?% Villa (is that a thing, that % business?) Homophobia in Football

[Damo70]

Those fans in the corner of the North right by the away section are always baiting the away fans.

I don't know how true this is but there isn't huge distance between the two sections so I imagine the words used would be pretty audible.

I had a season ticket in the lower North with my son from 2012 up to 2016 and whilst the proximity to the away fans leads to plenty of chants and gestures both ways I wasn't aware of anything racist or homophobic.

[Dave]

it is Brian and i wasn't condoning it - merely pointing out that shit happens in football grounds as anyone attending on a regular basis knows - including the ever right on/PC  Dave.

Yeah, bloody PC brigade. It's always them stopping us laughing at the poofters and the darkies. They should probably just lighten up and join in the banter.

Calling it "par for the course" absolutely is condoning it. Obviously.

[tomd2103]

it is Brian and i wasn't condoning it - merely pointing out that shit happens in football grounds as anyone attending on a regular basis knows - including the ever right on/PC  Dave.

Yeah, bloody PC brigade. It's always them stopping us laughing at the poofters and the darkies. They should probably just lighten up and join in the banter.

Calling it "par for the course" absolutely is condoning it. Obviously.

Are you party to what was being chanted and from where Dave?

[Dave]

it is Brian and i wasn't condoning it - merely pointing out that shit happens in football grounds as anyone attending on a regular basis knows - including the ever right on/PC  Dave.

Yeah, bloody PC brigade. It's always them stopping us laughing at the poofters and the darkies. They should probably just lighten up and join in the banter.

Calling it "par for the course" absolutely is condoning it. Obviously.

Are you party to what was being chanted and from where Dave?

No - and from what has been posted, nor had the person who has already decided that it's not something of any importance.

[amfy]

Recently, Project B6 wanted to do a rainbow flag to symbolise that Villa is a gay friendly club and there were loads calling it completely unnecessary. Homophobia is far from endemic at Villa Park, but accounts like this do back up the need to make it clear where we stand as a club, and as a set of supporters. We need to send a clear message to the idiot minority that it is they that are unwelcome at Villa Park (or with our travelling support).

I particularly liked the idea of a 'Part of the Pride' surfer in rainbow colours. Neat.

Interesting that those whose response to this flag appeal was to ask why we weren't having one for Remembrance Day, seem to have disappeared now Project B6 are trying to raise money for one for Remembrance Day.

[vbm]

I'm guessing because some groups of travelling supporters are known to sing fairly dickish songs at Brighton that they don't sing elsewhere.

I watch Brighton at the AMEX very often.

Rarely does a rival group of fans not have some sort of "does your boyfriend know you're here" chant.

It is not as bad as it once was by any means, and recently they have been ejecting people from the stadium for these kind of chants, but it isn't uncommon.

[Nev]

You can't say anything these days.

[brian green]

There is probably as good a case for flying a Catalan flag as they battle for a referendum.  Many brave British men and women died fighting fascism in Spain.  The writer George Orwell, very much in vogue, and his wife were both wounded in action.

[Comrade Blitz]

There is probably as good a case for flying a Catalan flag as they battle for a referendum.  Many brave British men and women died fighting fascism in Spain.  The writer George Orwell, very much in vogue, and his wife were both wounded in action.

Interesting.....and now many British fascists live in Spain - but they're not immigrants.

[Bad English]

I would love to see a Catalan flag surf across the Holte. Spain has taken the things past the point of no return with their bullying of Catalunya.

[brian green]

A fair few I daresay but those who saw the evils of fascism in the 1930s were a very different breed from those who today see every kind of intolerance, post Brexit referendum, as taking our country back.  That momentous day on the 23rd June was seen as legitimisation of every form of bigotry including homophobia at football matches.

[Sexual Ealing]

It is bad and wrong and needs to be stamped out but you can bet your mortgage that the FA are much more likely to punish us for it than they are to punish Manchester United fans for singing about the size of a black man's penis.

They might Brian, but I've heard our supporters singing a song on a similar theme about Kodjia more than once.

[PaulWinch again]

Well as we dont know what they were chanting it makes it a bit difficult to judge, on one hand she may have taken it out of context or on the other it could have been really vicious.

You can be sure we'd certainly not be putting up with it if it were racist.

Exactly.  Where was this chanting coming from as well?  Their small pocket of support was relatively far away from the North Stand and there was hardly anybody in the Doug Ellis Stand, so I'd be interested to hear where it was coming from and exactly what was being chanted before I rush to condemn anyone.   

It was described as 'homophobic' I'm not sure you need to details to understand the sort of thing that was actually said. It sounds like it was sustained chanting as well. The context is relevant to her, and if she was upset by it then she has every right to express that.

[Damo70]

I'm guessing because some groups of travelling supporters are known to sing fairly dickish songs at Brighton that they don't sing elsewhere.

I watch Brighton at the AMEX very often.

Rarely does a rival group of fans not have some sort of "does your boyfriend know you're here" chant.

It is not as bad as it once was by any means, and recently they have been ejecting people from the stadium for these kind of chants, but it isn't uncommon.

Not particularly relevant to the main point of this thread but I was told years ago (it was 1998 as it was my stag weekend) that Blackpool had overtaken Brighton as the gay hotspot of England. A couple of years later four of us stayed at a very much gay friendly hotel in Blackpool run by two gay Brummies. Our one mate who wasn't fussed about the lively pub/club scene in the town ended up at a gay all night party with them. We couldn't help wondering whether our heterosexual, masculine six foot plus, well built, unshaven mate was the star attraction at the party.

[Ian.]

You can't say anything these days.

Well you can if you want too, it depends what sort of person you are.

I'm sure if this lady in question was being singled out and bullied by a crowd of football fans because of her shape, size, gender, colour, sexuality or anything else personal it was bang out of order.

It's horrible and cruel.