Former NBA star Andrew Bogut garnered a lot of reactions after publicly calling out Football Australia over a question about gender on his son’s soccer registration form.
Bogut, who last played in the NBA in 2019 for the Golden State Warriors, took to Twitter to call out the national sporting body for putting a gender-inclusive question in a drop-down box for the youth soccer registration form.
The drop-down list included options for male, female, non-binary, or gender fluid players, and an option for those whose “gender identity not sufficiently represented.”
https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/1630420205875896321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1630420205875896321%7Ctwgr%5E3356af4352ec5385c83d8115240153b328809745%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.com.au%2Fsport%2Fsports-life%2Fandrew-bogut-is-not-happy-about-gender-inclusive-options-on-his-6yo-sons-soccer-rego%2Fnews-story%2F28060d12828a75678d2295e8aa9aaa12
“Signing our 6 YEAR OLD! Once again, 6 YEAR OLD! up for soccer,” Bogut wrote. “Cmon @FootballAus.”
It was a bit unclear for many on Twitter why Bogut was so upset and felt the need to tweet about it. Unless his own child needed a gender option that was not included in the drop-down menu, it seemed to many that this was making a big deal out of something that didn’t require it.
“That’s a standard form mate,” ABC journalist Matt Bevan wrote. “Are you suggesting they adjust it just so the parents of (six-year-olds) don’t freak out at having to check a box?”
“Wouldn’t it just be easier to just answer the question and move on? Why do we choose to pain ourselves over these small things,” another user replied.
When asked Football Australia stood by the menu options as a way to be as diverse and inclusive as possible.
“Football Australia is proud that our game is the most diverse and inclusive sport in Australia, where our sport and communities offer a safe and welcoming environment for all participants irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, cultural background, or ability,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
[Fox News]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.