Homophobia issues in football

[The Large One]

I'm not telling anyone 'what you're thinking' , but I doubt very much many people, in fact anyone will be going to the match this weekend with thoughts on the percentage of gay players or fans uppermost in their mind , but has or hasn't the woman from stonewall , or yourself , by starting this thread , chosen to make it an issue ? I was talking about the woman from stonewall when referring to non jobs.

Homophobia as an issue is always there; I'm only reacting to it, not creating it. Similarly, ignoring it runs the risk of allowing it to be considered acceptable. Maybe.

If we were talking about an individual footballer's sexuality in isolation, we'd be pretty much in agreement - it's no-one's business. But it doesn't stand alone; it raises a wider question about football's attitude as a whole. That's what I'm asking about; does football have a problem with homosexuality?

It may be that most on this board are enlightened enough (and probably bored enough) on the homophobia issue. I'm not sure the same can be said across society as a whole, and - it seems - across football either. Hence raising homophobia discussion specifically within football (while acknowledging that you can't preclude society as a whole in this type of discussion).

 

[Buzzer]

I'd turn the question around - in "normal" jobs does sexuality come into it ? I work in many different clients offices and never does the question of sexual orientation come up. Why should it be any different in football ? Obviously there are people that are clearly gay and are happy to make it known but I don't get why me knowing anyone's sexuality has any bearing on how I interact with them. If anything organisations like Stonewall actually make the situation worse by making peoples sexuality an issue.

Don't be stupid. Very few people work in an environment where they have 20,000 people picking up on every little thing (be it appearance, nationality, sexuality) that they can think of to try to put you off your work.

By all means question whether Stonewall, given their form, might worry gay footballers with the fear of being outed but try to engage brain, eh?

 

[Acker79]

There may be gay men (and women) who are very clear about their sexuality, but there are also straight people that are very clear about their sexuality - "See that topless calender, yeah I like the wimin me", "cor look at that bird, oi oi luv, get em out for the lads", "I got totally blathered this weekend took home this right munter, but she was a goer".

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Maybe not you but what someone does , is , character , sexuality absolutely has an influence on how one interacts with them . You may be exception to the rule but personalities always adapt within certain boundaries when talking to people with different backgrounds including sexuality. Sometimes by acting normal with them you are actually not acting normal at all.

But I, and everyone else, doesn't know the sexuality of 99.9% of the workforce so why would my, or anyone elses, interaction be different ? You might be gay, straight or bisexual for all I know - I still interact with you the same way on here and would do so in real life ( assuming NSC isn't real life ! ).

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Don't be stupid. Very few people work in an environment where they have 20,000 people picking up on every little thing (be it appearance, nationality, sexuality) that they can think of to try to put you off your work.

By all means question whether Stonewall, given their form, might worry gay footballers with the fear of being outed but try to engage brain, eh?

Nope, been through the top 10 pages of NSC and not once has a footballers sexuality been mentioned - ability and complete twatishness yes - but sexuality no. Try engaging your brain, eh ?

 

[El Presidente]

"I got totally blathered this weekend took home this right munter, but she was a goer".

I think Acker79 and I go to the same type of establishment, which is known as Bredbury Hall, isn't it bushy

 

[Nibble]

Is it really an issue? Christ, does everything have to be family ****ing orientated these days? They don't give a tinker's **** about it anyway, just petrified of losing the pink pound, the child pound and the new "football surpasses all class boundaries" pound.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Nope, been through the top 10 pages of NSC and not once has a footballers sexuality been mentioned - ability and complete twatishness yes - but sexuality no. Try engaging your brain, eh ?

The post on the previous page, taken from an earlier thread about the rainbow laces being asked to be worn on games dated 21-22 September, links to this

There are no known openly gay footballers in the English and Scottish professional leagues.
However, QPR midfielder Joey Barton is backing the campaign, appearing in promotional material and taking to Twitter to push the cause.
He wrote: "Join the rainbow laces movement. Sexuality in sport should not be an issue in the 21st century."
Former Leeds and United States winger Robbie Rogers announced he was gay earlier this year but only after retiring, claiming he could not have continued his career because of the "pack mentality" that affects the way footballers behave.
He later reversed his decision to quit the game and signed for LA Galaxy.
Before the American's revelation, only two footballers had publicly said they were gay.
In 1990, former England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu became the first professional footballer in Britain to come out. He took his own life eight years later, aged 37.
Swedish lower league player Anton Hysen, the son of former Liverpool defender Glenn Hysen, also came out in an interview with a Swedish football magazine in 2011.

Both of these are on page 1 of NSC

 

[soistes]

You clearly did not live up North under Thatcher.

Er... Actually I did.

 

[Buzzer]

Nope, been through the top 10 pages of NSC and not once has a footballers sexuality been mentioned - ability and complete twatishness yes - but sexuality no. Try engaging your brain, eh ?

