Can gay footballers ever come out?

[Dribble]

Why do gay men/women fell the need to 'come out'? I'm a hetrosexual male & I dont feel the need to 'out' my sexuality. The company I work for has a very large client base and a very small number of the companies that we represent are 'gay' organisations and I'm always amazed when some of those clients continually feel the need to highlight and flaunt their sexuality. I'm happy for them that they're gay & proud, but I don't go around yelling I'm hetrosexual & proud from the rooftops.

Herein lies the problem with Azzure's above statement...... Unless a gay person outwardly flaunts himself as an utter Queen, the average man in the street wouldn't know they were gay. If you're disabled, black etc it is impossible to hide this fact so I think there is an inherant difference in terms of the level & type of discrimination received!

People can't help being gay, disabled or black, but as this thread has proved, being gay can hidden whilst the others cannot!!

I agree with you to some extent, why the need to "come out"? Straight people don't have to, they just get on with living their lives so why should I? However, if you don't come out then to most people without a gaydar or awareness of diversity they can assume you are straight and accordingly make false assumptions about you and how you live your life, like a new colleague at work did this week thinking that when I mentioned my partner that meant male. The discrimination lesbian and gay men experience is the the denial of our existance. The denial of our very presence in the world - don't flaunt it, shove in down our throats, keep it to yourself etc. Society has been been catering to heterosexuals for centuries through the church, the law, the media, so you don't need to come out in the same way. "Coming out" for LGB makes us visible, and with that we take our place in the world and in so doing have challenged and continue to challenge the privileges that heterosexuals take for granted daily. Coming out means that the law makers can't ignore us, we want rights like the right to marry, to adopt, to inherit, to be next of kin, to pass on our pension, to have kids, to serve queen and country. Most of these rights we now thankfully have but we didn't gain them from the closet nor would we have done.

To maineroad68 & bluelassie:
I am anxious not to get too far away from the original thread here, I agree with some of your points, but I would welcome clarification and your opinion on others.

1. “The discrimination lesbian and gay men experience is the denial of our existence. The denial of our very presence in the world - don't flaunt it, shove in down our throats, keep it to yourself etc.”

My point was not that GLB’s should deny their existence; my point was why do some choose to shove it down people’s throats for whatever reason, could this not be seen as antagonistic?

2. "Coming out" for LGB makes us visible, and with that we take our place in the world and in so doing have challenged and continue to challenge the privileges that heterosexuals take for granted daily.”

These privileges that you mention are they not just the common law of the land? Are you saying that these laws were made just to discriminate against LGB’s?

3. “Coming out means that the law makers can't ignore us, we want rights like the right to marry, to adopt, to inherit, to be next of kin, to pass on our pension, to have kids, to serve queen and country. Most of these rights we now thankfully have but we didn't gain them from the closet nor would we have done.”

Am I right in saying that to inherit, this can be done by a standard last will and testament?

Am I also right in saying that you don’t have to be related or married to be classed as ‘next of kin’?

Just because you want something does that mean that society should grant your every wish? I want Old Trafford stadium to be bull-dozed and used for extra car parking space, what are my chances?

Adoption: Is a child better off being adopted by two loving same sex partners or living with natural, but abusive hetro-sexual parents?

Is there adequate consideration given to children being raised by same-sex partners in terms of public perception, peer-pressure from school chums and 2.4 nuclear-family neighbours etc?

I don’t believe that anyone has the god-given right to be a parent. To be a parent is a gift that most of us are lucky with and a few not so lucky. According to your statement above, are you saying that LGB’s should be allowed to get artificial insemination free on the NHS?

I always assumed that nature intended for men & women to procreate to keep the species alive, are you saying that LGB’s should be given special dispensation from doing what nature intended, and if so, why?

 

[IMARRIEDBLUEMOON]

From back in the early nineties, there was a rumour bout Morley and Bish...

Apparently one got caught with the other, tho my memory fades.

Anyone shed some light?

Alledgedly of course!

There is some truth in that.What often gets missed out is that there was a teammates girlfriend with them who just happened to be a page 3 girl-allegedly!!!!!!!!

I heard one was caught in bed with the others missus and got moved on (sold) but there were also rumours about the two being more than team 'mates'

 

[mancityvstoke]

blame the daft **** that started the thread

fukn pissed myself at this one you own half the thread for fuks sake,think it's about time you came out

Darren the GAY RAG never came back again

 

[BlueMooney]

FOOTBALL’S governing bodies have been told that gay players should be supported with being open about their sexuality.

Following a Staffordshire University survey of more than 3,500 fans, players, referees and other officials, it was found that most respondents believe clubs and agents are unfairly pressuring gay players into silence.

The findings from the TopFan survey have now been passed to the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), Footballers Association (FA), Premier League and Football League.

Professor Ellis Cashmore and Dr Jamie Cleland, the researchers behind the survey, also made recommendations to the sport’s governing bodies.

