Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 CONTENTS

1. FARE AND V HOMOPHOBIA 3 2. FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA MONTH OF ACTION 2021 4 3. FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA 9 WHAT’S NEXT FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AND FOOTBALL? 4. FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA MONTH OF ACTION DATA 11

2 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 1. FARE AND FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA

Each February, the Fare network teams up with Football v Homophobia to run an international campaign tackling LGBTIQ+ exclusion within sport and wider society.

Established in 2010, Football v Homophobia (FvH) challenges discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, providing support, education and training to promote an inclusive environment in football.

Since 2011, Fare and FvH have been joining forces to work across different levels of football and help bring about positive change for LGBTIQ+ communities.

Each year in February, groups across Europe and beyond are supported by Fare and FvH by receiving grants to run football-related activities to promote LGTBIQ+ rights during the Football v Homophobia Month of Action. Activities range from educational workshops, roundtables, conferences and football tournaments.

3 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 2. FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA MONTH OF ACTION 2021

n February 2021, Fare provided grants to 13 groups across the globe, with Episode one looks at LGBTIQ+ fans and homophobia in stadiums, with Onã a focus on creative and impactful action to promote inclusion, through Rudá from LGBTricolor in Bahia talking about the experiences and challenges In 2020 Fare awarded 26 international cooperation, education, or lobbying. facing queer fans in the virtual and physical stands. They ask whether in the I country that kills the most LGBTIQ+ people in the world, these fan groups In 2020 Fare awarded 26 organisations in Europe grants of up to €500; in can act as a form of resistance? Listen here. organisations in Europe grants 2021, 13 organisations were awarded grants of up to €1000. For the first time, Fare extended the programme of grants beyond Europe, with groups in Latin The second podcast addresses the topic of ‘Women in football and the America and Africa joining the FvH month of action with funds of 1000 USD counter-attack to machismo, misogyny and lesbophobia’. This episode of up to €500; in 2021 13 for groups available. Projects in , Brazil and Uganda, as well as across features Joane Ribeiro, a Black lesbian football and futsal player, who Europe, highlighted an exciting global growth in the Football v Homophobia discusses her struggle against racism and lesbophobia throughout her organisations were awarded month of action. career and the financial barriers to pursuing a career abroad. Listen here.

With continuing global restrictions on playing and watching sport due to The third episode entitled: ‘Trans people in football: what’s at stake?’ focuses grants of up to €1000 Covid19 and in response to growing political movements that seek to limit on the experiences and stories Bernardo Gonzales, a transmasculine the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, this season Fare put a priority on exceptional teacher and amateur football player. Bernardo talks of the gender issues activities that offset some of the pandemic’s adverse effects and supported impacting football and his reconnection with the sport, despite it still being a positive rights in the face of repressive ideas. hostile environment for trans people. Listen here.

In Brazil two renowned organisations, Ludopedio and Revista Gambiarra - In the final podcast, ‘Against homophobia: the case of gay players in Jornalismo, Cultura e Ativismo, joined forces to produce a series of podcasts. amateur football’, Alexandre Antoniazzi Franco de Souza is interviewed. Alexandre is a gay man, Italian teacher and an enthusiastic amateur football “It is really important to use our voices in such a conservative country as player with NATUS FC, based in São Paulo. He speaks about his passion for Brazil. It is important to raise awareness on the issues of LGBTIQ+ people in and connection with football played by people who defy machismo and football. As a LGBTIQ+ woman myself, I was really happy to be able to lift our homophobic standards. Listen here. community and reach out to those who are often forgotten in the sporting world.” – Julia Belas, podcast presenter

4 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 In Mexico we also had two organisations joining the Football v Homophobia month of action: DIDESEX and the NGO Versus founded by renowned sports journalist Marion Reimers.

Versus focused on producing a concise and practical guide for sports journalists and reporters on how to approach subjects related to the LGBTIQ+ community. After research and collaboration with LGBTIQ+ activists, Versus officially launched their media guide for journalists during the FvH month. The guide (in Spanish) is to be used by journalists, so that they can approach and write about issues related to the LGBTIQ+ community without perpetuating homophobic attitudes or gendered stereotypes. The guide can be found here: http://versus. mx/guia.pdf

In the build-up to the guide’s launch, Versus teamed up with several players from the Mexican League to tell and share their story through videos and a social media campaign. In one video, Janelly Farias, Mariana Cadena, and discussed being LGBTIQ+ in sports. A second campaign video featuring and Bárbara Sandoval centred around the need for more and better representation of the LGBTIQ+ community in sports media, while the final video featuring Ana Gaby Lozada was a direct invitation to reporters to download, use, and share the guide.

