WHAT'S NEXT

  1. Signatures
    161 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. Director, Media Relations, Yankees (Jason Zillo)
  2. Created By
    Michael Jones
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Oct 14, 2010

After receiving more than 160 emails from Change.org members, as well as pressure from LGBT organizations and fans, the New York Yankees pledged to root out the use of a homophobic version of "YMCA" during their home games. In a statement released by the team, the New York Yankees pledged to eject any fan who sings this version of "YMCA," where gay people are called diseased.

UPDATE: After receiving scores of emails from LGBT activists and fans, the New York Yankees responded that they will take action to halt this homophobic fan song. See this post here for an update, and thanks for taking action!

During New York Yankees games, fans from opposing teams can expect to be heckled in the crowd. But are some taking this heckling too far? As has been documented here and here, a group of New York Yankees fans have taken the lyrics to "YMCA," and have replaced it with some deeply disturbing and violent anti-gay lines. A few examples:

"Gay man, get up off of 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 disease. Why are you gay? / I saw you sucking some d-i-c-k."

These lyrics are following up with another verse: "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 disease."

This hardly makes Yankee stadium seem like a safe space for LGBT people, not to mention the message it sends on a broader level, suggesting that it's funny and appropriate to make a song about gay people being diseased.

Fans certainly have a right to free speech. But shouldn't the Yankees officially condemn this kind of rhetoric, and pledge that while they can't control what fans might say in the crowd, they can at least pledge to make sure that Yankee Stadium is safe for all, regardless of their sexual orientation?

Recent Signatures

Please condemn anti-gay fan song and pledge to make Yankee Stadium a safe space

Dear Mr. Zillo,

I wanted to make you aware of a deeply troubling song that has emerged on YouTube, sung by Yankee fans in the crowd at Yankee Stadium. The song, a play on "YMCA," features some damaging homophobic language, and makes a "joke" that gay people are diseased. Here are a few lyrics:

"Gay man, get up off of 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 disease. Why are you gay? / I saw you sucking some d-*-c-k."

The song goes on to again equate gay people with being diseased.

I recognize that you can't control what fans will say in the stands. But this type of song is particularly offensive, and I feel that it should be officially condemned by Yankees staff. Is Yankee Stadium really a safe space for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, when "music" like this is sung?

I'd encourage you to check out the YouTube clip here, which talks about how language like the kind featured in this fan song can create a culture of violence and homophobia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpq4RKYd4wQ&feature=player_profilepage.

I recognize that this isn't an official Yankees song. But I do think that a strong statement from the Yankees office condemning this kind of language would send the message that your front office wants to make Yankee Stadium a safe space for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Many thanks for your time.

[Your name]

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