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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be please that an openly gay footballer

66 replies

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 07:58

Has won I’m a celeb? Particularly with all the controversy over the World Cup in Qatar …
she seems lovely and genuine too…

OP posts:
KittensNotMittens · 28/11/2022 07:59

A woman won. More commentable I’d say.

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:05

@KittensNotMittens why? Women have won 6 out of the last 8 now…

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User38899953 · 28/11/2022 08:06

I don't think the fact she was a gay footballer means anything at all.

She was a great contestant which is why she won.

I didn't vote for her thinking hmm how great that she a kick a ball and have a girlfriend

Workerbeep · 28/11/2022 08:08

You are being unreasonable for watching I’m a celebrity get me out of here.

being openly gay and a sport women doesn’t seem to be a barrier in the U.K.

I had heard there was a problem and accusations in the 1990s of gay women harassing younger straight women in sport which put many potential sportswomen off pursuing a career.

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:08

there a plenty of people who wouldn’t vote for a lesbian just because she’s a lesbian. So the fact that didn’t hurt her chances of winning is great I think.

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Hottable · 28/11/2022 08:08

Whilst it is great that a lovely person/female/gay person has won I'm a celeb, I'm not sure it's that much of a breakthrough as it's male gay footballers that have a much harder time.

It's seen to be more acceptable and possibly assumed that women footballers are gay in the same way that it is assumed male dancers are.

FredaFox · 28/11/2022 08:10

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:08

there a plenty of people who wouldn’t vote for a lesbian just because she’s a lesbian. So the fact that didn’t hurt her chances of winning is great I think.

I honestly don't think Jill's sexuality has anything to do with it
I'd like to think in 2022 it would be a tiny minority who didn't vote Jill because she's gay

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:11

‘I had heard there was a problem and accusations in the 1990s of gay women harassing younger straight women in sport which put many potential sportswomen off pursuing a career.’

sorry, what now? It doesn’t take long for homophobia to raise its head, does it, on Mumsnet.
and yet we have 10 of 1000s of straight sportswomen so clearly,
despite what you’ve ‘heard’ , many women managed to pursue careers anyway 🙄

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PinkSyCo · 28/11/2022 08:12

I really wanted Jill to win because she’s just a lovely person and a great female role model. Nothing to do with whether she prefers vagina or cock. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Spidey66 · 28/11/2022 08:15

I'm sure most people aren't bothered by Jill's sexuality, but it's a shame that football (male football anyway) is still homophobic.

She was great in the show, and I wanted either her or Mike Tindall to win.

Pythonese · 28/11/2022 08:16

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:08

there a plenty of people who wouldn’t vote for a lesbian just because she’s a lesbian. So the fact that didn’t hurt her chances of winning is great I think.

And there’s a lot of ppl who’ll vote for her just because she is a lesbian. Personally I though she was boring and they’ll only remember Matt.

AnyFucker · 28/11/2022 08:18

I had no idea she was gay

ElephantInTheKitchen · 28/11/2022 08:23

For some reason professional football only seems to have a problem with gay men, not lesbians. There's only been one or two out professional male footballers worldwide since Justin Fashanu, but about half the England women's squad is queer.

I don't watch I'm A Celeb though and really struggle to care who won.

Juniperising · 28/11/2022 08:24

Sorry OP I could not give a shit what some I was sexual preference is, do you honestly go up to every one you meet and say so what kind of person do you prefer to shag?

It's bloody irrelevant for shows like this, so please keep it out of it.

KittensNotMittens · 28/11/2022 08:29

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:05

@KittensNotMittens why? Women have won 6 out of the last 8 now…

You said particularly in light of the World Cup The ficus there is mostly on LGB+ not on the rights if half of the population

limitedperiodonly · 28/11/2022 08:31

AnyFucker · 28/11/2022 08:18

I had no idea she was gay

She talked about being lesbian on the show in a discussion round the campfire about being young and coming out and being a lesbian in sport. Boy George, who as you might know is gay, also talked about his experiences.

Admittedly anyone who is not an avid fan of IACGMOOH, perhaps because they think it is tawdry trash and should be avoided, would have missed this interesting and informative conversation.

KittensNotMittens · 28/11/2022 08:32

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:11

‘I had heard there was a problem and accusations in the 1990s of gay women harassing younger straight women in sport which put many potential sportswomen off pursuing a career.’

sorry, what now? It doesn’t take long for homophobia to raise its head, does it, on Mumsnet.
and yet we have 10 of 1000s of straight sportswomen so clearly,
despite what you’ve ‘heard’ , many women managed to pursue careers anyway 🙄

Martina Navratilova said in her biog that some partners made homophobic comments about their daughters in changing rooms back in the day.

Zanatdy · 28/11/2022 08:32

I don’t think that’s people voted for her. When I read your post I thought no, a gay footballer hasn’t won momentarily. So I guess that wasn’t the first thing that came to my mind about Jill. Also I don’t think it will make one difference to gay male footballers feeling able to come out as the different reaction they will get won’t have changed due to I’m a celeb

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:33

‘I had no idea she was gay’

fair enough, but if you’d have watched the show she talked about her fiancé, their life etc.
so most people watching would have been aware.

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AnyFucker · 28/11/2022 08:33

Admittedly anyone who is not an avid fan of IACGMOOH, perhaps because they think it is tawdry trash and should be avoided, would have missed this interesting and informative conversation

Indeed 😊

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:34

‘I don’t think that’s people voted for her’

I didn’t say it was, it I’m pleased it wasn’t. Barrier to her winning. Going by some of the comments on here there are plenty of homophobes out there

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BetterBeGryffinphwoar · 28/11/2022 08:41

I really admire Jill, she's a talented player. Probably read she was gay at some point, but forgot as it's not really a factor in what makes her a good player.
I don't think many people would vote for her just because she is a lesbian. I'd hope they are impressed by her talent and personality.
Of course, with competition like the sexual abuser criminal and someone who caused thousands of people to die through his incompetence I'd have bloody hoped she would have a good chance of winning. No idea who else was in there, but the inclusion of those two means it is a very low bar.
I don't watch it partly because it is boring and partly because the animal cruelty it partakes in before you accuse me of being a snob.

Beeboppy · 28/11/2022 08:42

Gosh I think people are getting a bit het up here! I read this to be more ‘it’s great she won, the sexuality isn’t relevant’. On the sexuality aspect the
point being, ‘it’s great she didn’t lose because of this’.

Henuinequest · 28/11/2022 08:45

@Beeboppy its what happens on MN unfortunately…

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limitedperiodonly · 28/11/2022 08:47

A male colleague was so obsessed with lesbians in sport and in general life in the 1990s that if it had been present day I'd have wondered if he identified as one.

When his daughter turned 13 he took her out of tennis coaching citing predatory lesbians. She would never have troubled the world rankings but she must have missed the sport. It's possible predatory lesbians had her in their sights but I think it's also likely that he was overly interested in what women get up to without men and couldn't be arsed to drive his daughter to tennis practice.