Rainbow Laces

[bertlambshank]

Paddy Power have played a blinder here.How many teams in the PL are sponsored by betting compaines?
They knew it would cause a fuss and he even got 5 minutes on five live.Got a feeling Stonewall are being used here and that's a shame.

[Louzie0]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/05/gay-footballers-fear-reaction-of-fans

This article might shed a bit of light.
It does seem strange that, out of thousands of professional footballers, apparently nobody is gay. Apart from Justin Fashanu who I remember coming out whilst still playing and the reaction he got.

[john e]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/05/gay-footballers-fear-reaction-of-fans

This article might shed a bit of light.
It does seem strange that, out of thousands of professional footballers, apparently nobody is gay. Apart from Justin Fashanu who I remember coming out whilst still playing and the reaction he got.

I've got Justin Fashanu's autograph

just saying

[Isa]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be (if ever) when a player openly comes out.

I mean to some extent you'll always get a few fans in the stands calling players "poofs" or whatever, but it's not that common. And honestly, as footy fans, when we're pissed off we can use far more colourful language that that.
Obviously though, if you cant take a bit of risque, potentially offensive language then you've got no place being at a football ground, because I don't care where you are, you'll hear something. Obviously there are certain things truly unacceptable, like racist chants but that's thankfully a rarity in the English game now.

I know two gay guys and seriously, you couldn't pay them a million quid to watch a football match, even if Beckham played the entire match in nothing but his budgie smugglers. They'd rather go shopping. That said...if we play like we did against Newcastle again, I might have to join them!

Agree. Expletives will always be heard at any football ground because football is such a passion-driven game. As long as such language is used as an outlet of anger rather then used maliciously against any individual or group, then I don't have any problem with it really.

[saunders_heroes]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be (if ever) when a player openly comes out.

I mean to some extent you'll always get a few fans in the stands calling players "poofs" or whatever, but it's not that common. And honestly, as footy fans, when we're pissed off we can use far more colourful language that that.
Obviously though, if you cant take a bit of risque, potentially offensive language then you've got no place being at a football ground, because I don't care where you are, you'll hear something. Obviously there are certain things truly unacceptable, like racist chants but that's thankfully a rarity in the English game now.

I know two gay guys and seriously, you couldn't pay them a million quid to watch a football match, even if Beckham played the entire match in nothing but his budgie smugglers. They'd rather go shopping. That said...if we play like we did against Newcastle again, I might have to join them!

Agree. Expletives will always be heard at any football ground because football is such a passion-driven game. As long as such language is used as an outlet of anger rather then used maliciously against any individual or group, then I don't have any problem with it really.

I don't see any difference between someone using homophobic language and someone using racist language. They're both as offensive as the other and neither should have any place in football.

[PaulWinch again]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be (if ever) when a player openly comes out.

I mean to some extent you'll always get a few fans in the stands calling players "poofs" or whatever, but it's not that common. And honestly, as footy fans, when we're pissed off we can use far more colourful language that that.
Obviously though, if you cant take a bit of risque, potentially offensive language then you've got no place being at a football ground, because I don't care where you are, you'll hear something. Obviously there are certain things truly unacceptable, like racist chants but that's thankfully a rarity in the English game now.

I know two gay guys and seriously, you couldn't pay them a million quid to watch a football match, even if Beckham played the entire match in nothing but his budgie smugglers. They'd rather go shopping. That said...if we play like we did against Newcastle again, I might have to join them!

Agree. Expletives will always be heard at any football ground because football is such a passion-driven game. As long as such language is used as an outlet of anger rather then used maliciously against any individual or group, then I don't have any problem with it really.

I don't see any difference between someone using homophobic language and someone using racist language. They're both as offensive as the other and neither should have any place in football.

Completely agree.

[pauliewalnuts]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be (if ever) when a player openly comes out.

I mean to some extent you'll always get a few fans in the stands calling players "poofs" or whatever, but it's not that common. And honestly, as footy fans, when we're pissed off we can use far more colourful language that that.
Obviously though, if you cant take a bit of risque, potentially offensive language then you've got no place being at a football ground, because I don't care where you are, you'll hear something. Obviously there are certain things truly unacceptable, like racist chants but that's thankfully a rarity in the English game now.

I know two gay guys and seriously, you couldn't pay them a million quid to watch a football match, even if Beckham played the entire match in nothing but his budgie smugglers. They'd rather go shopping. That said...if we play like we did against Newcastle again, I might have to join them!

I totally disagree, and that's the sort of approach that used to get taken to racism as well "it's just people letting off steam".

