers turn up and have them know about wars, for example? I'm sure your children already know about homosexuality given your brother, however, most people don't grow up in that environment. Do you think knowing your brother loves a man instead of a woman has harmed them in any way?

You've got a bee in your bonnet about this haven't you.

People.have different opinions - they aren't going to change them, just as much as you aren't going to change yours.

Keep calling each other names tho. That doesn't make either party look stupid at all.

On the day of the new season, one that I’ve been waiting for for what seems like ages is upon us we are debating teaching people LGBTQ stuff and it should t be the case. Like I said before, politics and religion should be kept out of sport same with this. As nothing should take the limelight away from the sport, that’s is why I’m against it. If they want a parade fine, have your parade but leave the rugby alone and especially leave the kids alone.

Couldn’t give a toss whether 1 rugby player believes that all sinners will go to Narnia, heaven, hell, Hull or Hogwarts.

Couldn’t care less of someone wants to marry a man or woman, or both, or his coffee table I couldn’t care less.

One thing I do care about if when it encroaches onto Wigan rugby league club and when kids are involved. Like I said before, just because I’m not ‘for’ something, doesn’t mean I’m against it.

I’ve made my point, I’ve made my feelings known, I won’t be attending the Catalans game which is a shame because I was looking forward to seeing James Maloney play. I won’t be speaking much more about it because we’re going over old ground and off topic and detracting away from what is important and that’s the Warrington game.