All Black fronts on gay issues

Was it a case of an All Black being outed as gay, or just a magazine doing what magazines do to pull in the readers?

The latest issue of the gay magazine Express has "The All Blacks' first EVER gay interview" alongside a picture of utility back Aaron Mauger. In smaller print below, it says "Aaron Mauger speaks out on homophobia in schools and encourages gay kids to play rugby".

The fortnightly magazine approached the All Blacks to ask a player to help encourage gay youngsters to participate in sport.

But its cover treatment could give the impression that Mauger is gay.

Jim Tully, head of Canterbury University's journalism school, said the way the headline was worded was ambiguous. "Given the photo and the words, I would think most people seeing that would assume the subject was gay. I'm sure nine out of 10 people would take that view. That in itself is not a problem unless the person involved is not gay."

Mauger, who is in Australia for tonight's Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations match, is married to Amy and has a son, Felix. He was not available for comment.

Express editor Oliver Hall denied the wording was ambiguous and said there was no insinuation that the player was gay. It was big news that an All Black had agreed to speak on gay issues and this warranted front-cover treatment.

"It's huge that he's done this and the All Blacks should be applauded, so obviously we would make a big deal about it," Hall said. "We haven't tried to suggest he's gay in any way and anybody who has seen Express before would know that."

Hall's view is backed by Auckland University film, television and media studies lecturer Dr Misha Kavka, who said any reaction to it would be purely sensitivity over any connection between sport and homosexuality.

"It might be sensationalised, but there are plenty of headlines that are potentially misleading, in most magazines and papers," she said.

"Express does not 'out' people or put straight people on the cover to imply they are gay. It's either because they are talking about gay issues or are of interest to gay people. You don't have to be gay to do that."

Hall said Express readers had seen Paul Holmes, Helen Clark and Don Brash on the cover.

Mauger says the All Blacks are inclusive in a story describing rugby as the final frontier of Kiwi masculinity.