The Gay Footballer

[Morph]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

And for the record, to come out as gay in a strict muslim country is brave. Coming out in the UK is not. Really gets overused that term. There is not one country on the planet that is more tolerant than the UK. I just don't get why people give a shit or indeed why someone feels the need to disclose their sexual orientation.

 

 

How do you know how hard it is to come out if you’ve never had to do it?

[Morph]

31 minutes ago, Finlay James said:

I mean this in the nicest possible way but really, who cares.

 

If gay people want to be treated as equal and with fairness, don't make a song and dance of it, just live life how they want to.

 

 

That’s not how this works.  You don’t get to create some sort of criteria for being accepted as an equal. 

[kingantti1874]

2 hours ago, Morph said:

 

 

That’s not how this works.  You don’t get to create some sort of criteria for being accepted as an equal. 

 

It’s exactly how it works, when do the big statements stop, how can it ever be normal when we don’t act normally. Homophobia is very much on the decline, it will survive in the brains of morons who use any differences as a weapon, black, Muslim, catholic, gay. It’s as normal as it’s ever gonna be imo but the grand statements continue - what forever? 

[Ski Nae]

Football is played, loved and watched all over the world by all sorts of people. Players publicly coming out in this country may well help people in other countries around the world. 

[The Brow]

1 hour ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

It’s exactly how it works, when do the big statements stop, how can it ever be normal when we don’t act normally. Homophobia is very much on the decline, it will survive in the brains of morons who use any differences as a weapon, black, Muslim, catholic, gay. It’s as normal as it’s ever gonna be imo but the grand statements continue - what forever? 

Hopefully not forever - but at least until places like Africa and Russia stop killing people for who they want to ride. 

 

If a well known person comes out as gay and it helps someone else struggling with their sexuality come to terms with whats going on, then whats the harm? Its not about some random straight person not caring if anyone is gay, its about showing folk struggling that they're not alone. At a time when mental health is in the spotlight so often, its to be respected and encouraged. 

 

Genuinely struggle to understand why folk dont get it and instead, trip over themselves to show how much they couldnt care less whilst completely missing the point. 

[SpruceBringsteen]

1 hour ago, kingantti1874 said:

Homophobia is very much on the decline

 

Unfortunately not.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/14/homophobic-and-transphobic-hate-crimes-surge-in-england-and-wales

[Smack]

The Kickback gentlemen all over the gay thread like flies around shite. It's no wonder my Grindr explodes when I'm at Tynecastle. And to the Section E gloryhole hater, the ancient Greeks preferred them that way. It was considered neater and tidier. 

 

If I was a footballer rather than a professional fairy I'd be coming out regardless of sexuality. Big profile boost in this day and age, and who doesn't want a bigger profile. 

 

I think every footballer should have to declare their sexuality so that people know whether or not they are wasting a ham shank. Fingers crossed for Uche. 

[i8hibsh]

7 hours ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

 

We’ve got four pages of people saying who cares. That shows that folk care enough to post. Also the United Kingdom is nowhere near the most liberal or tolerant country on the planet.

 

 

Name a country more tolerant? Name a more pc progressive country. Diversity is central to everything, laws to protect 'minorities', diversity hires the norm and the rainbow flag flies proud outside companies and shops.

Edited July 10, 2019 by i8hibsh

[i8hibsh]

7 hours ago, Morph said:

How do you know how hard it is to come out if you’ve never had to do it?

 

 

I have lived in the UK long enough. 

[i8hibsh]

There is a reason people queue up to get in the UK. There is a reason people by any desperate measure try to sneek in every second of the day. There is simply no better and nicer country to be. You could argue the scandinavian countries are on par but the UK always seems the more popular destination.

 

Coming out in a country that gives you a rainbow flag coffee cup with your coffee, embraces LGBTQ...... literally everywhere and has politicians almost enforcing speech and thought control is not ****ing brave.

 

Violence against homosexuals in not on any part of the UK condoned or encouraged. Our laws are very harsh on it. More so than violence on a non homosexual. Discrimenatory laws are harsher on anti gay than anything else outwith race.

