gays in football, good article in grauniad Options

[NiallAti]

at first thought this was someone outing themself

Darren Purse: 'There can't be anything worse than living a lie'

Sheffield Wednesday's Darren Purse is the only player prepared to talk about the subject everyone else in football wants to avoid

"I've thought about it," Purse says, "and there can't be anything worse than living a lie your whole life. But, as a captain, what would I do if a 21-year-old team-mate came to me and said: 'I don't want anyone else to know about this but I think I'm gay'? It would be hard to know the best advice to give him.

"I'd like to say: 'Life's too short and you need to be happy.' It must be horrible going to work and hiding such an important part of yourself. Imagine doing that every day in a career that lasts 15 years. But I'd have to think very carefully before I advised a young footballer to come out."

full article here

i get the feeling its only a matter of time

[RyanMag]

Yes that is a good article and he has said a lot of sense. In a way a shame Purse is not gay him self as I use to fancy him loads and I know I was not allone in that!!

[blake2108]

Good on him.
I remember a documentary for inside sport earlier this year i think and Clarke Carlisle was the only premier league player willing to talk about it.

I hope it happens soon. I think the media pressure would be worse than the fan abuse.

[mikes]

On the one hand, I can see why a gay player would want to come out - they are a public figure, they could be inspiring to others etc etc but I can also understand that being a "professional footballer" is a job and work is work and your personal life, even though the two do overlap, is just that - personal.

Not coming out in your job is the same for everyone no matter if they are a till person at Tesco, a pilot or a sportsman/woman. It isn't living a lie at all, it's a personal choice.

[dixie]

I don't think it would make much difference unless it was a player at the top of his game and at the height of football who is nationally and internationally recognised as a great player was the one to come out who could show everyone that his sexuality doesn't change how good he is at the game for the masses to start accepting it.

And that would be worth it just to see all of the devastated WAGs who were planning their lives around marrying him.

[NiallAti]

On the one hand, I can see why a gay player would want to come out - they are a public figure, they could be inspiring to others etc etc but I can also understand that being a "professional footballer" is a job and work is work and your personal life, even though the two do overlap, is just that - personal.

Not coming out in your job is the same for everyone no matter if they are a till person at Tesco, a pilot or a sportsman/woman. It isn't living a lie at all, it's a personal choice.

depends on what you mean by coming out. theres a big difference between taking out full-page spreads in every broadsheet and tabloid going to detail with eye-watering detail what exploits abound with the latest shag and turning up to the team/charity dinner with the boyfriend when everyone else drags along their wag and being equally as intimate. or are you saying that a gay player should pretend hes either single or hire some beard? if not then surely by being equally as intimate with a guy he would out himself and yet he would being no more or no less professional or personal than any other player.

[mikes]

On the one hand, I can see why a gay player would want to come out - they are a public figure, they could be inspiring to others etc etc but I can also understand that being a "professional footballer" is a job and work is work and your personal life, even though the two do overlap, is just that - personal.

Not coming out in your job is the same for everyone no matter if they are a till person at Tesco, a pilot or a sportsman/woman. It isn't living a lie at all, it's a personal choice.

depends on what you mean by coming out. theres a big difference between taking out full-page spreads in every broadsheet and tabloid going to detail with eye-watering detail what exploits abound with the latest shag and turning up to the team/charity dinner with the boyfriend when everyone else drags along their wag and being equally as intimate. or are you saying that a gay player should pretend hes either single or hire some beard? if not then surely by being equally as intimate with a guy he would out himself and yet he would being no more or no less professional or personal than any other player.

No but, why should someone have to take someone along to an event??

Of course, telling a few close friends/team mates - whatever makes you feel comfortable.. But, in the context of what other people appear to be suggesting, a "coming out" would be this big announcement in order to modernise/fight homophobia or whatever, in the sport. I'm sure there are plenty of gay players or gay people in all kinds of jobs who our out but to only a select circle.

[lsa902]

I heard somewhere this week that a survey done for players, managers, and refs, said that 27% of them know of a gay player.

I personally don't think they should go through all the hassle of coming out, there'd be far more potential negatives than positives.
I've seen on my clubs forum that 90+% said they couldn't care less, but believe me when tempers flair and alcohols in the system on matchdays, that 10% will grow

[Sam Hain]

I heard somewhere this week that a survey done for players, managers, and refs, said that 27% of them know of a gay player.

It might be the same guy.

[Neutron Flow]

It would be nice if more famous people felt able to be themselves.

It would do so much for their own self-esteem, as well as for that of gay people generally, especially those growing up who are vulnerable to homophobia, who are lonely, and who are lacking in people to identify with.

[dixie]

It would be nice if more famous people felt able to be themselves.

It would do so much for their own self-esteem, as well as for that of gay people generally, especially those growing up who are vulnerable to homophobia, who are lonely, and who are lacking in people to identify with.

