To the fans singing homophobic chants: it opposes everything Liverpool stands for 🚫
Regardless of the reasons behind the chant, it has to end
This isn’t an article I was expecting to write today in the wake of Liverpool’s 1-1 clash with Chelsea.
Though there will be time given to the footballing details, it’s sadly pertinent that we must devote words once more to the ongoing issue of homophobic chants.
With the club having already released a statement with regard to the ‘rent boy’ chant following its targetted use against on-loan Chelsea star Billy Gilmour during our meeting with Norwich City earlier this month, there can be no excuses regarding ignorance of the matter.
Yet, despite the pleas of Jurgen Klopp, the LGBTQ+ community and the club, a section of fans persisted with the offending chant when the Reds came up against league rivals Chelsea yesterday evening.
The issue has already been covered in depth by prominent writers, with The Athletic’s Simon Hughes striking the nail squarely on the head with his remarks around the enabling of prejudice.
“Yet these conclusions overlook a history of deep anti-Irish sentiment, an acceptable bigotry which has been allowed to endure through stereotype and myth, partly because when such perceptions of Liverpool as a place are contested, the condemned are framed as being sensitive and whiny, which then acts as a suppressant,” the journalist wrote for the publication.
“As a resident of the city, whenever dialogue meets such a point with someone from elsewhere, who usually tends to be going off what they have heard about Liverpool and its people rather than what they have experienced themselves, I have been asked many times, ‘Where is your famous Scouse sense of humour?’
“It is on this basis Liverpudlians - or more specifically, the supporters of Liverpool at Carrow Road who sang about the Norwich midfielder Billy Gilmour being a ‘rent boy’, because he is on loan there from Chelsea - should remember the harm that can be done by tired lines that enable prejudices to carry across generations.”
There have been counter-arguments - as Hughes has pointed to - around the character of the chants, with some suggesting that they are not inherently to their core homophobic or, at the very least, not intentionally so.
Nonetheless, it has to be pointed out that if a community feels a particular action is harmful and serves to further marginalise them - as @JoeMConnolly noted in a tweet below - what possible justification can be used to ensure its continuity?
As a city and fanbase that is often faced with vile opposition chants - from ‘bin dippers’ to ‘sign on’ - Liverpool fans should know better than to contribute to the problem with a toxic chant of their own.
As a city and people that stand apart from the English entity, identifying as ‘Scouse not English’, taking a stand against harmful chants would be more befitting of Liverpool’s general character.
Favouring ignorance and pointing the finger at other fanbases whilst saying, “but look at them! They do it too!” as a justification for protecting the ‘rent boy’ chants is incredibly far removed from a Scouse mentality.
Whilst some fans failed to heed the pleas of the LGBTQ+ community against Chelsea, we’re hopeful here at EOTK Insider that the offending supporters can remember the values of the club and city and stand up as an ally to marginalised communities.
If not, they shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the club, city, nor the sport in general.
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