Football v Homophobia

With an impressive Australia Cup run, top spot in the final league table and state silverware to boot, it's been a season to remember for South Melbourne FC.

Winger Andy Brennan has been a key man in the club's successful campaign, chipping in with several goals. Now 31, he came out publicly as gay in 2019 and is thriving in the second tier of soccer Down Under.

Andy joins podcast host Jon Holmes for a chat about his fine form, his off-field advocacy work, and what he's been learning about masculinity and sexuality in sports through his own experiences and his psychology studies.

He also offers his thoughts on how to best tackle homophobic language in sports, and the effect of his visibility and that of other out gay men who are playing pro and semi-pro football, of which there are very few anywhere in the world.

Andy has insights into self-esteem and shame, which are subjects rarely touched upon in men's football culture. Listen in for an important conversation.

Links

Andy Brennan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andybrennan36/ 

“Masterclass” goal for SMFC! - https://www.instagram.com/southmelbournefc/reel/C8_w6SoyqAe/ 

Rainbow Owls event in Sheffield (Thu 3 Oct) - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/rainbowowls/1358123 

Thank you for listening to the Football v Homophobia Podcast - if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials.

We're at @football_v_homophobia on Instagram and Threads; @FvHtweets on X; and you can like us on Facebook too. Our website is https://www.footballvhomophobia.com - email [email protected] 

Produced by Sports Media LGBT+ for FvH

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A host nation for a major men's football tournament that doesn't have anti-gay laws? Welcome to Germany for the UEFA European Championship!

For LGBTQ+ fans and allies, this tournament is a refreshing change compared to the last two World Cups in Russia and Qatar. It will also feel different from the pan-continental staging of the previous Euros, held while the pandemic was ongoing.

So what should supporters expect at Euro 2024? Joining host Jon Holmes from FvH for a chat is Alice Drouin, one of the organisers of Pride House Berlin.

The venue will be the community place to hang out in the German capital, not only to watch live football but to take part in talks and activities. Alice gives us the lowdown on the project, and also puts these Euros into a wider queer context - the national mood, UEFA's role, and whether the month-long football festival will be a Pride party as well.

After that, the episode focuses on England and Scotland. Three Lions Pride co-founder Joe White will be out in Germany for the duration - they tell us about the LGBTQ+ fans group's plans, how they will provide visibility and whether Gareth Southgate has got a squad that can match or even better the run to the Euro 2020 final.

Football writer Andrew Henderson, the creator of Pride of the Terraces, tells us what success would look like for the Scots, and explains why the media's role is critical for helping the football to blend in with Pride Month, not stand apart.

This episode is produced by Sports Media LGBT+ for FvH. Activate the campaign in your football space - just head to the website for info, or contact us!

Thank you to the Football Writers' Association for supporting our annual Pride episode of the podcast.

Links

Football v Homophobia - https://www.footballvhomophobia.com/

Sports Media LGBT+ - https://sportsmedialgbt.com/

Pride House Berlin - https://berlin.lsvd.de/neuigkeiten/pride-house-berlin-euro-2024/

Three Lions Pride - https://x.com/3Lionspride 

Pride of the Terraces - https://prideoftheterraces.com/ 

Football Writers’ Association - https://footballwriters.co.uk/

Come to Football Pride 2024 in London on 28 June! - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/football-pride-2024-tickets-894377395867 

Thanks for listening - please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials using the hashtags #FvH2024 and #LGBTQfootball. We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too.

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A project in Germany called “Sports Free” has suggested gay and bi professional footballers in the men’s game should consider coming out as a group.

The date of May 17 - which is IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia - has been put forward as a window of opportunity for this.

But what would go through the mind of a gay player who is considering taking this step? Does nothing but happiness and freedom lie on the other side - or is it a different kind of pressure?

Zander Murray took that step himself, individually, back in September 2002, making history in Scottish football. 

He now delivers workshops that provide guidance to young people on how to create inclusive spaces in the game. These sessions with TIE Scotland are having a big impact in Scotland and Zander hopes to take this work to more clubs, academies and schools.

On a special episode of the FvH Podcast, he talks about the challenges he overcame when coming out, and gives his take on the interest around possible comings out on May 17, including by the British media.

