GAYS IN THE GAA

jakdelad

does anyone think the gaa should be actively recruiting gay players
by a high proflie television ad,
and by sending representives into the gay community to encourage them to join the gaa
i beleive ireland has a gay rugby team
i think donal og is brilliant for coming out as a gay player
and its good to see the way the gaa stood beside him

howiya

Would it not be discriminatory to recruit players based on their sexuality? The more players we have in the organisation the better but i don't care whether they're straight, gay etc

c_man

The GAA is in the business of promoting games thereby recruiting players from any background be they gay, straight, black, white or even *gulp* from Mayo :eek:

Lago

jakdelad wrote: »

does anyone think the gaa should be actively recruiting gay players
by a high proflie television ad,
and by sending representives into the gay community to encourage them to join the gaa
i beleive ireland has a gay rugby team
i think donal og is brilliant for coming out as a gay player
and its good to see the way the gaa stood beside him

To actively promote the recuitment of gay players into the GAA would be discrimination, favouritism and down right pointless. There is nothing stopping a gay person from getting into the GAA now, so I don't really see what you're trying to suggest

Starie1975

All I can say is images.jpg

testicle

One Paul Galvin is more than enough.

StupidLikeAFox

jakdelad wrote: »

i beleive ireland has a gay rugby team

I never understood this one. Surely having a separate gay Rugby team only promotes segregation. Why would gay people feel the need to segregate THEMSELVES of their own accord.

Personnally the only GAA player I know of that is gay is Donal Og, but as i recall he didnt get too much stick off anyone and wasnt subjected to any abuse, from his own crowd or opposition supporters. I couldnt care less if the whole Kildare team came out and said they were gay, transexual or martians tomorrow if they were gonna win the Sam this year. (which they will )

ballsymchugh

ColHol wrote: »

I never understood this one. Surely having a separate gay Rugby team only promotes segregation. Why would gay people feel the need to segregate THEMSELVES of their own accord.

Personnally the only GAA player I know of that is gay is Donal Og, but as i recall he didnt get too much stick off anyone and wasnt subjected to any abuse, from his own crowd or opposition supporters. I couldnt care less if the whole Kildare team came out and said they were gay, transexual or martians tomorrow if they were gonna win the Sam this year. (which they will )

i get the feeling that if someone makes a deal about coming out, then there's a chance that they're making themselves undroppable. donal óg's sexuality shouldn't matter, but if he was dropped, would some people make an issue about it, saying that it's a homophobic decision? he's a good goalie, but his retirement is now in his own hands, unlike sean óg, who was politely asked not to show up for training.

Fentdog84

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i get the feeling that if someone makes a deal about coming out, then there's a chance that they're making themselves undroppable. donal óg's sexuality shouldn't matter, but if he was dropped, would some people make an issue about it, saying that it's a homophobic decision? he's a good goalie, but his retirement is now in his own hands, unlike sean óg, who was politely asked not to show up for training.

Dont agree, Goalkeepers usually have longer careers than outfield players. Donal Og is 34 and is probably good for another 2-3 years. Plus he is one of the best keepers around and has been for the last 10-15 years.

Pride Fighter

I have my eyes on this thread like a hawk. I will dish out bans for anyone that says anything homophobic or criticises any GAA player.


I'll leave it open for now but will close it if it goes off topic in any way.

ballsymchugh

Fentdog84 wrote: »

Dont agree, Goalkeepers usually have longer careers than outfield players. Donal Og is 34 and is probably good for another 2-3 years. Plus he is one of the best keepers around and has been for the last 10-15 years.

that's the thing. the whole chat should be about him being a good goalie, and maybe having a few more years at the top. why oh why should anyone make a deal out of him, or anyone being gay/black/protestant etc. if they do, then they can play the discrimination card.

Pride Fighter

testicle wrote: »

One Paul Galvin is more than enough.

I'm reading this as a slight on a GAA player, which is against the forum charter http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=79500

NO WILD ACCUSATIONS,ABUSE OR VITRIOLIC RUMOURS OF PLAYERS,REFEREES OR GAA OFFICIALS AND/OR GAA EMPLOYEES.

I'm reading this as a slight on Paul Galvin, infraction given.

Mr.Crinklewood

jakdelad wrote: »

......
i beleive ireland has a gay rugby team...

Well they certainly buggered some English men recently.

Kojak

IMO it shouldn't matter if a player is gay, straight or whatever. They should be judged on how well they are playing. They should also be fair game for criticism if they are not playing well - not criticism on their sexuality or their ethnic background, for example.

AnalogueKid

If the gay community were intentionally avoiding playing GAA because they perceived the organisation as not being friendly towards gays, then I don't see anything wrong with some kind of PR exercise to encourage participation from the gay community.

