Sexist chants at Lane, are we guilty?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

During our wearing of sack-cloth and beating ourselves with birch twigs as self punishment for the football chants we may have sung ........ have we stopped to consider that in the majority of cases, these chants which we are now "labelling" with every "ist" word that has been created, were simply created as a way to try to put a (good) player off their game.

I don't believe that football is a monstrous political machine, I don't believe it is subversive, or even prejudiced in the vast majority of cases. I think that football supporters over the years simply created chants, often aimed at specific players ...... and the purpose was to put them off their game if possible and I don't think that its much more complex than that in the majority of cases.

These chants are never likely to be positive, heart-warming, friendly non-offensive or polite by their very nature. For example; our opponents never sang "Tony Curry's far too good for us please stop playing so well"; or Deano you're a god please don't put the ball in our net today" !!

Chants about Gordon Strachan's red hair, Robbie Fowler snorting coke, Paul Merson being over-portly, Ian Dowie not being so handsome and the regular issue of hurling Mars bars at Gazza come to mind.

In short ...... I don't think that the hate and bile that the PC brigade paint the picture of is necessarily the typical football supporter's chief intention in all this convoluted conspiracy theory ...... its just done to put other players off. Nothing more complex or psychologically deep than that !

In the same way that supporters sing praise (sometimes false) regarding their own player's prowess or capabilities; for example; feeding the Goat and he will score, Lukaku's alleged manhood and Couttsy never relinquishing possession of the ball.

I think that the vast majority of football supporters can put away their sack-cloth shirts and birch twigs, suspend the self-flagellation and simply get on with supporting their team, safe in the knowledge that they will CERTAINLY offend some people with their songs whilst supporting their team, however, the majority of people that they will offend will be offended anyway by something else in everyday life.

UTB & FTP

Pretty much none of those examples is relevant apart from the Lukaku one, which I think he's not happy about.
Racists used to claim that racist chanting was simply about putting players off their game and they didn't really mean it.
 

During our wearing of sack-cloth and beating ourselves with birch twigs as self punishment for the football chants we may have sung ........ have we stopped to consider that in the majority of cases, these chants which we are now "labelling" with every "ist" word that has been created, were simply created as a way to try to put a (good) player off their game.

I don't believe that football is a monstrous political machine, I don't believe it is subversive, or even prejudiced in the vast majority of cases. I think that football supporters over the years simply created chants, often aimed at specific players ...... and the purpose was to put them off their game if possible and I don't think that its much more complex than that in the majority of cases.

These chants are never likely to be positive, heart-warming, friendly non-offensive or polite by their very nature. For example; our opponents never sang "Tony Curry's far too good for us please stop playing so well"; or Deano you're a god please don't put the ball in our net today" !!

Chants about Gordon Strachan's red hair, Robbie Fowler snorting coke, Paul Merson being over-portly, Ian Dowie not being so handsome and the regular issue of hurling Mars bars at Gazza come to mind.

In short ...... I don't think that the hate and bile that the PC brigade paint the picture of is necessarily the typical football supporter's chief intention in all this convoluted conspiracy theory ...... its just done to put other players off. Nothing more complex or psychologically deep than that !

In the same way that supporters sing praise (sometimes false) regarding their own player's prowess or capabilities; for example; feeding the Goat and he will score, Lukaku's alleged manhood and Couttsy never relinquishing possession of the ball.

I think that the vast majority of football supporters can put away their sack-cloth shirts and birch twigs, suspend the self-flagellation and simply get on with supporting their team, safe in the knowledge that they will CERTAINLY offend some people with their songs whilst supporting their team, however, the majority of people that they will offend will be offended anyway by something else in everyday life.

UTB & FTP
If some of that refers to me, I would just say that I don't think that any of the chants I have commented on have been designed to put opposing players off. The illegal chants (CWs daughter, the alleged victim in the Ched case) need to be dealt with. Others are a matter of taste, and in some cases attitudes have changed, and racist and homophobic chants have largely disappeared, which I view as a good thing. The sexist chanting is, I think, feeling increasingly out-of-date, and I hope that it too continues to decline. I don't want anyone to beat themselves with birch twigs (though perhaps 'We're all self-flagellators at the Lane' could have a future), but I do think that the long-term future of the club depends on us having as large a fan-base as possible, and nowadays that means fans of all ages, races, sexual orientatations, men and women, etc. The club is doing excellent work to attract new fans to the club, and we should do what we can to help. The atmosphere can still be raucous and edgy, but we have to take into account changes in social attitudes.
 