You mean John Barrowman, Anthony Cotton, Alan Carr, Graham Norton and Louis from Pineapple Dance Studios aren't realistic representations of every gay man in the world?!

This post has been edited by dixie: Sep 28 2010, 12:07

[joecoleishot]

It would be nice if more famous people felt able to be themselves.

It would do so much for their own self-esteem, as well as for that of gay people generally, especially those growing up who are vulnerable to homophobia, who are lonely, and who are lacking in people to identify with.

You mean John Barrowman, Anthony Cotton, Alan Carr, Graham Norton and Louis from Pineapple Dance Studios aren't realistic representations of every gay man in the world?!

They should be role models for all gay footballers. Would save the hassle of explicitly coming out. Just do a few cha chas in the warm up and you're good to go.

[blake2108]

It would be nice if more famous people felt able to be themselves.

It would do so much for their own self-esteem, as well as for that of gay people generally, especially those growing up who are vulnerable to homophobia, who are lonely, and who are lacking in people to identify with.

You mean John Barrowman, Anthony Cotton, Alan Carr, Graham Norton and Louis from Pineapple Dance Studios aren't realistic representations of every gay man in the world?!

They should be role models for all gay footballers. Would save the hassle of explicitly coming out. Just do a few cha chas in the warm up and you're good to go.

Or alternatively, snog the face off of and/or grope various players when a goal is scored or something

[zabaglione]

Or alternatively, snog the face off of and/or grope various players when a goal is scored or something

But they all do that! Have you seen some of those sporno pics?

[ChelseaMan]

The brilliant footballer, best winger in Premiership (NO BIAS, JUST FACT) Malouda has spoken out about homophobia in the sport

http://www.atvnewsnetwork.co.uk/today/inde...inst-homophobia

http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory/4141/2...a-in-sport.aspx

Nice one Florent! Forget the bad news on Terry and Cole's love lives. Unlike other premier teams, Chelsea players are nice open-minded lads at heart.

[Mister R]

It would be nice if more famous people felt able to be themselves.

It would do so much for their own self-esteem, as well as for that of gay people generally, especially those growing up who are vulnerable to homophobia, who are lonely, and who are lacking in people to identify with.

I absolutely detest this line of thinking.

You aren’t asking someone to be themselves you’re asking them to be a performing seal and place not just their sexuality but their entire life (and lives of teammates, managers, coaches, friends, family and anyone they happen to come into contact with) in the middle of a media storm and a social experiment so they can satisfy your desire to see a gay footballer/’perfect’ gay role model.

[ChelseaMan]

To be fair Neutron Flow I think most fans realise that there are gays in the game, playing at top flight level. In this month's footy mag FourFourTwo* (David Villa/ Gerard Pique Barca cover) the results of the readers' survey into all aspects of the game found that about 85% believed some of the biggest star players were gay and that on the issue of players being out a about 6% the shouldn't and 17% the should come out and about 75% felt it was down to the player to come out if they want to or not.











* crap mag name, crap formation, sorry Fabio

This post has been edited by ChelseaMan: Oct 29 2010, 17:26

[Roger Mellie]

You mean John Barrowman, Anthony Cotton, Alan Carr, Graham Norton and Louis from Pineapple Dance Studios aren't realistic representations of every gay man in the world?!

Well I suppose that showbiz tends to attract the more theatrical gay (or vice versa)

Thankfully not all gay men in the public eye are as OTT as them. Dr Jessen has never struck as being a 'screamer', for instance. Gareth Thomas is not one for being fey, I would imagine; one might argue he's a good example of how a gay sportsman could come out, should any footballers want to?

[Mister R]

World of difference between rugby and football I’m afraid.

I believe I’ve said this before (and I’ll no doubt say it again) the primary concern for a gay footballer probably isn’t fan backlash anymore although that would be a concern but the media (over)reaction that would follow. For the most part rugby players don’t shift papers/get website hits/bring ratings, football players on the other hand do. That’s why we’re bombarded with an endless supply of sexual scandals from premiership footballers and nothing from the world of rugby.

[nantha]

I absolutely detest this line of thinking.

You aren’t asking someone to be themselves you’re asking them to be a performing seal and place not just their sexuality but their entire life (and lives of teammates, managers, coaches, friends, family and anyone they happen to come into contact with) in the middle of a media storm and a social experiment so they can satisfy your desire to see a gay footballer/’perfect’ gay role model.

Much as I would prefer not to, I have to agree with you. Unfortunately this country doesn't have the social intelligence to put 'football' and 'gay' together in a happy partnership. We still have a problem with racism in football, yet alone coping with someone who's gay. It is still socially acceptable to be homophobic, whereas we've been stamping out racism for years!
Sorry, but an out gay footballer would be the ruin not only of his career, but of his entire life. That, along with many other things, is one of the tragedies of British society.