Gay Footballers...Appreciated or Unwelcome?

[Philcounty]

I have completed the survey.

@ FDM's Gloves: Personally I think your comment about northerners is as you stated a generalisation. This issue was recently debated on our messageboard and I would say views were generally very tolerant.

I think it is about time players did come out and then the issue could be dealt with once and for all. I'm sure you will get the odd idiot shouting homophobic abuse but the vast majority of football fans in this country couldn't care less.

 

[Napper]

I don't think being able to be open about stuff is about "shouting it from the rooftops" as some of you seem to think.

It's about being able to live your life normally like any of us do. When someone asks what you're doing at the weekend, to be able to say you're going for a drink with your other half without worrying that the other players will realise it's a bloke and get funny about it. To bring that person to a night out without feeling it's a major issue with your team mates, or thinking someone's going to go running to the press. To not have people constantly questioning why you never talk about partners, and to sit in the dressing room without having other players going on about "benders", never thinking that it might upset someone.

That's all it is, a simple case of living your life. I doubt very much that any player really wants to be a cause, they just want what you or I have, to be able to get on with life with the person they want to be with, without anyone making a big deal of it or dishing out stick.

I agree but i think impossible to a certain extent. What percentage of the population are gay ? 2 %

Therefore the first time someone as you put it say they are spending the weekend with their boyfriend it is always going to get a reaction as it is unusual. However many people come out then it is always going to be odd and wrong to some.

 

[bhaexpress]

Correct.

It is almost doing the Gays cause more harm

Like you say if everyone just got on with it then thats the best way

Like most people I have no issue with gay people, it's their choice so good luck to them but why do we have Pride ? In this day and age why do they feel the need to literally celebrate their sexuality ? Why don't we have a Happy to be Hetro day ? A Hetro Chuffed day ? The reason is simple, anybody taking pat would be called homophobic by the PC brigade for making a point of not being gay. If gay people want to be treated the same as heterosexuals then that's fine as long as they don't feel the need to make an issue of their sexuality. I think at the end of the say most gay people would prefer to be accepted and allowed to live their lives without having to make out that they are any sort of exception to the norm.

Of course if a footballer came out he would be abused but there again how much abuse did John Terry get for having an affair ? I remember Peter Shilton getting a shedload of stick at the Goldstone after he was caught out with a 'lady' in a car park. The point of the abuse is to try to wind the player and thus the team and it's fans up. Fans will always abuse players about anything they can be it their sexuality, drug taking, debts affairs and so on.

 

[Napper]

Like most people I have no issue with gay people, it's their choice so good luck to them but why do we have Pride ? In this day and age why do they feel the need to literally celebrate their sexuality ? Why don't we have a Happy to be Hetro day ? A Hetro Chuffed day ? The reason is simple, anybody taking pat would be called homophobic by the PC brigade for making a point of not being gay. If gay people want to be treated the same as heterosexuals then that's fine as long as they don't feel the need to make an issue of their sexuality. I think at the end of the say most gay people would prefer to be accepted and allowed to live their lives without having to make out that they are any sort of exception to the norm.

Of course if a footballer came out he would be abused but there again how much abuse did John Terry get for having an affair ? I remember Peter Shilton getting a shedload of stick at the Goldstone after he was caught out with a 'lady' in a car park. The point of the abuse is to try to wind the player and thus the team and it's fans up. Fans will always abuse players about anything they can be it their sexuality, drug taking, debts affairs and so on.

No point trying to have a discussion on here mate. Morons like that Joey Deacon will just call you a homophobe and that will be that.

Touchy subject on here that can't be discussed without you either beeing 100% pro or a total nazi.

and for that reason....I'm out

 

[Joey Deacon's Disco Suit]

I'm notcalling anyone a Nazi. There'll be no Godwin's Law from my side. I'm merely pointing out that you have on numerous occasions made anti-gay posts.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Like most people I have no issue with gay people, it's their choice so good luck to them but why do we have Pride ? In this day and age why do they feel the need to literally celebrate their sexuality ?

Whether it is a conscious or sub-conscious calculation, I suspect it is something to do with seeing these things regularly until they become commanplace and unremarkable. A little like have female MPs or black newreaders, you tend to get positive discrimination for a while until no-one cares about the issue and it becomes 'normal' as it were. You could argue that having, say, Trevor McDonald reading the news, which was quite a brave move at the time, paved the way for others to follow, and now no-one would think twice about black presenters, and therefore no more need for positive discrimination.

Or mayber, people just like a party, and it's as good an excuse as anything else.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

No point trying to have a discussion on here mate. Morons like that Joey Deacon will just call you a homophobe and that will be that.

