New generation of English fans would accept gay players
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/07/27/gay.players/index.html?xid=Fanhouse (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/07/27/gay.players/index.html?xid=Fanhouse)
LONDON (Reuters) -- A new generation of British soccer fans would be tolerant about professional footballers admitting they were homosexual, according to an online survey conducted by Staffordshire University in England.
The survey of 2,000 supporters (www.topfan.co.uk (http://www.topfan.co.uk)) found that only seven percent believed that soccer had no place for homosexuals.
It was conducted by culture, media and sport professor Ellis Cashmore and senior sociology lecturer Jamie Cleland.
"The big surprise was that we got what I suppose you'd call a counter-intuitive response and that was that 93 percent said they felt there was no place for homophobia in football and it should be stomped out and they felt that it brought shame on football," Cashmore told Reuters in a telephone interview.
"There was a call for greater transparency. A lot of people said they would prefer it if gay footballers came out because they don't think they would have to put up with that much abuse."
Only one professional footballer, England international Justin Fashanu, has revealed he was homosexual during his career. Fashanu committed suicide in 1998 at the age of 37.
Players in other sports have been equally reticent. Former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas revealed in a newspaper last year that he was gay, saying: "It's pretty tough for me being the only international rugby player prepared to break the taboo."
Thomas's candor prompted sympathy from British former National Basketball Association (NBA) player John Amaechi, who announced he was gay after retiring in 2007, plus a warning that homophobia was still present in sport.
Former England rugby coach Clive Woodward was more positive, saying he expected the sport to take Thomas's announcement in its stride, while Welsh media reported recently that Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke was considering portraying Thomas in a film.
HEAVY BURDEN
"The question remains when will a gay soccer player come out?," Cashmore said.
"The fans themselves are of the opinion that, yes we know there are gay players and when we watch football every week we know we are watching gay players but actually it doesn't matter to us."
Cashmore said homophobia now was equivalent to the racism which blighted British soccer during the 1970s and 80s.
"Football fans who have for long been characterised as Neanderthal types, the knuckle-dragging kind of macho type who believe homosexuality is still taboo; actually they have changed as well," he said.
"We have a new generation of football fans -- managers, coaches, players themselves, I class them all as fans in some way.
"They don't actually care very much about a person's sexual orientation. But of course the players are living with a legacy and the legacy has become a heavy burden for football.
"It's going to make it extremely difficult for the first living footballer to come out. For a footballer to come out after his career is over, in a sense that is the path of least resistance.
"It's still enormously difficult but not as difficult as they think."
Copyright 2010 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
So, in summary 7% feel that there is no place for homosexuals in football and 93% have no problem whatsoever. I don't think the players would be opposed, but I guess these ones are playing for the other team anyway :dft011:
(http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/9923/81763284.jpg) (http://img717.imageshack.us/i/81763284.jpg/)
I think a gay footballer would be accepted but I have no
doubt that they would get a lot of stick from even the most liberal fans. All players are subject to banter and attention from fans and this would be no different. The novelty would soon wear off but i doubt the media would lose interest as quickly.
I expect that most gay players would be more fearful of how their peers and managers would treat them as opposed to fans.
Surely it's only a matter of time though before a footballer does come
out or is even outed though.
Meanwhile, anyone who doesn't believe that there are already 25-50 gay players in Premier League First Team squads is just kidding himself.
Couple of problems here. The banter (already mentioned) could be absolutely brutal (and loud). All in good fun but.....these are the days of pc.
Second, the 7% who disapprove is probably greater than the % of mindless morons who still attend football matches hoping to make trouble. The mindless morons group could rise to 7%.
I think it is best left alone, for the player's sake.
Can you imagine a gay winger running down the wing, everyone in the old enclosure would be shouting chase me. I'm not to bothered by gays, but i hope to God we aren't the first team to have one coming out of the closet, my qpha mates would love it.
Peter Marinello had long hair so people whistled and Jeered him. First black players had bananas thrown at them and had ape noises chanted at them. As a society we love to put the boot into people who we deem not to be one of us. I have never understood why Gays need to tell us all about their sexuality in the first place. But like any easy target the first footballer will be picked on until something better comes along.
But unlike Hair or Black skin, Gay players are not going to be picked on unless they make it public. They have a choice. Unless they sashay down the wing with a pink Hand bag and matching boots. So how important is it? More likely to the insecure gay person a matter of some importance. But to the rest. Play football well and we will soon see the player not anything else.
Strangely enough this topic was the subject of a huge debate amongst the Aussie Rules fraternity, fuelled by one player, Jason Akermanis of the Western Bulldogs saying that "I know there are gay players in the AFL but if they want my advice they should stay firmly locked in the closet and don't come out."