These include: giving a clearer message on the issue of gay players in football and setting up more support for gay players so they do not feel pressured to stay silent.

Professor Cashmore said: “We’re advising football’s leading organisations not simply to parrot more platitudes about their opposition to homophobia, but to show how they will approve and encourage more openness in the game.

“It is inconceivable that, out of an estimated 500,000 professional players around the world, not one is gay. The truth is that football culture is prohibitive: gay players have neither the confidence nor the inclination to come out.

“Our conclusion is that this is not a healthy condition for football and our concern is that football is, in this sense, out of tune with the rest of the sporting world.”

The survey found that 30 percent of football professionals know gay players currently in the game. But 84 percent of respondents felt that there is pressure on gay players to stay silent.

Also, 91 percent of respondents believe that only a player’s performance on the pitch is relevant. While only 9 percent oppose gay players.

Professor Cashmore said: “The survey reveals a new and surprising image of football culture, which has been characterised as stuck in the dark ages and “steeped in homophobia.”

“The reality is quite the opposite; both fans and professionals are embarrassed by this and are actually hopeful that, like practically every other major sport, including rugby, gay players come forward.”

Dr Cleland, a former Coventry City goalkeeper and still a PFA member, added: “Fans think that gay players are urged by their agents and their clubs not to disclose their homosexuality. Fans say they are too often blamed, but over 90% say there is no place for homophobia in football.

“One of the problems that face gay players is whether they can count on the full support of the PFA.”

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/10/prweb4652634.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/10/prweb4652634.htm</a>

 

[john@staustell]

There is some truth in that.What often gets missed out is that there was a teammates girlfriend with them who just happened to be a page 3 girl-allegedly!!!!!!!!

I heard one was caught in bed with the others missus and got moved on (sold) but there were also rumours about the two being more than team 'mates'

That 'missus' rumour was about the knifing incident. But they both got sold to W Ham together, strangely. Rumour was at the time that the 'missus' was actually another third party. Allegedly. No further comment.

 

[malg]

I think the gay thing is more important to other footballers than it is to fans. As can be seen from the Rooney/Cole/Terry/Ferdinand nonsense it's very much a lads culture, and it's a lifestyle I would suggest that a gay footballer would not want to join in with (chasing birds around all the time, having parties with prostitutes etc, etc). I personally don't give a shite about a players sexuality, and I would hope it would be the same for the vast majority of fans.

 

[MartynX]

I know for a fact that a certain MOTD pundit is gay (well bi anyway). i dont have evidence as such but i was told stories from someone who used to know him very well.

 

[pskilla]

I know for a fact that a certain MOTD pundit is gay (well bi anyway). i dont have evidence as such but i was told stories from someone who used to know him very well.

Surely Lawro?

 

[BlueMooney]

<a class="postlink" href="http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/67822/default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurop ... fault.aspx</a>

Croatian FA chief keen to ban homosexual players

Croatian FA president Vlatko Markovic has drawn criticism after claiming homosexual players should not be allowed to play for his country's national side, according to the press in his homeland.

The 73-year-old, who managed Croatia for one match in 1993 having previously served four spells as coach of Dinamo Zagreb, claimed no gay players would be picked for the national side, currently coached by former Everton and West Ham defender Slaven Bilic.

"While I'm a president of the Croatian Football Federation, there will be no homosexuals playing in the national team," Markovic is reported to have told Croatian national newspaper Vecernji List, adding: "Luckily, only normal people play football."

Gay and lesbian rights groups have signalled their intentions to sue and report Markovic to UEFA, according to the Croatian Times.

Sadly, Croatian football has recent history when it comes to discrimination.

In September 2008 the Croatian FA was fined £10,000 after England players, including Emile Heskey, were subject to racist abuse during England's World Cup qualifying victory in Zagreb.

 

[mat]

http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/67822/default.aspx

Croatian FA chief keen to ban homosexual players

Croatian FA president Vlatko Markovic has drawn criticism after claiming homosexual players should not be allowed to play for his country's national side, according to the press in his homeland.

The 73-year-old, who managed Croatia for one match in 1993 having previously served four spells as coach of Dinamo Zagreb, claimed no gay players would be picked for the national side, currently coached by former Everton and West Ham defender Slaven Bilic.

"While I'm a president of the Croatian Football Federation, there will be no homosexuals playing in the national team," Markovic is reported to have told Croatian national newspaper Vecernji List, adding: "Luckily, only normal people play football."

Gay and lesbian rights groups have signalled their intentions to sue and report Markovic to UEFA, according to the Croatian Times.

Sadly, Croatian football has recent history when it comes to discrimination.

In September 2008 the Croatian FA was fined £10,000 after England players, including Emile Heskey, were subject to racist abuse during England's World Cup qualifying victory in Zagreb.

I hope FIFA come down on him like a ton of bricks....