Eight per cent of fans ‘wouldn’t watch team containing gay player’

That applies for every thread, surely?

 

I think people already wouldn't bat an eyelid out of choice, but as others have said, the tabloids will splash it all over the front pages, people with no interest in football will know his name (like how Wayne Bridge was a household name after Terry banged his wife) and it'll be forced into the public domain.

A bit like Joey Barton. No one gives a **** about him, but he's always there isn't he?

 

This is were I fail to grasp why there is a significant problem. 92% is a high level of acceptance. Not enough, I suppose, but I would guess that if asked 5 years ago the figure would have been far higher who would not go.

The problem is that it is now a social crime to offend someone by the use of homophobic language. Now being called or calling someone gay is an issue, but I can be called a fat **** and no one gives a ****.

I do not have a problem with people who have a different sexual orientation, but I do have a problem, with folk who put a label on it. Homosexuality has largely become accepted as "normal". I do have an issue with the promotion of homosexual lifestyles in television soaps and used to boost numbers by the "Big gay snog" method. There are television producers and scriptwriters who are part of a movement to promote homosexuality in television, distorting the balance in order to have it seen as normal, but in fact it gets portrayed as more exciting than just normal. There is as vast a difference in lifestyle choices within the gay and lesbian community as there are in straight and I suspect that the group who are seen going out on the town with different partners, are only a small part of the community.

If a footballer is gay, why should he "come out", why is there a need to tell the world, family and friends, why should it be a secret in the first place? Do we know the religion of our footballers? I can see the reaction in the dressing when a player comes out and tells his mates that he is Jewish.

As I said at the start, I fail to see that there is a problem that 8% would not go to watch their, team, I think the problem is in the fact that the question was asked in the first place.

None of my views are fixed, this is a debate that has been interesting and I wanted to add to it. Both of the gay contributors on the thread, deserve it to be an honest and open debate. I find some of what they have posted a little challenging, but that is for another post.

 

What exactly does "the promotion of homosexual lifestyles" mean?

 

Does your boyfriend know why we're not here?

 

I don't think 8% would actually stop going to football games, but whatever the percentage is, I'd love to see more footballers come out just so we lose those types.

Which is a little contrary because I don't see why they should need to come out, its got **** all to do with anyone else.

 

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about the meaning of coming out.

No one is talking about discussing methods. Coming out is about acknowledging one aspect of your life with the people who are likely to care, so that there will be no issues when you live your life the way that anybody else does. The sad thing is - in 2016, the media still cares.

It's one thing to say it's nothing to do with anyone else - but if that was the case, we would know nothing about the wives and girlfriends of the footballers today. If a footballer wants to keep everything to himself he has that right, obviously - but to think a person can go through an entire career and not want to date anyone, not want to settle down? It's unrealistic.

The sad thing about the modern world is that for gay footballers to be able to live like that out of the public eye - some footballers first will have to go through coming out.

Compare it to musicians of the 1990s. Stephen Gately had to go to a national paper to come out because another paper had "evidence" of him being with a bloke, and were going to run an exposé. Football is the only place I can imagine where this would still happen. No one could care less about if a singer or an actor is gay these days.

 

What on earth does " a movement to promote homosexuality in television, distorting the balance in order to have it seen as normal" mean?... It just is normal

I don't understand the point about asking why there should be a need to tell the world either. Isn't this simply about being open about who your partner is if you have one? Suggesting otherwise is suggesting that some people should keep things hidden

I think the suggestion that 8% wouldn't go to see the team would be a problem if it was true mind you, although I don't think it is in reality, because it is still a stupidly high number of bigots together in one place. (the majority of those 8% wouldn't care if the player was a good player though...I don't care what they say they would do)

 

I think Eeyore is doing a great job for gays...at the rate he's going, 8% of the KC's attendance will only be about 15 people, soon.

 

and I would gladly let you

 

When the next womens international

 

I couldn't give a flying fig about a players sexuality.

What I would object to is signing a dickhead like Barton. The thought of my hard earned money going into his pocket would boil my piss.

 

Spot on

 

Top post Bernie

 

I'd like to think that in the UK, the fan reaction to a player coming out would be in the majority acceptable, with most people not caring and not making an issue of it. As discussed, I think the media would blow it so out of proportion that the first to come out would have a shocking time and unprecedented levels of exposure, especially if it were a top player.

Sadly, whilst I think the UK, and other western countries would be more accepting, there are a hell of a lot of nations where there would be a massively higher percentage than 8%, ffs there are still numerous countries round the world where it is illegal to be gay, seventy ****ing six of them (according to this link https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/) across Africa, the middle east, north america and the sub continent, (something like a quarter of the world's population) it would be 78 countries if it were to include Russia and Lithuania, two countries that do not have laws against homosexual acts but do have repressive laws against “propaganda of homosexuality." How the frig could a top professional player feel comfortable coming out when the next 2 world cups are being held in countries that the world governing body has deemed suitable to hold a world cup yet criminalises their personal lives and choices? Black players are having a hard enough time in some of these countries, unlike skin colour though sexuality can be hidden and sadly people will continue to hide it.

 

The 8% are repressed homosexuals with 'undercover' same sex needs. Bless the confused ,angry little fruits.

 

I would agree with a lot of your points, if being a gay footballer was normal.

I don't particularly have a problem with the survey results, the level of acceptance is high, and I'm sure that 8% will drop in the future. Football will follow society, it has already.

Unfortunately, the first out gay footballer in the Premier League will encounter a bit of a song and dance, you are correct. This is unfortunate and not something I would like to see, but I put it like ripping off a plaster. The sooner that is done, the better it will be for all concerned and we can all move on.

If we compare if to black players for example, they don't have a choice whether or not to 'hide' the fact they are black, it is on show for all the world to see. That was a major issue in British football at one point, now it isn't so much and isn't that a good thing?

The difference is, gay people can 'hide' and the issue isn't moving on as quickly as it should. Football is a long way behind the rest of the country when it comes to this, indeed it is a long way behind most other sports. That can't continue.

I can't wait for the day when the song and dance is over and nobody bats an eyelid. That would make everyone's life easier.