@MickTurbo said in Twitter - The Gay Footballer:
@AlbionJack said in Twitter - The Gay Footballer:
Sport, and particularly football, is still seen as way behind the times
I'm not naive enough to think that he wont get grief from some sections but I have to say I think the image of the knuckle dragging, racist, homophobic lager lout footy fan is as much a prejudice as any other.
I go to the footy, until a couple of years ago I'd regularly go up and down the country to watch the mighty boro. Yes, particularly on away days I'd have a good old drink as well, but the idiot who wanted to fight and shout racist or homophobic slurs was very much the odd one out.
On the whole they are seen as a joke and an embarrassment. Sometimes they're about 15 year old, some times they're 40 odd, without exception they are a moron, trying to fulfill an unwanted, outdated stereotype which is perpetuated by themselves, films like green street, and anyone else prejudiced enough to believe that they are a fair representation of the modern footy fan.
I'd say the average forum member is a fairer representation, and on the whole they are eloquent, enlightened and educated, or at least come across that way.
@AlbionJack If this does turn out to be genuine i also hope he doesnt get targeted for abuse. I reckon there will be at most a handful of fans in every stadium he plays at who are there to call him names, but they will only be alienating themselves from the rest of the crowd, not the player, I'm certain of that
I think it is somewhere in the middle. Being a Brighton fan, and gay (yes, I fit the stereotype) I probably hear it the most, but 60% of away games has the local fans chat 'Does your boyfriend know you're here?' The pack mentality kicks in and before you know it, most of the crowd are shouting the usual, unfunny joke. And I know all fans have different insults flung at them (The Welsh and sheep shagging, 'Dirty Northern Bastards', Leeds and Millwall for being Leeds and Millwall) but we get it pretty consistently. With a player coming out, I hope this helps being gay to become less alien to the footballing world.
A lot of people have said it could be a hoax, which I really hope it isn't. This will continue to make this a stigma and will not shake it off. If true, I think you are right, and the majority of fans will support him, but a small handful, with them being the ones who will get the most publicity, will vocally give him abuse on the pitch. The team they play for I also think will decide a lot. I would love for him to play for a team that, as Brighton fans, normally get the most abuse from. Looking at the Championship, it would be great if he was from a team like Barnsley, Wednesday or Millwall rather then the likes of Reading or Fulham. I know this seems incredibly stereotypical from me, and apologies if you support any of the teams mentioned, but as with any stereotype, there is no smoke without fire.