Five Live Survey - Homophobia

[wolfgar]

Just reading an article about a recent Five Live Survey. Encouragingly it found that 82% of sports fans stated that would have no problem if their club or team signed an openly gay player. 8% of football fans surveyed however stated they would stop watching their team altogether? Seriously, in 2016?

If one of our players was brave enough to come out I'm certain they would get some fantastic support. A few idiotic comments perhaps, but I can't believe anyone would be so anti gay as to stop following their club?

As a disclaimer I haven't red the survey content, itself merely the headlines on a bbc news article. Just thought it made an interesting discussion point.

 

[WasStefan]

No issue with players coming out at all in fact it is a stain on football that players haven't come out already. Says a lot

 

[Deleted member 4382]

A very serious point.
If one of our players came out, or we signed a gay player, I'd applaud him louder than the rest to show support.
There must be a lot of gay footballers out there, and it is wrong that they feel unable to be their true selves.

 

[Mutchy]

Possibly an issue might be more likely to arise with a player being targetted by opposition fans.

 

[wolfgar]

There are openly gay sportsmen and women in almost every sport going these days, from boxing to rugby, even professional wrestling. It's pretty sad to think that there are likely some gay footballers who still feel that they cant for fear of abuse.

I'm inclined to agree, I think the majority of fans would be hugely supportive and would hopefully drown out any idiotic minority. I guess it takes one brave person to be counted and pave the way for others.

I would like to think if it were a wolves player they would be supported to the hilt, even more so if other teams fans decided to take the p.

 

[Deleted member 4309]

Possibly an issue might be more likely to arise with a player being targetted by opposition fans.

Exactly. Unfortunately

 

[JOSWolf]

I'd have no problem at all but I can understand why players don't come out when they are playing.

 

[Floyd Man]

The problem for openly gay players wouldn't come from their own fans it would be the opposition supporters. The likes of Man Utd, Liverpool , Leeds etc would treat it as a challenge to see who could come up with the most disgusting chant. Even a supposedly 'manly' game like Rugby Union is light years ahead of football .

 

[wolfgar]

Possibly an issue might be more likely to arise with a player being targetted by opposition fans.

You're right. Say for example a Preston player came out today. It would be interesting to see how our fans would react when we play them in a weeks time. Especially with the inevitable media scrutiny. Totally hypothetical but does make you think?

 

[Perton Wolf]

I wonder how the 8% compares with wider society? Would help with the context as to whether football has a homophobia problem.

I'd like to think it doesn't and that times have moved on.

 

[Perton Wolf]

A very serious point.
If one of our players came out, or we signed a gay player, I'd applaud him louder than the rest to show support.
There must be a lot of gay footballers out there, and it is wrong that they feel unable to be their true selves.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[1LtJohnJDunbar]

Anyone who thinks its acceptable to make homophobic slurs in this day and age needs removing from the gene pool imo. Same with those who think racism is okay.

 

[ladywolf]

I think society is becoming far far more accepting. I do however feel nobody should have to 'state' their sexual preference. I don't walk around telling people I'm heterosexual and quite frankly it's nobody's business. (Unless you look like Tom Hardy)

 

[Deleted member 4382]

Possibly an issue might be more likely to arise with a player being targetted by opposition fans.

Genuinely, if a member of the opposition came out as gay, I'd applaud him too.
It would be a landmark moment in football, and one that would be a catalyst for others.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I don't think the main problem would be fans, more the reaction of team mates if a player came out, players get heaps of abuse from fans regardless but the reaction of team mates would probably be the sticking point.

 

[Supadavewolf]

Unless you look like Tom Hardy

Sadly, I don't.

Hopefully football will get over this hurdle soon. Society has come a long way in recent years (thankfully).

 

[wolfgar]

I think society is becoming far far more accepting. I do however feel nobody should have to 'state' their sexual preference. I don't walk around telling people I'm heterosexual and quite frankly it's nobody's business. (Unless you look like Tom Hardy)

I see your point and sexual orientation really shouldnt be of any interest to anyone in this day and age. That said as heterosexuals we rarely have to live a lie or cope with worries about being outed so to speak. Coming out is a hugely cathartic and generally positive experience as many of my gay friends have often told me.

John Ameichi the openly gay basketball player talked about how his performances on the court improved dramatically after coming out. He also mentioned counselling some gay footballers who feel too scared to come out, which does suggest its an issue for some?

Living in the closet can have a huge impact on an individuals mental health and in turn you might expect their performance.

I do look just like Tom Hardy btw lol!!

 

[Mr Wolf]

I don't think the main problem would be fans, more the reaction of team mates if a player came out, players get heaps of abuse from fans regardless but the reaction of team mates would probably be the sticking point.