But surely the actions of Dónal Óg have given the GAA pretty solid gay-friendly credentials. Especially when compared to soccer - the most homophobic sporting culture in the world, despite having the most gay-friendly goal celebrations of any sport.

eigrod

I think the fact that Donal Og's sexuality doesn't matter anymore says volumes about the GAA, and I suppose Ireland in general.

There was a lot of spotlight about it when he revealed it in his book, but it has died down now and he's getting on with his hurling. It doesn't bother 99% of people going to the games. He will get some homophobic abuse from the terraces for the remainder of his career, but if it wasn't about his sexuality, it would be about something else.

The next high profile GAA player to come out won't experience half the furore now that Donal Og has broke the mould.

comeraghs

I really really don´t like Donal Og ..... but it has nothing to do with his sexuality ...... & most GAA supporters in Munster were aware of his sexuality for years before he came out to the media

---

it´s not an issue!

I know another ex-inter county Hurler who was gay but never came out. his team mates knew but as with Donal Og the only thing that mattered was his commitment to the team.

Kensworld

Donal Og being gay is NOT an issue. Donal OG being a fantastic Goalkeeper is all that matters to real GAA people. The GAA should concentrate on being 100% open to any person who wants to put on his or her's club/School/County jersey. I wouldn't like to see the GAA launch a campaign to 'recruit' more gay people because their sexuality is a private matter and should be left at that.

comeraghs

The only reason I don´t like him is because he´s from Cork!


If only he was a Waterford man I´d love him! ( but not in that way)

hurling_lad

ColHol wrote: »

I never understood this one. Surely having a separate gay Rugby team only promotes segregation. Why would gay people feel the need to segregate THEMSELVES of their own accord.

Personnally the only GAA player I know of that is gay is Donal Og, but as i recall he didnt get too much stick off anyone and wasnt subjected to any abuse, from his own crowd or opposition supporters. I couldnt care less if the whole Kildare team came out and said they were gay, transexual or martians tomorrow if they were gonna win the Sam this year. (which they will )

Donal Óg most certainly was subjected to abuse (by megaphone in Thurles, most notably) and you still hear plenty of it on the terraces.

The GAA cannot call itself "gay-friendly" and give itself a big pat on the back just because one high profile player has come out. There should be absolutely zero tolerance of homophobic slurs among players & supporters for a start, but there is no sign of progress on this front, as far as I can see.

I think that a gay GAA club somewhere (maybe in one of the cities, for starters), even if it was only at junior level, would be a great step forward for the GAA, but I think that we are a long way off Croke Park, any of the County boards, or any of the ladies organisations doing anything proactive to encourage gays' or lesbians' open participation in our games in the near future.

calvin_zola

why don't the gay guys just turn up to whatever their respective clubs are for training??? Just because they are gay don't make them socially invalided, and if you are hinting at a fact that they may feel unwelcome well thats come from them because I've never ever associated the GAA with Homophobia or ever come across it

delta_bravo

hurling_lad wrote: »

I think that a gay GAA club somewhere (maybe in one of the cities, for starters), even if it was only at junior level, would be a great step forward for the GAA, but I think that we are a long way off Croke Park, any of the County boards, or any of the ladies organisations doing anything proactive to encourage gays' or lesbians' open participation in our games in the near future.

Its a sport based around parishes and local area. Not on your sexuality. Your sexuality is irrelevant. Its unnecessary segregation. If they want to play, join your local club and train. Thats all you need.

Kensworld

Having a gay only GAA club is itself discriminatory

jakdelad

delta_bravo wrote: »

Its a sport based around parishes and local area. Not on your sexuality. Your sexuality is irrelevant. Its unnecessary segregation. If they want to play, join your local club and train. Thats all you need.

but could players object and say ok
then we need a seperate dressing room
they would have a fair argument

fikay

jakdelad wrote: »

but could players object and say ok
then we need a seperate dressing room
they would have a fair argument

They most certainly would not.

wolfpawnat

The GAA is an amateur sporting organisation, it is, and always should be, open to everyone in the community, as it is the community that funds most of the GAA teams! In the next 10 years we will see more people from different ethical and religious backgrounds joining the organisation. We will not give priority to the Polish children joining the sport, so why do it for members of the LGBT community.

If one player is better at the position than any other player, it should be given to them regardless sexual orientation

bit of a bogey

What in the name of God is the world coming to! Why would the GAA need to recruit gays!!?

Anyone regardless of background, religion or sexuality should be welcomed to the GAA. There is not a need to go out and actively recruit minority groups! It makes much more sense to welcome anyone who has an interest in the sport.

yahoo_moe

Just to add to the general consensus, I think special initiatives would only be needed if there was a clear problem - i.e. if homosexuals felt particularly abused/unwelcome/etc. within the GAA. Unless the OP has some kind of stat that the rest of us are missing, I think the only thing the GAA should be doing is making sure that there's a tolerant culture in place for any homosexual players who are involved or have an interest in getting involved.

