Six-year-old school students’ parents have been informed that in order to participate in an A-League halftime game, their children must wear pride T-shirts.
The upset parents were informed that unless their kids wore LGBTQ+ t-shirts, they would not be allowed to participate in a halftime game at the Melbourne Victory’s A-League soccer match the following weekend.
The game’s registration form read:
“Please note that Melbourne Victory will be celebrating Pride Cup at this fixture. As such, participants playing half time small sided games will be wearing a specially designed pride T-shirt during the game.
“By continuing with this registration form you agree to your child wearing the MVFC pride T-shirt.”
When parents complained that pre-teens should be “kept out of social and cultural matters” they were told that they could “participate on an alternative day”.
The Mail Online reports: A furious parent told the newspaper it was not appropriate and kids should be ‘kept out of social and cultural matters’.
‘It’s deeply disturbing that the Melbourne Victory is forcing 6 year old children to be moving billboards,’ he said.
‘While I personally agree with the concept of pride and the safety of all LGBTQI+ persons to participate in sport, primary aged schoolchildren are not the correct avenue to express these sentiments.’
One fan wrote to Twitter that they didn’t believe ‘inclusion was forcing kids to wear pride shirts’.
A spokesperson for Melbourne Victory said the children were not being forced to wear the jerseys and could play another day if they didn’t want to.
‘The Club has not forced any of its players, staff, fans or junior participants to wear or participate in anything they are not comfortable with,’ a spokesman said.
‘This game is a celebration of LGBTI+ participation in sport and we have put processes in place to ensure those who are not comfortable to participate in the day as a whole, will have the option to participate in another match day they feel comfortable participating in.’
Any teacher, school administrator, school board, etc who does this needs to be FIRED at once, lose all pensions and benefits.
Unless you send a letter to be signed by both parents or parent in advance and they give approval then what they have done is forcing their will on a child.
Gee me thinks that is called SOCIALISM which has no place in an American Republic.
Folks USA is a REPUBLIC not a democracy
The only democracy is when we vote to elect someone into high office.
Otherwise we are a Republic.
Child abuse at its worst, the authorities ordering this should be charged
Unfortunately the world being what it is today too many parents are going to put their kids in this just to say they are inclusive. Which is a word I am begining to dislike very much. Because it is begining to mean throw away your values and adhere to mine.