Proud Shrimpers - LGBTQ+ & Allies Supporters Group

[alfiet]

Hello!

A new supporters group has recently been formed aimed towards LGBTQ+ blues fans & any allies. The group hope to work with the club on a number of campaigns while also creating a safe space for any LGBTQ+ blues fans to meet others and discuss all things Southend!

They are currently looking for fans to join their committee to help them grow and achieve some great campaign outcomes! If you are interested in taking up a postion please send a message to any of their social channels or via email: proudshrimpers@gmail.com

To find out more and to led your support to the new group give them a follow on their Socials below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProudShrimpers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProudShrimpers
Website: https://proudshrimpers.wixsite.com/home

Up the Blues!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Good work mate, I would help out but I'm even more socially distant than Sooty.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I probably shouldn't comment on this but despite being a dinosaur I try to keep current. What is the point of the group? Genuine question. No offence intended. It seems to me we should be looking to have an all inclusive shrimpers fan base. It's of no consequence to me what the political, religious, sexual persuasion of others is and yet I have no desire to start a white, hetrosexual group to represent my demograph. I acknowledge the years of prejudice many have been subjected to and, collectively, we should aim to eradicate it. Diversity is the word. This is a genuine request for enlightenment.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

I probably shouldn't comment on this but despite being a dinosaur I try to keep current. What is the point of the group? Genuine question. No offence intended. It seems to me we should be looking to have an all inclusive shrimpers fan base. It's of no consequence to me what the political, religious, sexual persuasion of others is and yet I have no desire to start a white, hetrosexual group to represent my demograph. I acknowledge the years of prejudice many have been subjected to and, collectively, we should aim to eradicate it. Diversity is the word. This is a genuine request for enlightenment.

Cant but agree with the above,plus we got a perfectly good Supporters club

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I probably shouldn't comment on this but despite being a dinosaur I try to keep current. What is the point of the group? Genuine question. No offence intended. It seems to me we should be looking to have an all inclusive shrimpers fan base. It's of no consequence to me what the political, religious, sexual persuasion of others is and yet I have no desire to start a white, hetrosexual group to represent my demograph. I acknowledge the years of prejudice many have been subjected to and, collectively, we should aim to eradicate it. Diversity is the word. This is a genuine request for enlightenment.

Agree totally. By creating a group for a specific demographic you are immediately segregating those in that group

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think the thing is that being LGBT+ it isn’t easy to be open about that in a football setting. That doesn’t necessarily mean banging on about Stonewall or references to sex lives - it means talking about experiences at footy or at home on lockdown like everyone else does on here, but being confident to refer clearly to partners of the same sex in anecdotes without worrying about the response. Groups like this can help people feel they fit in more completely (hey, there are other LGBT shrimpers after all!) and that’s a good thing. It builds confidence and in time the hope is that nobody feels the need for these groups, although there is never any harm in them. We all have friendship groups on here - some are in footy teams together or all manner of other things that that group share in common. That doesn’t make people a prisoner of those groups - we all chat to anyone on here and that would be the same for this group too.

It would be great if the conversation and community aspects of the website could be on ShrimperZone instead of elsewhere - I do think that that could be quite isolating and I for one would love to talk about what we could do on here - the main Shrimpers online community - to include this new group and give it a space to chat that would be visible to more potential new allies (everyone is a potential ally).

 

[Strike Force]

Agree totally. By creating a group for a specific demographic you are immediately segregating those in that group

You're only segregating if you're anti the group in question. I can't imagine even in 2020 many LGBQT people who would feel comfortable truly being themselves in public, let alone at a football match. Groups like this would encourage people to know they're not alone - always vital when you're part of a minority and one which can be targeted by people. Secondly, safety in numbers would boost confidence and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Same reason you'd have a kids supporter group or a northerners in exile supporter group - to make you feel more involved with what you're passionate about.

 

[Special Blue]

I for one am proud the club,zone,trust are inclusive and no need for separate groups!
We're all Shrimpers?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I’ll start here, if it helps others do the same.

I’m a gay man who is a proud lifelong Shrimper. A mate of mine (also gay) and an Owls fan designed the ShrimperZone logo with the football and the local/SUFC references and the typeface. We’re here on the Zone and making a contribution. It’s nice to be open about it for once. ?

