Homophobia and football

[Lord Bracknell]

I think you are wrong there, have a look at this old BBC article:

BBC NEWS | England | Brighton 'has most gay couples'

That's been the case for a very long time.

In 1966, when I first moved to Brighton (and male homosexuality was still a criminal offence), I remember my landlady in Kemp Town saying - in a very "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" way - "Welcome to the heart of Theatrical Brighton".

And it was.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

And I think you're missing the point that it's not a joke to them. It's who they are and thousands of oppo fans think it's fair game to use it as a term of abuse.

Buzzer I am struggling to find a reason why chants such as "does your boyfriend know you're here" and "we can see you holding hands" would be offensive to someone who is gay.

The way I look at these chants is that they are making a correlation (incorrectly) that Brighton and Hove has a higher proportion of gay people living here than elsewhere in the UK and we are Brighton and Hove Albion fans and therefore must be gay.

The chants are not saying homosexuality is disgraceful, evil, deviant etc. etc., if they were saying stuff like that then I would agree and say that it would be offensive to a gay person.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

That's been the case for a very long time.

In 1966, when I first moved to Brighton (and male homosexuality was still a criminal offence), I remember my landlady in Kemp Town saying - in a very "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" way - "Welcome to the heart of Theatrical Brighton".

And it was.

That night you went to bed a boy and woke in the Morning a Man.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

You appear to be suggesting that so called "homophobia" is a bad thing? You may live in a town infested with poofs, but not everyone is happy to accept such behaviour, including large elements of The Church.

So it's absolutely fine to go about your day making others (who you probably don't know from Adam) feel shit about themselves - just because they have certain unique differences to yourself? I find that way of thinking all very retarded tbh, & a recipe for personal misery. Pork Pie-Land - much like The Church - doesn't seem like a very happy place to be, as far as I'm concerned, so forgive me if I give it a very wide berth. Life's far too short to waste it in completely unfulfilling cul-de-sacs.

ps Glad to hear them Blacks weren't half as bad as you origionally thought they were, mind.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Buzzer I am struggling to find a reason why chants such as "does your boyfriend know you're here" and "we can see you holding hands" would be offensive to someone who is gay.

The way I look at these chants is that they are making a correlation (incorrectly) that Brighton and Hove has a higher proportion of gay people living here than elsewhere in the UK and we are Brighton and Hove Albion fans and therefore must be gay.

The chants are not saying homosexuality is disgraceful, evil, deviant etc. etc., if they were saying stuff like that then I would agree and say that it would be offensive to a gay person.

I wonder if he meant the "Do you take it up the arse?" chant?

 

[beorhthelm]

i dislike the march of policitical correctness and think this is a good place to draw the line, or at least grow up and recognise the difference between homo-related banter and actual homophobic abuse. do we really want to have a ban on the "does your boyfriend know your here" stuff? will you be happy when they ban references to pikies, sheepshagging, inbreds, northern etc? because they will be next.

and, if it upsets homophobes like pork pie then i think we should actualy encourage it. its only offensive if you consider being gay to be offensive itself.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

BHAExpress is in fine form today, isn't he?

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I wonder if he meant the "Do you take it up the arse?" chant?

Good point, I would imagine that one would be offensive to someone who is gay as it is far more brutal than the two I have quoted. In fact that could be deemed as being offensive to someone who doesn't like crude language too.

 

[Husty]

8 pages into a thread on homophobia and it still hasnt been closed?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

8 pages into a thread on homophobia and it still hasnt been closed?

Your comment suggest a more likely explanation - it hasn't been read.

 

[pork pie]

So it's absolutely fine to go about your day making others (who you probably don't know from Adam) feel shit about themselves - just because they have certain unique differences to yourself?

Yes it is!

 

[The Large One]

Buzzer I am struggling to find a reason why chants such as "does your boyfriend know you're here" and "we can see you holding hands" would be offensive to someone who is gay.

The way I look at these chants is that they are making a correlation (incorrectly) that Brighton and Hove has a higher proportion of gay people living here than elsewhere in the UK and we are Brighton and Hove Albion fans and therefore must be gay.

The chants are not saying homosexuality is disgraceful, evil, deviant etc. etc., if they were saying stuff like that then I would agree and say that it would be offensive to a gay person.

I don't think it's the people on the receiving end of the chant who are offended.

I think it's the people singing the chant who are intending to be offensive. The fact that they often fail when it's sung at Brighton fans is another issue.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

^^^^^ This.

Football is all about banter and trying to find a weak link, Brighton's is the gay thing. At Palace at the moment is the fact we are in financial trouble. Football fans rise above this in the main.

I think this sums up a lot. An oposition fan is saying they beleive being gay is some kind of weak link. This is based on common prejudices across much of society.

Where as in fact this thread shows loads of us accept Brighton as having a really open, diverse and active gay community. I for one love Brighton and Hove for being more accepting than other towns and cities and why I and many others chose to live here.

There are plenty of gay men and women that atend football matches at Brighton, its whether the modern football enviorment encourages more people from these communitys to want to come along and enjoy supporting the Albion. Or if anyone would feel intimidated by the chants or fans being offensive.

I like to see them as amusing more than based on perverse hated and prejudices, but when they are it is good to see the club take them seriously.

August 2006

James Monkhouse and Michael Church, Norwich City fans, were found guilty by Norwich Magistrates' Court of disorderly behaviour after reportedly shouting anti-gay chants aimed at Brighton football club fans

Seagulls act against homophobia - from Pink News - all the latest gay news from the gay community - Pink News

Gay football fans tackle homophobia - from Pink News - all the latest gay news from the gay community - Pink News

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

I don't think it's the people on the receiving end of the chant who are offended.

I think it's the people singing the chant who are intending to be offensive. The fact that they often fail when it's sung at Brighton fans is another issue.

For "often" see "always"

 

[pasty]

I don't think it's the people on the receiving end of the chant who are offended.

I think it's the people singing the chant who are intending to be offensive. The fact that they often fail when it's sung at Brighton fans is another issue.

Agree with that.

Personally I feel that the only people who can take offence at those sort of chants are gay people themselves as it is meant in a derrogatory way.

If a straight person takes offence at being called gay, then dosn't that make that straight person homophobic as he doesn't want to be thought of as gay?

Just a thought like.

 

[stu7878]

You appear to be suggesting that so called "homophobia" is a bad thing? You may live in a town infested with poofs, but not everyone is happy to accept such behaviour, including large elements of The Church.

Now I understand why you so out of touch with reality.... your a christian!

 

[algie]

Now I understand why you so out of touch with reality.... your a christian!

What about Islam? Infact you tell me one major religion that excepts homosexuality? Think your out of touch i'm affraid.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

What about Islam? Infact you tell me one major religion that excepts homosexuality? Think your out of touch i'm affraid.

Or, perhaps, religion in general is a nasty, small minded, primitive activity that Mankind could well do without to help us grow up as a species & achieve all that we can be rather than being a scared,petty little group of monkeys?

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I don't think it's the people on the receiving end of the chant who are offended.

I think it's the people singing the chant who are intending to be offensive. The fact that they often fail when it's sung at Brighton fans is another issue.

Good point well made.

 

[stu7878]

What about Islam? Infact you tell me one major religion that excepts homosexuality? Think your out of touch i'm affraid.

Let me re-phrase...
Now I understand why he is so out of touch with reality, he believes in one of the major religions!

Better?