A complicated relationship between radical leftism and sexism in a European supporters’ group
The presence of a sexist banner highlights a sometimes overlooked element of progressivism
In the Cypriot First Division earlier this season, supporters of AC Omonia flew an — uh — interesting banner (pictured above).
I’m just kidding; it wasn’t interesting. It was disgustingly degrading to women, and I don’t think I have to explain why. It also exposes an interesting juxtaposition in the ideology of supporters’ groups like this.
Yes, this exact type of thing has been seen before — but it would seem more surprising from a supporters’ group whose identity is centered around far-leftism, complete with hammer and sickle tifos. Anti-sexism is most certainly part of the radical leftist ideology, especially since communists fight capitalism in part because they claim it to be an inherently sexist and racist system. However, it seems that, in this case, the complete equality advocated by communism curiously and abruptly ends before getting to gender equality.
Of course, anti-misogynistic messaging has not been left out of every leftist European ultras group. For example, protests from supporters of Hamburg’s St. Pauli against adult magazine Maxim’s sexist portrayals of women led to the club banning their adverts from the ground. But the difference is that St. Pauli has the highest proportion of female fans in all of Germany and that Omonia…does not. Although there is obviously a difference between excluding women and outright objectifying them, a lack of women to speak up and educate the rest of the group about sexism helps lead to the latter. And it is important to note that the banner seems to not be an organized, section-wide display, as with the hammer and sickle, but rather was held up by just one or two people. So while it might still seem odd that anyone in a radical leftist group would hold this idea, it is not one that the entire group can be immediately blamed for.
Although no instance of sexism should be excused, AC Omonia’s leftism is firmly rooted in economic ideology rather than being born from leftist social leanings. In addition to the hammer and sickle tifos, there have been banners celebrating Che Guevara, as a study found that 60% of the club’s supporters identify with the Cyprus communist party (the Progressive Party of Working People). This is because the vast — and I mean vast — majority of the club’s supporters are of the labor working class, who might not have the luxury of the same education that has teaches Americans a leftism that includes fighting sexism as well fascism (their rivals, APOEL Nicosia, have been known to fly fascist flags). And because of the general sexism and gendered social divisions in Cyprus, the supporters are also mostly — and I mean mostly — male. Thus it is unfortunate, but it makes sense that anti-sexism would fall to the bottom of their particular leftist focuses, if they would even think about focusing on it at all.
I guess progressivism comes with something of a learning curve, as with most things in life. That it seems to be an isolated few group members holding the banner is a good sign. Hopefully these banners — and the thoughts behind them — are pushed to smaller and smaller scales until they disappear entirely.
