A discussion between adults.. A gay footballer

[roversontheup]

I think part of the problem now is that it has all been blown out of proportion. It has become such a talking point in mens football. Fans discuss it, papers and magazines write about it, and television broadcast programmes about it. It sometimes seems the whole country is waiting for a pro footballer to come out as gay.

I can't wait for the day when someone, or preferably many players do come out. The the game can really tackle any homophobic abuse.

[RoversAlias]

However is it any different to abuse for being ginger, or a woman or Scottish?  Hard to know, abuse is abuse are any better than others?

I hear sexist comments shouted when there are female assistant referees at games, or if the One Call girls walk past the stand etc. and those kind of comments make me shake my head just as much as a homophobic jibe would. There's just no need for it in this day and age.

I do think that if a player came out as gay there would be abuse, but I would like to think that would die down and hopefully become as badly viewed by the wider crowd as someone making a racist comment would. These things take time in society unfortunately and until a player actually does it I don't think we're going to know quite how football as a sport would react to it.

[RedJ]

Bit different but Robbie Rogers (ex Leeds, LA Galaxy) came out as gay. Sad that he chose to retire virtually immediately afterwards, but since came back from retirement to play in MLS. I wonder what type of abuse he got before he jacked it in last year.

You'd have to think his career would've continued beyond 30 as well if he'd not outed himself.

[DMnumber4]

Any footballer coming out as gay would surely baulk at the amount of media attention it would get, never mind parochial abuse from supporters.

Maybe if everyone backed off a little and didn't see so much "need" for it then the players (there will be more than one of the 2,000 professionals we have in the Football League) can come out whenever.

Sad indictment of football is that in cricket (Steven Davies), rugby league (Keegan Hirst) and rugby union (Gareth Thomas and Nigel Owens) no one bats an eyelid.


*As a footnote, there doesn't seem to be a pro male tennis or golfer that is gay, where's the clamour there?

[since-1969]

Why make comment at all , let’s face the law has come of age and it should now be of no ones concern as it is a personnel matter and prejudice and bigotry are unlawful . Your opinion is to be kept to yourself and your views made obsolete. Religion and it’s views have brought into line with common thinking and for those who feel caught up in  media attention are free to relax and gain confidence that it’s unexceptable to voice or show distaste at what was ones viewed  as lewd and improper behavior. I think it’s now become a non subject and it’s spot light should be extinguished for all time . Live and let be those who only want to get on with their lives .

[VivaRovers]

It's encouraging to see so many people saying that it wouldn't bother them at all, shows a significant shift in attitudes from say, 10 years ago.

I think the reason why a current professional coming out matters is what it would mean for any young aspiring footballers who are gay, and as such may currently choose not to pursue the career and the sport because it's seen as an area that isn't for them as there is still seen to be a stigma in the sport about being gay. People need role models that they can identify with.

Incidentally, it's interesting how it is viewed completely differently in the women's game where scored of top football professionals are openly gay, including the previous England captain.

[drfchound]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

You're making it sound as though it's an option/life choice.

Ha, I am not tying to do anything except say how it appears to be in my view.

Drivel.

Not drivel at all mate.

Just pointing out that in the entertainment industry people there are lots of people who are openly gay and are propelling their careers forward off the back of it.
Look at how many people make sure that people are aware that they are gay and make jokes about it.

The point was being made to show how it is a polar opposite to the football world.

[Glyn_Wigley]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

You're making it sound as though it's an option/life choice.

Ha, I am not tying to do anything except say how it appears to be in my view.

Drivel.

Not drivel at all mate.

Just pointing out that in the entertainment industry people there are lots of people who are openly gay and are propelling their careers forward off the back of it.
Look at how many people make sure that people are aware that they are gay and make jokes about it.

The point was being made to show how it is a polar opposite to the football world.

Presumably if it's such a benefit to their careers then there would be lots of straight people in the entertainment industry claiming they're gay to further their career?

[drfchound]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

You're making it sound as though it's an option/life choice.

Ha, I am not tying to do anything except say how it appears to be in my view.

Drivel.

Not drivel at all mate.

Just pointing out that in the entertainment industry people there are lots of people who are openly gay and are propelling their careers forward off the back of it.
Look at how many people make sure that people are aware that they are gay and make jokes about it.

The point was being made to show how it is a polar opposite to the football world.

Presumably if it's such a benefit to their careers then there would be lots of straight people in the entertainment industry claiming they're gay to further their career?

Not quite the way i was intending it to be read but i guess someone might twist things a bit.

[NickDRFC]

Hound, I'm not sure that showbusiness has much relevance to football in this case as they are completely different industries. It's certainly less taboo and more socially acceptable to be out in entertainment, but if you look back that wasn't really the case even fairly recently - George Michael didn't come out until he'd left Wham, Elton John was married etc. Now I don't know how much of this was down to stigma but I'd imagine at least part of it.

