October 17, 2010

After 10+ Years, Yankee Fans Agree To Stop Homophobic Song

Filip Bondy, Daily News:
The Bleacher Creatures say they will no longer chant homophobic remarks from the rafters of Yankee Stadium after a YouTube video reveals their antics.

The Yankees and representatives of the Bleacher Creatures have come to an agreement to end a long and unfortunate tradition: the taunting of visiting fans in the right-field stands with the lyrics, "Why are you gay?" sung to the "YMCA" song played between innings in mid-game.

A YouTube video filmed by a fan went viral recently, showing Yankee fans in the bleachers serenading a visiting fan with the song, while photos were superimposed in the film of young gay adults and teens who had committed suicide. The Yankees were understandably upset with the homophobic chants and the images associated with them.

After a meeting on the subject, several core Creatures agreed to police their own area and put an end to the tradition, which had upset many fans.

"It's all done," said one long-time Creature, who had never participated in the ritual. "All of it. We're going clean. We didn't like the way the Bleacher Creatures were being looked at. That's not us."
You have been singing the song for more than ten years. That is you.

In less than 10 minutes, I found eight different videos of the song: Late 1990s, Summer 2006 (this one, which has been on YouTube for four years, is particularly menacing), two from May 2007, July 20, 2007, July 3, 2008, May 18, 2009, and October 7, 2009.
Example
Also: Freddy Sez: "I'm Dead"

10 comments:

laura k said...

People who agree to change should be commended. Many people never change. It's never too late, and whenever you do, it's a positive step - and deserves positive reinforcement.

By "that's not us," he means "that is not who I want to be".

laura k said...

Is anyone posting the second half of the chant, what comes after "Why are you gay"? The real homphobic stuff comes next.

allan said...

It was not in the three articles I saw. One said it was too disgusting to reprint.

laura k said...

An anonymous commenter says that "this is what yankee fans are, this is what they want to be, all of them, all across the country".

Judging a person by the team they root for, the cap they wear. "They're all that way."

I suppose the irony is lost on him.

laura k said...

Freddy was so creepy.

Jere said...

No Sheppard, no Big Stein, no Freddy, no gay-bashing? This new Yankee Stadium just isn't the same.

Benjamin said...

Gay man!
Get on up off your knees
I said gay man - you will catch a disease
I said gay man - don't touch me please, because
You have got a dis-ease

Gay man
Wipe that sperm off your chin
I said gay man - what you do is a sin
I said gay man, I won't let you in, because
You have got a dis-ease

chorus.:

Y. R. U. Gay
I saw you sucking some D. I. C. K.
They have every size for your mouth to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys

repeat chorus.


So what are the odds they actually stop singing it? They've said they'd stop in the past. Why is this time any different?

allan said...

Whatever happened to wholesome tunes like "Mike Piazza Is A Horse's Ass"?

I like the idea of fans having whole songs, though, rather than simple chants.

allan said...

This new Yankee Stadium just isn't the same.

Don't worry. You will still be arrested if you do not obey when they tell you to stand up and sing God Bless America.

laura k said...

I see the self-ban is working out nicely. Apparently there's an age after which men are no longer able to be creepy! And old men who went to Yankee games, now they could never be creepy!! Oh no.

* * * *

I must say, I've sat in those right field bleachers many times (mostly during playoffs, not sure if that makes a difference) and I never heard the lyrics Benjamin posted. I don't doubt they were sung, I just never heard them.

The only ones I heard were bad enough.

Y R U Gay
Because you suck you suck you suck
D I C K


And of course the old standby

Mike Piazza is a horse's ass
He thinks he is the meanest
He sucks the biggest penis
Mike Piazza is a horse's ass


substituting whichever player.