And there is a difference between "offensive" language along the lines of people effing and blinding and people chanting about how Upson "takes it up the arse". I can't see how anyone can fail to spot the difference there, but that's precisely what you're doing if you're just filing it under offensive language.

Your story about the two gay guys you know is of no real relevance. I know plenty of gay people, and some of them like football. The fact you know some who don't like it at all means absolutely nothing.

It's right up there with "what's the point with trying to get Asian fans to attend games, they all like cricket anyway, they hate football".

[Isa]

I don't see any difference between someone using homophobic language and someone using racist language. They're both as offensive as the other and neither should have any place in football.

I think the difference is that certain words that can be deemed homophobic can be used without the one saying it intending to use it in such a way. For example, I heard someone describe Westwood as a 'fairy' the other day due to that person considering him to be lightweight in midfield. Was he intending to be homophobic in doing so?...no. Whereas if he was making the same point about Delph let's say and decided to call him a 'n****r', then obviously that can be taken in no other way then a racist comment.

Technically calling a player a 'c**t' could be deemed as sexist and offensive to women. Should we lump that in with racist language too?

[Ger Regan]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be (if ever) when a player openly comes out.

I mean to some extent you'll always get a few fans in the stands calling players "poofs" or whatever, but it's not that common. And honestly, as footy fans, when we're pissed off we can use far more colourful language that that.
Obviously though, if you cant take a bit of risque, potentially offensive language then you've got no place being at a football ground, because I don't care where you are, you'll hear something. Obviously there are certain things truly unacceptable, like racist chants but that's thankfully a rarity in the English game now.

I know two gay guys and seriously, you couldn't pay them a million quid to watch a football match, even if Beckham played the entire match in nothing but his budgie smugglers. They'd rather go shopping. That said...if we play like we did against Newcastle again, I might have to join them!

I totally disagree, and that's the sort of approach that used to get taken to racism as well "it's just people letting off steam".

And there is a difference between "offensive" language along the lines of people effing and blinding and people chanting about how Upson "takes it up the arse". I can't see how anyone can fail to spot the difference there, but that's precisely what you're doing if you're just filing it under offensive language.

Your story about the two gay guys you know is of no real relevance. I know plenty of gay people, and some of them like football. The fact you know some who don't like it at all means absolutely nothing.

It's right up there with "what's the point with trying to get Asian fans to attend games, they all like cricket anyway, they hate football".

Bang on.

[Louzie0]

I don't see any difference between someone using homophobic language and someone using racist language. They're both as offensive as the other and neither should have any place in football.

I think the difference is that certain words that can be deemed homophobic can be used without the one saying it intending to use it in such a way. For example, I heard someone describe Westwood as a 'fairy' the other day due to that person considering him to be lightweight in midfield. Was he intending to be homophobic in doing so?...no. Whereas if he was making the same point about Delph let's say and decided to call him a 'n****r', then obviously that can be taken in no other way then a racist comment.

Technically calling a player a 'c**t' could be deemed as sexist and offensive to women. Should we lump that in with racist language too?

Do you shout a sexist word when sitting next to or near a female supporter? Or do you wait to see if she uses it first!

Really, what is the bit you don't get about not using racist or homophobic language, no matter what you might 'mean' by it? It's outdated, out of place, inappropriate, insulting and unacceptable.

Sexist chanting, now, that doesn't have a campaign. Yet 

[Isa]

No because I don't really use such language anyway but many around me do when there are many women present. Do they hesitate to use it because there are women present? No. Why? Because they and everyone around them knows it is not being used in a sexist manner. A little common sense in these situations wouldn't go amiss.

[Louzie0]

No because I don't really use such language anyway but many around me do when there are many women present. Do they hesitate to use it because there are women present? No. Why? Because they and everyone around them knows it is not being used in a sexist manner. A little common sense in these situations wouldn't go amiss.

The common sense defence went out in the 1970's.

[taylorsworkrate]

I took umbrage with a friend of mine, whilst playing golf on Wednesday. I left a putt short, and he said "that's really gay".

It was a weak putt, but the use of the word gay to describe something as bad is something that happens routinely amongst many blokes, without it necessarily being homophobic. It is something that we need to get away from, my friend eventually agreed, although looked a bit bored after my lecture

[Isa]

Here in London (I'm not sure about other parts of the country) it is quite common for the word gay to be used in that way. Mainly amongst younger people I should add. Which goes back to my point about understanding the intention when such words are used.

[Legion]

Sick, for example.