 

Fighting cancer is brave, leaving a violent husband is brave, saying "I am gay" is not.

[Meadows]

I bought a house from a gay footballer, he never ‘came out’ but is widely known and accepted within football circles . 

He got a move to Celtic but now plays abroad . I’m expecting him to do similiar to this guy in England now that he’s left Scotland . 

[i8hibsh]

2 hours ago, Smack said:

It's no wonder my Grindr explodes when I'm at Tynecastle. 

 

 

And you still don't swipe right on me

 

 

 

[i8hibsh]

6 minutes ago, Meadows said:

I bought a house from a gay footballer, he never ‘came out’ but is widely known and accepted within football circles . 

He got a move to Celtic but now plays abroad . I’m expecting him to do similiar to this guy in England now that he’s left Scotland . 

 

 

How do you know he is gay? Did he leave gay paraphernalia behind in the cellar?

[Meadows]

Aye, a gimp mask and a I8hibsh T shirt 

[i8hibsh]

7 minutes ago, Meadows said:

Aye, a gimp mask and a I8hibsh T shirt 

 

 

Ah, I know who you are talking about now. 

[Finlay James]

7 hours ago, Morph said:

 

 

That’s not how this works.  You don’t get to create some sort of criteria for being accepted as an equal. 

 

I do see your point and I accept that as a straight man, I'll never know how it feels to need to be accepted for who I am.

 

I guess I'm saying that for me, gay people don't need my acceptance to be seen as my equal.  These statements feel a little bit like attention seeking and unecessary but I also accept that it may help others come to be braver and feel less isolated.

[FWJ]

8 hours ago, Finlay James said:

I mean this in the nicest possible way but really, who cares.

 

If gay people want to be treated as equal and with fairness, don't make a song and dance of it, just live life how they want to.

But it’s only by making a song and dance of it that gay people have been able to live life how they want to.

In my lifetime living how they wanted to would have got them a prison sentence.

 

Things have obviously improved enormously.

[Dalstonjambo]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Name a country more tolerant? Name a more pc progressive country. Diversity is central to everything, laws to protect 'minorities', diversity hires the norm and the rainbow flag flies proud outside companies and shops.

Every single nordic country. Probably New Zealand and Canada too. just off the top of my head. However your opinion of progressive seems to be very different from most.

Edited July 10, 2019 by Dalstonjambo

[i8hibsh]

13 minutes ago, Dalstonjambo said:

Every single nordic country. Probably New Zealand and Canada too. just off the top of my head. However your opinion of progressive seems to be very different from most.

 

But most folk choose the UK.

 

[Morph]

1 hour ago, Finlay James said:

 

I do see your point and I accept that as a straight man, I'll never know how it feels to need to be accepted for who I am.

 

I guess I'm saying that for me, gay people don't need my acceptance to be seen as my equal.  These statements feel a little bit like attention seeking and unecessary but I also accept that it may help others come to be braver and feel less isolated.

That’s it mate, I’m not trying to make you out as a bad person. 

 

at first thought I thought  it was a bit put together like they were selling something but just need to accept it’s something we’ll never go through and allow people to express themselves how they want.  It might be becoming more accepted but only just so we just need to accept that it can still be a huge deal for someone to come forward and in certain industries probably does need to be publicised for the “good of the cause” if you want to put it that way  

[Mr Elwood P]

2 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Name a country more tolerant? Name a more pc progressive country. Diversity is central to everything, laws to protect 'minorities', diversity hires the norm and the rainbow flag flies proud outside companies and shops.

 

What laws specifically are you referring to?

[Morph]

6 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

It’s exactly how it works, when do the big statements stop, how can it ever be normal when we don’t act normally. Homophobia is very much on the decline, it will survive in the brains of morons who use any differences as a weapon, black, Muslim, catholic, gay. It’s as normal as it’s ever gonna be imo but the grand statements continue - what forever? 

If people want to make grand statements about their sexuality forever does that give people any reason to be treated as a lesser person?

