Should Gay footballers stay in the closet?

efb

Following on from the comments of the Italian PFA's head , which I think boarded on the very homophobic what do you think re gay players staying in/coming our if the closet

For me, as for many Gay people it's a personal journey and when you feel confident and secure you should come out, if you don't you sholdnt feel you have to. And certainly no one should be held to ransom by the press

Article below:
“Coming out’s to be discouraged. The fact of being identified or singled out as ‘the one who is’, regardless of your profession, whether journalist, footballer or politician, I don’t think it would be an advisable path to take.
“Expressing your personal sexuality is difficult in every professional environment, and even more so for a footballer, who shares a changing room with his team-mates, and hence also his intimacy with others.

“In our world it could cause embarrassment. In a sport in which you get undressed it could cause an extra difficulty in cohabitation.”

Tommasi enjoyed a successful football career, which included 262 appearances for Roma, in addition to a brief stint at QPR, before becoming head of the association last May.

Homosexuality in sport is still considered taboo and many commentators including ex-Wales international Gareth Thomas – one of the few openly gay athletes – have encouraged players to speak out on the issue.

GLaDOS

They should come out if they want to come out. Shouldn't be forced either direction.

Otis Driftwood

Should it matter that a footballer or anyone else is gay?

No,it shouldnt,but to more people than I reckon would admit it,it does.

Sad fact of life Im afraid.

AgileMyth

ScienceNerd wrote: »

They should come out if they want to come out. Shouldn't be forced either direction.

Agreed.

Not sure why anyone still gives a **** what other people get up to in the bedroom. Long as hes decent on the pitch fans shouldn't care in the slightest.

curry-muff

Sad to say it, but they should definitely stay in the closet. There's too many bigoted idiotic football fans and give them a whiff that a certain player is homosexual and they will jump straight at the chance to write a chant abusing the player and give the player abuse on the streets.

It's my opinion that they should be able to be open about their sexuality, but there's too many others that disagree and its more pain than its worth for footballers to out themselves unfortunately.

You would like to think that in the year 2011 that homosexuality shouldnt be an issue in sport or life in any other context but there will always be one or two morons who are primitive and outdated in their views.

i believe players should come out if anything for their own mental well being. if a player is bottling things up they become unhappy with life and it affects them in their respective sporting arena in the long run.

Both Gareth Thomas and Donal Og Cusack have been inspirational figures in this regard and lets not forget Justin Fashanu who had to endure alot of bigots within his era.

_blank_

If a gay person decides to come out, it's their own choice. I agree that no-one should be held to ransom by the press.

It certainly shouldn't be some cause of "shame" for a gay footballer to NOT come out, just to be some kind of role model for other gay people.

It's hard enough for a gay person to come out to their friends and family (I know, one of my best friends was gay and he struggled with telling me, because I "like football" and he always thought I'd be a big homophobe because of that - they were his words, turns out I wasn't a homphobe at all ), so I can only imagine the anguish and struggles of a gay footballer, and what they must go through. Fact is, that football is seen as a "straight" sport, which is of course, wrong, and it's going to take a while longer before a gay man will be able to come out, as a footballer. Today, they'd get stick from animals in the stands, there's no doubt about it. And some cretins on the pitch also. It's the very same mentality that saw black players abused in the 70s and 80s - pure ignorance. People need to be educated.

If a gay man thinks he can deal with that, as well as the circus that would come with it, then by all means, come out and be proud of who you are, and be that role model.

I don't think a gay man, who happens to be a footballer, should come out just because they are gay. Same way I don't think a gay man who works with me should tell me he's gay if he doesn't want to. Not my business, and it wouldn't affect my working relationship with him either way anyway.

Also, I hate the terms "in the closet" and "come out" - it makes being gay seem something that should be hidden, and if a gay person doesn't broadcast the fact that they are gay, then they are doing something wrong. They aren't. Everyone is entitled to a private life.

That line about "In a sport in which you get undressed it could cause an extra difficulty in cohabitation" if bleedin hilarious by the way.

DebDynamite

Unfortunately the first player in any of the top leagues in the world to come out will be headline news. It shouldn't be that way at all, but that's the sad truth. Does any player need that burden on their career?

I really hope someone with the strength and courage will come out some day and we can start trying to end the taboo. If recent rumours are to be believed, plus Justin Fashnu's story this badly needs to happen. (Mod please delete this if inappropriate)

I would like to think fans wouldn't accept homophobic remarks from the terrace and would report those responsible and hopefully we can weed out the scum. The shame should fall on those making the homophobic remarks, not the gay player on the pitch.

I know players like Graeme Le Saux and Sol Campbell have had abuse because of gay rumours and because they read The Guardian but do you think if someone were to come out they would receive the same/worse abuse?

eagle eye

ScienceNerd wrote: »

They should come out if they want to come out. Shouldn't be forced either direction.

AgileMyth wrote: »

Agreed.

Not sure why anyone still gives a **** what other people get up to in the bedroom. Long as hes decent on the pitch fans shouldn't care in the slightest.

All of this.

amacachi

It should be down to themselves.

The main issue is the doublethink that still goes on in the press and, sadly, in many people. One day a paper will print something about someone being homophobic or whatever, few days later they decide it's news that someone is gay and reveal as many details as possible.

GavRedKing

It shouldnt matter one bit if a footballer is gay or not. Unfortunatly in this day and age there is still a tiny pocket of society that will make it nearly impossible for a footballer too come out of the closet.

Sad really given all that is been done to make society equal that in this most " manly " sport a person cant come out of the closet in fear of being lynched.

Neil3030

I've always said that I'd love for some hard bastard like vidic or dunne to come out.

"yeah lads, i'm gay, what the **** are you going to do about it?"

danniemcq

curry-muff wrote: »

Sad to say it, but they should definitely stay in the closet. There's too many bigoted idiotic football fans and give them a whiff that a certain player is homosexual and they will jump straight at the chance to write a chant abusing the player and give the player abuse on the streets.

It's my opinion that they should be able to be open about their sexuality, but there's too many others that disagree and its more pain than its worth for footballers to out themselves unfortunately.

but surely by some stars coming out it would make it (can't believe i'm about to type this but) normal if thats the right word.

Like mentioned its their lives and if they don't want to say fair enough but you also have to ask why might they feel ashamed (again probably not the right word) when in fact its completly normal and natural.

The fear that people will give them abuse is in every walk of life and because of the spotlight they are in everyday the pressure would be a lot more extreme.

sadly what i fear is needed is some quality player coming out to change the ignornat "fan" minds in much the same way that racism has (somewhat) dropped since the influx of foreign players over the last decade or so in the EPL. its still there but its not near as bad.

Maybe i'm completly wrong though

smokedeels

I am surprised that a gay player has not been outed by the media (pictured in gay clubs, kissing their boyfriend...) maybe they are careful but with the levels of media intrusion into players lives it's interesting that this hasn't happened yet.

iregk

While there are a few known (yet not 'out') high profile gay footballers personally I don't see it as any of our business and good luck to them. Whey should a gay footballer have to come out and announce they are gay? By that definition should all players not come out and state they are straight, gay, bi whatever.