Late to this thread...I heard the song about Mrs Chansiri during the derby, but it was brief and not many were involved (I'm back of gangway D on the kop). My opinion is that bringing football-related people's families into chants is unacceptable either way. No need for it, and we have such a wide repertoire of anti-pig songs that there was no need for this.

Their songs about Ms Wilder are reprehensible. All the pigs I know and count as friends are equally disgusted by them.
 
If anyone wants to truly hear offensive words, try watching ‘roast battle’ on Comedy Central. THAT is brutal.

The line ‘you’re so camp you should be in Calais with a Syrian inside of you’ what used the other night. That’s both racist and homophobic. Then there was “your girlfriend is such a dog I tried to eat her”. From a Chinese man!!!! That’s reverse racism!!! The retort was “you’re so sexually naive that when your girlfriend asked for a 69 you cooked her a chicken chow mein”

‘Your wife’s got a cock’ is barely tickling the offensive scale.
Maybe not to you but how about the wife?
 
Unlike yesterday, when clearly nothing of interest occurred, today's Star reports on a row between two women at Meadowhall where security staff were called to Boots.

And that's pretty much it.

The Press Awards can't be far off.
And just to show I don't always defend the Star, there is a classic today on p.3, quoting Wilder admitting his mistake over the subs v S6: 'I made a mistake over Sharpe'. Can't quite work out how many levels of irony that contains.
 
What about the sexiest chants??

I now call the Blue Tits in my garden Blue Mammary Glands in order to avoid offending anyone. I implore the rest of you to do the same.

I hope my crusade is the first step towards a brighter more inclusive future. With a little momentum we could rebrand beavers and cocks and the world will be a happier place.
 
I now call the Blue Tits in my garden Blue Mammary Glands in order to avoid offending anyone. I implore the rest of you to do the same.

I hope my crusade is the first step towards a brighter more inclusive future. With a little momentum we could rebrand beavers and cocks and the world will be a happier place.
These bits of satire are amusing, but don't in any way relate to the acceptability of chants/songs being discussed here. Accidental rudeness has delighted me since my early days at the Lane when we had a centre-forward called Bottom. I object to the magic hat song not because of its rude word, but because of the 'He heads it to the left, he heads it to the right'. Has anybody else noticed that ever since that song started, every time JOC comes up for a corner he heads it to the left or right, but he never heads the bloody thing at goal...?
 
If some of that refers to me, I would just say that I don't think that any of the chants I have commented on have been designed to put opposing players off. The illegal chants (CWs daughter, the alleged victim in the Ched case) need to be dealt with. Others are a matter of taste, and in some cases attitudes have changed, and racist and homophobic chants have largely disappeared, which I view as a good thing. The sexist chanting is, I think, feeling increasingly out-of-date, and I hope that it too continues to decline. I don't want anyone to beat themselves with birch twigs (though perhaps 'We're all self-flagellators at the Lane' could have a future), but I do think that the long-term future of the club depends on us having as large a fan-base as possible, and nowadays that means fans of all ages, races, sexual orientatations, men and women, etc. The club is doing excellent work to attract new fans to the club, and we should do what we can to help. The atmosphere can still be raucous and edgy, but we have to take into account changes in social attitudes.


No mate ..... I wasn't replying to any particular post ...... just offering a broad brush comment which I think covers the position of the majority of football fans ;)

I think its just a way of crowds influencing the performance of certain players and doesn't go any deeper than that with MOST supporters.

Example .... I remember at Middlesbrough a few years ago as Leroy Lita was warming up near the United fans in the away end ........ a loud chant of "Leroy Lita's homosexual" boomed out and he was visibly shaken. Even the other 'boro subs that were warming up with him laughed.

