Surely we have reached a point in history where someone's sexuality isn't something people worry about
England player and another Premier League star set to come out as gay
- Thread starter SilentWitness
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Honestly think the abuse would be minimal nowadays. I don't personally know anyone who is openly homophobic and if they were they would be pretty quickly put down by those around them. Mob mentality might allow a few closet homophobes hide among the mobs voice but even still, chanting like that would not be tolerated in premier league stadiums. Or am I completely out of touch?
Everyone here who is posting their own picks based on there own criteria of what "gay" people should be like are part of the problem.
You might not but it might mean the world to some 12 year old lad who gets tormented for being gay.
Sadly I just don't think it is otherwise a couple of players that came out guy would still be playing no? Don't recall the name but didn't some American who played in England or in the US come out but then quit football straight away. Hitzelsburger too could have played for a few more years.
But it is sad because if you're a sportsman, coming out must be even more daunting than it is for someone with a 'normal' job. If someone in the office comes out as gay, then Im pretty sure most of us would applaud their bravery, support them and not treat them any different than previously.
Same for sportsman, I'm sure their colleagues are just as supportive. Sure, one or two might not like it but it's not like theyd be picked on as the other players and staff wouldn't allow it.
The problem is the one or two stupid fans who shout abuse to the player, which then snowballs into a group of 20. Imagine dealing with that once or twice a week.
I do hope someone comes out and gets the full backing of the football community though, players, clubs and fans alike
Its 2015 and it's still a big news story? No wonder players don't want to "come out" the moment they do the media will be all over them 24/7
The reason it is a big story is because there are no players playing today who have come out.
In a way, someone coming out and this being followed by a number of other players would dilute the 'news' and then it would be a normal thing in football.
Because we haven't any, it is.
Sad I know and agree it shouldn't be as big a deal as it would be to start with
In a way, someone coming out and this being followed by a number of other players would dilute the 'news' and then it would be a normal thing in football.
Because we haven't any, it is.
Sad I know and agree it shouldn't be as big a deal as it would be to start with
There are 12 year old lads being tormented for playing cello. But i get your point.
I remember working with a young class a few years ago and they were writing about their heroes.
One young girl who had faced a really tough life gave a speech about some Olympian she met who had dyslexia. You should have seen her enthusiasm for England afterwards, all her life she'd felt stupid and to find out there were brilliantly successful people around really meant a lot to her.
I imagine it'd be the same for a young gay lad supporting United. I'm not for one second suggesting that it is important whether someone is gay or not, which I think is what you were saying, but it could make a massive difference to some.
Is it Wazza? Has he been attempting to come out for a long time?
We thought he wanted to play football elsewhere, when he euphemistically said he wanted to play for another club.
Just joshing.
We thought he wanted to play football elsewhere, when he euphemistically said he wanted to play for another club.
Just joshing.
It'd be fecking great to see an openly gay footballer in the Premier League. It's an important issue and it needs to be talked about. Coming out can is a way of releasing a lot of personal pressure about how people perceive you as a person and whether or not you feel like you're being true to yourself.
That feeling that you're 'hiding' something can be extremely stressful and unpleasant. Speaking from my own personal experience of coming out.
That feeling that you're 'hiding' something can be extremely stressful and unpleasant. Speaking from my own personal experience of coming out.
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I think that, whoever it is, should they be subject to chants/whatever then the clubs to which those supporters belong should be heavily fined -- point deductions, etc.
I guessed Tom Daley and a few other celebs were gay before they came out. Using my finely tuned gay-dar I would say it's got to be Henderson.
I got your point first time mate, but thanks for the effort to explain again.
I guess im using too much of my own perspective here.
Recenty a guy from my work said he was gay.
I honestly couldnt figure it out why was he telling me this. I honestly didnt care, it didnt make any diiference for me. After all he is the same human being who i need to respect and accept. His sexuality doesnt change that.
Yeah wasn't for you just an example for others.
I think in your example it might have made him feel a lot better. Suddenly he's able to "be himself" and that might mean a lot.
the main problem with it is for us match going fans. once you know which ones they are, are you going to be able to enjoy the football when you're constantly watching their every move? you could be celebrating a goal and let your guard down and all of a sudden he's crept up behind you and bunged it in you. then you have to go home and tell your wife and kids that you've been infected by a gay and by proxy have now caught it.
that'll be the last you see of them as you head off to purse a career in fashion. you'll get a couple of gigs as a model after doing a couple of favours for a wealthy old queen with connections but the work soon dries up. you get a lucky break and manage to land a shop sales assistant job at a high street giant. maybe if you leave some of your designs about they'll find their way to head office and before you know it you're designing their summer collection.
