Alfie v Homophobia: Hate In The Beautiful Game | Vital Football

Alfie v Homophobia: Hate In The Beautiful Game

lewis1980

lewis1980

Vital Squad Member
Did anyone watch Gareth Thomas' documentary on homophobia in football?

It's available on BBC - i watched the one on Male anorexia by Nigel Owens the ruby ref - he's gay too which is why i've mentioned it.

Rugby has a couple of high profile gay men blazing a trail for others to follow and i don't remember there being any backlash when Owens and Thomas came out. But then it isn't an issue for me so i wouldn't take that much notice.

I really can't believe this is still an issue in 2017 and i know the issue has come up on here a few times before - especially around the time Thomas Hitzlsperger came out.

What is it that makes football so archaic about this issue? Is rugby really a safer environment for men to be honest about their sexuality without fear of abuse and if so why?

It's statistically impossible that there are no gay Premier league footballers and it seems to me that players are encouraged to remain silent about their sexuality but i could be wrong.

I found both docs interesting and worth a watch.
 
I've only ever been to rugby internationals so I'm not sure what club games are like but I was shocked at my first rugby match. The fans are all mixed together and there is no chanting or confrontation. They laugh at each other's jokes and it's all extremely good natured.

Head over to the sty for a Villa game and the atmosphere is more similar to a civil war.
 
Pathetic that it's still even a debate isn't it?

Think bodybutter is right above though. More mixed and so less antagonism.
 
Yeah the Rugby thing has always been that way, I remember at school going to watch the All Blacks play, no animosity at all. We ended with a bunch from Wolverhampton Wanderers and had a great time.

As for the gay issues really, maybe the law needs to clamp down on a few assholes before others get the message, it don't matter if your black, white, Jewish just get the fuck over yourself and your prejudices and shuffle on.


 
I think I'm at the stage in life now where this pisses me off more and more each time the issue comes up. To be point I get angry about it.

I couldn't care less about someone's sexuality if it's within the confines of the law and don't get why some people spend so much time spouting bile at people either.

The programme highlighted some responses on football forums on the issue. I know they are hand picked and not representative of the majority but were truly disgusting. I'm pleased to say that I've not witnessed this on Vital Villa and am confident that it wouldn't be tolerated.

I couldn't imagine what it would be like to fear the consequences of coming out to the footballing world but I'm positive Villa fans would fully support any player in our team that chose to make that decision. The support for Hitzlesperger says it all. It was a non issue for us. And had he come out whilst playing for West Ham, I'm sure he'd have received a warm welcome at Villa Park.

Do we have an LGBT supporters group at Villa? I'd hope we were inclusive enough not to need one but of course there's a need for them to highlight the issue in football across the country. There must be hundreds of gay players.

The FA really don't have a plan to tackle it either. They just farm out to campaign groups occasionally.
 
Hands up I am homophobic. I'm not proud of the fact and I wish them no harm. It's all down to something I witnessed as a child and I've not been able to wipe it from my memory.

I do understand why some people are gay but I do feel very uncomfortable around gay people due to what happened.

Sorry, but I can't help it.
 
Gay people have been asked to sort out there problems for decades, so isn't it fair to ask you to do the same, fulford? Couldn't you see a therapist if it was that influential on your life?
 
col8 - 28/7/2017 07:10


As for the gay issues really, maybe the law needs to clamp down on a few assholes
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Surely that was part of the problem in the first place but not after legalisation :11:

 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 28/7/2017 15:03

Gay people have been asked to sort out there problems for decades, so isn't it fair to ask you to do the same, fulford? Couldn't you see a therapist if it was that influential on your life?
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I should have done years ago, but in those days it was a taboo subject.
 
Is it too late? It's difficult to judge without knowing the details, but blaming a whole section of the community for one act needs dealing with.

I know in the past you just couldn't talk about it, but apart from Trump, we have made huge strides. It may affect other parts of your life, without you even being aware of it?

