Sounders celebrated LGBT Pride day at the San Jose match
Drew Dickson flew in from Australia to catch up with his family and Sounders FC. The result was not to his liking but the indelible image of a campaign of inclusion and diversity will remain with him forever.
Saturday’s celebration was about LGBT Pride but for our Sounder-down-Under, that campaign made him prouder than ever to be a Sounders fan.
Sounder-down-Under. A fan from Australia lauds LGBT tribute
by Drew Dickson, Melbourne
For me, coming home from Australia is always special. Seeing the Sounders is something my brother and I have shared every time I come back from overseas since their debut season in the MLS.
I live in Australia now. I came by way of Seattle and Turkey to live in Melbourne. In every country I have lived in I have stepped into the stadiums and watched as the local clubs battled within the league. But home is always Seattle and the Sounders.
Saturday was not the result we wanted and everyone will agree. Dropping points at home is not something any team wants to do, especially when you play in a citadel like ours. We have to bear in mind that the team we saw today was the core of the starting lineup that we saw go down against the Timbers earlier in the week, so it was always going to be an uphill battle. (Yes, I know the Quakes were without three forwards). Combine this with playing a lone striker because despite what the scoreboard said about our formation I still haven’t figured out where Pappa was playing or why he will play every position inside the midfield line but refuses to play any defense.
Melbourne Victory, the team closest to where I live has a great fan base but has a tough time competing against the likes of cricket (five days for one match in a country that remains so British they celebrate the Queen’s birthday when it is not even an official holiday in England), Rugby (two separate versions for your enjoyment plus annual international tournaments against South Africa and New Zealand), and Australian Rules Football (hard to explain, best to YouTube the “best hits” and see for yourself) which has over 30 TV programs associated to it during the season.
None of these sporting codes, including soccer in Australia (yes they too call it soccer) would take part in the celebration I saw today.
I watched as a team paid tribute to its fans within the LGBT community.
Australia is still very much a society of “blokes.” To date only a few professional athletes in the codes I mentioned above have come out and been openly gay, and only one while still playing.
The Aussie Rules Football League was approached about an entire week of recognition of the LGBT community but it was turned down. There are already weeks dedicated to Women/Breast Cancer and the contributions of Australia’s Indigenous players and communities, so why there could be no additional recognition is beyond comprehension for many Australians.
I have always known my city was a tolerant place and I often brag to coworkers about how Seattle takes in so many immigrants and refugees. We are incredibly diverse for a city of under a million. Sadly for as multi cultural and diverse as Australia is, seeing that reflected in society’s upper echelons is limited.
Though I am not a member of the LGBT community I am a supporter. Like so many people I have family members and friends who identify as LGBT and like all people of all societies and social groups, the main issue is to feel included in every day life. I hope that this serves not only as an example of things to come but as a lesson of inclusion courtesy of Seattle and the Sounders.
And from an ex-pat, thank you for making this a great place for me to bring my wife and daughter home to.
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Prost Amerika applauds Sounders FC’s stance and that of other MLS clubs. We are proud that soccer is leading other sports in the right direction by setting an example.
Drew Dickson is returning to Australia but Prost hopes he will remain with us and continue to be our “Sounder-down-Under” in a regular column.
Related:
Indy Eleven take public stand for LGBT equality and against Governor Pence’s homophobic law
Robbie Rogers – Please come back and play (Huffington Post)
More Sounders v San Jose
Depleted San Jose Earthquakes manhandle depleted Sounders FC 2-0
Sounders B Team Falls at Home to San Jose B – Recap in photos
