MaineRoadBlue said:
Blue Is the Opposite of Blue said:
You really should read this if you think that's the case:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?id=345" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?id=345</a>
No amount of Rainbow hysteria will change opinions. It really is an argument that cannot be won for either side. In short the best was to avoid conflict is to keep
all sexual persuasions away from the sports arena. Keep them to, and leave them in the bedroom.
Now lets put the pointless multi-coloured paint away and concentrate on the sport not use sport as a vehicle for personal agendas.
Firstly, I'm concerned that you seem to beating "rainbow hysteria" over the head with a broom and making your mind up without reading every side of the argument. Whether you like it or not, David's article is incredibly thought-provoking and justification enough for the entire Rainbow Laces campaign. It's a necessary movement within the game that teaches a message of acceptance.
You say that we should "keep all sexual persuasions" away from the sports arena, but I'm sure you wouldn't object to Martin Demichelis' wife turning up as a special guest at the Etihad next week, and I'm sure you wouldn't ask an opposite-sex couple getting engaged on the pitch at half-time to "keep it in the bedroom".
Besides, Rainbow Laces isn't a movement specific to homosexuality, it's raising awareness of the entire LGBT spectrum. Being part of the LGBT community is more than just "sexual persuasion", it's a way of life. Do some research on gender dysphoria, or the fact that it's still illegal in some parts of the world to be a homosexual, or the fact that there are no openly homosexual footballers in England right now because there is no support for them.
You know damn right that if, say, Aaron Ramsey were to reveal his homosexuality before Saturday, a lot of City supporters would use that against him like it was some kind of weakness. If the players wear Rainbow Laces it shows that they stand with Aaron Ramsey, and not the children in the crowd abusing him for something he needs to be proud of.
Rainbow Laces is just the same as Stand Up, Speak Out: it's highlighting prejudice in football while spreading the message of self-pride and acceptance at the same time. There are LGBT folk in football stadiums around the country, and LGBT players in the teams we support - I'd like to think the rest of the footballing world (and wider society) would stand with them and support their existence were they to come out. Because that's all they're doing - they're existing. Existing in a world that, unfortunately, doesn't accept them for who they are. And using terms like "sexual persuasion" and "rainbow hysteria" really don't help the cause at all.
I'm sure lots of LGBT folk would love to keep their existence as private as the next person, but they're assumed to be something they're not if they don't say something.
Imagine for a second that you live in a world where homosexuality is the dominant force, and not the world we live in today. Now imagine that you can't speak at all. No matter how much you try, you can't speak. You just can't open your mouth and say words. You were born with it. As much of a problem that is in of itself with general communication, imagine if everyone in the world assumes you are a homosexual. You'd probably want to tell someone that you aren't a homosexual, because you are a heterosexual. But because you have no support, and because nobody listens when you try to speak, you have to fight this by yourself. You're isolated and alone.
Now imagine that one day you find out that you can speak, and that you can form words when you open your mouth. You find the nearest microphone and scream, "I am a heterosexual!" You feel liberated, proud, finally free of the ball and chain that has stopped you from existing the way you wanted to. But then your life takes a turn for the worse when people look at you funny, and question your "choice" to love the opposite sex. The media follow you everywhere, you turn up at work and people shout "Breeder!" at you from the other end of the office. They don't even work in your building, they're just people from outside who know you're a heterosexual.
You look around and ask for other heterosexuals to come forward, but nobody does. They're afraid that what happened to you might happen to them too. They live their lives pretending to be homosexual because, as painful as it is, it's just easier that way. You live your entire life in fear of abuse, in fear of being attacked, in fear of what people think of you, in fear of yourself.
That's why the Rainbow Laces campaign exists, so that LGBT folk don't feel alone. It's a reassurance program that encourages diversity, accepts that not everyone is the same, and appreciates that there's a very, very long way to go before we can dare to say we've made progress on the problem in society that is prejudice against LGBT folk. It's not "hysteria", it's an important message that you need to listen to.
