Comments on: FA’s homophobia in football video premiere cancelled

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:34:50 +0000

@ Sister Mary clarence,

The problme, is what premiership footballer is going to stand up and support “the gays” after the way other players have been treated?

They take being the supporters favourite very seriously. It would be a very brave player to make such a video.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:22:13 +0000

This is another example of the FA climbing down on their commitments. My friends asked me where I thought the pressure came from. sadly I think this was a case of the old boys in the FA not liking what came out (a little too challenging).

If you are interested in reading more, check out: http://stevehynd.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/the-fa-still-failing-to-tackle-homophobia/

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:51:28 +0000

I can’t see how this video would have made any difference anyway, it would have most likely been jeered at and caused homophobic behavior at the match. The FA needs to start fining clubs for racial and homophobic taunts etc and the clubs need to crackdown on it.

Releasing a video with top players and football legends condenming Homophobic behavoir would be a better plan.

By: Sister Mary clarence

Sister Mary clarence — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:16:36 +0000

“But why were they even consulted on it?”

I take it you would rather they had consulted you then Simon – no surprise I guess that you would think you would have the right to veto any decisions the FA would make on who to consult with.

I have to say though that after I made a complaint to Kick It Out about a site making homophobic comments following the death of Stephen Gately, the comments were removed within hours, so can’t say my experience has been negative.

By: Rehan

Rehan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:38:18 +0000

YOur can read John Amaechi’s thoughts on the video here:

http://amaechiperformance.blogspot.com/2010/02/combatting-homophobia-in-sport.html

By: RobN

RobN — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:42:08 +0000

I go with Dave. Swearing and expletives is going to restrict the film’s distribution to an older crowd, and also alienate a lot of people that even if they weren’t put off by the homosexuality, might be by all the bad language.

By: dave

dave — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:48:50 +0000

It seems from the Pink News story that no professional footballers were willing to help out with the DVD project. This is an email which I sent to the FA last year. I also sent copies to the people responsible for diversity in the Professional Footballers' Association. The FA replied, but I never even got an acknowledgement from the PFA, so I will write again.

By: Squidgy

Squidgy — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:38:10 +0000

What’s ironic about this is the fact that Stonewall FC (the gay football team) actually won the gay football world cup two years ago. Now when was the last time England (the so called straight team)won it?

By: jckfmsincty

jckfmsincty — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:28:20 +0000

Aren’t most football players gay?

By: Richy

Richy — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:17:07 +0000

They could run this video alongside a John Terry video on “The perils of heterosexuality in soccer.”

By: dave

dave — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:09:08 +0000

With Rio Ferdinand as the new England captain, he should be asked to talk out against homophobia for a new DVD. Remember Rio once used a homophobic term on Radio 1, but apologised and said he wasn’t homophobic. Well now he has a chance to prove it. The FA should ask him and his teammates to speak out against homophobia. Rio has, of course, worked strenuously in the fight against racism in football.

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:46:04 +0000

It’s an absolute disgrace the FA have made such a cock up. They never made a cock up when they decided to deal with racism within football and acted far quicker than they have with regards to homophobia.
I’m fed up with LGBT people always being offered second best. Its taken the FA two years to produced a 90 second film that as not received a positive responds.

By: ursus262

ursus262 — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:30:38 +0000

Mr Amaechi described it as an “expletive-laden rant”.

Well, the sport is aimed at the lower classes, so I can’t honestly say I’m surprised.

By: John(Derbyshire)

John(Derbyshire) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:24:34 +0000

WELL-WHERE CAN WE ALL SEE THIS VIDEO? is it on you tube yet?

By: dave

dave — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:40:27 +0000

Mr Amaechi described it as an “expletive-laden rant”.

In my view the video needs to be suitable to show in schools. Therefore it would be best to take this into account and remove the swearing. Also they need to get top team players to speak out.

dave – not the same dave as above

By: dave

dave — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:36:22 +0000

Gay charity Stonewall were also consulted over the project

well that was a waste of time then

By: Ryan Haynes - fyi radio

Ryan Haynes - fyi radio — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:35:53 +0000

Right – I’ve just been informed that while Kick It Out have been organising this it is all down to The FA. It seems as though Kick It Out are being kicked hard.

The FA need to provide answers – going to see if I can speak to them for an FYi RADiO interview. Kick It Out are going to speak to me.

Also – apologies, it seems the event I was invited to was not canceled, they did a “scaled down version” instead.

By: the.kitty.channel

the.kitty.channel — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:07:35 +0000

Depicting explicit and graphic homophobia in action is always going to be a dodgy tactic. Some people will side with it and be impervious to the idea that it’s not acceptable. However the video came about, they were probably right to re-think. But it makes you wonder whether the FA is genuinely committed to kicking homophobia out.

By: Squidgy

Squidgy — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:07:19 +0000

Simon = Yawn!

Even P. Tatchell said did not mind the homophobic language in the film, as it was designed to make homophobia look “ugly” and “generate reaction and a debate”.

You clearly feel the need to swipe at Stonewall the minute you see the name. You seem to be someone who prefers nothing to get done unless it’s your way.

If it’s a choice between some rights leading to full rights OR no rights at all, I know what I’d prefer. Yes it ain’t perfect but at least it’s (hopefully) going the right way.

As for this film lets hope that between Stonewall and P. Tatchell they can push the FA to stop acting pathetic and stamping out homophobia within the sport.

By: John

John — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:57:52 +0000

What a farce! Any video due for production goes through the due process of planning, scripting, pre production, story boards, etc etc. So how can they get the final version so wrong!? Those who commissioned this video must have known what the general outcome of the video was going to be. It seems the wrong people were not involved in the planning process, and we end up with what? If Amaechi and Tatchell were involved in the video, then how did we end up with this ” expletive-laden rant”, as I assume thats NOT what they wanted!