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Post by a more piratey game on Oct 26, 2016 10:38:11 GMT
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/37760114
Most sports fans in England, Wales and Scotland say they would be comfortable with their club signing a gay player, according to a BBC Radio 5 live survey.
It found 82% of supporters would have no issue with a gay player.
However, 8% of football fans said they would stop watching their team.
It would be easy to get ridiculed for it - but no-one did and it means a lot to me
Last week, Football Association chairman Greg Clarke told MPs he was "cautious" of encouraging a player to come out because they may suffer "significant abuse" from fans.
Clarke said he was "personally ashamed" that there were players who did not feel "safe" to come out, and promised to "stamp down hard" on homophobic behaviour in the game.
In an online survey of more than 4,000 people commissioned by Afternoon Edition and carried out by ComRes, 71% of football fans said clubs should do more to educate fans about homophobia.
And 47% of all sports fans - 50% of football supporters - say they have heard homophobic abuse at matches.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton told Afternoon Edition that Clarke had "taken the easy way out" by being "dictated to by 8% of cavemen".
Sutton, who played for Norwich, Blackburn, Chelsea and Celtic, said: "Coming out wouldn't be a problem in the workplace. Working at a football club is just like anywhere else. Players I played with wouldn't bat an eyelid.
"This 8% shouldn't be allowed in football grounds. By not taking it on, the 8% are the winners in all of this. Greg Clarke should be taking these people on.
"It's bonkers in our society that people like this can dictate whether someone can come out or not."
Simone Pound, head of equality and diversity at the Professional Footballers' Association, told BBC Sport the PFA and the FA were not "blaming any one particular group" for a lack of visibly out gay players.
"I have worked in the game for over 15 years and I have certainly seen a shift in the culture as well as greater understanding and acceptance of LGBT people," she said.
"Coming out is a personal journey that is up to each and every individual. The PFA will continue our work tackling homophobia until someone does come out and thereafter."
An FA spokesman said it "welcomed the statistics" as a "sense check" on homophobia. It said it takes "strong action" against anyone found guilty of "homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse". ◾Batley Bulldogs fan banned for homophobic Keegan Hirst tweets ◾When will a Premier League footballer come out? ◾England captain Casey Stoney reveals her sexuality for first time
What else did the survey say?
On Wednesday, gay rugby league player Keegan Hirst, 28, guest edits a special Afternoon Edition programme on homophobia in sport on BBC Radio 5 live from 13:00 BST.
The survey of fans of 11 different sports also found: ◾More sports fans (12%) would feel uncomfortable with a rival player joining their club than a gay player (8%) ◾7% of sports fans would stop watching their team if they signed a gay player ◾57% of sports fans believe gay players should come out to help others do the same ◾18% of sports fans believe gay players should "keep it to themselves" ◾15% of sports fans think having a gay player on a team would make other team-mates feel uncomfortable ◾50% of football fans say they have heard homophobic abuse, 51% have heard sexist abuse and 59% have heard racist abuse
Are there any gay footballers?
Justin Fashanu became the first player in England to come out as gay in 1990, but took his own life in 1998, aged 37. No male professional player has since come out while playing in England.
Former Germany and Aston Villa player Thomas Hitzlsperger became the first player with Premier League experience to publicly reveal his homosexuality, in January 2014, after he had finished playing in England.
American ex-Leeds United winger Robbie Rogers announced his retirement at the same time as revealing he was gay, saying it was "impossible" to come out and remain in the game, although he subsequently returned to football with American team LA Galaxy.
Former England women's captain Casey Stoney was the first active footballer to come out in England since Fashanu, in February 2014.
Swedish lower league player Anton Hysen, son of former Liverpool player Glenn Hysen, publicly announced his homosexuality in an interview with a Swedish football magazine in 2011.
How does the UK compare globally?
Out On The Fields, a two-year global study of homophobia in sport, examined the experience for players and spectators in English-speaking countries including the UK, United States, Canada and Australia.
Study manager Erik Denison said "rates of homophobia in sport were rampant right around the world".
He told BBC Radio 5 live that the UK had "many more" young people willing to come out to their team-mates than in other countries, but that LGBT spectators felt they were "not very safe" at sporting events in comparison.
He said: "What was a bit alarming in the UK was that young people were more likely than older generations to say that they had personally been targeted by homophobia in the form of slurs, bullying, and assaults."
My tweet was 'totally wrong'
Coventry City defender Chris Stokes was banned, fined and sent on an FA education course after tweeting the word "faggots" when commenting on a Chelsea-Tottenham Premier League match in May.
He apologised, immediately removed the tweet and told BBC Radio 5 live that "what I said was totally wrong".
The 25-year-old added: "Nowadays, how the world is, it is a great time for someone who is gay to come out.
"They would get the full support from the changing room - and hopefully the full support of people in the stand."
Listen to Keegan Hirst on Afternoon Edition from 13:00 BST on Wednesday, 26 October.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 10:39:13 GMT
If you are, FYI, you're an absolute dickhead.
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Post by a more piratey game on Oct 26, 2016 11:21:08 GMT
If you are, FYI, you're an absolute dickhead. Well, you've got to be somewhere within the 100% chewy
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Post by lostinspace on Oct 26, 2016 11:30:14 GMT
If you are, FYI, you're an absolute dickhead. SO...... are you going to reveal yourself............ as 82 .... 8 or other? if they are good enough then it shouldn't matter,but with the reaction of a lot of fans [it only takes a couple to start derogatory chanting then a whole load will join in] the onus is on the player to have the strength and the mental ability to overcome the situation the place their selves in.. and the backing of the club and fellow team members is a key factor also
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 11:33:48 GMT
I'd be quite happy if we had a player come out and we lost some mouth breathers.