Agree, fans shouting at opposition players isn't really a problem nor is signing songs etc. I'd say the bigger issue is the teammate comradery as that is far more personal than some fat bald idiot in his mid 40's calling you a bum boy from the stands.

You've got to think changing room banter & the whole diversity/HR issues in dealings with things like this. Say if someone religious says he no longer wants to share a shower with this person?

 

[derbyrameater]

And 12% would stop attending if their team signed a player from the opposition.

 

[kwolf]

how many chants have you heard towards brighton fans in the past just because of the area there from quite pathetic but it happens

 

[Surrey Wolf]

ok, gays are fine, but what about a player who maybe likes ****ging inanimate objects? if we signed a pavement ****ger how would fans feel, especially if the player was happy to admit it?

 

[Peszkywolf]

Imagine if we signed all the world's best gay footballers and stormed the league.

Didn't Matt jarvis do a cover/ interview for a gay magazine? Fair play to him.

 

[Deleted member 4456]

My only interest is in how our players fare on the pitch. They can do as they please in their own time.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

The BBC are obsessed with all this coming out as gay. Why do people need to feel come out and announce it? Its the media trying to make it a big deal. Generally people couldnt care less.

 

[astraltrader]

It is really quite straight forward - there should be no place in football for any homophobic behaviour whatsoever.

 

[Cotswold wolf]

There was a top agent on 5 live talking about this. Interestingly he said the main reason players don't come out is because their last big payday is in the Middle East, Russia or China so they could end up in jail or dead for being gay. No wonder

 

[WiseOldWolf]

No one cares what sexuality a player is and anyone feeling the need to announce details of their private sexual life is quite bizarre IMO. It's a football match not a dating site. What happened to the days where you kept your own private life private instead of screaming about what time you are going to the toilet on social media.. a player announces he is sexually attracted to men and the point is- who cares.

 

[WiseOldWolf]

It is really quite straight forward - there should be no place in football for any homophobic behaviour whatsoever.

There's no place in football for announcing what youprefer to get up to in the bedroom either

 

[Derby Wolf]

The truth is there may well be openly gay players in football... There's a difference between being openly gay with your colleagues and that being plastered over the front pages of rags like The Scum.

It's no ****s business if someone is gay, if a player came out and his teammates were accepting and protected his privacy then it's job done.

 

[astraltrader]

There's no place in football for announcing what youprefer to get up to in the bedroom either

Who said there was??

 

[WiseOldWolf]

Who said there was??

The entire thread is based on a footballer " coming out" , maybe you should reread it. Why should any player A) come out and B) Anyone be interested or care what they get up to in the bedroom. People saying they would scream support even louder based on what sexual activity someone gets up to is fairly strange . I support a player based on what they bring to the team and have no interest or care whether they want to snuggle up to steve or eve at night but each to their own.

 

[WiseOldWolf]

A very serious point.
If one of our players came out, or we signed a gay player, I'd applaud him louder than the rest to show support.
.

This is the type of post I'm on about. Why would you applaud someone that was gay more than one that was straight? I have no issue with equality but as a society now we're getting to the stage where it's unfashionable to be straight. It's the same principle for applauding a player simply because he's black... why on earth should anyone be treated differently to anyone else due to divulging private life that is utterly irrelevant to a career as a professional footballer?

A hundred years ago gay sex was illegal, now every soap opera has men slavering over each other. I don't have a moral issue with it but it's not something I want to watch having my dinner at 8 pm personally.. people would say that's homophobic but I dont want to watch two men pawing each other. That's my right as an individual in the same way its the right of someone to have that sexual preference.. the problem is its forced down our throats by the pc mob determined to represent all poor " discriminated groups. It's the same with people screaming racism, the reason there arent many black managers is down to the likes of Ince being incompetent but all we ever hear about is the racist FA etc etc. Sexism is another issue forced down our throats, the truth is most of us aren't interested in womens football but that's not morally acceptable apparently so now there has to be a womans match of the day incase some bitter feminist is affected showing games with 200 people in the grandstand.

I'm sick to death of reading about sexism, racism, homophobic beliefs.. treat all equally but don't ram gay relationships, womens rights and poor wronged black managers down peoples throats. Some people will never be happy till we have a black lesbian in a wheelchair on the board of every club incase someone is offended from the disabled, gay rights, race relations, feminism movement all looking on.

A players sexuality is irrelevant and shouldn't even be discussed let alone " applauded"

 

[Timberwolf]

ok, gays are fine, but what about a player who maybe likes ****ging inanimate objects? if we signed a pavement ****ger how would fans feel, especially if the player was happy to admit it?

