Fantastic news.
For the first time ever professional football players have publicly taken part in a video against homophobia in football.
But this was not in the UK, but in France, where there have been a number of high profile incidents of homophobia.
Past and present internationals joined club stalwarts and team presidents in the video which must be seen as a milestone by all in the game.
In the words of campaign group Paris Foot Gay: "This video is the proof that opinions are really changing for the better when it comes to homophobia.
"Since the foundation of Paris Foot Gay we have noticed the strong impact that these attitudes and declarations have brought to young players and supporters.
"We give thanks to League One clubs the Girondins of Bordeaux, the Montpellier Hérault sport club and Paris Saint-Germain for their support.
"It’s thanks to them that this video clip had been realised."
There have been a number of high profile incidents of homophobia around football in France in recent years.
For instance, earlier this year an abusive banner was unfurled at an Olympique Marseille game.
This is not forgetting in 2009 when Louis Nicollin, the president of Montpellier FC labelled Auxerre footballer Benoit Pedretti a "little queer" on television.
It says so much about the efforts of Paris Foot Gay that the volcanic Nicollin was persuaded to appear in this video.
The video was produced also with a petition launched by the French Football Professional League on May 8.
So far only the Evian Thonon Gaillard Football Club has signed it.
But organisers are hopeful the clubs whose players appear in the video, namely Olympique Lyonnais and Stade Rennais, will follow the same path.
The players who appeared (in order) are:
Frédéric Thiriez (Président of the Professional Football League), Nicolas Douchez (Rennes), Sonny Anderson (former Lyon player), Dimitri Szarzewski (rugby player, Stade Français), Marc Planus (Bordeaux), Matthieu Chalmé (Bordeaux), Miralem Pjanic (Lyon), Romain Danzé (Rennes), Ludovic Giuly (Paris) and Louis Nicollin (President of Montpellier).
To see the video visit here.
Showing posts with label australian rules football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label australian rules football. Show all posts
Monday, 13 June 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Enough is Enough
A year ago, 15-year-old Dominic Crouch jumped from a six-storey building.
Six months after the tragic incident his family discovered their loved son had been subjected to homophobic bullying at school.
In a very frank interview to promote the Lesbian and Gay Foundation's Enough is Enough campaign, his father Roger Crouch talks about why youngsters are often on the end of homophobic bullying from their peers.
Mr Crouch said: "Bullies should think about the consequences as what may seem like a laugh can have serious consequences on a lot of people.
"I don't think those bullies imagined for one minute that Dominic would have gone missing from school and then gone to a six-storey building.
"Even if he were gay it should have been his choice [to come out] rather than somebody else do it on his behalf."
He added schools need to do more to create a positive culture, something both the LGF and the Justin Campaign are working to do.
Perhaps most shocking was Mr Crouch stating while there had been a huge number of positive comments in support of the family after the incident, there had also been a huge amount of homophobic statements on websites that had been incredibly upsetting.
It does make you question when, even when a family has lost a son in such tragic circumstances, why people still continue public displaying bigoted ways.
The abuse that Dom received from his peers is no different to thousands of footballers and fans across the globe.
Like Dom, they may not necessarily be gay but are still subjected to homophobic abuse dressed up in the form of "banter".
Former Spurs and Arsenal defender Sol Campbell is one player who comes to mind but there are many others, most of whom keep the hurt trapped up inside.
But there is always a breaking point.
For some this is raging and screaming in private; others it is public retaliation; regrettably and tragically a number decide to end their own lives.
Please take time out to watch the full interview here and remember the consequences of any actions you may take.
To find out more about the Lesbian and Gay Foundation visit here.
Six months after the tragic incident his family discovered their loved son had been subjected to homophobic bullying at school.
In a very frank interview to promote the Lesbian and Gay Foundation's Enough is Enough campaign, his father Roger Crouch talks about why youngsters are often on the end of homophobic bullying from their peers.
Mr Crouch said: "Bullies should think about the consequences as what may seem like a laugh can have serious consequences on a lot of people.
"I don't think those bullies imagined for one minute that Dominic would have gone missing from school and then gone to a six-storey building.
"Even if he were gay it should have been his choice [to come out] rather than somebody else do it on his behalf."
He added schools need to do more to create a positive culture, something both the LGF and the Justin Campaign are working to do.
Perhaps most shocking was Mr Crouch stating while there had been a huge number of positive comments in support of the family after the incident, there had also been a huge amount of homophobic statements on websites that had been incredibly upsetting.
It does make you question when, even when a family has lost a son in such tragic circumstances, why people still continue public displaying bigoted ways.
The abuse that Dom received from his peers is no different to thousands of footballers and fans across the globe.