 

[davewebbsbrain]

You're only segregating if you're anti the group in question. I can't imagine even in 2020 many LGBQT people who would feel comfortable truly being themselves in public, let alone at a football match. Groups like this would encourage people to know they're not alone - always vital when you're part of a minority and one which can be targeted by people. Secondly, safety in numbers would boost confidence and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Same reason you'd have a kids supporter group or a northerners in exile supporter group - to make you feel more involved with what you're passionate about.

By turning up at a game and getting behind your team is good enough for me. I didn't need to be told that someone is LGBQT. I have friends who fit that demographic but they don't feel the need to be in a LBGQT group or tell everyone. I don't feel the need to tell everyone my sexuality or be in a group that defines my sexuality. A person is a person, from my point of view, nothing else to it

 

[Mad Cyril]

I probably shouldn't comment on this but despite being a dinosaur I try to keep current. What is the point of the group? Genuine question. No offence intended. It seems to me we should be looking to have an all inclusive shrimpers fan base. It's of no consequence to me what the political, religious, sexual persuasion of others is and yet I have no desire to start a white, hetrosexual group to represent my demograph. I acknowledge the years of prejudice many have been subjected to and, collectively, we should aim to eradicate it. Diversity is the word. This is a genuine request for enlightenment.

White heterosexual men probably don't need reassurance that they are welcome at football matches and that they are safe and enjoyable events to attend.

 

[Special Blue]

White heterosexual men probably don't need reassurance that they are welcome at football matches and that they are safe and enjoyable events to attend.

Don't understand that at all!

 

[onceknownasrab]

White heterosexual men probably don't need reassurance that they are welcome at football matches and that they are safe and enjoyable events to attend.

Nobody should need reassurance. Inclusivity is key. Once it was LGBT then LGBTQ and now LGBTQ +. Inclusivity covers everyone from A - Z. If you want abused groups then you need a supporters group for ethnic minorities, for being fat, disabled, etc or we can have one that includes everybody. I know which way I prefer.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I probably shouldn't comment on this but despite being a dinosaur I try to keep current. What is the point of the group? Genuine question. No offence intended. It seems to me we should be looking to have an all inclusive shrimpers fan base. It's of no consequence to me what the political, religious, sexual persuasion of others is and yet I have no desire to start a white, hetrosexual group to represent my demograph. I acknowledge the years of prejudice many have been subjected to and, collectively, we should aim to eradicate it. Diversity is the word. This is a genuine request for enlightenment.

Genuine question, do you think your post, however well intentioned, and then the others who piled in on support of you, actually made them feel more or less welcome?

ps I previously started a group to represent a demographic I was in - Southend fans working in London who liked beer. Nobody jumped on me and questioned why I felt the need to start City Shrimpers when it excluded those who didn't work in London or didn't like beer.

By turning up at a game and getting behind your team is good enough for me. I didn't need to be told that someone is LGBQT. I have friends who fit that demographic but they don't feel the need to be in a LBGQT group or tell everyone. I don't feel the need to tell everyone my sexuality or be in a group that defines my sexuality. A person is a person, from my point of view, nothing else to it

I love how you claim you don't need to tell everyone your sexuality the sentence after establishing that your experience of this comes from your friends being in that demographic rather than being firsthand

Also, if you have friends who are in that demographic then why aren't you an ally? I mean the opening sentence of the thread says its open to allies, so why do you feel excluded?

White heterosexual men probably don't need reassurance that they are welcome at football matches and that they are safe and enjoyable events to attend.

You say that, but there seem to be a lot of very insecure heterosexual men on this thread

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Genuine question, do you think your post, however well intentioned, and then the others who piled in on support of you, actually made them feel more or less welcome?

ps I previously started a group to represent a demographic I was in - Southend fans working in London who liked beer. Nobody jumped on me and questioned why I felt the need to start City Shrimpers when it excluded those who didn't work in London or didn't like beer.




I love how you claim you don't need to tell everyone your sexuality the sentence after establishing that your experience of this comes from your friends being in that demographic rather than being firsthand

Also, if you have friends who are in that demographic then why aren't you an ally? I mean the opening sentence of the thread says its open to allies, so why do you feel excluded?