“We can help to reduce homophobic violence if we dare to tell new stories.” – Ana Gaby Lozada (professional player in Mexico)

Meanwhile, DIDESEX focused on reporting homophobia in football. Homophobic abuse in Mexican football is widespread and persistent through the use of the “puto” chant. DIDESEX used the FvH action month as an opportunity to develop a functioning reporting mechanism. As a start, DIDESEX trained volunteers in how to take on a reporting role at matches and they also built a website tailor-made for reporting homophobia in football. A webinar was organised to launch the website and discuss homophobia in football, DIDESEX are committed to continue promote the website and follow up on reported incidents. The website is here.

5 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 In Uganda the ground-breaking Tomorrow Women in Sports organised a campaign to address homophobia, specifically homophobic chants and abuse in football. As well as creating an online campaign, the group organised workshops to address the topic.

The Football v Homophobia month of action also saw important work in Europe. In Ukraine, the Klitschko Foundation’s “Football for Everyone” campaign seeks to combat homophobia, transphobia and discrimination by working with physical education teachers in sport and football.

The group ran both practical and virtual sessions led by experts in the LGBTIQ+ community, including women football coaches from the Amateur Women’s Football Club NRG, a practicing psychologist from Kyiv Pride NGO, and a sports journalist from the magazine ‘Gender in detail’.

The sessions looked at discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ community in football from different perspectives. The participating coaches were tasked with Tomorrow Women in Sports, Uganda. Klitschko Foundation, Ukraine. organising similar sessions for their pupils. Over 400 pupils in different regions of Ukraine have benefited from the tools their teachers received during these training sessions. More information on the campaign and the key outcomes from their sessions here. Over 400 pupils in different Mykola Niga (participant): “I was lucky to become a participant in the Football regions of Ukraine have for Everyone project. In the project, thanks to lectures and practical classes, I changed my view of people of different genders and sexual orientations: I learned to understand people, despite their differences, whereas I previously had benefited from the tools their a different opinion. For myself, I drew the following conclusion from the project: we do not have the right to judge people for how nature created them, but we must all live in harmony and fight against discrimination in society. I want to teachers received during these discuss this topic with my students. I believe that my local project of “Football for everyone” will be the starting point for this.” training sessions.

Klitschko Foundation, Ukraine.

6 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 In Poland, a newly created grassroots women’s walking football club joined the FvH month for the first time. Poland has seen growing levels of discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ community in recent years, with some cities introducing LGBTIQ+ free zones. The players of Stars Lodz used their walking football club to make the sport accessible to all and provide a safe place to play. During the FvH month of action they organised open training sessions and actively promoted their club. They reached almost 100 participants with their open sessions.

2021 marks exactly 100 years since the FA banned women’s football in . To mark this centenary Goal Diggers FC, a London-based grassroots club, created a protest kit to mark this event and celebrate the intersectional stories of the women and non-binary people who pioneered the women’s game. The group hosted an online virtual session ‘For the Love of the Game’ to reveal their kit and a panel discussion with players and campaigners (including goalkeeper Chloe Morgan and Sammy Walker of Soho FC).

“The significance of FvH month of action is twofold: Representation and celebration. I think FvH is fabulous for representation on the bigger scale of women’s and men’s football. For example, seeing the pride flag and captains’ pride armbands at the Lionesses match against Northern Ireland carried a strong message that the game is for everyone. Secondly, I would say FvH creates opportunities within our own club to celebrate. For example, during the month of action, we would normally hold events such as a training session that specifically celebrates all our queer members and everyone around that.” – Gaia Laidler - GDFC membership secretary & host of ‘For the love of the game: 100 defiant years of womxn’s football’

The Goal Diggers FC 2021 protest kit is available to view and order on their website.