Like Dom, they may not necessarily be gay but are still subjected to homophobic abuse dressed up in the form of "banter".
Former Spurs and Arsenal defender Sol Campbell is one player who comes to mind but there are many others, most of whom keep the hurt trapped up inside.
But there is always a breaking point.
For some this is raging and screaming in private; others it is public retaliation; regrettably and tragically a number decide to end their own lives.
Please take time out to watch the full interview here and remember the consequences of any actions you may take.
To find out more about the Lesbian and Gay Foundation visit here.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Persistence is key
12 months ago an effort from one of the largest sports in Australian to raise awareness about homophobia drastically failed.
Well known Aussie Rules player Jason Akermanis wrote an editorial for the Herald Sun advising gay players to "Stay in the Closet".
He added: "Locker room nudity and homoerotic activities are normal inside footy clubs", but advised young gay players who are "thinking of telling the world [about their sexual orientation to] forget it."
The result of these words was to instantly put pay to the small steps taken by the
Australian Football League and its player association.
Indeed, former Aussie Rugby League star Ian Roberts - still the only male footballer from Australia's dominant sports to come out - told one magazine: "There are kids out there in the suburbs who are killing themselves because of comments like that."
It was the equivalent of Craig Bellamy or Scott Parker from penning a high-profile column in the Daily Mirror or Sunday People.
Any encouragement that ARL fans had to ditch its macho stereotypes was instantly screwed up and thrown in the bin.
It would have been very easy for the sport to shelve any plans to promote equality for a few years.
Yet, thanks to a small group of players, the issue of tackling homophobia is still alive.
In contrast with last year's high profile efforts, this year sees three players going into speak to clients of the national youth mental health foundation about the issue.
On May 17, the trio will attend an event for the day and judge a design competition with the theme "In my eyes, homophobia is out of bounds".
Their efforts have the support of 17-year-old Hannah Williams, who made national headlines in Oz last year after Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School forbade her to take her girlfriend to the end of school party.
She said: "I've heard that a lot of guys believe that it's a lot easier for girls to come out because there are a lot of celebrity girls who are lesbian.
"Guys tend to stay in the closet for a lot longer and normally don't choose to come out unless something happens."
The Justin Campaign, which runs its own educational programme, praises these players and indeed the player's association for doing such work.
High profile media stunts are important to get word across and raise awareness about topics.
But, as has been shown, it can so easily go wrong, and ultimately has no impact on the very people suffering from accepting who they really are.
Yet these three players simply talking to young people about the issue will not only raise awareness but will have a deep impact on people clearly troubled. It could in fact save lives.
Substance over style, actions speak louder than words - let's ditch the cliches and just tackle an issue which has no place in any part of society.
Well known Aussie Rules player Jason Akermanis wrote an editorial for the Herald Sun advising gay players to "Stay in the Closet".
He added: "Locker room nudity and homoerotic activities are normal inside footy clubs", but advised young gay players who are "thinking of telling the world [about their sexual orientation to] forget it."
The result of these words was to instantly put pay to the small steps taken by the
Australian Football League and its player association.
Indeed, former Aussie Rugby League star Ian Roberts - still the only male footballer from Australia's dominant sports to come out - told one magazine: "There are kids out there in the suburbs who are killing themselves because of comments like that."
It was the equivalent of Craig Bellamy or Scott Parker from penning a high-profile column in the Daily Mirror or Sunday People.
Any encouragement that ARL fans had to ditch its macho stereotypes was instantly screwed up and thrown in the bin.
It would have been very easy for the sport to shelve any plans to promote equality for a few years.
Yet, thanks to a small group of players, the issue of tackling homophobia is still alive.
In contrast with last year's high profile efforts, this year sees three players going into speak to clients of the national youth mental health foundation about the issue.
On May 17, the trio will attend an event for the day and judge a design competition with the theme "In my eyes, homophobia is out of bounds".
Their efforts have the support of 17-year-old Hannah Williams, who made national headlines in Oz last year after Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School forbade her to take her girlfriend to the end of school party.
She said: "I've heard that a lot of guys believe that it's a lot easier for girls to come out because there are a lot of celebrity girls who are lesbian.
"Guys tend to stay in the closet for a lot longer and normally don't choose to come out unless something happens."
The Justin Campaign, which runs its own educational programme, praises these players and indeed the player's association for doing such work.
High profile media stunts are important to get word across and raise awareness about topics.
But, as has been shown, it can so easily go wrong, and ultimately has no impact on the very people suffering from accepting who they really are.
Yet these three players simply talking to young people about the issue will not only raise awareness but will have a deep impact on people clearly troubled. It could in fact save lives.
Substance over style, actions speak louder than words - let's ditch the cliches and just tackle an issue which has no place in any part of society.
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