Culture

“It’s Really Embarrassing”: Grinspoon Join Ryan Adams In Calling Out Margaret Court

"She deserves to be told by the people playing her arena that they oppose what she stands for. Vehemently."

by Jules LeFevre  26 May 2017

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Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson has addressed the anti-marriage equality comments by tennis veteran Margaret Court — a few weeks out from their performance at the arena that bears her name.

In a letter published in the West Australian yesterday, Court wrote that she will be boycotting Qantas due to the company’s support of same-sex marriage. She has since been widely condemned for the comments — American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams even called her out on Twitter ahead of his show at the Margaret Court Arena (MCA) tonight.

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Speaking to Music Junkee this morning, Jamieson reaffirmed his support for marriage equality and said he was “flabbergasted” that Australia is even still having this debate.

“Marriage equality is a simple human right, it shouldn’t even be debated,” he said. “It’s really embarrassing that Australia is so far behind. While Margaret Court is entitled to her opinion, Christians didn’t invent marriage — so I don’t know how they get to redefine it.”

“Now that she’s written to a newspaper and spouted it out loud, she deserves to be told by the people playing her arena that they oppose what she stands for. Vehemently.”

Grinspoon are due to play the MCA on June 30, as part of the 20th anniversary tour celebrating the release of their debut album A Guide To Better Living. While the band haven’t yet discussed whether to address Court’s comments while on stage at the arena, Jamieson is confident they will. 

“I think Joe [Hansen, Grinspoon’s bass player) will definitely say something,” Jamieson says. “While it’s important to be a political band, it’s never really been our gig — Grinspoon has always been about escapism. That said, I think it would be remiss of the band not to bring it up in some respect.”

The venue itself has distanced itself from Court’s comments, saying they “remain an organisation committed to embracing equality, diversity and inclusion.”