The GAA doesn't necessarily have to be representative of the wider population - just tolerant towards each and every person who chooses to get involved in any way.

wolfpawnat wrote: »

If one player is better at the position than any other player, it should be given to them regardless sexual orientation

I don't want to trivialise a serious topic but you've used two particularly unfortunate phrases there, given the subject matter.

jakdelad

bit of a bogey wrote: »

What in the name of God is the world coming to! Why would the GAA need to recruit gays!!?

Anyone regardless of background, religion or sexuality should be welcomed to the GAA. There is not a need to go out and actively recruit minority groups! It makes much more sense to welcome anyone who has an interest in the sport.

the gaa should openly recruit everyone and go out to the
black,gay, traveller, and ethnic groups and invite them to participate
not just sit and wait for someone to come knocking
even the church sends out missionarys

jordainius

A man (or woman's) sexuality is his/her own business. If we start differentiation between straight/bi/gay players it would only be a monumental step backwards.

jordainius

jakdelad wrote: »

the gaa should openly recruit everyone and go out to the black,gay, traveller, and ethnic groups and invite them to participate
not just sit and wait for someone to come knocking
even the church sends out missionarys

The GAA are not shunning any of those categories of people you are speaking of so why should they go out of their way to headhunt these people?

Most people start playing GAA before they hit puberty so sexuality isn't part of the equation at that stage. It's not that the GAA are just sitting waiting for people to come knocking, but if a person wants to play with a GAA club it's up to that person to get up off their behind and join a club; regardless of their gender, religion, sexuality, skin colour, nationality or whatever else; GAA club's don't close the doors to people based on these reasons, and if anything GAA clubs are only delighted to accept new members into their ranks, they want as many numbers as they can get.

jakdelad

jordainius wrote: »

The GAA are not shunning any of those categories of people you are speaking of so why should they go out of their way to headhunt these people?

Most people start playing GAA before they hit puberty so sexuality isn't part of the equation at that stage. It's not that the GAA are just sitting waiting for people to come knocking, but if a person wants to play with a GAA club it's up to that person to get up off their behind and join a club; regardless of their gender, religion, sexuality, skin colour, nationality or whatever else; GAA club's don't close the doors to people based on these reasons, and if anything GAA clubs are only delighted to accept new members into their ranks, they want as many numbers as they can get.

would it not make more sense to go out to the various communities
and recruit ? as well as advertise the sport as well
maybe we would have more black asian etc players
which would reflect true society we live
instead of more of the same

bruschi

jakdelad wrote: »

would it not make more sense to go out to the various communities
and recruit ? as well as advertise the sport as well
maybe we would have more black asian etc players
which would reflect true society we live
instead of more of the same

I'm not sure where you are going with this thread, because I dont think anyone has said anything about the GAA discriminating, and you keep on digging. You can see from all the posts by GAA people that none of them would have an issue with gays playing. times have moved on from the dark ages. creating gay only sides only leads to further discrimination and a case of making it a point or having a stand against an instituion. Instead of this, the GAA integrates, and doesnt see any difference between any type of race or sexual orientation, and all play for whatever club they want to play with.

and you obviously dont watch underage games if you think there are no black/asian/europeans playing the game. I wouldnt expect a Polish guy moving over in his 20's to start playing hurling, but I do see 8 year old Polish kids playing.

If the GAA start targeting minority groups, then it is going to mean there is exclusion, and that is not the case. In practically every school, GAA games are available to every kid. I really dont get where you are going with your points that the GAA should actively recruit minority groups, its as if you think they dont let them play.

Joeyjoejoe83

jakdelad wrote: »

does anyone think the gaa should be actively recruiting gay players
by a high proflie television ad,
and by sending representives into the gay community to encourage them to join the gaa
i beleive ireland has a gay rugby team
i think donal og is brilliant for coming out as a gay player
and its good to see the way the gaa stood beside him

That first paragraph make me think of funny scene.
I keep thinking of a scene whereby two old country men in tweed flat caps are Standing outside the George saying "have you thought about joining the gaa?"

jordainius

jakdelad wrote: »

but could players object and say ok
then we need a seperate dressing room
they would have a fair argument

Had I seen this at the time I would have never bothered replying to you. The point of this thread is that you want to imply that there is a problem with the gaa discriminating against players of a certain sexuality (despite the fact that such a problem does NOT exist) yet at the same time you are actually advocating the discrimination of gay players by saying it is fair that they have to use separate changing rooms?

The GAA do not categorise members by sexuality or ethnicity. It's not the GAA whose attitude needs to change; it's yours.

Lads he wasn't worth debating with in the first place.

He's had a number of stupid threads locked by mods.... I'm thinking he has yet to reach secondary school.