i think the point is, who cares what they get up to so why bother coming out? Just to make other gaysw feel more accepted i guess. So the footballer comes out, gets a load of grief and the gay community feel a bit more 'normal'? Is that it?
Never Rizzo - although my mate was wearing a hat like that on Saturday (as was my dad) and as CP was leaving the pitch he was pointing to us (we were 2nd row from front) and waving and all that and we couldn't work out why. Must be the hats - a bit Rocky Bilboa surely, even if CP's one has a leather look about it.
Felt very sorry for Justin, had no chance in football being gay and black in the 80's/90s.
Found this piece about Brian Clough's treatment of Fash...
Clough's time at Forest saw him at odds with the late Justin Fashanu whose goals and then confidence dried up as he failed to fit in with the playing and lifestyle demands of Clough. When Clough discovered Fashanu's homosexuality he barred Fashanu from training with the side. Clough recounts a dressing down he gave Fashanu after hearing rumours that he was going to gay bars. "'Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?' I asked him. 'A baker's, I suppose.' 'Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?' 'A butcher's.' 'So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs' club?
i think the point is, who cares what they get up to so why bother coming out? Just to make other gaysw feel more accepted i guess. So the footballer comes out, gets a load of grief and the gay community feel a bit more 'normal'? Is that it?
Tough one this. On the one hand, you're 100% right - someone's sexuality is their own business, nobody else's. If they choose to be 'openly' gay, good for them. if they choose to stay in the closet - good for them too. There's enough prying into peoples' private lives nowadays with the celebrity-obsessed media as it is.
On the other hand, a high-profile footballer 'coming out' should certainly make it 'easier' for others to profess their sexuality (should they wish to do so) - although given the nature of some of the imbeciles that follow football, it might actively DIScourage people from coming out!
As far as I'm concerned, it's nobody's business but their own.
SCP signed the anti homophobia pledge away at Wycombe on behalf of Charlton as part of the kick it out campaign , so our club has made a clear public declarartion in this area .
It is interesting that I have seen plenty of debates about the Lisbie song which quite rightly we abhor , yet there is less talk about the similar tune about Darren Ambrose which some of our number sing .
Personally I hope Charlton remains a leader in these fields because like racism homophobia is wrong.
Of course, anyone coming out would get stick, football fans will pick on anything, but it would eventually pass I'm sure apart from the odd comment.
Most of these footballers are full on metrosexuals anyway, don't think it would bother the crowd too much, think it would affect the dressing room more.
Who cares what footballers are gay ? Leave the gossip to the women and Heat magazine.
its not a matter of which footballers are gay and gossiping about it thats partly why they dont come out. Its a matter of stopping footballers feeling afriad of the discrimnation they will recieve if they do and the effect it could have on their career
Who cares what footballers are gay ? Leave the gossip to the women and Heat magazine.
its not a matter of which footballers are gay and gossiping about it thats partly why they dont come out. Its a matter of stopping footballers feeling afriad of the discrimnation they will recieve if they do and the effect it could have on their career
And how would you stop that? - one of life's natural laws is that at football any 'weakness' or 'difference' will be pounced upon and used for mass ridcule and entertainment.
All that should matters is whether he is a good or bad player. Its just another boundary to cross like having black players or Rangers having Catholic players etc. There will always be bigots.
Perhaps look at Rugby League and see how it was handled when Gareth Thomas came out, I think spectators were banned if homophobic chants/comments were heard.
If for example, Chris Solly came out of the closet, I'd be vociferous in my defence of him. Unfortunately, fans of other teams wouldn't be so kind and the grief would be immeasurable. I put this down to the mentality and tribalism of football fans. England cricketer Stephen Davies came out a year or so ago and I am not aware of any stick dished out by oppo supporters or players alike. Clifford is spot on here.
Being married and/or having kids does not mean that you are not gay, there are hundreds of cases of men in marriages to satisfy society and family expectations, only for them to come out years later, look at Gareth Thomas. I have worked with a gay guy fairly recently and you would be surprised at how many men live double lifes. My own take on it as that it matters not who you choose to sleep with, your business, but neither should you expect preferential treatment because of it either, as the likes of Peter Tatchell seem to want. Gays can be equally as discriminatory, we have walked into pubs & clubs in Brighton and have either been told "This is a gay only pub" which is illegal, or been ignored at the bar, one lesbian tried to pick a fight with my partner because of it once, until I explained that I would quite happily kick her butch head in myself if she wanted to play that game.
I agree with that, one minute they want to ordinary people and the next they want special treatment. If you can do the job then what does it matter what colour, sexuality, religion you are?
Being married and/or having kids does not mean that you are not gay, there are hundreds of cases of men in marriages to satisfy society and family expectations, only for them to come out years later, look at Gareth Thomas. I have worked with a gay guy fairly recently and you would be surprised at how many men live double lifes. My own take on it as that it matters not who you choose to sleep with, your business, but neither should you expect preferential treatment because of it either, as the likes of Peter Tatchell seem to want. Gays can be equally as discriminatory, we have walked into pubs & clubs in Brighton and have either been told "This is a gay only pub" which is illegal, or been ignored at the bar, one lesbian tried to pick a fight with my partner because of it once, until I explained that I would quite happily kick her butch head in myself if she wanted to play that game.
Again, two sides to every story. I'm inclined to agree with you - equality should mean equality - unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who would want to pick a fight with someone if they saw a bloke kissing another bloke in a pub. The reason there are 'gay only' places is because they're the only places that a large proportion of the gay community feel they can truly relax and be themselves in. Until societyu actively accepts that there is no reason to treat gays differently to straights, they'll always feel more comfortable in 'their own' places
Comments
Found this piece about Brian Clough's treatment of Fash...
Clough's time at Forest saw him at odds with the late Justin Fashanu whose goals and then confidence dried up as he failed to fit in with the playing and lifestyle demands of Clough. When Clough discovered Fashanu's homosexuality he barred Fashanu from training with the side. Clough recounts a dressing down he gave Fashanu after hearing rumours that he was going to gay bars. "'Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?' I asked him. 'A baker's, I suppose.' 'Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?' 'A butcher's.' 'So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs' club?
On the other hand, a high-profile footballer 'coming out' should certainly make it 'easier' for others to profess their sexuality (should they wish to do so) - although given the nature of some of the imbeciles that follow football, it might actively DIScourage people from coming out!
As far as I'm concerned, it's nobody's business but their own.
It is interesting that I have seen plenty of debates about the Lisbie song which quite rightly we abhor , yet there is less talk about the similar tune about Darren Ambrose which some of our number sing .
Personally I hope Charlton remains a leader in these fields because like racism homophobia is wrong.
Of course, anyone coming out would get stick, football fans will pick on anything, but it would eventually pass I'm sure apart from the odd comment.
Most of these footballers are full on metrosexuals anyway, don't think it would bother the crowd too much, think it would affect the dressing room more.
Anyone on here come out yet or still keeping the door firmly shut?
its not a matter of which footballers are gay and gossiping about it thats partly why they dont come out. Its a matter of stopping footballers feeling afriad of the discrimnation they will recieve if they do and the effect it could have on their career
Perhaps look at Rugby League and see how it was handled when Gareth Thomas came out, I think spectators were banned if homophobic chants/comments were heard.
And I'm sure that Pique isn't with Shakira anymore...
I agree with that, one minute they want to ordinary people and the next they want special treatment. If you can do the job then what does it matter what colour, sexuality, religion you are?