Reply to: Gay footballers

[Old Hack]

Education is the key difference between the people who play and watch each sport.

[Doggy Styles]

But do men think it's a big deal? Going out in a group with friends, one of whom is gay, no-one bats an eyelid.

I think one difference is that many men find the idea of lesbian women a turn on (and perhaps a bit of a joke), whereas no-one except gay men finds the idea of blokes giving each other one particularly horny.

You're probably right, that's part of it.

In my limited experience, attitudes from groups of straight men to gay men (particularly those they don't know personally) seem to be different to those from straight women to gay women. Not necessarily nastily. Testosterone might have something to do with it, and perhaps, without being graphic, the fundamental difference in the natures of men's and women's gay sex which you allude to might have something to do with it as well.

[mudskipper]

But do men think it's a big deal? Going out in a group with friends, one of whom is gay, no-one bats an eyelid.

I think one difference is that many men find the idea of lesbian women a turn on (and perhaps a bit of a joke), whereas no-one except gay men finds the idea of blokes giving each other one particularly horny.

[Doggy Styles]

Just because anyone you chat up in the pub doesn't fall for your charms doesn't make them a lesbian!!! Maybe you're just an ugly fecker?!!!

I was actually being serious though. I've worked with a few gay women in the last few years, been out socially with others, and hetero ladies in their company don't bat an eyelid. Ladies don't seem to think it's that big a deal.

[d000hg]

I am keen on queers

Are they keen on you though?

[MayContainNuts]

Interesting, mudskip. I wouldn't know. But there do seem to be a lot more gay women these days, whether part-time or not. Is it true to say they are more willing to give it a go than men?

Just because anyone you chat up in the pub doesn't fall for your charms doesn't make them a lesbian!!! Maybe you're just an ugly fecker?!!!

[d000hg]

Rugger players are a law unto themselves Malc. Lots of pushing against each others' bottoms and drinking urine after the game tells me I was right to retire from the sport when I left school. In my experience their sexual preferences extend to anything - animal, vegetable or mineral.

I still like to watch though.

unfortunate phrasing.

[Doggy Styles]

It seems to me that there is less 'stigma' attached to gay women.

Could it be because of the nature of lesbian cuddling compared to two gentlemen? To be blunt, less intrusive?

[BrilloPad]

The captain of the GB ladies hockey team is a lesbian, the one who played with a broken jaw.

And the vice captain is her partner.

They are taking over.

Brilliant! Got any pictures? Prefrably of them together. Wrestling in jelly.

Though in some ways I am keener on queers than lesbians. That 2 less men competing for the women out there.

[Zippy]

Interesting, mudskip. I wouldn't know. But there do seem to be a lot more gay women these days, whether part-time or not. Is it true to say they are more willing to give it a go than men?

It seems to me that there is less 'stigma' attached to gay women. It may be that women are regarded as being less significant somehow? Or female sport is less important than blokes?
I know when Claire Balding was missing from the start of the Olympic equestrian events she was greatly missed (she really knows what shes talking about) and when she did turn up there was no name-calling. Also no puff-bashing when gay riders did their bit. Nobody cared.
So maybe you can be as gay as you like in a minority sport?

[Doggy Styles]

Interesting, mudskip. I wouldn't know. But there do seem to be a lot more gay women these days, whether part-time or not. Is it true to say they are more willing to give it a go than men?

[mudskipper]

The captain of the GB ladies hockey team is a lesbian, the one who played with a broken jaw.

And the vice captain is her partner.

They are taking over.

There's an interesting thought. I wonder if there's any hereditary aspect to homosexuality? In the past, where being openly gay was not OK, many gay people ended up married with children. With homosexuality being socially acceptable (and legal), will there end up being fewer gay kids?


Edit: This study thinks there is a hereditary aspect

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/10/17/st...have-gay-kids/

Furthermore, when the study restricted the results so that they included only children in their 20s -- presumably after they'd been able to work out any adolescent confusion or experimentation -- 58 percent of the children of lesbians called themselves gay, and 33 percent of the children of gay men called themselves gay. (About 5 to 10 percent of the children of straight parents call themselves gay, Schumm says.)

[Doggy Styles]

The captain of the GB ladies hockey team is a lesbian, the one who played with a broken jaw.

And the vice captain is her partner.

They are taking over.

[Mich the Tester]

Gareth Thomas didn't get any abuse from the terraces AFAIK. Maybe this is more about football fans than gay sportsmen.

Yep, that was good to see, although I wonder whether it would have been different if he'd come out as a 21 year old new to first team rugby. He'd already made his reputation as an outstanding player and had the respect of fans and players the world over.

[Mich the Tester]

If football players were to come out of the closet and then received abuse on the pitch, it would soon be seen as the equivalent of people throwing bananas or making monkey chants. A human has the right to be safe from abusive behaviour and I am sick of the excuse that it's a football stadium the hurled chants are just part of the game.

Somehow people seem to take liberties at sports matches that they wouldn't necessarily take during the rest of the week. It's not only the insults from fans, but there seem to be a lot of pompous journalists who pretend to be experts and postulate on the errors of sportspeople, claim that players aren't up to the job and generally encourage a culture of judging players rather than just sitting down and enjoying the game. Look at the crap that journos and various internet armchair experts have thrown at England's rugby captain Chris Robshaw this week, for a couple of decisions on the pitch that could have led to victory and made him a hero but didn't quite work out. It sickens me; sure, everyone has a right to an opinion, but having played at a pretty high standard myself I think I know whose opinions I really care about, and the opinions of lard-assed journos or drunken fans who've never even turned up to a training session with Old Wobblebellians 4th team, never mind been on the pitch, under pressure in front of thousands of people, just don't interest me. I think the insults against black players are part of the same culture of people gobbing off and slagging down those who are clearly more succesful than themselves to try and hide their own weakness.