7 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 Fare network members Out in Slovenija – who have been active in raising “The Football v Homophobia month of action is a powerful reminder of how awareness of issues relating to the equality and inclusion of people with widely spread homophobia is in sport in general and in football in particular. non-traditional sexual orientation and gender identity in the region - used an The month is a great opportunity for people from different walks of life to FvH grant to organise a virtual conference on ‘The Human Rights of Invisible come together to reflect on the current situation and try to improve it so as Minorities in Sport’. to make sport a safe place and an enjoyable one for everybody.” – Delizia Flaccavento, Sicilya Demir Spor co-founder and event organiser. The online international roundtable and workshop is available to watch again in full on Out in Slovenija’s Facebook page. The event examined the human rights In Georgia where the former captain of the national mens team, Guram situation generally and in sport specifically for LGBTIQ+ people in Central and Kashia, has received recognition from UEFA and the Presidential Order of Eastern Europe and particularly in light of Covid-19 regulations. Excellence from the country’s president for his stance on LGBTIQ+ rights - the NGO Compass held a number of activities including a graffiti workshop There were also events and activities organised in Italy, Georgia and Turkey. In and movie screening with group discussions and debates. Italy, Lupi Roma Outsport shot a video about homophobia and discrimination including a double interview with a refugee player and a LGBTIQ+ player. They Two grant recipients are due to finalise their activities in April and May partnered up with Fare members Liberi Nantes - the video was a central part of due to Covid-19 delays. Activ’Elles04 in France will form an alliance with their FvH2021 social media campaign. Watch the video here. youth work partner SEGPA, who work with disadvantaged kids at local schools and organise lessons around different forms of discrimination “It was my first time in front of a camera, I’m proud to have been able to speak (sexism, homophobia, racism and ableism). After the lessons, the about myself and my passion for football.” – Terence, Lupi Roma Outsport player students will help in the creation of a board game that tackles in the video. discrimination and challenges stereotypes.

The LGBTIQ+ community in Turkey has faced growing vitriol and persecution In Portugal the Associação para o Planeamento da Família (APF) will from the government and we were proud to support Sicilya Demir Spor organise a three-hour workshop in schools to educate young people on who organised an online conference called “Building Bridges: An Inclusive sexual orientation and gender identity. The children will then create a Gathering”. It was a virtual gathering via Zoom to promote dialogue and long-term graffiti installation celebrating diversity. The workshops will acceptances among different segments of society that often do not focus on discrimination and sexual orientation, with the main goal of communicate with one another. clarifying and deconstructing myths associated with homophobia and fighting against the use of derogatory terms and homophobic chants in Among the participants, were members of Sicilya Demir Spor, Sportif Lezbon the world of football and football stadiums. (one of the first LGBTIQ+ football teams in Turkey), Muamma (the first Turkish LGBTIQ+ football team outside of Istanbul and Ankara), the Turkish Federation of Schizophrenic Associations, the Hrant Dink Foundation, academics and students from Istanbul Bilgi University, Adana Çukurova University and Ankara Hacettepe University, as well as activists and individuals.

8 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 3. FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA: WHAT’S NEXT FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AND FOOTBALL?

he online conference What’s next for LGBTIQ+ Rights and Football? was Pernille Harder, Chelsea FC player and Denmark captain, highlighted the positive the first ever Fare v Homophobia conference. It featured 37 speakers impact of people who aren’t Black, women, or gay actively talking about racism, from 18 countries participate across the globe celebrating the role of sexism, and homophobia. Ryan Russell, an NFL free agent – and the only openly TLGBTIQ+ people in sport and looking at what more football can and should be queer man involved in the USA’s top four men’s leagues – focused on the huge doing to fight discrimination. need for representation in the stands, in marketing, in the offices and on the pitch and stressed how much more needs to be done to support this. Aston Across two afternoons, over 1000 individuals were able to join the event for Villa defender Anita Asante called for social media platforms to not only protect discussions that ranged from exploring the position of the EU in regard to athletes but more generally marginalised groups online. She joined the call for LGBTIQ+ rights; how mega events can affect long-lasting change; how queer platforms to start taking more responsibility. leadership can bring about greater representation on and off the pitch; as well as sport’s policing of women’s bodies; fan pride movements and more. Day Two of the conference saw Malin Björk MEP, a member of the LGBTI Intergroup of the European Parliament suggesting that the first ever European On Day 1 Helena Dalli, the EU Commissioner for Equality, had a focus on the new LGBTI strategy was formulating weekly around sport, but recognised that this policy frameworks the EU has in place and the importance of civil society in could be used as an opportunity. She called for there to be major activity in challenging EU states that deny LGBTIQ+ rights. place around the Women’s UEFA European Championships in 2022 to promote LGBTIQ+ inclusion. Joyce Cook (Chief of Social Responsibility at FIFA) joined a discussion with Jon Holmes, of Sky Sports and founder of Sports Media LGBT+ joined former Kelly Simmons (English FA) and Klara Bjartmarz (Iceland FA) about their England international , and Managing Editor of Outsports, experiences working in the game as LGBTIQ+ leaders. In a conversation Dawn Ennis in a session on ‘Representation in Reporting: Examining the Media moderated by the journalist Meg Linehan, Joyce called for federations and and LGBTIQ+ Issues’. sponsors to do more to take responsibility away from individuals, while Klara highlighted the value of dealing with women and men’s football under one Holmes said that news media need to follow sports media’s example, which is umbrella in order to achieve uniform levels of inclusion. beginning to provide much more varied and nuanced coverage of queer athletes and their stories. The group, moderated by Alex Kay-Jelski of The Athletic, The first day of the conference then saw trans activistNatalie Washington considered to what extent they are defined by their queer identity, asking: are making the point that winning the ‘trans battle’ in sport is key to winning over they gay journalists or are they journalists who are gay? wider societal support. She asked the pertinent question that if trans women are not considered women in sport, who are they in the rest of society? In The final session of Day One saw an unmissable line up of athletes –Pernille the same session exploring grassroots movements, Suzi Andreis (Poland) Harder, Ryan Russell and Anita Asante moderated by Marion Reimers – discuss discussed the challenges facing LGBTIQ+ football clubs being on the fringes of the topic: ‘Breaking Barriers: Athlete Activism for LGBTIQ+ inclusion’. both football and queer activism.