Touchy subject on here that can't be discussed without you either beeing 100% pro or a total nazi.

and for that reason....I'm out

Interesting turn of phrase there Dougal.

 

[User removed 4]

but then what self respecting gay man would wear a Hawaiian shirt or a bow tie and gain twelve stone just to make a living?

Christopher Biggins ?

 

[bhaexpress]

Whether it is a conscious or sub-conscious calculation, I suspect it is something to do with seeing these things regularly until they become commanplace and unremarkable. A little like have female MPs or black newreaders, you tend to get positive discrimination for a while until no-one cares about the issue and it becomes 'normal' as it were. You could argue that having, say, Trevor McDonald reading the news, which was quite a brave move at the time, paved the way for others to follow, and now no-one would think twice about black presenters, and therefore no more need for positive discrimination.

Or mayber, people just like a party, and it's as good an excuse as anything else.

Fair comment but it's the fact that they have it that annoys the homophobes is it not ? It doesn't do any harm and in fact I consider it a good advert for the city. However if you want to be considered 'normal' (whatever that might be) then why draw attention to yourself ?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I think at the end of the say most gay people would prefer to be accepted and allowed to live their lives without having to make out that they are any sort of exception to the norm.

That's the crux of it isn't it, I don't doubt that most gay people do want exactly what you've just said. The problem is that we are still a long way from that, insofar as it's still raises eyebrows when two gay men behave in exactly the same way as a male/female couple would in public. Two blokes walking down the street holding hands tends to draw attention or abuse, perhaps not in Kemp Town but in other parts of the city and country. That act itself is hardly revolutionary, it's no different to what straight couples do. Or bringing your partner to your work Christmas do without someone making a song and dance of it.

And by the the way, yes John Terry got stick, but then he did cheat on his wife, which is wrong by the standards of people's moral code.Wheres getting shit for being in a consenting relationship with another, single, adult, seems a bit harsh to me.

 

[Acker79]

I agree but i think impossible to a certain extent. What percentage of the population are gay ? 2 %

In 2005 it was put at 6%.

Six per cent of population are gay or lesbian, according to Whitehall figures - Telegraph

 

[Twinkle Toes]

As far as I can see, there's nothing stopping people organising a 'Straight Pride' if it's just an issue of folk feeling left out.

ps Isn't the whole Rainbow Flag/Pride-thing about all people celebrating their individual sexualities these days?

 

[bhaexpress]

And by the the way, yes John Terry got stick, but then he did cheat on his wife, which is wrong by the standards of people's moral code.Wheres getting shit for being in a consenting relationship with another, single, adult, seems a bit harsh to me.

It's true about Terry but by the same token how much abuse did Mr and Mrs Beckham get just for being Mr and Mrs Beckham ? Terry got deserved abuse but then there are sadly more than a few people be they religious or not who still consider gays to be morally wrong. You won't find it easy to change deep rooted prejudice as after all, we still have racists in this country. Of course we also have seemingly no shortage or people who put Political Correctness before common sense.

 

[bhaexpress]

As far as I can see, there's nothing stopping people organising a 'Straight Pride' if it's just an issue of folk feeling left out.

ps Isn't the whole Rainbow Flag/Pride-thing about all people celebrating their individual sexualities these days?

Right on both accounts in the main but homophobes will always associate Pride with it's original concept in the same way that it's assumed all Tories are rich and have a public school education.

 

[magoo]

You can't have gays in football. They muck about, nudge you while you're shooting...

 

[User removed 4]

Two blokes walking down the street holding hands tends to draw attention or abuse, perhaps not in Kemp Town but in other parts of the city and country. That act itself is hardly revolutionary, it's no different to what straight couples do.

Well that raises a whole new set of issues, I've supported gay issues on here before such as gay pride etc, but i dont particularly want to see physical displays of affection like kissing and handholding in public from gay men, i dont want my six year old asking me ' why are those two men kissing each other daddy ? '.

 

[bhaexpress]

Well that raises a whole new set of issues, I've supported gay issues on here before such as gay pride etc, but i dont particularly want to see physical displays of affection like kissing and handholding in public from gay men, i dont want my six year old asking me ' why are those two men kissing each other daddy ? '.

The point here is would your six year old ask why a male and a female are kissing and holding hands ?

 

[User removed 4]

The point here is would your six year old ask why a male and a female are kissing and holding hands ?

No, they wouldnt, and i wouldnt want to have to explain why two men are either.

 

[vulture]

are they any open gay players

 

[bhaexpress]

No, they wouldnt, and i wouldnt want to have to explain why two men are either.

Well here's the thing, why do you think your child would ask in the first place ? Where did they get the idea that such a situation is in anyway odd ?