British Premier League Soccer’s attempts to promote LBGT “awareness” are stirring trouble, as The Guardian reports below. But was this issue manufactured in the first place?
Premier League clubs’ Rainbow Laces posts draw homophobic responses
Molly Moss – The Guardian Dec 7, 2018
A rainbow corner flag on a Premier League clubs pitch.
Premier League football teams including Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have received thousands of homophobic responses on social media for showing solidarity with Stonewall’s pro-LGBT Rainbow Laces campaign.
Over the past two weeks the clubs have been posting pictures on social media of rainbow-striped logos and messages to back the annual campaign, which was launched by Stonewall in 2013 to kick out homophobia in football.
A post on Manchester United’s Facebook page in support of the campaign received more than 43,000 “angry” responses.
Fans’ comments including “Say No to LGBT”, “God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Lukaku” and “Gaychester United” each received more than 10,000 likes.
Similar homophobic messages were left on the pages of Arsenal and Chelsea after they updated their profile pictures to include rainbow-coloured logos and messages of support for the campaign.
The gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the responses were “shocking” and a wake-up call to the FA and clubs.
“Quite clearly, the existing campaigns [to curb homophobia in football] have not been sufficient,” he said. “Even so, I suspect that these bigoted comments are coming from a hardcore minority and do not reflect the views of most fans. Unfortunately social media does tend to attract and give a voice to people with extreme views.”
Kirsty Clarke, Stonewall’s director of sport, said: “It’s great to see so many sports associations across the UK proudly championing LGBT equality as part of our Rainbow Laces campaign. The backlash from a small minority online is a reminder of just how vital it is for all of us to do our bit to help make sport everyone’s game.
“This year’s campaign is about giving people confidence to be active allies and show their visible support for LGBT people, either on or off the pitch. It’s been heartening to see that allyship in action, particularly on social media, where we’ve seen countless messages from people who aren’t LGBT calling out abuse from fellow fans and highlighting why their attitudes have no place in sport.
An Arsenal spokesperson said the club’s policies made it clear that discriminatory behaviour would not be tolerated.
“We are very proud to be supporting the Rainbow Laces campaign and do a great deal of work to promote equality across all levels of the game,” the spokesperson said. “As Facebook is the platform where these views are being shared, we are ensuring that all of our Arsenal for Everyone initiatives and messages, plus ways to report anti-LGBT language on a match day, are posted via this platform.”
Martin comments:
Rather perplexing, this “awareness” campaign. Not just in sports, but wherever it raises it’s head. Personally, I’ve always been aware of the existence of homosexuality. same goes for transgender folk, and I’ve never had any issue with it: You are who you are, be true to yourself. I am also aware that there has always been a small element of “gaybashers” out there, (usually the same element prone to racial, cultural and religious bigotry) and that naturally, regardless of one’s personal prejudices, violence and humiliation are never a solution.
However. There are two issues here.
Firstly, that awareness is not, nor ever has been, an issue. The issue is attitudes. I associate with a number of Gay folk, none of whom feel persecuted, none of whom feel the need to “promote” their sexuality and just want to go about their daily lives as a normal member of society. Attitudes are changing just fine without marches and awareness campaigns.
Secondly, that female homosexuality, male homosexuality, transgender/sexual identity issues, and whatever else that is being gathered under the “Rainbow Flag”, were never (at least as far as I know) part of a single “community” If that is true, then this community is a recent construct which someone, somewhere, has manufactured. That implies an agenda. The whole thing has the feel of a “Brand marketing” campaign rather than a charity. This “rainbow laces” stunt is a case in point.
If anything, what is happening is that the Rainbow/LGBT movement is creating a very high profile “Us and Them” situation. Gathering all “non-hetero” folk together and separating them out from the heterosexual members of society.
This is contrary to the entire concept of acceptance and societal integration.
What’s more, it is promoting “non hetero” as cool, colorful, and exciting, and heterosexuality as rather dull, boring, and restrictive. A high profile, carefully orchestrated marketing campaign.
What’s the agenda? What is the ultimate goal?
The Rainbow branding is a trojan horse we should all, Gay, straight and TG, be very concerned about and wary of.
