An ethnographic exploration of homophobic chants in English Premier League stadia: the paradox of being accepted and included

Through first-hand experiences, observation, and an adapted theoretical framework using concepts devised by Goffman (1959, 1969), this study investigates how fans view homophobic chants within football stadiums. The core theoretical concepts of dramaturgy, impression management and “front stage” and “backstage” regions of performance have been used to help conceptualise the data collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The research aim of this project was to critically explore homophobic chants in the English Premier League (EPL), through the perspective of male, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other sexually diverse people (LGBTQ+) football fans aged 18–35 years old. The novelty of this study lies in the exploration of how specifically male-identifying LGBTQ + football fans perceive homophobia and chant-based abuse during football matches. Findings included fear of safety preventing challenging homophobia in the stands, and “frontstage” performances that were used. The paper introduces a new theoretical concept of the acceptance and inclusion paradox in the context of male gay football fans in England and considers how this may provide a useful exploratory tool for exploring nuances and transgressive behaviours around accepting homophobia.