Homophobia in Football

Football in England is one of the most prominent industries in the country, and whilst it continues to develop in many ways, its struggle with homophobia continues. In what now feels like an issue discussed every year with little progress made, creating a welcoming environment for a homosexual man to play professional football in, has proved challenging and it’s an issue that casts a big shadow over ‘the beautiful game’.

As old as the sport itself, homophobia within men’s football, particularly in England, has harmed the lives of some who have dared to come out. The first and perhaps most notable is former Norwich City player Joshua Fashanu who came out as gay in 1990. His decision proved to be fatal as he killed himself 8 years later after he suffered years of abuse from other players, fans and managers. Were there to be any players at the time who had thought to come out, the treatment of Fashanu would have surely discouraged the idea. Consequently, the other men who have played in any of the main divisions in England and come out as gay, have only done so long into their retirement. Fast forward 30 years later from Fashanu, and not very much has changed. Over the last year, there has been an increase in the number of hate crimes in football stadiums in the UK. Kick it out (an independent body which primarily exists to fight discrimination in football) report that in the previous year ‘discrimination related to sexual orientation increased by 12 per cent’. A deplorable statistic, particularly considering the fact that outer society is as inclusive as it’s ever been. At present, there is not a single openly gay player in men’s football in England. In comparison, there seems to be a lot less homophobia in the women’s game, with many over the years being relatively comfortable coming out as gay or bisexual, a luxury that is not replicated for the men. Being able to express your true self shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be the standard. Why is there such a disparity between men’s and women’s football in relation to homophobia? One could look at the difference between the type of fans both attract. With fans of the women’s game tending to be very diverse and inclusive, in the men’s side, there still exists a subgroup of male fans who maintain the archaic view of football only being for a particular type of man, leading to the insults of those who do not fit the bill. “At present, there is not a single openly gay player in men’s football in England” “Why is there such a disparity between men’s and women’s football in relation to homophobia?”

There is no doubt that fan behaviour is the biggest hindrance of progress in reaching total inclusivity, as although many could even be aware of how we ought to treat homosexuals in wider society, any chance of decorum is thrown out of the window when inside the stadium.

HOMOPHOBIA IN FOOTBALL

Some fans claim that the slurs they shout at players is never anything personal or even particularly homophobic, they’re just words that they’ve become accustomed to saying. That is worrying for two reasons; it signals that there is still a lack of overall education on or awareness of sexual oppression and discrimination and, it shows just how deep homophobia runs in football, that it’s now just seen as a part of the game. A recent match in non-league football saw Village Manchester FC—known for being a very welcoming team for men of all sexualities— subjected to derogatory abuse, not just from the opposing fans but also from the opposing players on the pitch. James Wilson, a VMFC player was quoted saying that “It was one of the most homophobic experiences I’ve had playing football’. This was a non-league game, you could only imagine the increased abuse that must occur in much bigger stadiums in division football, and there has not been enough done to stop it. It is clear the treatment of many LGBTQ fans and players comes from the fact that football is a hotbed for excessive machismo and that seeps into people’s judgement of those who take part in it but don’t embody that trait. Perhaps if people were to be made aware of the weight and gravity some of the words being flung out held, there would be a shift in behaviour.

It may be unfair to say that the FA have stood back and watched. They’ve launched various campaigns in a bid to end homophobia and they took the initiative to start a discourse on it early on. There is no doubt the level of abuse has dropped since the 80’s and 90’s, there is however still a very long way to go for football and it’s not going to be solved by just having a conversation about it now and again. More has to be done in the way of punishing fans who utter derogatory remarks during a game as well as increasing education for fans. In the wider context of football, far too often, the FA , as well as UEFA and FIFA particularly, have been lax in their approach. They’ve also shown remarkable ignorance to the issue at hand. Why is the next world cup in Qatar? Why was the last one in Russia? Two countries that have made it explicitly clear their position on homosexuality, so much so that many queer

fans— having not been ensured of their safety by FIFA—have decided to boycott the next world cup. “More has to be done in the way of punishing fans who utter derogatory remarks during a game as well as increasing education for fans”

“The question of how much

football really cares is there to be asked”

The question of how much football really cares about this issue is there to be asked, especially if they continue to be so blasé. The harming of one’s sense of self-identity or expression is one of the worst things that could happen to an individual and that is what football runs the risk of continuing if more serious action is not taken. Frequently endorsed as the global sport and one for everyone, at this moment in time, it’s a long way off that mark.