There appears to be some confusion online about what we mean when we say “y’all means all” in the Austin FC fan community, so we here at The False 9 felt it was appropriate to write this handy guide. Consider this an act of service journalism.
What Does “Y’all Means All” Mean?
It means that no one will be excluded from (or marginalized within) our soccer community based on age, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, physical ability, immigration status, or socioeconomic background. It also means that the only barrier for entry into this community is that you demonstrate a level of respect for people who do not share your age, race, gender identity, etc. Pretty simple, right?
What Doesn’t “Y’all Means All” Mean?
Literally anything else.
Still, that hasn’t stopped people within our community from contorting these three words in any number of ways, oftentimes directly contradicting the intended meaning. “Y’all means all” does not mean that every inane idea or dumb opinion needs to be given equal weight in the public discourse, only that the message should not be minimized or discounted because of the messenger. It is not a “Get Out of Jail Free” card for arguments made in bad faith, it is not a way to excuse toxic behavior, and it is never the “gotcha!” that its more insidious wielders think it is. If someone tells you that you are being inappropriate in word or deed, or even if they are just kindly explaining the flaws in your argument, and your response is “but I thought y’all means all,” you are turning a message of positivity and acceptance into a cudgel to silence your critics. Don’t do that.
But perhaps you still have questions about the meaning of “y’all means all.” So by way of example, let’s enumerate a few things that it absolutely doesn’t mean.
It Doesn’t Mean You Get To Be Creepily Misogynistic
It Doesn’t Mean You Get To Stand With the Band
It Doesn’t Mean… Whatever This Is
It Doesn’t Mean It’s Applicable Only To Issues That Personally Affect You
It Doesn’t Mean That Everyone Needs To Comport To Your Personal Idea of Fandom
And It Never, Ever Means No One Should Face Any Consequences For Targeting The Same Marginalized Groups We Aim To Support
We hope that helps.
H.E. Pennypacker
H.E. Pennypacker spends far too much time thinking about Austin FC, much to the consternation of his friends, family, and employers. He could really go for a sandwich right about now.
Any plans to expand to insta? Can I subscribe to your mailing list? Long time admirer, first time commenter, asking for the twitterless.
We’re looking into it!
Dang yall brought the receipts lol.
Unfortunately, we do need to think a bit more and listen a bit more in our communications with other supporters and fans in general right now. We have had disagreements in the past, but the issue with Cecilio is more deeply rooted and insidious than anything we have had to grapple with before. Just remember: we are all on the same team and want is best for Austin FC and our community. We just have different opinions about what that looks like and how it can be achieved.
This is one feeble article lmao. This made me chuckle.
This is not a comment about the content of this article, but I wanted to say it somewhere.
Regardless of the reasons for or the merits of the 10 minutes of silence from the supporters section, those 10 minutes were super interesting!
It was really the first time we’ve heard what a full Q2 stadium sounds like without songs, and it was … still very loud! It was dynamic! It was responsive!
I love the music, it made the first season magical. I am not suggesting we give it up. But maybe some breaks might allow other good things to emerge?