By Phil Thornton in The Independent. There has been much media amusement at Liverpool FC’s directive for fans to cease shouting expressions such as ‘Man Up!’ ‘Don’t play like a girl’ and ‘That’s gay.’ The ‘Political-Correctness-Gone Mad’ brigade have predictably gone er, ‘mad’ (itself an offensive word), yet such expressions are surely out of kilter with modern society.
As a football fan who grew up on the terraces during the 70s and 80s, blatant racism and homophobia were not only tolerated but actually encouraged in a culture where white, working class males watched other white, working class males perform in white, working class cities and towns.
The homoerotic nature of football supporting was perhaps masked by fan attitudes towards players who displayed what they perceived as ‘unmanly’ traits; these included the following :
Avoiding a tackle
Having long hair
Not sporting a muzzy
Diving
Groaning after your leg’s been broken in three places
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The homoerotic nature of football supporting was perhaps masked by fan attitudes towards players who displayed what they perceived as ‘unmanly’ traits; these included the following :
Avoiding a tackle
Having long hair
Not sporting a muzzy
Diving
Groaning after your leg’s been broken in three places
continue reading