“And they couldn’t confront me. They stood in their thousands at the back of the crowd but would probably say nothing if I walked past them in the street. And that makes me feel stronger.”



...And that is why he should take it with a pinch of salt! Like "99%" of other RL players let his Rugby answer his knockers! I've seen some of the abuse team mates give each other on Myspace and facebook and it's brutal, Jeez grow a pair! Turn around and smile at the fans!

I remember several Wildcats fans singing chubby songs about Castleford's Michael Smith and he gave us all the world's smallest violin gesture.

Union players must are so straight!

It's a good topic of debate to be honest, you're going to get fans commenting about all manner of things, I think we've all been guilty at some stage, of even some chants that aren't true, Crabree "Gypo" Griffin "Teapot" Bird "Beefeater" it's where the line is drawn.

It's hard to chastise and control 5,000-10,000 fans and the fact, irony even, that a huge and tough quality Rugby player has claimed he fancies men will always get at least one youth calling him something or other. I think the more Thomas moans the more sledging he will recieve! Craig Smith just got on with the game and played it hard, not many ribbed him.



It's none of our business that's true but fans always look for an angle to put opposition off or indimidate, whether it's shouting "ooooooohhhh" when a kicker is about to kick a goal' if a player has taken drugs in the past, "Druggie!!!" or left their club in unfavourable terms, "Judas!!!"



It's always been evident in Rugby league, they mustn't be used to it in RU.

=#8000FFThe thing is fans know who they are but the club can't/won't do anything without "evidence", facebook statuses admitting it aren't enough it seems.

The bloke is pulling on the shirt and having a go in the toughest sport in the world, at 36 years of age. For that he deserves respect. His sexuality, colour , race etc is of no concern to me.

Really?



Here's the crux of the matter, maybe it should be a poll - Do you (as in anyone on here) think it's ok to shout homophobic abuse at a rugby league player? If he played for Wakefield (and who's to say one of our, or any other teams players, isn't gay), how would you react to others having a go at one of our own? Is it ok for players/officials/spectators to have to hide their sexuality because of backward thinking people?



None of this 'PC gone mad' rubbish - this is nothing to do with it - simple questions, simple answers?

I agree, it is.



When I was a kid, I remember the monkey chants coming from a large section of the crowd when Des Drummond played against us. Black players were a rarity in the game in those days, as indeed were black people in Wakefield. I wouldn't expect to see any of that kind of behaviour at a league game now. There may well be a good number of fans who are prejudiced against black players, but they know to keep their traps shut and not to shout abuse at games (well, the majority, at least). The same is true in this case. You may think it's banter, but who are you to judge?



The club can't control the reactions of such a large number of people, but the stewards can act to remove people they see/hear making homophobic remarks. It seems draconian to some now, but in the same period of time it's taken fans to realise black players are not monkeys, fans may realise they were bang out of order on this issue too.

Homophobic: a strong dislike and fear of homosexual people



If Gareth dropped the ball and somebody shouted "did you think it was a big block of soap Thomas," would that really be homophobic?



Maybe have a few vote options?



Homophobic abuse.

Homosexual related banter.

No gay remarks at all.

Spot on!

Do black people eat bananas?

Good point!



Sadly one remark would get you a night in the cell and the other not.

Does that make one right and the other not?

No it means both are insulting but with different consequences. I personally wouldn't want fans getting at me for recently coming out but I would expect it, understand it and take it from the terraces. Some forms of insults are more socially exceptable than others but I'd like to think our fans can stay away from the upper limits that nears abuse.