HOMOEROTIC? HOMOPHOBIC? HYPOCRITICAL? - AFL!

There are many thousands of people who are interested in sport. There are many thousands of people who watch sport. There are many thousands of people who play sport.

In all these thousands of people it is not possible according to the laws of probability that there are not several gay players involved on all sides of sport.

Despite all efforts over the years to change the climate of fear and hatred and homophobia existing in all sorts of sports at all levels, the Australian Football League - AFL - has not yet had any out or outed players in its ranks.

This defies statistics and the hopes and wishes of many players who are still locked in and hidden away in closets because there is too much fear to declare themselves in the public arena for fear of the consequences.

Brave will the first player be who shows he is prepared to weather the storm and show the world what gays in footy look like.

But, as the saying goes with so many aspects of our lives, "DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!"

.........and enjoy the eye candy these homoerotic photos from our daily papers illustrate!

HOMOEROTICISM, HOMOPHOBIA, AFL, CRICKET, ALL SPORTS

These are recent pictures from newspapers showing scenes from AFL and cricket matches in Australia and the UK.

What they continue to illustrate is that homoeroticism is very real in these spoprts as well as most other sports.

Body contacts show that many sports people do not shy away with body contacts with same-sex people and in fact seem to derive a great deal of pleasure from the contacts.

It continues to be strange that the attitudes projected by the people who control these sports continue to be as homophobic as they are in which the culture of homophobia seems to be predominant, yet many players are still in the closet and are afraid to publicly declare their homosexuality and ultimately be role models for young people still afraid of their sexuality because of society's responses to them.

There is enough homophobia inherent in many countries around the world for Australia to actually set an example about how NOT to be homophobic and develop a culture of support and encouragement for young people to be themselves.

But of course that requires commitment from the sporting bodies and it is just too much effort for them.