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LGBT fans


Gene_Clark
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40846848

 

It seems as if Newcastle United are one of only 5 clubs in the Premier League that are without a designated LGBT supporters’ group. Bearing in mind the fact we’ve seen Gallowgate Flags facilitate the funding, design and display of a Rainbow Flag in the ground, I wonder if now is the time for us to show that NUFC is a broad, tolerant & welcoming club by forming one? Remember 30-odd years ago the racist chanting in the ground & NF paper sales outside were driven out by the Geordies Are Black & white campaign; now niqab wearing African Muslim women attend home games & are accepted alongside all other fans.

 

Like many people at SJP, I am a heterosexual male. And like most, I couldn't care less whether the person in the seat next to me is male, female, black, white, straight, gay, Christian, Muslim, Atheist or whatever, as long as they're not a twat.  However, from the depressing bigotry displayed on Twitter the Rainbow flag, which is the only one of their projects I’ve donated to, it seems a proportion of the support (generally from the diminishing white working class, middle aged, hard lad demographic) have a problem with collectivization of groups of people different from them.

 

I do wonder how many people who quickly say, "We don't need an LGBT supporters group, it only serves to enforce barriers between gay and straight fans" do so because it's easier than admitting that the idea of a gay NUFC fans club makes them uncomfortable.

Personally I'm convinced an LGBT group would provide a platform for those within that community to find a safe haven and a platform for their opinions. I'm not going to lose any sleep over NUFC not yet having one, but I sure as hell don't have a problem if our LGBT brothers and sisters start one.

 

If I suggested a group was founded for OAP Newcastle fans which older fans could use to meet and socialise with others with similar life experience and interests to themselves, and use to make sure that older people at matches were well-looked after, I can pretty safely say that not one single person would say it is a bad idea, and that it would only build boundaries between fans of different ages.

 

I've never been on the receiving end of any sort of "phobic" chanting so cannot comment on the effect it has on those being targeted, so I think we have to accept that those groups in society who feel victimised in this way do have a point, and should be respected. As pointed out in the article, the real way to stop racist or homophobic abuse is to report it, though

personally I think having openly LGBT players would go much further in helping to eradicate homophobia...

 

Food for thought?

 

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I think it'd be well worth doing, especially in the current climate where gay players are starting to risk coming out in public. Twitter remains full of losers but I think we should take encouragement from the fact that the flag was flown. An LGBT group would be a good move for inclusiveness in the support base, which should always be encouraged.

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1 minute ago, Dr Gloom said:

I thought you weren't into identity politics 

 

There aren't militant wings of straight people capitalising on the creation of LGBT groups to push far right agendas.

 

I'm also pro-inclusivity generally. Having dialogue about difficult issues isn't the same as ostracising certain groups so they run over to the nazis.

 

Let's not derail this though.

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1 minute ago, ewerk said:

What would a LGBT group actually do?

 

think it would be up to the members to decide on that; at other clubs they have regular contact with Fans' Liaison Officers, so could be on Fans' Forum. In London, LGBT supporters groups have social meet ups, play in the London supporters league etc etc 

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3 minutes ago, ewerk said:

What would a LGBT group actually do?

 

Be visible? Show that the club is happy to accept all sectors of society? I fully support it and the idea that homophobic bigotry should be treated like racism is more these days.

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18 minutes ago, Gene_Clark said:

 

think it would be up to the members to decide on that; at other clubs they have regular contact with Fans' Liaison Officers, so could be on Fans' Forum. In London, LGBT supporters groups have social meet ups, play in the London supporters league etc etc 

 

 

Why should they get a seat on the fans forum?

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17 minutes ago, zico martin said:

 

Be visible? Show that the club is happy to accept all sectors of society? I fully support it and the idea that homophobic bigotry should be treated like racism is more these days.

 

I've no issue with it if it happens. I'd like to know what sort of tangible benefits it's had at other clubs.

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3 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said:

Don't see the point. It's not like there's loads of gays desperate to go to the games but can't or daren't. It'd be addressing a problem that doesn't really exist.

How do you know? The language and behaviour I've heard from football fans in my time suddenly doesn't encourage me to take my gay son to football anytime soon!

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3 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said:

Don't see the point. It's not like there's loads of gays desperate to go to the games but can't or daren't. It'd be addressing a problem that doesn't really exist.

 

two points; firstly, can you actually prove there aren't members of the LGBT community who want to go to SJP but don't feel safe / welcome currently? secondly, as you're not part of the LGBT community, i don't think you can accurately speak for that section of society.

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4 minutes ago, ewerk said:

 

 

Why should they get a seat on the fans forum?

the FSA / SD model for fans liaison committees advises that there should be representatives of minority / marginalised supporters grouping included. currently our FF has a permanent place for NUDSA, but the idea of an equality rep was parked because of the lack of a properly constituted organisation from that section of our support

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3 minutes ago, zico martin said:

How do you know? The language and behaviour I've heard from football fans in my time suddenly doesn't encourage me to take my gay son to football anytime soon!

 

here we have reason enough to redouble our efforts to eradicatr homophobia in the ground & make SJP a safe & inclusive space for those from the LGBT community

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I'm all for an officially recognised LGBT group but I'm not convinced on what the real benefits are. 

 

Also, the issue of disabled supporters being on the forum is completely different.

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1 minute ago, ewerk said:

I'm all for an officially recognised LGBT group but I'm not convinced on what the real benefits are. 

 

Also, the issue of disabled supporters being on the forum is completely different.

 

i agree with the first part of your first point, but don't feel qualified to comment on the second part

 

as regards your second point, i wasn't equating LGBT with disabled fans; i was just showing where the idea for permanent seats on the FF came from

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