I can sing a rainbow.....

[Dowlo]

I have just seen on twitter the picture of the rainbow flag that was on display against Wellingborough Town in front of the Ebdon stand. For those who don't know what it means, it is the symbol for gay pride and lesbian gay and transgender people.

Now before you shoot me down, I and a few others were highly offended by this. I don't mind the whole anti discrimination campaigns like "kick it out" or "just a ball game". They are are a tool to stop certain behaviour in football. Although I don't really see them making that much of a difference and often come across as quite patronising but that's beside the point.

What I do have a problem with if homosexual people are wanting to be treated as equal within football and be the "same as everyone else" why do they feel he need to keep parading homosexual views in front of everyone's faces. If you want to be equal turn up to football like everyone else enjoy a pint and a burger and watch the game. By putting a big rainbow flag on the half way line it immediately draws attention yourself. Which dare I say is what the idea is.

If football wants all it's fans to be equal stop promoting one type of fan ahead of the other. If next week me and a group of friends wanted to put a pro heterosexual flag on the half way line there would be up roar as that would be seen as homophobic and wrong. Alas if someone puts a pro homosexual flag up that's fine and dandy. The hypocrisy of it all is what divides fans. So please next time leave he flags at home and come to the ground as fan EQUAL and the SAME as everybody else!

[rudolph_hucker]

I'll put it back in my handbag next week.

I do agree regarding the hypocrisy, i've often wondered why you need to be PROUD to be gay/lesbian. I dont wear a badge saying how PROUD I am that I have relationships with the opposite sex. It is exactly as you say if the gay/lesbian fraternity want to not feel different why advertise that they are ( for want of a better word) different. I don't care what people do in their private lives, but please don't ram it down our throats. ( yes I know).
It is a sticky subject as it doesn't matter what is said, the gay fraternity will think it is "homophobic".
Here comes the old cliche, but I do have gay and lesbian friends who are fine and dandy people. They love a beer and a party as much as a straight person. This flag highlights things and just causes discrimination.


Although it was very pretty. You could have it as wallpaper in your bedroom Dowlo.

[therushden]

i saw that and thought, 'why'?

[Drunken Debanker]

I think the first two posts are spot on, where do we draw the line?? If we have a flag representing one thing we have to have a flag for all sexualitys/beliefs/religions etc, it isn't fair to just have one it singles them out and we should be supportive of all walks of life at AFC R&D yet we are only showing support for what this single flag represents.

[James Beil]

I can understand the sentiments on here - personally, I prefer my football flags to have puns on them about players' and coaches' names or 'In [Manager] we trust'. That said, as far as I'm aware it wasn't the club that decided to fly the flag so it's not like AFCR&D are favouring one group over another. Personally I'd rather people left the politics at home and just enjoyed the match without worrying about each other's bedroom arrangements, but if folk really want to bring that into a stadium, as long as they're not breaking any rules, I'm inclined to let them - just don't let them try and speak for the football club as a whole.

[bedforddiamond]

I think the point is to high light minorities in certain sectors of the community.

I agree that minority groups do sometimes go over the top to highlight their issues, but the point is unless they do say 'hey, we are here and want to be accepted as part of the community' they and there like have to remain in the background.

We still don't have a recognised professional gay footballer and therefore in football they are very very much in the minority and certain campaigners, otherwise known as 'do-gooders' want this recognised!

As always its treading that fine line between becoming patronising and becoming accepted as natural, it's not an easy one. :? IMHO

[supersub]

Never thought I would agree with comments from Dowlo, but have to say your post is spot on.

[bigbruv]

Happy New Year everyone!!

[Everyweeker]

Interesting comments from Dowlo, and it is certainly possible to see his point of view.

However, I would push back a little bit. For one thing, I think Dowlo's comments, if anything, show the success of movements such as 'Gay Pride' and the wider LGBT campaign. It is only because of such campaigns that attitudes have changed and the concept of equality has become to be seen as normal.

Without people standing up and saying that it is OK to be proud of one's sexuality (in the way we are proud of our nationality or other things we do not control or cannot change) then critical attitudes would not have been challenged and would not have become outdated. Without the LGBT movement, gay marriage would have been unthinkably impossible, let alone removal of section 28 or an end to the horrific forms of discrimination suffered by the LGBT community in the past.

BD also pointed out the lack of 'public' homosexuals in football, which suggests that many still do not feel confident to enough to cease hiding a part of their character. The suggestions by clubs and fans that sexual preference is not something to be ashamed of (via, for example, gay pride flags or the comments on this thread suggesting equality is now the norm) are to be applauded I feel.

Society may be changing, but I still think outward signs highlighting that all are welcome (when there is a sense that a certain group might not be) is something I am happy to see continue.

[davealbon]

Absolutely Everyweeker. While we still have a number of ignorant, morons among our fanbase who think homophobic chants/songs are funny (and we do) then I have no problem at all with these types of flag.