FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke out against critics of the World Cup in Qatar
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“Today I feel gay”
LGBT rights are protected in the United States. In Qatar, they are not.
On Saturday, while the world’s attention was fixated on a small desert state hosting a soccer competition in air-conditioned stadiums, a gunman opened fire in a gay bar in Colorado.
5 people lost their lives that night in the United States. The shooter’s motives are not yet clear, but this is just the latest in a long line of attacks on the LGBT community from Orlando in 2016 to Oslo in June 2022.
Qatar has come under international scrutiny during the World Cup for its harsh stance on LGBT rights, where Qatari men can face up to seven years in prison just for being themselves. And while LGBT visitors are officially ‘welcome’ during the World Cup, they’ve been told by their own leaders back home to “tone it down”.
Feeling the pressure, FIFA president Gianni Infantino went on a nonsensical attack against critics, saying amongst many other things “...Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel [like] a migrant worker.” The message was clear: a global sporting event is not the place to bring up human rights. His words came just hours before the first gunshot in Colorado.
There was a ray of hope when some European football teams planned to wear a small rainbow armband as a gesture of support towards minorities. It was quickly shot down by FIFA, once again demonstrating the organization’s total lack of a moral compass.
Gay bars are supposed to be a safe space. A place where some of society’s most marginalized can forget, even for a minute, the hate they experience outside those doors. That’s a luxury that gay men in Qatar have never known. Sport is inherently political, despite what FIFA might say. You only have to look at the bold, courageous acts of Iran’s football team to see that before your eyes.
If LGBT people aren’t safe in the bars of the world’s most liberal and tolerant nations, then what hope is there for them in places like Qatar? And is it any wonder why still, to this day, no major international footballer has ever felt safe enough to come out in public?
This has been a bruising week for the world’s LGBT community. We must do better. We deserve better.
5 Things We Learned
An ‘adult CEO” has arrived to clean up the mess at FTX.
Enron Veteran John J. Ray III was appointed CEO of crypto’s biggest liquidity crisis. “You bring him in to clean up your corporate messes, you don’t ask any question, and he disappears into the sunset” one commentator said on Twitter.
Summer heatwaves claimed 20,000 lives across Europe.
Official figures suggest this year’s extreme heat caused tens of thousands of excess deaths. The figure could rise to 90,000 as temperatures continue to rise.
A Parkinson’s disease tracking app for Apple Watch has been cleared by the FDA. ‘
Parky’ will use the watch’s sensors to track tremors and involuntary movements. It’s hoped this new tech could enable personalized treatment for patients in the near future.
E-scooters can now last up to 5 years.
So-called ‘micromobility’ has a dirty secret, many scooters only last a matter of months, canceling out the claimed environmental benefits. E-scooter rental startup Voi claims its latest models can now last up to 5 years.
You can see the northern lights from a space balloon, for just $125,000.
1,000 tickets have already been sold for a 2 hour trip reaching 100,000 feet above ground. The balloon cabin includes a bar, huge windows and even WiFi, perfect for the ultimate selfie.
The Good
Investment in climate tech has doubled in the past two years.
European sustainability startups are booming, despite the gloomy economic outlook, according to a new report. Alternative proteins, made from both insects and plant-based materials, received the most investment.
The Bad
2023 will see the return of ‘desk bombing’.
Showing up at a co-worker’’s desk announced for a chat has been dubbed ‘desk bombing’ is predicted to have a big comeback next year as the balance between remote and in-office work shifts. Read more of our predictions for work culture in 2023.
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