Now I doubt that Leroy Lita is homosexual and that isn't the point ....... the point is that it shook him up and was intended to put him off. The PC brigade would no doubt label anybody joining in with that chant as "homophobic" but I disagree ..... this is the point that I was trying to make.

UTB & FTP
 
No mate ..... I wasn't replying to any particular post ...... just offering a broad brush comment which I think covers the position of the majority of football fans ;)

I think its just a way of crowds influencing the performance of certain players and doesn't go any deeper than that with MOST supporters.

Example .... I remember at Middlesbrough a few years ago as Leroy Lita was warming up near the United fans in the away end ........ a loud chant of "Leroy Lita's homosexual" boomed out and he was visibly shaken. Even the other 'boro subs that were warming up with him laughed.

Now I doubt that Leroy Lita is homosexual and that isn't the point ....... the point is that it shook him up and was intended to put him off. The PC brigade would no doubt label anybody joining in with that chant as "homophobic" but I disagree ..... this is the point that I was trying to make.

UTB & FTP
And do you think any homosexual Blades felt comfortable about the chant? Perhaps they were visibly shaken? The chant only achieves what you say is its aim if you think there is something wrong with being homosexual, and society has moved on from that view.
 
These bits of satire are amusing, but don't in any way relate to the acceptability of chants/songs being discussed here. Accidental rudeness has delighted me since my early days at the Lane when we had a centre-forward called Bottom. I object to the magic hat song not because of its rude word, but because of the 'He heads it to the left, he heads it to the right'. Has anybody else noticed that ever since that song started, every time JOC comes up for a corner he heads it to the left or right, but he never heads the bloody thing at goal...?

Don’t get me wrong I abhor the SWFC chants it’s bang out of order and I think 99.9% of fans know the line. Put 30,000 people in a room and you’ll get 500 knobheads in any walk of life. That’s not an excuse at all but that’s life.

But people singing stuff like “tits, fanny and united” is hardly some deplorable reinforcement of masculine hegemony. Look at some forms of music’s language around women, how women are treated by some cultures. And we’re fussing after football fans for chanting “We are Bladesmen” or “Shoreham Boys”.

I know it’s the easier target to go after football supporters, it’s more palatable for the twitter campaigns as it’s an easy tap-in, it’s not politic to defend them and it’s socially acceptable to bag out footie supporters. But really it’s laughable in a way. I’ve heard far more pernicious sexism from ex-public schoolboys I’ve knocked about with through work.
 
No mate ..... I wasn't replying to any particular post ...... just offering a broad brush comment which I think covers the position of the majority of football fans ;)

I think its just a way of crowds influencing the performance of certain players and doesn't go any deeper than that with MOST supporters.

Example .... I remember at Middlesbrough a few years ago as Leroy Lita was warming up near the United fans in the away end ........ a loud chant of "Leroy Lita's homosexual" boomed out and he was visibly shaken. Even the other 'boro subs that were warming up with him laughed.

Now I doubt that Leroy Lita is homosexual and that isn't the point ....... the point is that it shook him up and was intended to put him off. The PC brigade would no doubt label anybody joining in with that chant as "homophobic" but I disagree ..... this is the point that I was trying to make.

UTB & FTP

Sorry Darthblade, I don't think you are on solid ground with your claim that you speak for the majority of fans. When I read your first comment I understood what you were getting at, but didn't agree, and it certainly doesn't reflect my attitude. I wouldn't make monkey noises at a black player to put him off his game whilst being comfortable that I am not in the slightest bit racist. There isn't that sort of separation in people's minds. Someone who isn't racist wouldn't come up with the idea in the first place.
The same goes for other attitudes towards homosexuality, sexism and rape. The mob mentality in football exposes people, it doesn't reflect a harmless parallel personality.
In the end it comes down to what is and what isn't acceptable. Personally, I don't see the Shoreham Boys chant as sexist or demeaning to women. I can see someone would, but that, for me, heads into PC Brigade territory. It's where the line is, not whether it's ok to shift the line at a football match.
 

And do you think any homosexual Blades felt comfortable about the chant? Perhaps they were visibly shaken? The chant only achieves what you say is its aim if you think there is something wrong with being homosexual, and society has moved on from that view.