He also explains why he’s so passionate about education and describes his “dream” for a future in which footballers everywhere get the info they need to empathise with any teammates who might be gay or bi, or to be their authentic selves if they are LGBTQ+ themselves.

This episode is hosted by FvH media and comms lead Jon Holmes, produced by Sports Media LGBT+.

Activate FvH in your football space - just head to footballvhomophobia.com/fvt for info, or contact us! We value your support.

Links

Follow Zander on social media - https://linktr.ee/zandermurray 

About the TIE workshops - https://tie.scot/news/ties-anti-homophobia-football-project-to-feature-in-rylan-clark-documentary/

About the football media interest around May 17 - https://www.outsports.com/2024/5/13/24093764/gay-footballers-coming-out-group-may-17-sports-free-bundesliga-media-hype/

Thanks for listening - please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials using the hashtag #FvH2024 and #IDAHOBIT2024. We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too.

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There haven't been many stories shared by transgender footballers in the UK, which makes Blair Hamilton and Natalie Washington two trailblazers in the sport.

Blair is a goalkeeper for Saltdean United Women. She plays in the fifth tier of the women's game in England, while Natalie is a level below at tier six.

On this special episode of the FvH Podcast in support of the annual Week of Action for the Football v Transphobia campaign, Blair speaks candidly about her experiences in the game - the supportive camaraderie she's found at Saltdean, the moments of discrimination she's overcome in the sport, and her determination to help educate others through her academic research.

Together with Natalie, who is the campaign lead of FvT, they also discuss new statistics released by Kick It Out that show more people are coming forward to report anti-trans abuse than ever before.

This episode is hosted by FvH media and comms lead Jon Holmes, produced by Sports Media LGBT+.

Activate FvT in your football space - just head to footballvhomophobia.com/fvt for info, or contact us. We value your support.

Links

Football v Transphobia info and resources - https://www.footballvhomophobia.com/fvt/ 

The focus of #FvT2024 - https://sportsmedialgbt.com/football-v-transphobia-week-of-action-2024-lgbtq-trans-nonbinary 

Thanks for listening - please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials using the hashtag #FvT2024. We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter / X; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram and Threads; and you can like us on Facebook too.

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'Rylan: Football, Homophobia and Me' is the latest TV documentary to explore the experience of being LGBTQ+ in the game. Produced by Buzz 16 for TNT Sports, it has a different feel to similar films, given a very personal touch by its hugely likeable presenter - a big West Ham supporter and football fan in general - while focusing on people within the game who are out as gay and bi and who have shared their stories.

On this episode of the FvH Podcast, Jon Holmes is joined by two of those people - Thetford Town player-manager Matt Morton, and Sevenoaks Town centre-back Jahmal Howlett-Mundle.

Matt is no stranger to appearing on screen since first publicly sharing his story back in the summer of 2020. As a self-described 'alpha male' who bucks all the stereotypes, he's also given great thought to the many factors that make visibility like his so rare in men's football.

Jahmal shared the news that he is bisexual a year after Matt, in July 2021, and he has also been in demand from all parts of the media - he's thought to be the only player to have progressed through a Premier League club's Academy system to then later come out publicly.

In a chat held in the annual Football v Homophobia Month of Action and what is also LGBT+ History Month, Matt and Jahmal (aka Jam) talk about what it was like to be part of the Rylan documentary, give their reviews of the finished film, and discuss a lot of connected issues such as LGBTQ+ men's mental health, education, and experiences of both discrimination and inclusion at grassroots level.

Matt also talks about another doc that's just been released in Germany called 'The Last Taboo' which will hopefully hit UK streaming platforms later in the year.

Links

Football v Homophobia - ⁠https://www.footballvhomophobia.com/⁠

Sports Media LGBT+ - ⁠https://sportsmedialgbt.com/⁠

Matt and Jahmal's profiles on the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective (see links to their socials) - ⁠https://lgbtqfootball.com/who-are-we/⁠ 

Watch 'Rylan: Football, Homophobia and Me' on Discovery+ (UK) - https://www.discoveryplus.com/gb/video/rylan-football-homophobia-me/rylan-football-homophobia-me

Jon's blog about the doc for Out and Out Football - https://www.outandout.football/p/rylans-new-documentary-will-fire-you-up-for-football-v-homophobias-month-of-action/

Trailer on Buzz 16's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/buzz16_buzz16-documentary-lgbtq-activity-7163139078765408259-334W

Thank you for listening to the FvH Podcast - if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials.

