'It's not tokenistic': Why the Manly Sea Eagles' Pride jersey matters

Many queer people are sports fans, like me, and every other week of every professional season, the status quo of cisgender heterosexuals is the unquestioned, predominant norm in the NRL; much like the rest of society.

Manly's decision to wear a Pride jersey means for one week, one game, queer sports fans get to be included and acknowledged.

But the one time a club has attempted to include those from the queer community who support rugby league - and trust me we are out there - Manly gets this reaction.

To Manly coach Des Hasler and captain Daly Cherry-Evans' credit they faced the music on Tuesday and answered calls amid a storm online when it became official seven players would stand down rather than wear the jersey.

However, it feels like the club's leaders were left to carry the bucket and answer for the seven who took such drastic action due to their religious beliefs - at a time when the two points could make or break their finals hopes.

It must be asked why the players did not stand down in round one given a sports betting company is their main jersey sponsor, but they only chose to in round 20 when some small rainbow edging is added to the maroon and white. I'd argue sports gambling does more societal damage than queer people living happily and authentically.

Then there is the alcohol company that is the naming rights sponsor of Manly's home ground, and the fact many games in the NRL are played on Sunday. These are not the hills these players chose to die on - it was a small strip of rainbow piping on their jerseys that triggered their belief system.

And I am not here to say these players should not have beliefs, or that any religious person should give their faith away because I am queer and am a sports fan. If religion gives you a moral compass and a social framework in which to live your life as you see fit, then I am glad it gives that to you.

However, what I am against is when religious people use their beliefs to judge me, or any other group of people apart from their own, or state my way of living is wrong, immoral, or evil.

And that is what this is about. These seven players have shown their true colours when it comes to the queer community and what they really think of us. Imagine being a queer person, either closeted or not, in the Manly club today - or in any other NRL club for that matter. Could you really look any of these Sea Eagles players in the eye this week knowing what they think of you?

It's not tokenistic for Manly to have a Pride jersey. It's empathetic and inclusive. And this is something people who are not on the periphery of society sometimes fail to understand because they are the ruling majority, be it due to their gender, sexuality, race or religion.

Manly's decision to keep its Pride jersey is also not an attempt to ignore or supplant the women in league round. If anything, it's designed to acknowledge the queer women who are involved in, play or support the game. You only have to look at the NRLW and the number of proud queer women involved in the sport to see why a round like this is important for everybody.

When you see the backlash, when you read the comments sections and the sheer vitriol some people seem to have for the queer community it's little wonder why I was the first openly trans person to work in the NRL when there are attitudes like this still in the game. It's little wonder why we haven't seen another openly gay NRLM player since Ian Roberts.

It's little wonder we still have so much work to do to unpack the toxic masculinity and homophobia that continues to infect society and the hyper masculine world of professional male sport.