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@JMH230 I suspect you're not alone in your thoughts on the podcast and as I was the one to invite Marching Out Together on, I want to fully explain my reasons for doing so. Maz sent me an email asking if we could mention Rainbow Laces...
We could have just done that, but I invited them on as I think it's important to hear from the actual people involved and who are aware of the impact of homophobia in football. As 3 straight blokes of a similar age we don't necessarily have much to add.
As a kid, I grew up in a bit of Wakefield with virtually no diversity. Gay people were not a particularly visible part of life and even less so at football. I would have never considered myself homophobic in any true sense of the word, but being gay was a playground punchline.
When a load of Chelsea players refused to travel to Israel on grounds of safety we chanted, to the tune of 1 man went to mow, "6 men wouldn't go, wouldn't go to Israel...1 man, 2 man etc" with the final punchline being "..and a puff! Wouldn't go to Israel"
The puff was Graeme Le Saux, who isn't even gay, but whatever. The insult is there and it's contrasting puffs with men. I was 17 and I admit I thought it was funny. I didn't know any (openly) gay people and I thought they didn't exist in my world. Especially at football.
If I'd thought for a moment that it was insulting the people sat near me or saying something actually hurtful then I wouldn't have done it. It was ignorant more than malicious. If, the same day, someone had asked me if I thought being gay was acceptable, I'd have said yes.
But this was football and it was different as it's only having a bit of a laugh etc. It was to me at the time, and if challenged I'd have excused myself. However, that chant quite possibly ruined someone's day and put them off going to Elland Road ever again.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that my perspective on things has changed (and continues to change). I know it feels like there's a lot of preaching going on at the moment and it does sometimes appear to overshadow the actual game.
Part of that is probably due to the fact we're living in a cycle of 24 hour news and they always need something to talk about. It amplifies these things, as do platforms like twitter. I know I'm guilty of it.
However, it also feels like we're at a crossroads where some "free speech" people feel emboldened to say whatever they like about race, sexual orientation etc. and I suppose I want to ensure we're on the right side of that line.
I realise there's a big chunk of people in the middle, probably like yourself, who just want it all to go away. I do as well, to be honest, but I want it to have gone away because it's been fixed. Not because people are bored of it or because it doesn't impact them personally.
Sorry for the long and probably over-complicated ramble! I suppose the bottom line is that I want it to be something that people consider. If someone had explained things to the 17 year old me in the way Marching Out Together did then I'd have been less of a dickhead.
Finally... this isn't an invitation to pile on @JMH230
or anyone else. In doing so you open a whole different can of worms. Be nice, people.
or anyone else. In doing so you open a whole different can of worms. Be nice, people.