Anyway. If you want to leave it, we'll say no more. Thanks for being honest.
 
I saw a documentary on homosexualism, there were 2 women who accidentally spilt something on each other and had to get undresssed. Then they had to lick the custard off each other, luckily a man came round to check their gas meter and he was very helpful in joining in the clean up.
I found it very enlightening
 
Fulford - 28/7/2017 14:19

Hands up I am homophobic. I'm not proud of the fact and I wish them no harm. It's all down to something I witnessed as a child and I've not been able to wipe it from my memory.

I do understand why some people are gay but I do feel very uncomfortable around gay people due to what happened.

Sorry, but I can't help it.
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At least you admit it. Maybe Heath is right and seeing someone might help you deal with what happened, I'm sure it can't be healthy holding on to something like that for so long.

You've said you wish them no harm so there's no genuine hate in your heart for gay people. Funnily enough I was talking about similar stuff with my family this evening when my sister said one of her co-workers was homophobic. While none of my family are homophobic, 2 of my sisters said how much they found drag queens annoying. Nothing to do with their sexuality.

Even myself I find overly camp people annoying, I've met a few, gay and straight. Again nothing to do with sexuality, just the personality. We don't have to like everyone.



 
randy.stand - 28/7/2017 17:02

I'm fairly homophobic..... I can't stand my boyfriend sometimes. :3:
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:1: :1: :1:

:19: :19: :19:

Total straighter!

(good to see you around)
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings - 29/7/2017 01:54



At least you admit it. Maybe Heath is right and seeing someone might help you deal with what happened, I'm sure it can't be healthy holding on to something like that for so long.
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I know that this is a total change in direction for the thread but I have just been struck by this comment.

Before I continue I want to sate that I am against any form of unfair or inappropriate treatment of anyone based on their gender, sexual preferences, colour, creed, nationality or religion.

However, I find it interesting that in today's society predjudice is automatically deemed to be a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending people acting in a prejudicial manner but we, people in general, have a tendancy to, ironically enough, judge a person for being prejudice against others, or at very least respond in a negative manner. Now whilst I agree that most prejudices are unhelpful and often harmful I also think it's unhelpful and, indeed, harmful to judge the person with the prejudice negatively. We have prejudices for a reason, just like stereotyping, they are part of our natural defence mechanisms allowing us to make quick judgements, often that would help us to survive, without having to gather every singe piece of information. Sure, they leed to mistakes but the mistakes would not normally be fatal as they would make us err on the side of caution where as being to open and not at all predjudice could be fatal. The only real answer to prejudice is education.

I'm very happy to see that my fellow Vital Villans, SJH and HR, have not been judgemental in their treatment of Fulford and have suggested education/counseling.

I understand that this probably bores some of you but I found it interesting.

 
I can say, I am not homophobic. I had a friend who was homosexual, I used to go for a drink together, sometimes to a gay pub too. I never felt 'threatned'. I don't see him now as he moved up north with his boyfriend.

Mrs P has a friend, he's gay, and he helped with her hair-do at our wedding. I will say, I don't like it 'in my face' so to speak, but hey, you've only got one life, live it as you want and enjoy it.



 
Villan Of The North - 29/7/2017 09:26

Stephen Jay Hawkings - 29/7/2017 01:54



At least you admit it. Maybe Heath is right and seeing someone might help you deal with what happened, I'm sure it can't be healthy holding on to something like that for so long.
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I know that this is a total change in direction for the thread but I have just been struck by this comment.

Before I continue I want to sate that I am against any form of unfair or inappropriate treatment of anyone based on their gender, sexual preferences, colour, creed, nationality or religion
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I notice you leave out football team
 
Villan Of The North - 29/7/2017 09:26



However, I find it interesting that in today's society predjudice is automatically deemed to be a bad thing.
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It was the fact that he said an event in his life had triggered it that influenced my response. Straight up homophobia is one thing, but a traumatic event affecting the rest of your life is something else.
 
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