We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter / X; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram and Threads; and you can like us on Facebook too.

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It can feel like the toughest decision you'll ever make - but being true to yourself, your teammates, coaches and colleagues is the winning feeling that every LGBTQ+ person in football deserves.

On this episode of the FvH Podcast, Jon Holmes is joined by two referees for a conversation about the upsides of coming out and how to look out for others when they might be feeling down.

Dan McFarlane is a Category 1 ref taking charge of games in the SPFL. He's been out within Scottish football officiating for several years and says authenticity has been an essential part of his rise up the leagues.

Mikey Connor will be familiar to viewers of BBC reality dating show 'I Kissed A Boy' - but he's also a Liverpool FA referee at grassroots level. Like Dan, he's a member of the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective, a network group run by FvH that's bringing together those from the community who are working in the game.

In a chat with host Jon Holmes to coincide with World Mental Health Day and Coming Out Day on October 10 and 11, the two men in the middle share their stories, offer advice to other gay and bi guys who might be finding it hard to break out of the closet, and assess the challenges that are still being faced in men's football.

It's a refreshing and open conversation that can help listeners to unlock their potential, on and off the pitch - and it might just encourage you to pursue officiating as well.

Links

Football v Homophobia - https://www.footballvhomophobia.com/

Sports Media LGBT+ - https://sportsmedialgbt.com/

Mikey and Dan’s profiles on the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective (see links to their socials) - https://lgbtqfootball.com/who-are-we/ 

Dan on referee recruitment (Press & Journal) - https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/6186347/referees-encourage-new-faces-to-pick-up-the-whistle/ 

Thank you for listening to the FvH Podcast - if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials.

We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter / X; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too.

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In Manchester on Pride weekend, the Football v Homophobia campaign revived a big get-together for the LGBTQ+ community in the game - an event that had previously been held online during the pandemic summer of 2020.

This time, however, it was in person and fully fabulous! At a symposium at Man Met University, queer football culture was celebrated, from the inclusive vibes of the Women’s World Cup to encouraging signs in the men’s game, from the ‘monster’ TRUK United FC story to a decade of LGBTQ+ fan groups.

We also put on a screening of short film ‘Realness With A Twist’ which tells the tale of a voguing-mad player who’s torn between the dressing room and the dancefloor; and we explored why Manchester is a magical place to make family through football.

There was also a Pride party at the uber-cool Motley bar and we marched with a Football Pride banner in the parade on the Saturday before enjoying the rest of the weekend on Canal Street.

The event was one of the highlights of the FvH calendar, and joining Sports Media LGBT+’s Jon Holmes to recap all the news and share their own stories are guests Sabah Ahmad and Adam Haworth.

Sabah spoke on the closing panel about setting up Lez Be United FC, a club for women and non-binary people that plays in Manchester’s inclusive AF League. On the pod, she explains how growing up, she could never have dreamed of the kind of connection she has with football now; why local drag bar Cruz 101 is the perfect sponsor; and what she took away from Football Pride.

At the start of 2023, Adam created Out and Out Football, a digital platform to share queer perspectives on the game. He talks about what he enjoyed as an attendee, and his outlook on LGBTQ inclusion as a Burnley fan. He also offers some suggestions about what might be good to introduce if/when (!) Football Pride comes back in 2024…

Thank you to everyone who took part - our speakers, attendees, sponsors, organisers and anyone who amplified the message.

Some links…

Lez Be United FC on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lezbeunited_fc/

Watch Cruz 101’s Barb Just Barb try out for the team in a special Pride video! - https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs9BEbHoXiJ/

Out & Out Football - https://www.outandout.football/

Adam on Twitter - https://twitter.com/aahaworth 

Thank you for listening to the Football v Homophobia Podcast - if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials.

We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too. Our website is

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Lovers of the game are gearing up to go Down Under for the ninth FIFA Women's World Cup and with the tournament fast approaching, that's where our LGBTQ+ focus lies for a special Pride Month episode.

For the third consecutive year, the podcast is celebrating the Football Writers' Association's support for Sports Media LGBT+, with both organisations keen to send out the message that the football media industry welcomes everyone.

