The LGBTQ+ community and its history have a… let’s say ‘complicated relationship’ with football. The integration and normality of LGBTQ+ players and fans in the women’s game compared to the difficulty of integration within the men’s game. History shows that after Justin Fashanu came out publicly as gay in 1990 it took over 30 years for the next male professional footballer in England to come out as openly gay … 2022, Jake Daniels. However, you look across to the women’s game the WSL and beyond LGBTQ+ inclusion is integrated and part of the game. Sam Kerr, Demi Stokes, Rachel Daly to name a few, all openly LGBT.
The discourse around LGBT inclusion in football extends past rainbow flags, laces, and captain armbands but how does football change years of ingrained homophobia, toxic masculinity and exclusion of a community who just want to love who they love.
Tackling this all at once is rather difficult but over recent years there has been a move towards better inclusion and safer spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. Football vs Homophobia was originally created by the Justin Campaign honouring the late Justin Fashanu. The campaign was used to demonstrate that still 10 years following Fashanu’s suicide, homophobia was still prevalent across grassroots football and the pro-game. Increased publicity and funding of the campaign has grown because of the work Football vs Homophobia do, supporting grassroots clubs, non-league, pro-clubs, County FAs, Leagues and Fans to create safe welcoming and inclusive spaces, create opportunities and promote opportunities for LGBTQ+ people, improve representation and visibility of LGBT people across football and to use football as a tool to make positive change.
Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign started in 2013, aiming to create an annual event in support of the LGBTQ+ community and increasing diversity across sport globally. The simplicity of changing ordinary laces to a sign of support and inclusion. A campaign which has made strides, highlighting key issues within sport and serving as a consistent reminder of the steps football especially needs to take. Step forward Qatar 2022 World Cup… suddenly something as simple as a rainbow lace or the one love armband, a show of solidarity became a talking point… I ask, is it really ever inappropriate to stand for inclusion?
Are you playing your part in creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all in the game.
History will look back to see that not one player took a stand that tournament, not one pair of rainbow laces laced on a single boot nor one rainbow armband found its place on the arm of many privileged men. It’s quite easy to feel that after the strides the game took forward, that this felt like a huge step back… but past the laces and armbands there is more hope… there is movement…
Step forward the work of those in the grassroots game, a game heavily relied on by volunteers has dug its studs into the turf to continue to provide an accessible and inclusive game for all. From LGBTQ+ clubs such as Stonewall FC, Nottingham Lions & Mersey Marauders FC and many more provide, safe spaces and access to football for the LGBTQ+ community. To County FAs such as Lincolnshire FA launching LGBTQ+ workshops and accreditations for clubs, to learn how best to support their players and community. And finally the work of the FA National Youth Council, in the 2021/22 season the Youth council team delivered the ‘From Pride to Purpose’ webinar series, 5 webinars designed to empower young people to learn about the LGBTQ+ Community, allyship and challenging Anti-LGBT cultures. The work to inspire, educate and empower young people to take action and be allies within the game didn’t stop with this series, the FA National youth council continues to deliver a range of Workshops and discussion to actively empower young people to be a part of the change, to drive allyship and inclusion in their local communities. The grassroots game is taking hold of the FA’s football ‘For All’ motto and driving safe spaces forward. Is the game perfect? No. but the movement towards stronger LGBTQ+ inclusion is bold and strong, and changing the game.
The legacy of the drive of the grassroots football appetite of change and inclusion, is carving out a new path for the game.