it's all a pipe dream though. your short tenure there is over when you're caught fondling a male mannequin in front of a bunch of school children on a field trip. it only has a barbie style mound but you're just so damn gay now you just don't care.
it's a downward spiral from here and soon you're living in a bush in the park, frequenting glory holes and selling yourself to strangers. you're lost everything.
and that's why there would be hostility to any opening gay footballer.
that'll be the last you see of them as you head off to purse a career in fashion. you'll get a couple of gigs as a model after doing a couple of favours for a wealthy old queen with connections but the work soon dries up. you get a lucky break and manage to land a shop sales assistant job at a high street giant. maybe if you leave some of your designs about they'll find their way to head office and before you know it you're designing their summer collection.
it's all a pipe dream though. your short tenure there is over when you're caught fondling a male mannequin in front of a bunch of school children on a field trip. it only has a barbie style mound but you're just so damn gay now you just don't care.
it's a downward spiral from here and soon you're living in a bush in the park, frequenting glory holes and selling yourself to strangers. you're lost everything.
and that's why there would be hostility to any opening gay footballer.
It'd be great if it was Rooney. Can we still mock him? Would that or his first touch be the bigger hate crime?
My (gay) mate txt me about this, this morning - but he seemed to be certain it was a United player. He reckons it's Shaw.
I think Chris Smalling, myself. But, like other posters have pointed out - this shouldn't even be news in this day and age.
I think Chris Smalling, myself. But, like other posters have pointed out - this shouldn't even be news in this day and age.
Sturridge. Definitely Sturridge.
Aye, 'cause being gay means your clued in on all the closet gays around the world.
Also, Chris Smalling has had a girlfriend for yonks, and was caught up in a hooker orgy a while ago. Definitely not him.
I've always suspected Juan was gay ever since I met him in Manchester airport and he checked me out.
I suspect he might be blind based on the same evidence.
Lol why 'definitely' Sturridge?
Dunno. My gaydar beeps faster than a Geiger counter in Chernobyl when I look at him.
I want it to be an Arsenal palyer, so we can make bets, which pundit will jump onto his sword first with the Arsenal are soft = french = gay angle. 
Whoever it is will be tormented by opposition fans. I don't see the logic in them coming out.
I'm surprised that people think the world is so tolerant. What people forget is that you can be homophobic without actively hating gay folks or going around beating people up.
Stereotypes and negative association are still incredibly common in the UK. This forum itself sees a fair bit of both homophobic language and the use of gay or its synonyms as insults - the implication that calling someone gay is a hurtful thing to do is itself homophobic.
Stereotypes and negative association are still incredibly common in the UK. This forum itself sees a fair bit of both homophobic language and the use of gay or its synonyms as insults - the implication that calling someone gay is a hurtful thing to do is itself homophobic.
If they do their respective clubs will be fined heavily by the FA, while Greg Dyke and Martin Glenn share gay jokes over email.
Tis' a possibility
I don't think it's Shaw. Not been on his twitter for a while, but I remember looking through who he follows maybe about a year ago or so and he was following a load of those fit party type girls.
It's a sad state, a zero tolerance stance would need to brought in. First clubs would need to issue life time bans to fans and if it continued clubs should be made to pay the price. Fines and if necessary games behind closed doors. I'd imagine it'd become a non issue within a few months.
There would be crackdowns harder than racism for that in the BPL, I wouldn't be surprised if instances of that led to empty seats for the next match. There's a difference in one idiot screaming something contra a fangroup ding it though
Like the last time we had this conversation, they really shouldn't feel they have to tell anybody they are gay.
It shouldn't be something they feel they need to be defined by, society needs to move past the point where someone being homosexual is an issue.
It shouldn't be something they feel they need to be defined by, society needs to move past the point where someone being homosexual is an issue.
I can't see how an openly gay player going to some of rowdy tonked fans could possibly wrong ... Looking at you Selhurst Park and Anfield
Because everyone pretty much agrees racism is unacceptable. It's sadly not the same with homophobia. I hear and read (even on here) stuff like "poof" and "rentboy" used all the time.
Edit, i've quoted you but miss-read your point. Sorry about that!
To be fair as a Chelsea fan it's to be expected.
I went there.
In all seriousness, any characteristic can be twisted to have negative association.
Ginger.
Fat
Skinny
Wearing glasses
Any kind of quirky behaviour
Etc etc
The emoticons on that forumI have absolutely no idea what you're talking about but I've just had a look through that link you've posted and I cannot for the life of me stop laughing. I'm actually crying:
My god too many to quote.
Sorry one more, the reply to the above quote:
EDIT: I like how their link could just as easily mean 'football manager forums' but you get thrust into the heart of 'famous males' forums.