Being gay in that line of work obviously isn't an issue anymore (not that I'd agree it's an advantage - would Adele, for example, have sold more records if she was a lesbian? I doubt it) and maybe in years to come we'll see a number of openly gay footballers. I think it would just take one (extremely brave) man to do it and then several would follow within the next few years.

[Mike_F]

Would anyone on here stop watching Rovers if Copps came out as gay?

If Copps came out as gay I don't think there's a Rovers fan alive who'd refuse him a go on their starfish!

[5minstogo]

Would anyone on here stop watching Rovers if Copps came out as gay?

If Copps came out as gay I don't think there's a Rovers fan alive who'd refuse him a go on their starfish!

Put me down for double helpings 👍

[Copps is Magic]

I've fantasised about it so many times sometimes I think it's already happened.

[Jonathan]

It’s an interesting discussion point.

It really shouldn’t matter at all, and principally I agree with those that say it doesn’t matter and they really couldn’t care less about a footballer’s sexuality. Personally I’m not interested at all and it has nothing to do with the game.

But it does matter, and there’s a reason why gay footballers evidently don’t feel comfortable with being open about it. Would you want to be the football player that had cameras pointing in their face - not because of their ability, character, achievements or anything they’ve done, but simply because of who they’re attracted to? I don’t think I would. It’s totally unfair and unnecessary, but I think that’s why gay footballers seemingly feel the need to hide their lives away.

I don’t think a few throwaway shouts from the terraces are necessarily the issue, they happen anyway irrespective of race, sexuality or anything else. It’s the 8% (you’d hope that is not truly representative, but honestly I don’t know) that say they would stop supporting their club for fielding a gay player that are the real problem, and they’ll be stirred by the media fanfare.

It’s all well and good for us to say we’re not bothered. But some people clearly still are and discrimination does still exist. It’s a shame.

[i_ateallthepies]

That's a fair point Jonathan, and speculating on how that 8% factor might further inhibit a gay footballer from coming out, he may fear for his career prospects if it were shown to reduce takings on the gate.

[WheatleyRover]

People can do what they want, but can we please stop with all this politically correct bs, nobody can speak there mind anymore  social engineering at its finest

[Glyn_Wigley]

People can do what they want, but can we please stop with all this politically correct bs, nobody can speak there mind anymore  social engineering at its finest

What's the 'politcally correct bs' regarding the subject of this thread?

[Donny Dub]

I'm reckon we have probably already conceded a last minute goal scored by a gay player although we just dont know he is gay. And that is where I stand on the debate ie why do we need to know the sexuality of footballers, I really couldnt care less.

We don’t need to know do we, can’t we just leave it like this?

[RedJ]

People can do what they want, but can we please stop with all this politically correct bs, nobody can speak there mind anymore  social engineering at its finest

Yer, them gret jessie arse bandits can do what they want behind closed doors.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Wheatley.

Who’s stopping you saying what you want?

[RoversAlias]

People can do what they want, but can we please stop with all this politically correct bs, nobody can speak there mind anymore  social engineering at its finest

This thread has been a good, mature discussion so not sure what you're referring to here?

[roversontheup]

I understand when people say they don’t need or want to know a players sexuality and that we should just leave it as it is but there is another aspect to consider. Until this is all brought out into the open by pro footballer/s coming out in public and then over time made into a non issue by football and media those closet footballers have to live their lives in secret and in fear of being outed. Not able to live a normal life with their partners.
That is a terrible indictment of the football industry in 21st century.

[anne honemous]

I understand when people say they don’t need or want to know a players sexuality and that we should just leave it as it is but there is another aspect to consider. Until this is all brought out into the open by pro footballer/s coming out in public and then over time made into a non issue by football and media those closet footballers have to live their lives in secret and in fear of being outed. Not able to live a normal life with their partners.
That is a terrible indictment of the football industry in 21st century.

I don't think it helps that 'being gay' has a certain stereotype attached to it by some sections of society such as a 'gay accent' and being overly effeminate towards others, or dressing a certain way.

If there was to be a gay footballer come out then I'd be 100% cast iron certain they won't fit the above stereotype and they would just want to be a footballer who happens to be gay, rather than 'the gay footballer' which is the tag they'd inevitably get labelled with.

[RedJ]

Wheatley.

Who’s stopping you saying what you want?

The "lefties" and or/PC Brigade no doubt.

[One_Matty_Lucas]

With the amount coloured football boots these days on display Im beginning to think it’s a subliminal signal being sent out that gay players are already out there.

Stuck-in-1969...

[Mustapha-Dump]

Thank you to everybody who participated in this thread, I found it very interesting reading through all the replies, even the ones I didn’t agree with. This was never supposed to turn into an argument or even a debate really I just wanted to see what different reactions people would have, thank you to all!