Is the intention really to shake him up? Or just to take the Mick ?

"Flinders licks windows he licks them all day" had the Pig laughing.

I remember Drogba being the "victim" of wife beater chants. He was towards the Kop/ John Street corner and it started again. He waved to the crowd laughing. And of course quite a few people who were slating him were apoplectic at his response. No racist content then or for Lita, no reason for any Blades to object to Drogbas reaction. I guess it depends on how much of a snowflake you are.

I seriously doubt the person who started the Lita chant first thought was a dig at the gay community. Genuine banter does exist, someone's always on the end of it and many people just find it funny without thinking about offence.
 
Sorry Darthblade, I don't think you are on solid ground with your claim that you speak for the majority of fans. When I read your first comment I understood what you were getting at, but didn't agree, and it certainly doesn't reflect my attitude. I wouldn't make monkey noises at a black player to put him off his game whilst being comfortable that I am not in the slightest bit racist. There isn't that sort of separation in people's minds. Someone who isn't racist wouldn't come up with the idea in the first place.
The same goes for other attitudes towards homosexuality, sexism and rape. The mob mentality in football exposes people, it doesn't reflect a harmless parallel personality.
In the end it comes down to what is and what isn't acceptable. Personally, I don't see the Shoreham Boys chant as sexist or demeaning to women. I can see someone would, but that, for me, heads into PC Brigade territory. It's where the line is, not whether it's ok to shift the line at a football match.

Nailed it.
 
Don’t get me wrong I abhor the SWFC chants it’s bang out of order and I think 99.9% of fans know the line. Put 30,000 people in a room and you’ll get 500 knobheads in any walk of life. That’s not an excuse at all but that’s life.

But people singing stuff like “tits, fanny and united” is hardly some deplorable reinforcement of masculine hegemony. Look at some forms of music’s language around women, how women are treated by some cultures. And we’re fussing after football fans for chanting “We are Bladesmen” or “Shoreham Boys”.

I know it’s the easier target to go after football supporters, it’s more palatable for the twitter campaigns as it’s an easy tap-in, it’s not politic to defend them and it’s socially acceptable to bag out footie supporters. But really it’s laughable in a way. I’ve heard far more pernicious sexism from ex-public schoolboys I’ve knocked about with through work.
I'm very close to agreeing with you on all this. I wasn't fussing about Shoreham Boys (I hope), but at matches now with my 11-year old granddaughter, she can join in with the Greasy Chip Buttie, but can hardly participate in threats to 'shag your women'. Times are changing, and if we want as many Blades fans as possible (I do), then change will gradually need to take place. To be honest threatening to 'shag your women' doesn't sound like the credible threat it used to be when you're worried that your false teeth might drop out if you sing too loud.
On to 3 points at Norwich...
 
I must admit that it has never bothered me in the slightest, although I had never thought of it of in the context of the way it has been portrayed, although the tits, fanny and United song is fairly standard as a lot of other clubs sing it, however Brownie Jnr thinks the shag your women is actually kiss your women.

Those two songs might be coming to the end of their days, one thing I’ve learnt this week is with the death of Cyrille Regis is that attitudes do change with time, where bananas being thrown and racist songs being sang used to be fairly common place, now if you stood up and sang thst you would be battered. I can remember from being a young lad starting supporting football players been called n*****s, c**ns, and the ditty ‘you black bastard’, that all went 20+ years ago and Football is a better game for it.

It is possible to hold less than savoury views when you are younger, only to learn and grow and reject those views. I know because 20 odd years ago I hated homosexuality and couldn’t stand Asians, but now I’ve got quite a few gay friends and judge them on what they are like as people and if I like them as a person then that is more important than their sexual preference. Same with Asians, I’ve learned the vast majority are good people, and if you treat them with respect then they will do the same.

Try telling that to the Neanderthal behind me in the South Stand who has twice referred to opposition players this season as black bastards. Jaio being his latest target last Friday.

You're right though, it's years since I heard it at our games.

This bloke is in his fifties and an old hooligan. Clearly thinks he still is by the looks of it as he had bloodied knuckles entering the ground last week. Biggest joke us that he used to sit with two black lads years ago.
 
