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Gay news: 'These hired goons were not down at the pub drinking flat beer with their mates, they were on national television'
johnny weir
Australian sports presenters investigated for 'Brokeback' remarks
Two Australian sports commentators accused of the homophobic mocking of male figure skaters are to be investigated by the New South Wales anti-discrimination board.
Eddie McGuire and Mick Molloy's remarks during Channel 9's coverage of the Winter Olympics last week led to a complaint by Sydney gay rights activist Gary Burns and a Facebook campaign in protest with a membership in excess of 8000.
Discussing American skater Johnny Weir's costume, Molloy had said: "They don't leave anything in the locker room, these blokes, do they?"
McGuire replied: "They don't leave anything in the closet either, do they?"
McGuire then described one competitor's costume as "a bit of a Brokeback" - a reference to Ang Lee's gay cowboy film - to which Molloy responded: "A bit of Brokeback Mountain exercises - you can't wear that."
Burns said in a statement: "They should publicly apologise for their unlawful rant to the homosexual community of Australia.
"These hired goons were not down at the pub drinking flat beer with their mates, they were on national television being viewed by millions of Australians."
He welcomed the anti-discrimination board's decision to accept his complaint as "a timely reminder to homophobes like McGuire and Molloy they won't get away with vilifying homosexuals".
Weir was also targeted by commentators from French channel RDS, who suggested he should undergo a gender test.
The Quebec Gay and Lesbian Council has demanded an apology for the remarks, describing them as "outrageous" and "homophobic".
Weir, who has refused to discuss his sexuality, said in a press conference this week that he believed in free speech and did not want to see the French commentators punished.
But he added: "I want them to think before they speak. I want them to think not only about the person they're talking about, but also other people like that person.
"What people as a majority need to do is think, and think about who they're affecting ... I don't want, fifty years from now, more boys and girls to go through this same thing."
