Colin Kazim-Richards to face trial over homophobic gesture

This is an easy one to resolve, whether you agree with my perspective or not (and I've expressed it before).

The Equality Act 2010 has created 'protected characteristics'. These characteristics include sexual orientation. It is an offence to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation.

The Equality Act 2010 has created 'protected characteristics'. These characteristics include gender. It is an offence to discriminate against someone based on their gender.

The Equality Act 2010 has created 'protected characteristics'. These characteristics include race/ethnicity. It is an offence to discriminate against someone based on their race/ethnicity.

The Equality Act 2010 has created 'protected characteristics'. These characteristics include religion/belief. It is an offence to discriminate against someone based on their religion/belief.

I could continue and list all of the protected characteristics but what would be the point? The simple truth is that the Equality Act has not created a sliding-scale; has not decided that one protected characteristic is any more 'serious' or 'important' than another; has not created a list of priorities for which equality issue should be addressed first or last.

QED - like it or not, homophobia is as much a criminal offence as racism and had CKR been making racial gestures at the crowd, I can't help thinking more people would be welcoming this conviction. The position is that as a society, we have to catch up and realise that there aren't acceptable homophobic abuses any more than there are acceptable racist abuses.

If you continue to think that homophobic abuse is 'banter', or 'a bit of fun', or 'only aimed at others so why worry about it', then it's your attitude that needs to change first, not the attitude of those that believe that this arrest, charge and conviction were necessary, were the right thing to do, and are a clear indication that such behaviour is unacceptable in any environment, including the 'banter'-laden world of professional football.

Football vs. Homophobia... unless someone was just having a laugh and didn't really mean to offend anyone, eh?

My take FWIW: Your response to this is not dependent on your sexuality or whether or not you are offended.

You don't need to be gay to be offended by CKR simulating a dildo up his arse.
You don't need to be offended by CKR simulating a dildo up his arse to support him being charged.

Any ruling. action or event that underlines that its unacceptable to publicly advocate homophobia at a football match is a good thing.

CKR saying on twitter that he "is dissappointed with the outcome, and will be appealing"

MattBackHome said:

My take FWIW: Your response to this is not dependent on your sexuality or whether or not you are offended.

You don't need to be gay to be offended by CKR simulating a dildo up his arse.
You don't need to be offended by CKR simulating a dildo up his arse to support him being charged.

Any ruling. action or event that underlines that its unacceptable to publicly advocate homophobia at a football match is a good thing.

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THIS - Regardless of the action, the implied meaning wasn't in doubt (hence the verdict)... he used homosexuality as an insult, further implying that homosexuals are somehow lesser to heterosexuals. As a heterosexual man, I find that offensive.

hans kraay fan club said:

CKR saying on twitter that he "is dissappointed with the outcome, and will be appealing"

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If he does, let's hope the verdict is the same, or increased.

WhingForPresident said:

Pretty much every comment on this subject on Twitter is from a fat Northerner hailing him as a "lad".. Shame so many thick ****s are still living in the dark ages.

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Was 'Fat Northerner' his twitter name ? or is that what you are calling him ? to me calling someone fat is just as bad as any racist/homophobic remark , and if someone called me fat I would take it with a pinch of salt ! Along with health and safety this country has gone made , perhaps it's time to cover everyone in cotton wool !

Czechmate said:

to me calling someone fat is just as bad as any racist/homophobic remark

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The law doesn't agree with you on this.

Czechmate said:

Was 'Fat Northerner' his twitter name ? or is that what you are calling him ? to me calling someone fat is just as bad as any racist/homophobic remark , and if someone called me fat I would take it with a pinch of salt ! Along with health and safety this country has gone made , perhaps it's time to cover everyone in cotton wool !

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But if you call someone skinny it's ok?

MattBackHome said:

The law doesn't agree with you on this.

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I know but why ? Perhaps the minority of fat people should , then it may become law !

WhingForPresident said:

But if you call someone skinny it's ok?

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Normally it would be in context with another word , for example fat b-----d or skinny r--t , to me neither would bother me . It is just my opinion we have got too sensitive , I think if this happened at a rugby match people would just laugh it off .

hans kraay fan club said:

CKR saying on twitter that he "is dissappointed with the outcome, and will be appealing"

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Is he still 'lived' as he was after the match at Ewood, where he made exactly the same gesture?

He's abandoned the appeal.