We did. We signed Stefan Postma after he was videoed getting pegged in the butt by his mrs. It's not a big deal anymore.
I do get your point though about sexual deviants. However, being gay in 2016 is different not deviant.

 

[Deleted member 4382]

I would applaud them louder to prove a point and show support.
If you think how football fans can behave, it would take an incredible amount of guts to be the first openly gay footballer. This is why I would applaud their actions.
The fact somebody has decided to be the first to stand up and be counted does deserve recognition and respect.

 

[Truckawolf]

Wiseoldwolf, that is a very good post

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

Slightly off topic/ but kind of related, didn't our keeper Postma get "outed" for liking his wife/ gf to wear a fake body part not usual associated with the female anatomy and use this on him?

Not specifically homosexual but, my point being ultimately there was little to no fuss about this amongst Wolves fans. So hopefully, and rightfully, there would be no issue if a player was to be homosexual.

I fully appreciate why players haven't come out yet, but it would be nice if that could happen and then we could move on as statistically there must be a hell of a lot of professional players that are homosexual.

I actually think if there was any homophobic chanting against a Wolves/ or opposition player the rest of the crowd would turn on that fan(s) pretty quickly.

 

[Ivegotawolvesscarf]

This is the type of post I'm on about. Why would you applaud someone that was gay more than one that was straight? I have no issue with equality but as a society now we're getting to the stage where it's unfashionable to be straight. It's the same principle for applauding a player simply because he's black... why on earth should anyone be treated differently to anyone else due to divulging private life that is utterly irrelevant to a career as a professional footballer?

A hundred years ago gay sex was illegal, now every soap opera has men slavering over each other. I don't have a moral issue with it but it's not something I want to watch having my dinner at 8 pm personally.. people would say that's homophobic but I dont want to watch two men pawing each other. That's my right as an individual in the same way its the right of someone to have that sexual preference.. the problem is its forced down our throats by the pc mob determined to represent all poor " discriminated groups. It's the same with people screaming racism, the reason there arent many black managers is down to the likes of Ince being incompetent but all we ever hear about is the racist FA etc etc. Sexism is another issue forced down our throats, the truth is most of us aren't interested in womens football but that's not morally acceptable apparently so now there has to be a womans match of the day incase some bitter feminist is affected showing games with 200 people in the grandstand.

I'm sick to death of reading about sexism, racism, homophobic beliefs.. treat all equally but don't ram gay relationships, womens rights and poor wronged black managers down peoples throats. Some people will never be happy till we have a black lesbian in a wheelchair on the board of every club incase someone is offended from the disabled, gay rights, race relations, feminism movement all looking on.

A players sexuality is irrelevant and shouldn't even be discussed let alone " applauded"

You claim to be sick of having to care about people but you're the most precious, easily offended person on this thread. "Boo Hoo the black lesbian disableds are coming..."

 

[Timberwolf]

You claim to be sick of having to care about people but you're the most precious, easily offended person on this thread. "Boo Hoo the black lesbian disableds are coming..."

Oh my god!!! Hope they're not foreign Muslim refugees too...!!! >head pops<

 

[Rubberball]

This is the type of post I'm on about. Why would you applaud someone that was gay more than one that was straight? I have no issue with equality but as a society now we're getting to the stage where it's unfashionable to be straight. It's the same principle for applauding a player simply because he's black... why on earth should anyone be treated differently to anyone else due to divulging private life that is utterly irrelevant to a career as a professional footballer?

A hundred years ago gay sex was illegal, now every soap opera has men slavering over each other. I don't have a moral issue with it but it's not something I want to watch having my dinner at 8 pm personally.. people would say that's homophobic but I dont want to watch two men pawing each other. That's my right as an individual in the same way its the right of someone to have that sexual preference.. the problem is its forced down our throats by the pc mob determined to represent all poor " discriminated groups. It's the same with people screaming racism, the reason there arent many black managers is down to the likes of Ince being incompetent but all we ever hear about is the racist FA etc etc. Sexism is another issue forced down our throats, the truth is most of us aren't interested in womens football but that's not morally acceptable apparently so now there has to be a womans match of the day incase some bitter feminist is affected showing games with 200 people in the grandstand.

I'm sick to death of reading about sexism, racism, homophobic beliefs.. treat all equally but don't ram gay relationships, womens rights and poor wronged black managers down peoples throats. Some people will never be happy till we have a black lesbian in a wheelchair on the board of every club incase someone is offended from the disabled, gay rights, race relations, feminism movement all looking on.

A players sexuality is irrelevant and shouldn't even be discussed let alone " applauded"

Is that you Jonjo?

 

[WiseOldWolf]

You claim to be sick of having to care about people but you're the most precious, easily offended person on this thread. "Boo Hoo the black lesbian disableds are coming..."

what on earth are you crying about?