And do you think any homosexual Blades felt comfortable about the chant? Perhaps they were visibly shaken? The chant only achieves what you say is its aim if you think there is something wrong with being homosexual, and society has moved on from that view.


Hmmmmm ...... again you are over-thinking this I believe. I don't know but there may have been homosexual supporters who were singing it as well .... and had a laugh at the humor of it.

I think there are many people who are too ready and eager to "brand" other people with an "ist label" ......

You make a sweeping claim regarding what modern society's views are ...... does that make modern society correct ? Was the previous society wrong ? There are still many, many people who wouldn't agree with many of the modern ways of doing things ..... are they all wrong and does their opinion not count ? Who decides who's opinion is correct ?

It reminds me a little of one of Tony Bliars favourite sayings ....... "we know what the people want". Hmmmmm ...... :rolleyes:

UTB & FTP
 
Hmmmmm ...... again you are over-thinking this I believe. I don't know but there may have been homosexual supporters who were singing it as well .... and had a laugh at the humor of it.

I think there are many people who are too ready and eager to "brand" other people with an "ist label" ......

You make a sweeping claim regarding what modern society's views are ...... does that make modern society correct ? Was the previous society wrong ? There are still many, many people who wouldn't agree with many of the modern ways of doing things ..... are they all wrong and does their opinion not count ? Who decides who's opinion is correct ?

It reminds me a little of one of Tony Bliars favourite sayings ....... "we know what the people want". Hmmmmm ...... :rolleyes:

UTB & FTP
I think it is clear where majority opinion is now on racism and homophobia. As you say, majorities are not always right, and I am only asking for people to think about what they chant, particularly if it might discourage some people from becoming football fans. That certainly was one of the results of racism. I am not wanting censorship, and I believe that ultimately crowds police themselves. The line between acceptable and unacceptable is always shifting, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. And as I have said several times, I want a loud, raucous, edgy atmosphere at the Lane.
 
Sorry Darthblade, I don't think you are on solid ground with your claim that you speak for the majority of fans. When I read your first comment I understood what you were getting at, but didn't agree, and it certainly doesn't reflect my attitude. I wouldn't make monkey noises at a black player to put him off his game whilst being comfortable that I am not in the slightest bit racist. There isn't that sort of separation in people's minds. Someone who isn't racist wouldn't come up with the idea in the first place.
The same goes for other attitudes towards homosexuality, sexism and rape. The mob mentality in football exposes people, it doesn't reflect a harmless parallel personality.
In the end it comes down to what is and what isn't acceptable. Personally, I don't see the Shoreham Boys chant as sexist or demeaning to women. I can see someone would, but that, for me, heads into PC Brigade territory. It's where the line is, not whether it's ok to shift the line at a football match.

I think you misunderstand me mate ..... I'm not suggesting that I speak for other fans ...... that is quite presumptive and not in any way my intention. Everyone has the right to their own opinions and beliefs ....... we fought wars for that.

I'm suggesting that I don't believe the majority of fans who sing what are deemed to be "abusive" songs are actually expressing their deeply held "ist" beliefs ...... I think they're just being partisan football supporters.

What I'm questioning here is the "right" of any individual / group of individuals to pass judgement and "label" others with PC labels, when they don't even know them.

As you have identified ..... a line is drawn in the sand, but that line is in a different place for different people ( you pointed out that you don't see the Shoreham Boys chant as sexist or demeaning to women, but you recognise that someone else may do). Does that make you wrong ..... no I don't think it does but its a slippery slope when some arbitrary, self-appointed PC censors can be judge, jury and executioner with regard to any of us, based solely upon their own mind set.

I don't think that I am either sexist, homophobic, racist, ageist, disabled-ist ( god ... have I just invented a new one :eek: ) or any of the other PC labels ....... but if somebody occupying that self-decreed high ground says that I am then I inherit the "label" o_O

Personally....... I have broad shoulders and I've been called worse in my life and I take the view ... sticks and stones may break my bones, but calling names won't hurt me ..... but not everybody is so confident / robust and for them this "labelling" represents nothing short of bullying.