You say that, but there seem to be a lot of very insecure heterosexual men on this thread

I think you spend too much time trying pull people's posts apart. There's probably a group for that too

Yes I said I have friends in that demographic but I didn't say what demographic I fitted. Do I need to, will it make a difference what you think about me?

 

[alfiet]

We started Proud Shrimpers as a way of bringing lgbtq+ fans together in what is traditionally an environment that has been very hard for many to openly be themselves without experiencing homophobic abuse. There are hundreds of lgbtq+ football supporters groups around the country, all of which have built successful relationships with their clubs and other supporters groups.

We have already been in contact with the Shrimpers Trust and the Southend United Community & Education Trust, with both of them expressing excitement and encouragement for making a success of Proud Shrimpers.

Our website is currently just a holding page with very small details about what we are about and hope to achieve, at no point will it become an online community that may impact onto some of the other fantastic communities that have already been established, most noticeably here on ShrimperZone.

We love Southend United just as much as anyone else but unfortunately there are many lgbtq+ fans who do not feel comfortable attending matches, as a very small minority of fans make them feel unwelcome. We hope to work with the club and other supporter groups to ensure everyone can enjoy watching the blues no matter their sexual orientation, ethnic minority or disability.

We welcome all supporters into our group and since launching have been overwhelmed by the positive support we have received from our own fanbase, the club and the hundreds of other lgbtq+ supporter groups across the UK.

 

[Ramsdenblue]

I would like to start a group called PSPTOLLFC and the LGBT etc can join in as well if they want.

PSPALLFF - Premiership supporters psi’s taking of lower league football clubs.
Sometimes I do feel I have to justify myself to the many arm chair premiershite supporters

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I would like to start a group called PSPTOLLFC and the LGBT etc can join in as well if they want.

PSPALLFF - Premiership supporters psi’s taking of lower league football clubs.
Sometimes I do feel I have to justify myself to the many arm chair premiershite supporters

I’ll probably join that too. There’s a rather obvious error in your post though

 

[thenobster]

Two words: Justin Fashanu. Thats why its a good idea to have the group.
If the footballers find it difficult in a 'mans' world, then why wont it be the same for the supporters?

 

[onceknownasrab]

We started Proud Shrimpers as a way of bringing lgbtq+ fans together in what is traditionally an environment that has been very hard for many to openly be themselves without experiencing homophobic abuse. There are hundreds of lgbtq+ football supporters groups around the country, all of which have built successful relationships with their clubs and other supporters groups.

We have already been in contact with the Shrimpers Trust and the Southend United Community & Education Trust, with both of them expressing excitement and encouragement for making a success of Proud Shrimpers.

Our website is currently just a holding page with very small details about what we are about and hope to achieve, at no point will it become an online community that may impact onto some of the other fantastic communities that have already been established, most noticeably here on ShrimperZone.

We love Southend United just as much as anyone else but unfortunately there are many lgbtq+ fans who do not feel comfortable attending matches, as a very small minority of fans make them feel unwelcome. We hope to work with the club and other supporter groups to ensure everyone can enjoy watching the blues no matter their sexual orientation, ethnic minority or disability.

We welcome all supporters into our group and since launching have been overwhelmed by the positive support we have received from our own fanbase, the club and the hundreds of other lgbtq+ supporter groups across the UK.

I have no issue with your point. There should not be any menace or fear felt attending a game. For anyone. The point I am making is you say you welcome all supporters. So it's ok if everyone joins your group and makes it one but it's not ok for you to join the existing group and keep it one. All we need to do is have lines of communication. Fans should be able to express the issues they face and we should all do what we can to redress them. The issues are far more than sexuality and need to be dealt with holistically. UTB.
Many people have felt intimidation or unease at football matches. Parents are often concerned about what their children may hear or witness. Some seniors naturally feel vulnerable. That's aging for you. Even the staff are not immune to the nastiness that infests the occasion even though, keeping it in context, the perpetrators are, thankfully, a minority. If you said you were heading some sort of Respect campaign that addressed the issues of abuse, sexism, violence and all other ills, then I would be 100% behind you. Addressing all the problems with one voice. United. I don't see how compartmenalising problems helps. However, I am very sorry that you or anyone feels that attending the hall can be scary. That is plain wrong and as far as I am concerned I extend a welcome to everyone.