Of course Mr HD is right –there are inevitably going to be gay footballers as there are in any facets of society and it is risible to think that Fashanu was the only gay footballer to have played in the top echelon.
Rugby star, Gareth Thomas, has admitted to being gay. Our Gold medal diver, Matthew Mitchum of Australia is openly gay. There are more gay women golfers than you can poke a club at and of course female tennis players like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova have long come out.
In America there are still some States where they can legally fire you for being homosexual but this has not prevented many NFL players, basketballers and baseballers from admitting to being gay, albeit at the end, or nearly the end, of their playing careers.
In time footballers too will openly admit they are gay because that is what society will accept as we become more tolerant and immune to the fact.
Being gay is becoming less and less of a big deal.
Reading this you may be excused for thinking that I am an "iron" as Fred would so colourfully describe it but I am a screaming heterosexual – but if I were of the other persuasion I don't think I would be reluctant to admit it – or would I?
gay footballers? The Fulham squad won't even be cheerful, let alone gay, until we get a new manager.
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 28, 2010, 02:53:33 AM
Peter Marinello had long hair so people whistled and Jeered him. First black players had bananas thrown at them and had ape noises chanted at them. As a society we love to put the boot into people who we deem not to be one of us. I have never understood why Gays need to tell us all about their sexuality in the first place. But like any easy target the first footballer will be picked on until something better comes along.
But unlike Hair or Black skin, Gay players are not going to be picked on unless they make it public. They have a choice. Unless they sashay down the wing with a pink Hand bag and matching boots. So how important is it? More likely to the insecure gay person a matter of some importance. But to the rest. Play football well and we will soon see the player not anything else.
This whole 'the gays love to shove it in our faces' schtick is just rubbish. The idea that they have a choice about coming out is ridiculous. Yes they dont need to shout it from the rooftops but what if they want to go for a meal with their partner? How can you live a normal life if you are hiding your sexuality?
As alluded to previously, it is like black players, once people see how they play suddenly the prejudice begins to waine. I would doubt that if Christiano Ronaldo came out as gay (surrogate mother, allegedly) the Real fans would boot him out the club.
I couldn't care less about their sexual preferences. More worried about the possible lack of quality of the WAGs if they do come out in force as gays :011:
I couldn't give a rats arse about colour of skin, sexual preference, gender, age, etc.
I am sure there are loads of gays in the Prem already. But I think they are smart in keeping it to themselves, because just as statistically there surely must be gays there are equally a number biased idiots which will make your life more difficult than it needs to be.
On my boat (HMS Glasgow) in the Royal Navy days, we had a chap who everyone knew was unquestionably at the very least a candidate for the Olympics in Biathlon, but kept to himself and years later came out of the closet. But you know what, when the bombs kept dropping on us he was one of the bravest men I ever saw. :sir_roy:
If we have anyone at Fulham (not that I care), they will not come out of the closet but perhaps the cupboard (or our massive trophy cabinet) :dft012:.
Quote from: boxhockcycsock on July 27, 2010, 07:55:58 PM
Cashmore said homophobia now was equivalent to the racism which blighted British soccer during the 1970s and 80s.
"Football fans who have for long been characterised as Neanderthal types, the knuckle-dragging kind of macho type who believe homosexuality is still taboo; actually they have changed as well," he said.
I see the scum get a special mention then !! Now they're knuckle-dragging woolies :011: :005:
Quote from: finnster01 on July 28, 2010, 10:37:43 AM
I couldn't give a rats arse about colour of skin, sexual preference, gender, age, etc.
I am sure there are loads of gays in the Prem already. But I think they are smart in keeping it to themselves, because just as statistically there surely must be gays there are equally a number biased idiots which will make your life more difficult than it needs to be.
On my boat (HMS Glasgow) in the Royal Navy days, we had a chap who everyone knew was unquestionably at the very least a candidate for the Olympics in Biathlon, but kept to himself and years later came out of the closet. But you know what, when the bombs kept dropping on us he was one of the bravest men I ever saw. :sir_roy:
If we have anyone at Fulham (not that I care), they will not come out of the closet but perhaps the cupboard (or our massive trophy cabinet) :dft012:.
Gay in Navy shocker :015:
On my boat (HMS Glasgow) in the Royal Navy days, we had a chap who everyone knew was unquestionably at the very least a candidate for the Olympics in Biathlon, but kept to himself and years later came out of the closet
You should keep lines like that for the autobiography Finny :005: :005: :005: :004:
