Classic Football Shirts
Football is for FUCKING everyone
I had a great opportunity to get in touch with the guys over at @classicfootballshirts and I put the idea to them that I wanted to create this mini mock-up article for them, that you would typically see on their Instagram. Classic football shirts have so much content on their social media platforms, but they’ve never really done a piece on inclusivity within football, so the LGBTQ+ community is an audience that they have never really tapped into, or celebrated on their page. Catering to the trends of one football’s most watched audience Gen z was crucial to this piece, they push for more inclusivity in day to day life. It’s something that has only started to be recognised recently, which is crazy to me, football is the most diverse sport on the planet, and the hatred that players get for being brave and coming out is disgusting. It should be celebrated, not slandered.
This is where we come in. I collaborated with @stan.shoots and @jjvisualz to create this piece, and I would like to thank them both for wanting to break the stereotype of a football fan, they absolutley smashed it.
Football is not always open arms
Through my research I was disturbed to find some quite shocking statistics about homophobia within the beautiful game, and I want to highlight these issues and give a big fuck you to those involved in these statistics. According to Gay Times, 30% of football fans said they would feel uncomfortable if they sore two men kissing a football match, I'm sure the men would feel uncomfortable you staring at them in the first place you idiot, maybe they feel uncomfortable watching you eat that steak and kindey pie mate. Next up on Max's whack stats, 63% of fans said they wouldn’t feel comfortable confronting someone for using homophobic abuse. How has this statistic got such a high percentage? LGBTQ+ members enjoy football just like everyone else, a football match should be a safe space for everyone, so when you get a scenario of homophbic abuse at a match, do you know what would really make them feel worse? You not standing up for them, you keeping quiet and not showing support. You should always speak up and stand up for your beliefs, it shouldn't be down to the person recieving the abuse because they're already in the real uncomfortable position, not you!
This may seem like a rant, but their a slowly becoming more and more positive signs and appreciation for the LQBTQ+ community in football. Groups and individuals tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the game engage regularly and established lobby groups like Stonewall, and coupled with the emergence of a vibrant fans movement consisting of LGBTQ+ groups linked to professional clubs, means there is more visibility around this area than ever before. Campaigns designed to raise awareness of this issue have caught the public’s imagination in recent years. Football vs Homophobia began in the UK before developing into an international initiative opposing homophobia at all levels from grassroots to professional clubs.