Why There Few Openly Gay Athlet In Men's Profsnal Sports : NPR

Contents:

• WHY ARE MORE FEMALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLERS OPENLY GAY OR BISEXUAL THAN MALE PLAYERS?
• GAY & LBIANS IN SOCCER
• WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

WHY ARE MORE FEMALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLERS OPENLY GAY OR BISEXUAL THAN MALE PLAYERS?

By ITV News Content Producer Alex BleyThe most proment Women's World Cup ever has e to a close wh another USA only did the tournament throw a spotlight on how different the women's game is om the men's, highlighted how different the teams are as the whole tournament, there were at least 41 female players or ach who are openly gay or the male tournament 2018, there were none. Siarly the Premier League, there is not one sgle player who is openly gay or least five members of the Lns are gay or bisexual, pared wh none of England's male a society where gay marriag n take place, and same-sex upl enjoy the same legal privileg as their heterosexual unterparts, the make-up of both football teams is at odds wh Brish society as a w World Cup aga after victory agast NetherlandsSame-sex marriage me to force the UK 2014.

Cred: PAAcrdg to the Office for Natnal Statistics, 2017, around two per cent of the populatn intified as lbian, gay or is not that male football only attracts heterosexual mal, or women's football a high rat of lbian or bisexual players, but largely due to the differg atmospher surroundg the two gam. "Conversely " the men's game there's more racism, sexism and homophobia", he abe directed at footballers supportg #Enough social media boyttSterlg: Football Chiefs dog 'nowhere near enough' to solve racism problemRacist abe directed at footballers supportg #Enough social media boyttDr Stefan Lawrence, an expert masculy sport and senr lecturer at Newman Universy Birmgham, agre that women's football has a "different culture" to men's. Cred: Three Lns PriThe fact that there were 41 players or ach at the Women's World Cup who were openly gay or bisexual means that beg so the female game is more of a norm.

""People are wag for an ele male player to e out, " adds Di Cunngham, another -founr of Three Lns this jt creas the prsure that the first male player to announce that he is gay or bisexual, will e unr, she adds. "It's such a big al for one footballer to e out, that a few need to do at once to take the prsure off, " believ Dr Rachael Bullgham, a senr lecturer at the Universy of Worcter who specialis homophobia women's sport. Cred: PAThe way which male and female players are veloped is also believed to be a factor why female players beg gay or bisexual is more the norm than male ele male players have e through football ami where they have been sce a young age.

GAY & LBIANS IN SOCCER

"It's not bee gay men aren't terted beg profsnal footballers, " he explas, but bee ami are "heteronormative" (where beg heterosexual is the norm) environments. Cred: PAWhile the male game is "heteronormative", acrdg to Lawrence, the female game is the oppose and "homonormative", he says, meang that players who are lbian or bisexual do not hi their sexuali as they feel that beg homosexual is "much more accepted" until the "heteronormative" atmosphere men's football is broken, by players g out, will ntue to self-perpetuate. "They may have veloped a thick-sk breakg down the barriers they already have, " meang g out is one more a seri of hurdl for them to Magrath, a senr lecturer at Solent Universy who specialis homophobia and masculy agre that female footballers may jt see as yet another barrier they mt break down orr to succeed.

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

Cred: Stonewal FCAnother reason why players may not want to e out is that those at the top of their game will travel around the next men's World Cup is Qatar 2022, a untry which beg homosexual is punishable by up to seven years prison. "Homophobia football is clg, but some untri is still illegal, " not Bullgham.

Players may be fearful about travellg to such untri if they are gay or bisexual, and she adds that their partners might also worry about gog to such untri to support them. "The FA is mted to tacklg homophobia, biphobia and transphobia football at every level of the game.

Cred: Twter/The FAAll of those terviewed also agreed that the ma factor about why so few male players are openly gay or bisexual is the atmosphere surroundg the game which stems om the stigma historilly attached to the 1967 Sexual Offenc Act crimalised "homosexual acts" between mal aged 21 and over England and Wal and was the first step on a path towards the ongog goal of equaly, did not wipe away prejudic overnight, nor did mean equaly, for example barred two gay men om havg sex a hotel. It is a long sought victory for gay rights.