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Post by falsenumber9 on Oct 26, 2016 11:43:34 GMT
I'd be quite happy if we had a player come out and we lost some mouth breathers. I personally couldn't care less. If I followed football based on the personality and lifestyle choices of players, I'd have given up watching a long time ago.
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Post by CountyGroundHotel on Oct 26, 2016 12:01:01 GMT
I couldn't care less whether players are heterosexual, gay, swingers or enjoy a bit of S&M but of course the PC world we live in demand that some of them are gay. Quite sad really.
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crater
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 1,444
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Post by crater on Oct 26, 2016 13:26:27 GMT
Reason generally given as to why players don't come out is fear of a negative reaction from fans at matches. Given some tweets that we have seen from players, I would suggest there is likely to be a greater negative reaction from the dressing room rather than the terraces. I honestly think it would be a non issue for most fans
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Post by Henbury Gas on Oct 26, 2016 13:44:06 GMT
Simple Question, Why do we call this section of humanity "GAY" ??
BTW i'm one of 82%
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Smithy Gas
Craig Hinton
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 271
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Post by Smithy Gas on Oct 26, 2016 14:24:02 GMT
There is no way I am going to be classified as an 82er in any format so some people best change their answers to make that percentage a more palatable number.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 15:10:46 GMT
There is no way I am going to be classified as an 82er in any format so some people best change their answers to make that percentage a more palatable number. I thought exactly the same thing, then remembered when I was born. So as I'm already a 1982er by birth, I have no qualms in declaring myself one of the 82%.
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faggotygas
Byron Anthony
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,862
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Post by faggotygas on Oct 26, 2016 15:21:53 GMT
I most object to Chris Sutton labelling all football fans as cavemen. "dictated to by 8% of cavemen".
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 20:00:04 GMT
I would be proud of a Rovers player having the balls to come out as gay. About time.
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bs14gas
Robin. S. Layer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 462
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Post by bs14gas on Oct 26, 2016 21:22:25 GMT
Simple Question, Why do we call this section of humanity "GAY" ?? BTW i'm one of 82% GAY is an acronym for 'Good As You', started in the USA, not sure when. I wouldn't care less if a Rovers player came 'out'.
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Post by dickgherkin on Oct 26, 2016 21:56:54 GMT
Forget gay, all the cool ones are queer these days.
I would be chuffed to bits if the Gas were the first place where openly queer players could be heroes.
We'd be like West Brom with black players - something for the club to be proud of for generations.
(And before someone mentions "The Ron word" it was about the baggie fans adopting them as heroes, nothing to do with the manager)
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Post by optogas1976 on Oct 26, 2016 22:45:19 GMT
I'm one of the 4/5ths no problem what so ever with peoples natural preferences, think it's sad in today's day and age it is still even an issue. Mind you same goes for racism Always will be people with extreme beliefs and low tolerance ready to condemn and ostracise without any effort to try too just accept people for who they are.
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markwind
Joined: September 2014
Posts: 92
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Post by markwind on Oct 27, 2016 4:13:06 GMT
I think the way to get 100% acceptance is education and exposure to it. Much the same with any other form of prejudice, it's often someones lack of exposure to someone different to themselves and the attitude of their parents when growing up that creates an intolerance to anyone different to yourself.
I'm only 29 but when I was younger watching Rovers (unlike anywhere else) you would hear chants that were pretty much accepted at the time, but really aren't accepted in this day and age. "We can see you holding hands" sung at the Brighton fans, "does your husband know you're here" to Wendy Toms the 1st female match official in men's football. Some people move forward from those times quicker than others. For someone who was say 20-40 years old during the 80s-90s compared to myself as a child back then, it takes a bit of reflection for some people to change their views.
There is a decent chance that say 30-40% of teams have at least one player who is gay. I really hope that a few of them find strength in numbers to come out. I'm pretty sure that in 15-20 years time, many people who had an issue with it will look back and think "why did I even care!?" Echoing what has already been said, i'd be proud of any of our squad that were gay and found the courage to speak out on the matter.
Maybe it's also up to us as fans to create an environment that shows any players considering coming out that they would be 100% welcomed rather than 82%?
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Rex
Predictions League
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 3,287
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Post by Rex on Oct 27, 2016 5:29:18 GMT
I couldn't care less whether players are heterosexual, gay, swingers or enjoy a bit of S&M but of course the PC world we live in demand that some of them are gay. Quite sad really. If we live in PC World, do we get discounts on laptops.
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Rex
Predictions League
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 3,287
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Post by Rex on Oct 27, 2016 5:31:29 GMT
I most object to Chris Sutton labelling all football fans as cavemen. "dictated to by 8% of cavemen". He didn't label all football fans cavemen, just 8% of them
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2016 6:40:55 GMT
I most object to Chris Sutton labelling all football fans as cavemen. "dictated to by 8% of cavemen". He didn't label all football fans cavemen, just 8% of them No, i think there are two ways to interpret Sutton's statement. Either, 8% of football fans are dictating, therefore all football fans are cavemen according to Sutton. Or, being generous, if only 8% of football fans are cavemen, and 8% of those are dictating, he really means 0.64% of football fans are dictating. (I think. Maths isn't my strong point).
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