FWIW I used to feel the same until I met my other half – I was swiftly adjusted…!

I’m looking forward to this program. I’m mainly hoping it will cast some insight into why the most common thing I get shouted at me by football supporters as I ride past is ‘gay’ but also why these guys are so afraid to come out.
There must be some seriously ingrained homophobia in the footballing world for it to be so difficult.

It might be a flaw but most switched on ladies of any sexual preference or feminist viewpoint will just allow men to carry on being chivalrous and use it to their advantage. No bad thing.

Listening to Max Clifford earlier on R5 he suggested about 4 or 5 footballers, 2 well known, had spoken to him about being homo/bi-sexual and ‘coming out’. Advice seemed to be to keep there gob shut!

Over in Ireland a hurler, Donal Og Cusack, came out a couple of years ago. Don’t recall anybody being all that bothered.

There must be some seriously ingrained homophobia in the footballing world for it to be so difficult.

Its more to do with sponsorship, and the huge sums of money they earn as clubs, also as its a semi contact sport, they dont want to be thought of as nancy boys, but real men.(there words not mine).

I wasn’t suggesting chivalry should be stamped out – tho some feminists may say it’s the thin end of the wedge – it’s the “don’t hit girls” aspect, erm what about the boys? How about “don’t hit people”?
I seem to recall watching In Bruges, Colin Farrell punches a woman, cue sharp intake of breath from audience who didn’t seem to mind him belting her SO immediately prior and didn’t think her swinging a wine bottle at his head a mitigating circumstance. I wonder how many people would intervene in a fight between 2 blokes, now how many more would intervene between a bloke and a woman? Even if the woman started it and was the attacker* and the bloke just defending himself I reckon he’d get the rougher treatment of the two. (Just a hunch could be wrong)

Sorry getting a bit far off topic.

*I’m sure some women can be just as vicious as some blokes can be.

also as its a semi contact sport, they dont want to be thought of as nancy boys, but real men

A real man, who played real contact sport (and a bit of League, too 😉 ), seen recently

Soccer needs someone to do an Alfie. Someone brave enought to come out, and in doing so, to make it “OK” (Even though all normal thinking people know that it really is) to be gay and play soccer.

I got told off my a feminist for describing a woman as a lady. A pointed out that as she was also a post-structuralist she must agree that she couldn’t know what i meant when i used the word ‘lady’. That shut her up. 😀

Has Gareth Thomas suffered any abuse after he came out?

Ignoring ingrained homophobia, whoever is first is going to get so much attention from the media they might want to stay in the closet just to avoid it.

I never understood why leading men in Hollywood didn’t come out, despite all the rumours.

they dont want to be thought of as nancy boys, but real men.(there words not mine).

Exactly. That’s deep seated homophobia right there from them. There is of course no reason why gay men can’t be all tough and butch and yet for some reason the footballers and/or sponsors won’t accept it.

I suspect it’s the same reason I get called gay by supporters when I ride past despite being one hard mofo.

It’s because they like it up ’em.

There is of course no reason why gay men can’t be all tough and butch

Wasn’t Justin Fashanu a boxer to start with anyways & nicknamed Fash the Bash to start with, so hardly stereotypical

Don’t know if Gareth Thomas ever recieved abuse whilst playing Union in Wales, but i do know he got a stream of vile abuse from some Warrington fans whilst playing League shortly after he came out.

Pretty brave to say that whilst in the stands, bet they wouldn’t dare say it to his face!

I think it’s sad in 21st century Britain that we even need to have this debate. I have no interest whatsoever in who anyone sleeps with. I have gay friends and straight friends. To me, they are all just “friends”. I don’t understand homophobia. Gay people are just “people”. You get nice ones and you get **** idiots, the same as in any other walk of life. I really think it’s time people ot over this stupid & senseless bigotry towards people who are simply different to them.

Some of my best friends are footballers. 😳

Anyone watching?

I’m not sure it has presented anything anywhere near insightful yet.

Isn’t this about the macho male attitudes rather than football?