 

You’re basically saying “if you want to be treated as an equal member of society you must act this way”.  That’s exactly the reason they’re having to make a big statement in the first place ffs.  There’s no criteria. 

[Biguche]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

There is a reason people queue up to get in the UK. There is a reason people by any desperate measure try to sneek in every second of the day. There is simply no better and nicer country to be. You could argue the scandinavian countries are on par but the UK always seems the more popular destination.

 

Coming out in a country that gives you a rainbow flag coffee cup with your coffee, embraces LGBTQ...... literally everywhere and has politicians almost enforcing speech and thought control is not ****ing brave.

 

Violence against homosexuals in not on any part of the UK condoned or encouraged. Our laws are very harsh on it. More so than violence on a non homosexual. Discrimenatory laws are harsher on anti gay than anything else outwith race.

 

Fighting cancer is brave, leaving a violent husband is brave, saying "I am gay" is not.

 

Probably the money for nothing I'd guess.

 

[i8hibsh]

8 minutes ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

What laws specifically are you referring to?

 

 

Just google. Numerous on equality, human rights, hate speech and discrimination.

 

The LGBTQ community are very well protected in this country.

Edited July 10, 2019 by i8hibsh

[Dalstonjambo]

9 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

But most folk choose the UK.

 

Do they? A quick google suggests to me that according to the UN Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Austria and the US all have a higher percentage of immigrants as part of their population. Spain, Germany and France (latter 2 have higher populations) have almost identical percentage to the UK. Belgium and Holland is within 1%. Russia has the most immigrants.

But then why let facts get in the way of something you made up and decided was true?

Oh - guess what else google found

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Progress_Index

12 more countries that are 'more progressive'.

It's almost like you just make stuff up isn't it?

 

[Mr Elwood P]

11 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Just google. Numerous on equality, human rights, hate speech and discrimination.

 

The LGBTQ community are very well protected in this country.

 

How can I answer your questions without you highlighting the laws, specific to the United Kingdom, that you think offer such extraordinary protection. You seem to be moving between the LGBT community and 'minorities' as you describe them, which is it?

[hughesie27]

9 hours ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

 

We’ve got four pages of people saying who cares. That shows that folk care enough to post. Also the United Kingdom is nowhere near the most liberal or tolerant country on the planet.

Out of interest where would you say is more Liberal and tolerant?

[TheBigO]

12 minutes ago, Dalstonjambo said:

Do they? A quick google suggests to me that according to the UN Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Austria and the US all have a higher percentage of immigrants as part of their population. Spain, Germany and France (latter 2 have higher populations) have almost identical percentage to the UK. Belgium and Holland is within 1%. Russia has the most immigrants.

But then why let facts get in the way of something you made up and decided was true?

Oh - guess what else google found

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Progress_Index

12 more countries that are 'more progressive'.

It's almost like you just make stuff up isn't it?

 

It was a matter of time before i8 jizzed all over this thread. Daily Mail headlines seem to be his research data.

 

I get the straight and Liberal perspective of who cares. I don't care personally who people fancy, but that is besides the point.

 

To normalise something which isn't currently normal takes some fight. Mark Walters obviously didn't need to declare himself black but he broke a mould and, while you still get the odd numbskull, players' ethnicities arent even considered now.

 

The point about empowering others is big too. My big bro had Boy George, George Michael, Freddy, Marc Almond. Teenagers today can have footballers to show them they're not different

[SE16 3LN]

39 minutes ago, Dalstonjambo said:

Every single nordic country. Probably New Zealand and Canada too. just off the top of my head. However your opinion of progressive seems to be very different from most.

Yeah, I used to think that. The law is decent but it isn't acceptable to show that you're gay and you will probably get abuse if you do. I'm pretty sure that in Norway you aren't allowed to donate blood if you've had sex with another man. How you enforce that I don't know but it says a lot about how progressive they really are. I haven't been for two years but was astounded by how openly racist most people I met were. As bad as Scotland a couple of decades ago...

