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

That's all that matters, and yes it is sad, though we have come a long way in the last 20 to 30 odd years/. My daughter wrote an assignment last year for uni on transgenderism (? sure that isnt the correct term). It struck me how public acceptance is probably at a similar level to what is was towards gays 20 odd years ago?

 

I didn't realise that. It does put a different slant on it.

 

I know what you mean - I thought the same reading your posts. There's no denying that sport isn't the most popular thing for many gay people - I have a lot of gay friends and a lot of football supporting friends. You don't often see people talking with knowledge about both.

 

.

 

That's very kind, thank you!

 

There's a reason my first post on this thread was on page 11... I wasn't expecting a post on a City message board on this topic to have this much balanced discussion. It's nice to see.

 

Be honest, what are your thoughts on the 'banter' on here and at football matches? In no way am I homophobic, and yet am guilty of very slightly 'laddish jokey' posts which could be perceived as that. 4-5 years ago, I'd join in with the Brighton chants until it was rightly deemed to be inappropriate.
I look back to parallels with racism and people would be convinced such jokes and the N word was 'fine cos even xxx (a black man) found it funny'. .not realising he had little option.

 

Things have changed a lot in 30 years, and hopefully it's moving faster all the time
Transgender is probably a long way behind, but change is happening quickly so maybe things will catch up on that too
I'm certainly no expert although I do know a transgender woman through work who transitioned in a very male dominated environment and was extremely well supported.

 

Over 50 members have posted on this thread, including our biggest member, Patty. Not one has said they'd stop attending if we had a gay player. According to the survey we should have had at least 4 posters come out as extreme homophobes. I don't know what demographic they used in the survey (I've not read it), my guess is surveys were handed out as West Ham were chucking out or outside Christian Bakeries, but I still believe the 8% to be bollocks. It's the media's attempt to create an issue that simply isn't there. They're desperate to get an "outing", it's in the ****ish nature of their trade.

There's not a single person I know or am associated with, even including all the weirdos on here, that would think that way. If people had such extreme views they'd be leaving jobs, refusing to go to certain tills in the supermarket, asking for a different waiter, lawyer, doctor, nurse etc etc etc. If 8 out of every 100 people had such a fear* of homosexuals that it would stop them attending a football game then they'd never leave their house just in case they came into even closer contact with their fear* than a football match would ever put upon them.

Don't trust the media or their polls, the only accurate polls you get are on here. FACT.

I applaud the majority of the this thread, we usually stray to bollocks & ****e but this has remained relatively civil & grown up. I hope this doesn't start extending onto other threads.




* "Ignorance" would be a far more accurate noun to describe these supposed people.

 

You're right Cheshire, I initially thought 8% was quite a low figure, but to actually stop attending is pretty extreme and I'm sure a load of bollox.
Do you think we are a representative cross section of the population on here?
BTW, was great to meet you last Saturday and hope you enjoyed the rest of the afternoon!!!

 

And that must take a hell of a lot of guts (will ignore the very obvious pun)

 

In addition to that, it's not a switch. If 8% would stop going it implies that there's liable to be a percentage that were homophobic, but that would still attend, and that some where not as far along the scale but still homophobic to a noticeable degree.

A total guess, but I'd expect it would need about half the crowd to be have a strong degree of homophobia for 8% to be so extreme.

I'll take the experience of the two people with more direct experience over mine, but things like seeing so many football fans happy to use Polar Bear when it was a gay pub where it was a zero issue as one small example, I find the figures hard to accept.

 

I think the 'outing' and celebrity gossip about the first gay footballer is sadly inevitable.

But let's not assume that is going to be a bad thing, it will create headlines and it will be tricky for that player. But things will improve after

Sadly I think the whole thing will say more about the gutter press than society as a whole.

 

I think we're a fairly accurate representative cross section of football supporters & so accurate for this survey, but probably not of the general population.



It was a great day & good to meet you all. I was proper pissed before leaving Minerva & the rest of the day was a bit of a haze. I did last 'til after half 2 in the morning though and knew I'd been in Lizard Lounge by the stamp on the back of my hand I found Sunday morning. I did have a clearish head & downed a pint in Admiral with my breakfast before midday. A good effort. I got a few messages throughout the evening from people saying that after going to City they now wished they'd stayed out with us.

 

My view is that any "outing" is a bad thing if the "outed" doesn't want to be "outed".

We know what the press are like & that they'll sensationalise it when it does happen despite it's irrelevance as news.. In the real world the vast majority won't honestly give a flying ****.

 

Impressive. I was battered anyway, have no recollection of the game so probably best I didn't stay out

 

I'd agree with all of that.

Maybe it Would be great if a group of footballers come out at the same time.

 

Be honest, I'm not the only one that was going to post a comment about our team in that context, and then thought better of it am I?

 

I've only just read the last three posts, but realy, is this what it's come to? He's gay, he's proud of it, this thread is gay ( aye I did write that - Mr Shoes doesn't understand sic). Rinder can earn a fortune by being a barrister, but he enjoys placing his gaiety on TV , wtf has OLM done wrong?