TELT Magazine

PLAYING
WITH PRIDE
Have attitudes towards homosexuality
in sport really changed all that much?
It has been 19 years since
the death of Justin Fashanu.
He was the first professional
footballer in the UK to publicly
come out as gay whilst
still involved in the game.
Incredibly, he remains the
only one to have done so.
We live in a society that
most like to think of as being
progressive. Issues such
as racism and homophobia
still remain visible today but
perhaps are not as prevalent
as in the past.
although we seem to be in a
time where the gay community
can be open, football is
still the exception.
Saltire Thistle FC is an
amateur gay-friendly football
team based in Glasgow.
They are competing in two
separate leagues including
the Gay Footballers Network
League.
Club Secretary and goalkeeper,
David Barbour,
spoke to Telt Magazine
about why he thinks professional
players are not
coming out:
recent professional players
in the papers talking about
playing with gay teammates
and there never being an
issue. Attitudes in the
dressing room seem to be
OK so the fear might be
down to the supporters. I
also wonder if people cannot
be bothered with the media
circus that would follow.”
Back in 2013, ex-Leeds
United player, Robbie Rodgers,
came out publicly and
immediately retired fearing
the backlash from supporters.
He later made a return
Photo by Daniel Tully, David
Barbour on the field
to football in his native country
playing in the MLS.
Nobody in society is forced
to reveal his or her sexual
orientation. It is a matter of
choice and footballers have
that same option. However,
not having one openly gay
professional player in the
UK suggests we have to
make the game a more open
environment.
providing rainbow coloured
laces to sportsmen and
woman, the project has
looked to create a safe
space for gay people in
football and has worked to
tackle the issue of homophobia
in sport.
According to Stonewall,
the campaign generated
some promising results,
with 30% of the UK population
hearing about it
and a staggering 186,859
laces having been sold so
far. With top-flight players
around Britain in support,
the campaign has helped
shape positivity in the
game open to all. Football
League teams are set to use
rainbow-coloured corner
flags in matches next week.
But the work of charities
like Stonewall is being
somewhat let down by
some of the game’s governing
bodies, particularly in
Scotland.
It is not unusual to attend
football matches in Scotland
and hear different
obscenities shouted from
the stands. In my time
of going to games, I have
heard a range of insults
directed at players and
managers that could be accused
of homophobic and
racist behavior. Chanting
from the stands is a
difficult factor to measure
in determining if there is
an element of homophobia
in the game. The only way
we would be able to see
if the game accepts a gay
player is for one to come
out publicly.
While the wait for that
first openly gay footballer
goes on, it is up to the
governing bodies to ensure
they do all they can to provide
a more comfortable
environment for the gay
community. As of now, I
am not entirely convinced
they are doing enough.
Data released in October by
the Office for National Statistics
showed that a record
To do this, we must raise
“I think fear
number of people came out “I think fear plays a part in
awareness. The LGBTQ+
as gay last year in the UK, it. There’s been a history
charity Stonewall launched
plays a part in
with the figure hitting over of homophobic chanting in
an initiative called Rainbow
Laces four years ago
it.”
one million. Unfortunately, grounds. There have been
to do just that. Through message that football is a By Daniel Tully
TELT: Winter Edition 31