Hannah Spyksma is a Rainbow Youth volunteer The Aucklander who spoke out after being subject to homophobic abuse and harassment at an All Blacks game says she is “overwhelmed and humbled” by the support she has received. Hannah Spyksma, 24, says the positive feedback has come from New Zealanders from all walks of life. “Thank you to everyone who has expressed solidarity in one way or another,” she says. Spyksma has written an open letter two three men who she urged to stop calling players “homos and faggots” during the test between France and the All Blacks on Saturday. The three men then turned on her for the rest of the match, directing slurs in her ear, tapping her on the head and telling her not to go to the rugby again. Since her piece was published she has been inundated with support. "It's refreshing and humbling to know that there are so many people who agree that there's no place for homophobic language in sport. No matter whether you identify as gay, straight, lesbian, queer, trans* or any colour of the rainbow, nobody needs to feel like they are somehow not good enough because of who they are,” she says. "Let's hope that conversations about how we use language continues, as my voice is just one in Aotearoa that should be heard.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 12th June 2013 - 3:52pm