Cautiously optimistic re: homophobia

[suffragette]

Comments

[zparklemotion]

Very good read. Preach it, Darren.

[psychgyul001]

Wonderful article, Bravo Darren for your kind words.

[secretivexhero]

It would take a big big big respected footballer to come out for people to start being more open about it. Honestly though a LOT of fans I know (on the younger side), even the guys, are actually more and more accepting of it. Whether they'd be as accepting with footballers and not resort to homophobic chants/jokes is another thing, but we'll never know what people will do or how to solve it if no one deals with it. It would just really suck for a footballer to come out now because of how messed up people are about it.

Even the mere mention of a footballer being gay is taboo... Yoann Gourcuff was supposedly bullied because some of his teammates thought he was gay and I don't even think he is, but the slight suggestion of it blew up and could have been a reason why he got a lot of shit for it from douchebags like Ribery. It makes me wonder what would happen to him if he actually was gay.

[suffragette]

Yep, and not high-profile players to come out, but high-profile players to speak out against homophobia.

I don't know that I'm as confident as Darren is though, re: other players. I mean, sure your own teammates might be accepting. Opposing players might taunt anyone who's out. And I could be wrong, but football seems a lot more diverse than rugby - you have so many different nationalities and cultures. If there was disagreement over the racist banner, then I'm sure there will be very diverging reactions to a player coming out.

[turnntostone]

Excellent read. Thank you Darren.

[pierio]

This article gives me hope and it's people like him who have my most outright respect in this game. :')