[Enzo Chiefo]

5 minutes ago, hughesie27 said:

Out of interest where would you say is more Liberal and tolerant?

And our (inter)National Health Service should, according to the increasingly left wing, no doubt "progressive", BMA, be available to all and sundry, free of charge. Just like they do in hmmm, USA, Australia, Canada, Ireland  which doesn't even have an NHS, and the rest of Europe. We are certainly one of the most liberal, tolerant, diverse and generous countries in the world.

[Mr Elwood P]

12 minutes ago, hughesie27 said:

Out of interest where would you say is more Liberal and tolerant?

 

Russia

Saudi Arabia

North Korea 

[William H. Bonney]

26 minutes ago, Dalstonjambo said:

Do they? A quick google suggests to me that according to the UN Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Austria and the US all have a higher percentage of immigrants as part of their population. Spain, Germany and France (latter 2 have higher populations) have almost identical percentage to the UK. Belgium and Holland is within 1%. Russia has the most immigrants.

But then why let facts get in the way of something you made up and decided was true?

Oh - guess what else google found

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Progress_Index

12 more countries that are 'more progressive'.

It's almost like you just make stuff up isn't it?

 

 

If it weren’t for Northern Ireland than the uk would definitely be higher up that list. 

[Dalstonjambo]

Just now, SE16 3LN said:

Yeah, I used to think that. The law is decent but it isn't acceptable to show that you're gay and you will probably get abuse if you do. I'm pretty sure that in Norway you aren't allowed to donate blood if you've had sex with another man. How you enforce that I don't know but it says a lot about how progressive they really are. I haven't been for two years but was astounded by how openly racist most people I met were. As bad as Scotland a couple of decades ago...

Tbf i spent 3 years going to the nordics every week, and never encountered any of that, but was more Finland, Sweden and Denmark, so i can only talk based on that, and my experiences, and of course a quick google, however I only went to Norway twice.

 think tolerance and progressive attitudes are 2 different things as well. For example Finnish government recently ran a minimum income experiment, and Sweden looked at shortening the working week.

However at least you talked about a personal experience and didn't just make something up based on nothing other than a Daily Mail scare story like others. 

[Dallas Green]

2 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

There is a reason people queue up to get in the UK. There is a reason people by any desperate measure try to sneek in every second of the day. There is simply no better and nicer country to be. You could argue the scandinavian countries are on par but the UK always seems the more popular destination.

 

Coming out in a country that gives you a rainbow flag coffee cup with your coffee, embraces LGBTQ...... literally everywhere and has politicians almost enforcing speech and thought control is not ****ing brave.

 

Violence against homosexuals in not on any part of the UK condoned or encouraged. Our laws are very harsh on it. More so than violence on a non homosexual. Discrimenatory laws are harsher on anti gay than anything else outwith race.

 

Fighting cancer is brave, leaving a violent husband is brave, saying "I am gay" is not.

 

You are clueless.

 

My brother in law is gay, when he came out he started to get harassed, bullied and beaten up. 

 

It doesn't matter that there are laws against it, there are utter dregs in our society who will abuse people because they are gay. 

 

Making it more visible and acceptable in our society by people who are gay coming out in higher roles / prominent  roles and not corporations who change things for a month of the year helps.

 

Only a moron would try and link the braveness of fighting cancer to being gay.

[Morph]

24 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Just google. Numerous on equality, human rights, hate speech and discrimination.

 

The LGBTQ community are very well protected in this country.

It’s not all just about laws, its attitudes as well and if you’re going to deny that attitudes to homosexuality can still be very shite in the UK then there’s no other way to say it than you’re just wrong man  

[jambo in iraq]

7 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

It’s exactly how it works, when do the big statements stop, how can it ever be normal when we don’t act normally. Homophobia is very much on the decline, it will survive in the brains of morons who use any differences as a weapon, black, Muslim, catholic, gay. It’s as normal as it’s ever gonna be imo but the grand statements continue - what forever? 

would love to agree with you, but sadly this is not the case at least not in football. Proof is in the pudding, how many players have come out? There is still a strong element of NED culture in football. You only have to hear some of our own singing anti-catholic bile every week, can you imagine what those wee pricks would shout at a gay player playing against us?