Your comment was about sexuality being a non-issue in the 'normal' workplace and saying that was the same as football - or should be. The difference is that normal work isn't played out in public with hostile crowds and a prevailing attitude that homophobic comments are acceptable banter. It's quite obvious that you can't compare a normal job in an office with being a professional footballer.

 

[El Presidente]

Er... Actually I did.

Then perhaps you should realise that there were large swathes of the country discriminated against by virtue of not being from the Home Counties.

 

[User removed 4]

I think Acker79 and I go to the same type of establishment, which is known as Bredbury Hall, isn't it bushy

I was in Liverpool this weekend ep , Matthew st , my favourite place in the world at the moment where I made the acquaintance of a delightful young(not that young actually!) Lady from the Paris of the north west or st Helens as its commonly known !!

 

[El Presidente]

I was in Liverpool this weekend ep , Matthew st , my favourite place in the world at the moment where I made the acquaintance of a delightful young(not that young actually!) Lady from the Paris of the north west or st Helens as its commonly known !!

Brilliant. I now work in Liverpool, and no stranger to Matthew Street. If you can't cop off there you are either dead or comatose.

St Helens women are NOTORIOUS. I trust you double bagged it or you will have brought more back home than you realised.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Your comment was about sexuality being a non-issue in the 'normal' workplace and saying that was the same as football - or should be. The difference is that normal work isn't played out in public with hostile crowds and a prevailing attitude that homophobic comments are acceptable banter. It's quite obvious that you can't compare a normal job in an office with being a professional footballer.

Disagree - you nor I, nor most supporters, know the sexuality of most footballers. We castigate them for crap passes, poor effort and downright lazyness but rarely do I see any criticism due to their sexuality ( mainly because we don't know it ).

 

[User removed 4]

Brilliant. I now work in Liverpool, and no stranger to Matthew Street. If you can't cop off there you are either dead or comatose.

St Helens women are NOTORIOUS. I trust you double bagged it or you will have brought more back home than you realised.

I have had to liberally apply large amounts of canesten this morning due to the extremely VIGOROUS sexual activity we were engaged in !!!

 

[Buzzer]

Disagree - you nor I, nor most supporters, know the sexuality of most footballers. We castigate them for crap passes, poor effort and downright lazyness but rarely do I see any criticism due to their sexuality ( mainly because we don't know it ).

Can you not see that if you work in an environment that is openly hostile to homosexuals then it's extremely unlikely that gay people would feel comfortable coming out even if they wanted to?

This idea of don't mention it and then we won't make homophobic comments about it (and therefore the problem goes away) is a rather odd approach to take.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Its not really a football issue, its a society issue with the fans. Some things are that awful word, banter. For example "We can see you holding hands" is banter. "You take it up the arse" pushes it a bit, but I wouldnt call it homophobic. The chants involving HIV and Aids certainly are homophobic and of course illegal, these are the sort of things why away fans have been getting arrested at the Amex. If you said it in a public place anywhere you would probably get arrested anyway. It isnt about coming family orientated, its called equality - simple as that. Though business does come into it as if LGBT dont feel comfortable at a football match, then they wouldnt go.

I dont see why the issue of Gay/Bisexual/Transgender people bothers others so much, it is their choice if they choose to be that sexuality - why should society take offence to that ? Its kind of the same as racism, why should society take offence about another person's skin colour ? I do wonder about those who are seriously bothered about LBGT people's perception of these people is as it isnt the same as portrayed on TV shows IE Little Britain or like TV personalities such as Alan Carr. A friend of mine is Bi, but you wouldnt actually know it from first glance. Do also have to wonder about those who are bothered if it turns out they were sitting next to a LGBT person at the Amex, would they demand to be moved or would they grow up and accept it ?

 

[Husty]

Could you open with a question about WHY it is a problem that no gay footballers have announced it to the world? I couldn't personally give two shits about the sexuality of any player and I believe that is true for the majority of people. Could it not just be that no player wants the inevitable media circus that would in sue rather than because they are afraid of what the fans might think?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Could you open with a question about WHY it is a problem that no gay footballers have announced it to the world? I couldn't personally give two shits about the sexuality of any player and I believe that is true for the majority of people. Could it not just be that no player wants the inevitable media circus that would in sue rather than because they are afraid of what the fans might think?

There was no real media storm around Gareth Thomas in rugby or Steven Davies in cricket. A few newspaper stories, some mostly kind words and done. Both continued playing. I believe this would not happen in football. It's perfectly valid to question why.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Could you open with a question about WHY it is a problem that no gay footballers have announced it to the world? I couldn't personally give two shits about the sexuality of any player and I believe that is true for the majority of people. Could it not just be that no player wants the inevitable media circus that would in sue rather than because they are afraid of what the fans might think?

All it would take for a gay footballer player to be hesitant about coming out is the knowledge that the manager is homophobic and doesn't tolerate gay players in 'his' team. That's a situation that has certainly prevailed at BHAFC during the past ten years.

And no, I'm not going to identify the individual concerned.