Homo : Foul
50 posters on Homosexuality and Football
Europe-wide poster competition for UEFA EURO 2008 organized by QWIEN KULTUR

Preparation phase: September 2007 - May 2008

Presentation: June/July 2008

According to statistics 5 percent of the total population is gay. As a result therefore, of the 500 professional players in the Austrian football league 25 should be gay professional kickers. However, there is not one gay professional player in Austria, not a single player who openly admits his homosexuality.

Football is the last bastion, where the clichés about "real men" can be lived out, on the field as well in the fan sections. Bad play is termed "feminine", and feminine behaviour is not welcome, is put down, segregated, and this form of behaviour leads to sexism and homophobia. Hesitant or poor players are referred to as "sissies" or "faggots" and the opponents berated as "fags", with defensive play commonly ending up in "limp - wristed" passes. This kind of outright macho behaviour is common practise and not only in Austrian stadiums.

Women in the role of players, fans, board members and journalists are the exceptions. However female football players are termed "butch" or "lesbian", with lesbian being used here to indicate unattractive and "masculine".

Heterosexual men have a great fear of body contact with homosexuals. In the spirit of football this fear is out of proportion as the game is a very contact intensive sport, which involves grabbing, marking and holding onto the opponent. After scoring a goal, it is common to see players heartily hugging and patting each other. This behaviour on the field is acceptable for heterosexuals as long as a player makes no attempt to have intimate contact with men in his private life. But as long as "bending over to pick up the soap in the shower" is still seen as the punch line in a joke, nothing will change. There exists a need for action.

With the event of the UEFA EURO 2008 Qwien Kultur will put a focus on city life, in that it is making a theme out of homophobia in football. By issuing a Europe-wide poster competition we are making an otherwise taboo topic public during the period of the UEFA EURO EM 2008.

All poster submissions must reach Qwien Kultur by the end of May 2008. A pre-selection jury will select the best 50, after which a jury of well-known experts will decide on the best three. The announcement of the winner and the presentation of the prize money will be made public through media partners. During the UEFA EURO 2008 and till the Rainbow Parade in mid-July 2008, the best 50 posters will be exhibited in a public venue.

Homo : Foul 50 posters on Homosexuality and Soccer
Competition: Submissions till 30 May 2008
Opening of exhibition and announcement of winner: 4 June 2008