Joining host Jon Holmes for this chat are four fellow journalists - together they'll waltz you through a queer history of the WWC, selecting highs and lows, heroes and villains from past tournaments, before looking ahead to Australia and New Zealand 2023. On the pod...

The FWA welcomes industry professionals and students as members, while Sports Media LGBT+ can help you on inclusion, networking and content creation. Reach out for advice and connections!

Thank you for listening to the Football v Homophobia Podcast - if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials.

We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too. Happy Pride!

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Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are on Twitter and within that, there's 'Football Twitter' - the sizeable cohort of users who support their clubs fiercely, who comment on the latest news and gossip constantly, and who interact with just about anything to do with the game.

'Football Twitter' (or 'FT') has also become notorious for anti-LGBTQ+ abuse and discrimination. As the platform continues to grow in toxicity and reach, it appears to be an increasingly unpleasant place to hang out for anyone who loves football but doesn't fit the 'FT mould'.

On this episode of the FvH Podcast, we're joined by broadcaster and Arsenal YouTuber Sophie Nicolaou - aka @soccerdiva - and journalist and researcher Finbarr Toesland.

Sophie tells us about her own experiences of harassment and abuse from a noisy 'FT' minority - but she also explains how she's still able to find her tribe on Twitter.

Finbarr discusses the new report he's authored exploring how LGBTQ+ journalists - including football content creators - are being targeted on social media, and his recommendations to media organisations and brands. He feels they need to understand how and why abuse happens and the effect it has on individuals.

This episode, hosted and produced by Sports Media LGBT+'s Jon Holmes, is being released to coincide with the global awareness day IDAHOBIT (the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia) on May 17, and Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK.

Show your support for FvH! Activate the campaign in your football space - just head to footballvhomophobia.com for info, downloads and resources, and how to contact the FvH team.

Links

Sophie Nicolaou on Twitter - https://twitter.com/soccerdiva

Finbarr Toesland on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FinbarrToesland

Read Finn's report: 'Are media organisations adequately protecting LGBTQ journalists from harassment and abuse?' - https://www.bcu.ac.uk/media/research/sir-lenny-henry-centre-for-media-diversity/research

IDAHOBIT - https://may17.org

Mental Health Awareness Week - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week

Thank you for listening - please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials. We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too.

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"You can't win a championship without gays!" - a quote uttered by Megan Rapinoe at the World Cup in France in 2019 that has already passed into women's football folklore.

Two years later, the simple tweet "they're lesbians, Stacey" under a picture of Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis at the Tokyo Olympics quickly took on legendary status, becoming a T-shirt slogan, catchphrase and much-loved meme.

You might think therefore that Lesbian Visibility Week - held annually around Lesbian Visibility Day at the end of April - would be well supported by the women's game, as a chance to recognise inspirational LGBTQ+ role models on and off the field.

But there has been barely any LVW messaging around the professional game, or from sponsors and influencers, or in the media, and not much mention on social media either, even though the awareness week is now well established.

For this episode of the FvH Podcast, we explore the many reasons behind that. Sports reporter Beth Fisher and FvH campaign director Lou Englefield are the guests, joining regular host, Sports Media LGBT+'s Jon Holmes.

Stereotypes, tensions, urban myths, lesbophobia, nervousness around language and the complexities of being visible… they're all factors that feature in a wide-ranging conversation.

Show your support for FvH! Activate the campaign in your football space - just head to footballvhomophobia.com for info, downloads and resources, and how to contact the FvH team. 

Links

Beth Fisher on Twitter - https://twitter.com/BethFisherSport

Lou Englefield on Twitter - https://twitter.com/LouEnglefield

Lesbian Visibility Week - https://www.lesbianvisibilityweek.com/ 

‘Why shouldn’t two opponents kiss each other after a game?’ (Sophie Downey, The Guardian, 26 April 2023) - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/apr/26/why-shouldnt-two-opponents-kiss-each-other-anna-tamminen-rosa-herreros

Just Like Us research - https://www.justlikeus.org/blog/2023/04/24/lesbian-visibility-week-research/ 

Thanks for listening - please subscribe, rate, review and share on socials. We're at @FvHtweets on Twitter; @football_v_homophobia on Instagram; and you can like us on Facebook too.

Me & You by MusicbyAden | https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden 

Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com 

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported

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