In all the years I’ve worked on sites, with welders, pipefitters, scaffolders and gas engineers. I’ve only ever met one who was openly gay. I don’t think it’s football that’s the problem at all?

I’m not sure it has presented anything anywhere near insightful yet.

I’m convinced Amal Fashanu is a hottie & John Fashanu a bit of a c0ck

Is this just all about Fashanu as a brand?

Seriously, what’s all this about?

BBC3 documentaries are not as good as their comedies are they?

This is about her and not the issue it was obvious from the first clip of her saying look I’m a model.

Docu-lite, bit of self promotion, she’s young and it shows, no revelations.
Echo JF seems a knob.

Edit tempted to seek out the documentary she watched

This is easily the worst documentary I have ever seen by a country mile. Amal fashnu running up and and down Britain trying to goad people into saying they are homophobic, and then critise them for it. Then she interviewed Matt Lucas, whom laughed at (even with) one of the ‘homophobic’ chants from a Leeds vs Brighton game (we can see you holding hands)

Its almost as if she wanted/ is searching for someone to blame for her uncles death. Be that fans, players, the FA, the media, even her own father.

BBC3 documentaries are not as good as their comedies are they?

Ooof!

….looks like the Our War: Afghanistan docs were a fluke tho. As they were exemplary.

I get the style – it is BBC3 and the idea is to make documentaries accessible by following a presenter who viewers can relate to (aspire to?) on a ‘journey’. The cynic in me says it was a vehicle for her. The less cynical bit of me thinks it was a good idea for a documentary, but the producers assumed they’d get more/better access to people in the game than they managed.

Whatever the reason the result was pretty poor. The most interesting people were Lucas (but only because his comments looked incredibly informed against Amal’s naivety) and Amaechi. The latter was woefully underused. He should have been her first call, and followed up on some of the things he said.

did you really not know what to expect from a documentary about gay footballers?

In all the years I’ve worked on sites, with welders, pipefitters, scaffolders and gas engineers. I’ve only ever met one who was openly gay. I don’t think it’s football that’s the problem at all?

Were all those people football fans?

What about the one that was openly gay?

The only good thing about this documentary was the Beastie Boys track they used.

Not as if they were going to name names is it?

Soccer needs someone to do an Alfie. Someone brave enought to come out, and in doing so, to make it “OK” (Even though all normal thinking people know that it really is) to be gay and play soccer.

POSTED 9 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Not just Warrington btw, Wigan and Leeds as well.Again, pack mentality.

Were all those people football fans?
What about the one that was openly gay?

He’s a massive F1 fan. Ive always admired him for being brave enough to come out in such a macho environment.

I don’t know what you’re getting at though.

Watched it and thought Amal Fahnau was a real hottie, and her dad was a media obbsessed fool, who just saw his promotion as a major point of the interview.What they must have edited out of his conversation would be eye opening.

The young gay footballer that was out, looked like any other straight footballer, and his mates didnt have any problems with that.

As for the ex player who talked the talk in front of the camera for tv matches, what a waste of time his comments where, he really struggled to say Homo sexual and Ga y, (gaps left because thats how he said it).

Anyone have a link to the fashnau documentry about his suicide mentioned in the programe.

Finally will it bring more footballers and sportsmen out, who knows, but at least its a start.

I tried to watch it but it really was poor. The clunkiness of the Media Studies GCSE coursework (that’s how it felt) got in the way of a serious discussion of a serious issue.

“I asked several England Internationals for an interview but they were too busy…” FFS.

I don’t know what you’re getting at though

I’m still trying to understand if I have the link between football and homophobia correct.

samuri – Member
I don’t know what you’re getting at though

I’m still trying to understand if I have the link between football and homophobia correct.
POSTED 4 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Seriously, I think I’m missing the point here. I’m just comparing one male dominated industry with another, that from my observations, I don’t think the issues are particularly related to football, and that ‘coming out’ in that kind of industry must be very tough, regardless whether you’re a painter and decorator or a winger.