That .... is what I disagree with really.

UTB & FTP
 
Hmmmmm ...... again you are over-thinking this I believe. I don't know but there may have been homosexual supporters who were singing it as well .... and had a laugh at the humor of it.

The humour? Of calling a straight man a homosexual? Or am I missing the joke?
 
I think you misunderstand me mate ..... I'm not suggesting that I speak for other fans ...... that is quite presumptive and not in any way my intention. Everyone has the right to their own opinions and beliefs ....... we fought wars for that.

I'm suggesting that I don't believe the majority of fans who sing what are deemed to be "abusive" songs are actually expressing their deeply held "ist" beliefs ...... I think they're just being partisan football supporters.

What I'm questioning here is the "right" of any individual / group of individuals to pass judgement and "label" others with PC labels, when they don't even know them.

As you have identified ..... a line is drawn in the sand, but that line is in a different place for different people ( you pointed out that you don't see the Shoreham Boys chant as sexist or demeaning to women, but you recognise that someone else may do). Does that make you wrong ..... no I don't think it does but its a slippery slope when some arbitrary, self-appointed PC censors can be judge, jury and executioner with regard to any of us, based solely upon their own mind set.

I don't think that I am either sexist, homophobic, racist, ageist, disabled-ist ( god ... have I just invented a new one :eek: ) or any of the other PC labels ....... but if somebody occupying that self-decreed high ground says that I am then I inherit the "label" o_O

Personally....... I have broad shoulders and I've been called worse in my life and I take the view ... sticks and stones may break my bones, but calling names won't hurt me ..... but not everybody is so confident / robust and for them this "labelling" represents nothing short of bullying.

That .... is what I disagree with really.

UTB & FTP

Well, to answer most of that I would just be repeating myself, which I think simply means we disagree. You question whether anyone has the right to pass judgement on people they don't know, but if you can't judge someone by what they've just said, how can you judge someone? "labelling someone" is just a meaningless phrase, really, if someone shouts something racist, I'll judge them to be racist. Sexism is less well defined, but I think the grey area is narrow enough for most people to know what's right and what's wrong.
 
Unlike yesterday, when clearly nothing of interest occurred, today's Star reports on a row between two women at Meadowhall where security staff were called to Boots.

And that's pretty much it.

The Press Awards can't be far off.

Amazing that story stretched to 44 pages, really.
 
The humour? Of calling a straight man a homosexual? Or am I missing the joke?

You ...... my dear chap ..... are missing the point !! ;)

Incidentally ...... I've no idea if he is homosexual or not ....... but by calling him a "straight" man .... you are leaving yourself open to allegations of "casual homophobia" as per the benchmark that has been identified in this thread :eek:;)

UTB & FTP
 
Well, to answer most of that I would just be repeating myself, which I think simply means we disagree. You question whether anyone has the right to pass judgement on people they don't know, but if you can't judge someone by what they've just said, how can you judge someone? "labelling someone" is just a meaningless phrase, really, if someone shouts something racist, I'll judge them to be racist. Sexism is less well defined, but I think the grey area is narrow enough for most people to know what's right and what's wrong.


The point I'm just making is exactly that ...... you judge someone by something they've just said / sung.

But what they've just said / sung at a football match doesn't necessarily define their political / personal beliefs.

For example ...... I sing the Shoreham boys we are here song ...... but I'm a happily married man and have no intention of "shagging other women". I sing the song that ends ... and shoot the Wednesday scum ...... but I don't possess a gun ( neither does my father) and I value my freedom too much to shoot somebody.

I regret that we shall just have to disagree mate ( but not fall out) because I stand by my original point ....... I personally believe that the majority of supporters sing the songs but don't have deeply held "ist" beliefs underpinning them.

UTB & FTP
 
You ...... my dear chap ..... are missing the point !! ;)

Incidentally ...... I've no idea if he is homosexual or not ....... but by calling him a "straight" man .... you are leaving yourself open to allegations of "casual homophobia" as per the benchmark that has been identified in this thread :eek:;)

UTB & FTP


It's given him an idea for a headline in case nothing goes missing off a clothes line at Fox Hill.
 

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Back
Top Bottom