Dodgyknees Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 There aren't many gays playing professional sports so when one comes out it makes the news. A far higher percentage of women who identify as "lesbian" play a professional sport than men who identify as "gay." But you don't get lots of articles about lesbian professional sportswomen. The most common professions for gay men are hairdressing, fashion, acting, not sports. Gay sportsmen are rare and that is the main reason why the average sports team is less forthcoming in accepting gay culture. The sports team atmosphere usually lies on a spectrum between "gay is not an issue" and "gay hostile", rather than between "openly flamboyantly gay" and "gay hostile". Of all the posts in this thread, this attempt at some sort of 'analysis' is the one I find most worrying. That solves it, Con is Bannan's hairdresser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Fair play to him for saying it but, for me personally, shouldn't a gay man or woman say this to the people with whom they share a changing room? I mean, if I was to walk into a changing room full of women they'd either rape me or call the police. I'm no George Clooney so the latter would probably be on the cards. So, shouldn't a woman who will look at another woman in a way of finding her attractive, also be forbidden from being in the same room? The same going for men! Maybe I'm politically incorrect for saying that, and apologies to anyone who might be offended by that, but surely there is some truth in my pov? no no truth at all in your POV. If your pov is that all men and women should share showers/baths etc then I hope you become the person that changes the law because I'm all for it By the way, before people start thinking I'm homophobic, I'm not. I don't care how people choose to find love. My niece is married to another woman and my cousin has found love with a lovely lass after years of abuse from her bastard ex husband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 There aren't many gays playing professional sports so when one comes out it makes the news. A far higher percentage of women who identify as "lesbian" play a professional sport than men who identify as "gay." But you don't get lots of articles about lesbian professional sportswomen. The most common professions for gay men are hairdressing, fashion, acting, not sports. Gay sportsmen are rare and that is the main reason why the average sports team is less forthcoming in accepting gay culture. The sports team atmosphere usually lies on a spectrum between "gay is not an issue" and "gay hostile", rather than between "openly flamboyantly gay" and "gay hostile". I would say that statistically a gay sportsperson is as likely as a gay accountant IMO. Is it seemingly rare as less people are prepared to come out, rather than there being less people in the profession? Accountancy isn't a profession known for a high proportion of gay men either. Let's say 4% men are gay. 15% male hairdressers might be gay to about 0.5% of footballers. That still means there's probably about 50 gay footballers in the Premier League. That's not a small number, and they shouldn't be bullied because of their sexuality, but you're never going to get to the situation of gay openness in other professions because there aren't enough gays to reach critical mass. It's not "seemingly rare" it's because the typical gay man has different interests to the typical heterosexual. Everyone knows that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electric Avenue Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 50 gay footballers in the Premier League ? Do you mean all divisions + conference 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post snowychap Posted January 8, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted January 8, 2014 Accountancy isn't a profession known for a high proportion of gay men either. Let's say 4% men are gay. 15% male hairdressers might be gay to about 0.5% of footballers. That still means there's probably about 50 gay footballers in the Premier League. That's not a small number, and they shouldn't be bullied because of their sexuality, but you're never going to get to the situation of gay openness in other professions because there aren't enough gays to reach critical mass. It's not "seemingly rare" it's because the typical gay man has different interests to the typical heterosexual. Everyone knows that.Do you also write for Steve Coogan? 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 50 gay footballers in the Premier League ? Do you mean all divisions + conference No, in the Premier League. Ah. Actually, I made an error. I mean 25. It could be between 25-50. (0.5 - 1.0% of 500 footballers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 50 gay footballers in the Premier League ? Do you mean all divisions + conference There are quite a lot of footballers in the Premier League. Each club has a squad of 25 players, which in reality can be 28-30 because players who are under the age of 21 on January 1st of the year the season begins (ie, players born on or after January 21st 1992 this season) do not count towards the 25. There are 20 clubs, so there are probably 550-600 people who can consider themselves to be Premier League footballers. It's difficult to get an accurate figure on how many people are gay because so many choose to remain in the closet. You can find studies which say anything from 1% to 10%, for what it's worth the government decided the official number was 6% when they did a study into the financial effects of bringing civil partnerships into law (sauce) which is about one in seventeen people. If that number is accurate then it is a very realistic possibility that there is at least one gay player in the first team squad of every football club in the Premier League. Obviously demographics will be a factor, I agree with the argument that certain types of people are attracted to certain types of jobs and I would imagine that the number of homosexual males who choose to go into football is probably lower than the number who choose to go into, say, the arts but still, it is laughable to think that there is not an fairly significant number of gay footballers plying their trade in the Premier League right now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanBalaban Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 you're never going to get to the situation of gay openness in other professions because there aren't enough gays to reach critical mass. This was my favourite bit. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avfc96 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 It's a sad situation when still in 2014, that when a footballer or any sportsman or woman comes out as gay it is considered headline news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnbull Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 On average, there's probably at least one or two gay players at each club, maybe more and until they're confident enough to "come out" en masse, then the ridiculous situation that we are in at present will continue. Which is a shame because a players sexuality has naff all to do with anything,let alone his ability to play football. Having said that though, I really admire Thomas for what he's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Wow my maths is terrible. Absolutely terrible. I have been working hard today (still working now), I guess I'm tired. 0.5% of 500 is 2.5. NOT 25. So I'd estimate there is about 3 gay players in the Premier League. Sorry for the confusion. At most, on the 6% figure there will be about 30, but that is very unlikely since football is not a profession that gay men typically gravitate towards. Oh and I can't believe none of you took the gift and show me up on my stats!! Edited January 8, 2014 by Con Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) why is it confidence to come out though? who says they are all sat at home right now thinking "I wish I could come out" is it entirely impossible that there are 20+ prem footballers who have seen this "news" and thought bollocks to that I don't need that intrusion in my life I think there are a lot of problems for homosexual footballers, one of them being the assumption that they are all sat at home unhappy that they cant come out in the public eye, 99% of footballers try to keep their private life private, gay footballers included Edited January 8, 2014 by villa4europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 why is it confidence to come out though? who says they are all sat at home right now thinking "I wish I could come out" is it entirely impossible that there are 20+ prem footballers who have seen this "news" and thought bollocks to that I don't need that intrusion in my life I think there are a lot of problems for homosexual footballers, one of them being the assumption that they are all sat at home unhappy that they cant come out in the public eye The 20+ figure is very unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 It's a sad situation when still in 2014, that when a footballer or any sportsman or woman comes out as gay it is considered headline news. Pretty much all the ladies cricket team are gay. Most of its well known! Con is correct that in mens sport there's less acceptance of it than in Womens sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 why is it confidence to come out though? who says they are all sat at home right now thinking "I wish I could come out" is it entirely impossible that there are 20+ prem footballers who have seen this "news" and thought bollocks to that I don't need that intrusion in my life I think there are a lot of problems for homosexual footballers, one of them being the assumption that they are all sat at home unhappy that they cant come out in the public eye The 20+ figure is very unlikely. Based on what exactly? Your gut feeling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 why is it confidence to come out though? who says they are all sat at home right now thinking "I wish I could come out" is it entirely impossible that there are 20+ prem footballers who have seen this "news" and thought bollocks to that I don't need that intrusion in my life I think there are a lot of problems for homosexual footballers, one of them being the assumption that they are all sat at home unhappy that they cant come out in the public eye The 20+ figure is very unlikely. you've missed my point, the number is irrelevant, im questioning the mentality that gay footballers are scared to come out for fear of the fans reaction and because homosexuality isnt generally accepted by the big bad football fans i don't think its as simple as that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 It's a sad situation when still in 2014, that when a footballer or any sportsman or woman comes out as gay it is considered headline news. Pretty much all the ladies cricket team are gay. Most of its well known! Con is correct that in mens sport there's less acceptance of it than in Womens sport. It's not less acceptance that is the reason more gay footballers don't come out. Consider that gay rugby player. Now that's a difficult sport to come out in as being gay. These days the team atmosphere would be "not an issue." I doubt there is much hostility in the dressing room. It's very professional. My point is there are very few gay footballers to come out. That is why it's 2014 and we only get to hear about a gay football star once every few years. 3 in the whole Premier League is a tiny amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RimmyJimmer Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 It's a sad situation when still in 2014, that when a footballer or any sportsman or woman comes out as gay it is considered headline news. Who decides it's headline news? I didn't. I don't think it is...probably along with a lot of other people. It's far from a 'sad' situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) The 20+ figure is very unlikely. Based on what exactly? Your gut feeling? Based on the hypothesis that gay men will be under-represented in the footballing profession compared to their representation (3-6%?) in the population. The reason being they are over-represented in the arts and relationship professions, which leaves fewer to go around competitive sports. This is why football doesn't have flamboyantly gay characters like the fashion and entertainment industries. Edited January 8, 2014 by Con Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordSepulchrave Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Good man, still a courageous thing to do, retired or not. At most, on the 6% figure there will be about 30, but that is very unlikely since football is not a profession that gay men typically gravitate towards. Assuming that sexuality dictates things like this is, you know, kind of a big part of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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