Gay Rights Group Withdraws Support Of ‘Rainbow Laces’ Campaign Over ‘Sexualised Innuendo’ Of Slogan

Chris Wright

19th, September 2013

15 Comments

By Chris Wright 

rainbow-laces

The gay rights group backing the ‘rainbow boot lace‘ campaign which is due to take place across all English and Scottish league football games have withdrawn their backing due to the “sexualised innuendo” of the chosen campaign slogan.

The ‘Football v Homophobia’ group were appalled by dual organisers Stonewall and Paddy Power’s decision to run with the slogan “Right Behind Gay Footballers”, which, you’d have to agree, is a little on the “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” side. In your endo ;-)

Football v Homophobia released the following statement to explain their stance:

“Our discomfort is with the reliance on sexualised innuendo and stereotypes about gay men.

“We feel it is incongruous to run a campaign aiming to change football culture whilst using language which reinforces the very stereotypes and caricatures that, in the long term, ensure that homophobia persists.”

Stonewall, themselves an anti-homophobia charity have stood by their choice of slogan, arguing that the campaign has been very popular with several high-profile clubs confirming that their players are happy to wear the rainbow-coloured boot laces this weekend to show their support.

A spokesman for Stonewall said:

“We teamed up with Paddy Power for this campaign precisely because they talked the language of players and fans (read: #BAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTZ!!!!).

“The slogan is risque and tongue in cheek but we are proud that it is engaging with fans and players and that they are taking a positive stand.

“The entire campaign has been overwhelmingly positively received and we have been extremely pleased with the response.

“Players and fans are getting the message that homophobic abuse is unacceptable.”

Well, we must admit we thought the slogan was just a tad insensitive on first viewing, but it’s obvious that it wasn’t intended to be anything more than humourous rather than being lewd and/or provocative.

Hopefully this doesn’t derail what is ostensibly shaping up to be a worthwhile undertaking.

Posted in Newsnow

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15 Comments

  1. One Man Went to Mow says:

    I did think that when originally hearing about this. Espeically considering they were supposed to be joining forces with the utterly banterific Paddy Power. I also think that this may have something to do with the fact the only player to publicly state his support so far is Joey Barton.

  2. Casey says:

    I wonder how the same organisation feels about players lifting their shirts up as celebrations?

  3. carl says:

    Tough crowd, them homosexuals.

  4. One Man Went to Mow says:

    @ Chris

    I stand corrected! Everton and Gary Lineker, that’s better. It will be interesting to hear the reasoning of any players who choose not to wear them.

  5. Cosa says:

    Teaming up with Paddy will always and immediately lead to a piss take

  6. arnold says:

    Why can’t we just concentrate on goals and beautiful tackles? That’s what football is all about.

  7. Mustapha says:

    Surely “Right Behind Gay Footballers” is better than Right In Front Of Gay Footballers?

  8. Zam says:

    @Mustapha, perhaps “Right Beside Gay Footballers” or “Supporting Gay Footballers”.

    Not bantacular enough, I suppose.

  9. Jarren says:

    It’ll just take one Premier League player to pick up enough courage to come out.

    He’ll have to be incredibly brave, but once he does it will be one hell of a weight off his shoulders.

    That weekend, he’ll get 90 minutes of abuse from the stands. He’ll get abuse walking down the street. The weekend after, he’ll get another 90 minutes of abuse.

    People will talk about him online. Make fun of him, send him death threats.

    But as the months pass by, and more players come out, the novelty will wear off. It’ll become like saying you prefer a Ferrari to a Lamborghini.

    And when that happens, the world will move on.

  10. usrick says:

    @Jarren: The club and the league will move on as well, but perhaps without the player who came out and shortly thereafter found himself surplus to necessities.

  11. carl says:

    @Jarren Or he’ll come out, no one else will come out, he’ll get years of abuse and do a Fashanu.

  12. syndex says:

    I am still trying to work out how gay men want to have sex with men is a stereotype but hey. I would say that the first footballer who comes out needs to be one of the elite, football is first a business and it needs to be a player who the club will weigh up is more important than the media storm that will follow him. If rvp came out or baines (everton fan so yeah he qualifies as elite) if the club even murmoured dropping him the terraces would go crazy and at home anyone giving him stick would get lynched .. frimpong or hibbert probably not so much.

  13. KingB3113 says:

    This obsession with people “coming out” is getting a bit old. Nobody cares about the sexual orientation of these guys and honestly, it’s none of our business, just like the players that cheat on their wives etc. All they should be focused on is putting on a good show for the fans

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