- Player was seen with offensive and homophobic tattoos
- They had to cover them up or be kicked out of the competition.
- The stylist has copied the designs for a personal cause.
A controversial queer Sydney stylist has called a rugby player with vile homophobic tattoos “a gay icon” and copied his ink as part of a long-running campaign to reclaim a derogatory word.
Joshua Taylor-Myles, a 23-year-old hooker for the Cronulla Junior Rugby League club Aquinas Colts in south-west Sydney, caused a stir last month after it was revealed he had the words “eat shit” and “snort lines and fuck” tattooed on his thighs.
About a fortnight after Daily Mail Australia revealed Taylor-Myles’ identity, it was confirmed that she had finally covered up the offending tattoo during a birthday trip to Bali.
Now, Sydney-based stylist and art director Kurt Johnson, who has worked with English singer Charli XCX, Swedish dance music star COBRAH and is followed by former Australian basketball star Liz Cambage, has revealed his copycat tattoo.
Johnson shared the matching tattoos with comedy social media channel Brown Cardigan, tattoo channel Questionable Life Decisions, and Taylor-Myles himself.
In a message to the football player, Johnson wrote: “I’m literally obsessed with you babe.”
“I don’t know if you know this but you became some kind of gay icon because of that yatt (sic), bro,” he added with a love-eyed emoji.
Taylor-Myles responded by writing: “Keep it up son.”
Sydney-based stylist and art director Kurt Johnson (pictured) wants to bring back the word “fa***t”
Johnson said Taylor-Myles had become a “gay icon” because of his tattoos.
Johnson previously wrote a piece for Australian queer-focused magazine Boy! Incognito, detailing his past and his mission to reclaim the word “faggot.”
The LGBTQIA+ community reclaimed the word “queer,” transforming it from a term of derision to one of empowerment and self-identification.
Johnson wants the same thing to happen with the word “fa***t,” turning it into a symbol of power and pride.
Taylor-Myles recently posted a photo of himself smiling outside Bali’s Finns Beach Club, with his shorts pulled up to reveal a new snarling bear and Viking motif covering the tops of his legs and the offensive tattoos.
“Gone, but not forgotten,” she captioned the image.
The revelation came after she was given an ultimatum to cover up the offensive tattoos or face a ban from any NSWRL competition.
A NSWRL spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia he had received an official warning and was asked to cover up the tattoos.
“The NSWRL and Cronulla JRL are committed to providing a safe, fun and inclusive environment for all people, including those of diverse sexualities and genders,” the spokesperson said.
Johnson shared his tattoos on Instagram, and it’s not the first time he’s had the offensive word tattooed on his body.
Taylor-Myles traveled to Bali and covered up the offensive tattoos on her birthday.
The tattoos caused a stir after Taylor-Myles was selected to play in the NSWRL’s Luke Lewis Cup, with images of her tattoos going viral.
The Aquinas Colts, a club based in Cronulla, only became aware of the offensive tattoos when photos circulated on social media.
At least two images of Taylor-Myles’ legs were removed from the club’s social media pages following the backlash.
Club members criticised the handling of the situation, with one former member saying: “He should be kicked out of the club if he refuses to cover up those tattoos.”
Another said: “He wouldn’t be playing if I was still at the club.”