9 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 The ‘Policing Women’s Bodies in Sport’ discussion drew attention to the fact that The conference finished with a session on ‘Moving Beyond the Rainbow: Meaningful science refutes the claims commonly used to support the exclusion of trans, Inclusion through sporting mega events’, during which Johanna Wood, President of intersex and non-binary individuals. The panel of academics and international Football and a co-leader of the organising committee for the Women’s While dominant athletes in and Olympic athletes discussed how the policing of women’s bodies is a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, confirmed the tournament will have symptom of society’s unwillingness to celebrate exceptional women. While gender inclusive facilities which will have a knock-on effect on other sports events dominant athletes in men’s sports are celebrated, in women’s sports they are and help break down a historically “macho rugby culture”. Wood said they are looking men’s sports are celebrated, treated with suspicion. Raphael Martins, founder of Brazil’s first team for trans for what will be the ‘wow factor’ to make their tournament the most inclusive yet, men, emphasised that trans players often feel excluded from both ‘mainstream’ while Pride House International emphasised the importance of working with local in women’s sports they are and LGBTIQ+ clubs. queer populations to ensure tournaments have a long-lasting legacy.

The Supporters Pride session centred around the need for allies to speak out The conference is available to watch online treated with suspicion. in support of LGBTIQ+ rights as they have a protection that queer people lack Watch Day 1 here when speaking out on the topic. A key insight from Rishi Madlani of Foxes Pride Watch Day 2 here emphasised the continued lack of representation of ethnic minority fans in LGBTIQ+ fan groups.

10 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 4. FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA MONTH OF ACTION DATA Last updated 26 March 2021

14 GRANTS AWARDED

GEORGIA BRAZIL (2) MEXICO (2) FRANCE ENGLAND ITALY

POLAND UKRAINE TURKEY SLOVENIA UGANDA PORTUGAL

11 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 2021 GRANT RECIPIENTS

BRAZIL ENGLAND FRANCE GEORGIA ITALY

MEXICO MEXICO POLAND PORTUGAL SLOVENIA

TURKEY UGANDA UKRAINE

12 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 ONLINE WORKSHOP WEBINARS/ PLAYING FOOTBALL PODCASTS 1 4CONFERENCES 4 ACTIVITIES 2 TOURNAMENTS 4

FILM SOCIAL EDUCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL Q&A EVENTS/ PANEL SCREENINGS MEDIA & LEARNING MATERIALS DISCUSSIONS/ PRESENTATIONS 31 2 1CAMPAIGN 9 SESSIONS 2 PRODUCED 2 /LAUNCH EVENTS TOTAL ACTIVITIES ISSUED ADDRESSED: HOMOPHOBIA – TRANSPHOBIA – BIPHOBIA – LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AND PARTICIPATION/REPRESENTATION IN FOOTBALL ORGANISED WOMEN’S RIGHTS – REFUGEE RIGHTS

13 Football v Homophobia Month of Action 2021 14