Sigur Rós release statement in support of marriage equality ahead of Margaret Court Arena show

With former tennis legendMargaret Court’s anti-marriage equality views stirring up a storm in Australian media over the last few weeks, many prominentfigures in sport, media and entertainment have suggested the Melbourne arena that bears her name should be rechristened.

From Czech-American tennis icon (and queer trailblazer) Martina Navratilova to Frontier Touring honcho Michael Gudinski and recent visitorRyan Adams, who played the venue last month, plenty of people have pointed out that it doesn’t feel right to be putting on shows and events intended to be inclusive and welcoming to all music and sports fans at a venue named after a vocal opponent of marriage equality.

Navratilova is one of the voices calling for the arena to be renamedafter Indigenous tennis champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley (which appeared to have been realised yesterday when a user edit briefly saw it relabelled thuson Google Maps); pop star Tina Arena added her name to that list after a number of people suggested it should actually be called the Tina Arena Arena.

This morning, Splendour In The Grass headliners Sigur Rós, who are playing their Melbourne sideshow at the venue, have released a statement citing the band’s personal beliefs and the pro-equality values long held in their native Iceland.

“We want to add our voice to the call for marriage equality in Australia —right here on Margaret Court Arena itself,” the band said. “Australia should be a country that celebrates positivity and inclusion, as well as achievement on the sporting field.”

They’ll also commission a special T-shirt to be sold at Splendour and both Sydney and Melbourne sideshows, with sales in support of Australian Marriage Equality.

“Let’s make July 27th Margaret Court Arena’s most inclusive night ever and call for every Australian to have the same dignity and respect right here on centre court.”

Splendour co-headliners LCD Soundsystem, Placebo and Little Mix are playing the 7000-capacity arena in the coming months; their fans may well hope to see them express similar stances of inclusivity and support.

Sigur Rós’ full statement is below.

Dear Melbourne,

Since we formed Sigur Rós some twenty years ago, we have been lucky enough to visit Australia seven times. We’re very much looking forward to our eighth visit this July.

We are currently in the middle of our worldwide tour, playing more than 130 shows and visiting 39 countries. Along the way we have played some of the world’s finest venues, and we’re finishing with a residence at the Harpa Concert Hall in our home town of Reykjavík, Iceland at the end of this year.

Our next Melbourne show is set to take place on July 27th at Margaret Court Arena. Our fans and friends have made us aware of recent comments by Margaret Court regarding her opposition to Qantas’s support of same sex marriage in Australia, and her wider views on race and sexuality.

Iceland is a country where same sex partnerships have been recognised since 1996, and where same sex couples have enjoyed the same adoption rights as straight couples since 2006. Same sex marriages were unanimously approved in our parliament in 2010 (our then prime minister,Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir,was the world’s first openly gay PM, and one of the very first Icelanders to be married under this legislation). We are also happy to say that since 2008 the Church of Iceland, and all other religions, were officially granted permission to bless same sex unions.

We know Margaret Court’s opinions are not shared by the majority of Australians. We want to add our voice to the call for marriage equality in Australia —right here on Margaret Court Arena itself. Australia should be a country that celebrates positivity and inclusion, as well as achievement on the sporting field.

We’ve decided to commission a special tee-shirt for this Melbourne show, which we’ll also sell at our Sydney show and at Splendour in The Grass, proceeds from which will go towards support of Australian Marriage Equality.

Let’s make July 27th Margaret Court Arena’s most inclusive night ever and call for every Australian to have the same dignity and respect right here on centre court.

Takk fyrir,

Sigur Rós