[Calebs Grandad]

17 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

I'm having soup right now.

I have nothing but admiration for you sir as that must have been very difficult to share openly. Ignore the narrow minded in our society who will no doubt frown upon this choice you’ve made. 

[i8hibsh]

43 minutes ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

How can I answer your questions without you highlighting the laws, specific to the United Kingdom, that you think offer such extraordinary protection. You seem to be moving between the LGBT community and 'minorities' as you describe them, which is it?

 

 

Well LGBTQ is in no way a minority community.

[SE16 3LN]

5 hours ago, SpruceBringsteen said:

 

Unfortunately not.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/14/homophobic-and-transphobic-hate-crimes-surge-in-england-and-wales

True, and while improved reporting may account for some of it, there is clearly an increase. However, it is disgracefully lazy journalism just to link it to "right wing populism". Religious extremism has been behind most of the homophobic attacks, physical or otherwise, I've witnessed or heard of in London over the last few years. Unfortunately as a society we seem incapable of discussing this as an issue.

[i8hibsh]

20 minutes ago, Morph said:

It’s not all just about laws, its attitudes as well and if you’re going to deny that attitudes to homosexuality can still be very shite in the UK then there’s no other way to say it than you’re just wrong man  

 

Attitudes to everything in life stink. For example you are more at risk of attack in the UK if you are a Brexit supporting, non hating trump, pro Isreal, Tory Thatcherite than a homosexual.

[SE16 3LN]

27 minutes ago, Dalstonjambo said:

Tbf i spent 3 years going to the nordics every week, and never encountered any of that, but was more Finland, Sweden and Denmark, so i can only talk based on that, and my experiences, and of course a quick google, however I only went to Norway twice.

 think tolerance and progressive attitudes are 2 different things as well. For example Finnish government recently ran a minimum income experiment, and Sweden looked at shortening the working week.

However at least you talked about a personal experience and didn't just make something up based on nothing other than a Daily Mail scare story like others. 

I did find them to be less patronizing though😑

[i8hibsh]

The extreme minority of crime in the UK is against gays and even more so due to them actually being gay. Crime and hate is indiscriminate and the LGBTQ community do not have exclusive rights to being victims.

[DETTY29]

Can't move in the UK for Mexicans and Hondurans.

 

Trump has a cheek.

Edited July 10, 2019 by DETTY29

[Tazio]

7 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Well LGBTQ is in no way a minority community.

I think your definition of minority is extremely skewed. 

Edited July 10, 2019 by Tazio
Edited to fight spellcheck

[Dalstonjambo]

5 minutes ago, SE16 3LN said:

I did find them to be less patronizing though😑

Haha. Apologies. Wasn’t meant to come across that way. Was more in reference to other posters

[Beast Boy]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Just google. Numerous on equality, human rights, hate speech and discrimination.

 

The LGBTQ community are very well protected in this country.

 

I’m not sure these two lassies would agree with you:

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england-london-48555889

[SE16 3LN]

3 minutes ago, Dalstonjambo said:

Haha. Apologies. Wasn’t meant to come across that way. Was more in reference to other posters

No need to apologise

[Morph]

13 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

Attitudes to everything in life stink. For example you are more at risk of attack in the UK if you are a Brexit supporting, non hating trump, pro Isreal, Tory Thatcherite than a homosexual.

All of them are a choice apart from homosexuality. 

[Mr Elwood P]

19 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

Well LGBTQ is in no way a minority community.

 

Google ‘sexual minority’ .

 

Any luck finding these laws or any facts at all to support your position?

[fabienleclerq]

11 hours ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

 

We’ve got four pages of people saying who cares. That shows that folk care enough to post. Also the United Kingdom is nowhere near the most liberal or tolerant country on the planet.

 

Well that's bullshit, nowhere near? We are a tolerant society, plenty arseholes but you won't find many more tolerant countries.