Darryl Tell shar his experience of beg a openly gay, black Tottenham supporter at a time where reported homophobia b football is up 9%.
Contents:
- PROUD LILYWH AND GAY GOONERS FLY (RABOW) FLAG FOR LGBT FOOTBALL FANS
- HOMOPHOBIA FOOTBALL: THIS IS WHAT ’S LIKE TO BE A GAY FAN AND HEAR CHANTS OF ‘F****T’
- IS THIS GOODBYE? RUDY GAY PENS HEARTFELT MSAGE TO SPURS FANS
PROUD LILYWH AND GAY GOONERS FLY (RABOW) FLAG FOR LGBT FOOTBALL FANS
The Club is lighted to announce the formatn of s first lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGB&T) fan group, llaboratn wh the Gay Football Supporters' Network (GFSN), as part of s support for the Football v Homophobia month of actn. * gay spurs fans *
Instead, the g together of north London rivals on a ld Tuday afternoon at a five-a-si centre Edmonton was a celebratn of a growg and important movement English football, that of LGBT (lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr) supporters groups.
Two of the most proment are the Proud Lilywh and Gay Gooners and unr the watch of Frnd, a one-time Spurs player and ach, the former marked their first birthday celebratory five-a-si match London’s Edmonton was refereed by Tottenham ach and former midfielr Steffen Frnd.
”Gay Gooners have been nng for a year longer and boast more than 250 members. Photograph: David Levene for The GuardianThe growg strength of Proud Lilywh and Gay Gooners is wele news, as is that of the other regnised LGBT supporters groups that have been set up across the untry recent years – Canal Street Blu (Manchter Cy), LFC LGBT (Liverpool), Pri of Irons (Wt Ham), Proud and Palace (Crystal Palace), Proud Canari (Norwich Cy), Rabow Toffe (Everton) and Rabow Tractors (Ipswich Town) their very existence is also a shame, highlightg that even 2015 homophobia remas a signifint enough problem English football that fans om the LGBT muny feel they need reprentatn and protectn. “There’s no doubt discrimatn still exists among supporters here, ” sists Gay Gooners’ media ordator, Dave Raval.
HOMOPHOBIA FOOTBALL: THIS IS WHAT ’S LIKE TO BE A GAY FAN AND HEAR CHANTS OF ‘F****T’
* gay spurs fans *
“Jt look at the ‘gay banter’ Brighton fans still have to endure.
Football remas an unacceptg environment for gay people and for our members; part of the reason for jog Gay Gooners is to have the assurance of safety numbers whenever they go to a Lilywh members enjoy the atmosphere at a five-a-si match to celebrate the group’s one-year anniversary. Photograph: Andy Hall for The Guardian“The way to overe that fear is to normalise homosexualy English football and make the prence of openly gay fans the stands – as well as openly gay players, managers and refere on the pch – a plete non-issue.
IS THIS GOODBYE? RUDY GAY PENS HEARTFELT MSAGE TO SPURS FANS
”Statistics piled by the equaly mpaigners Kick It Out show that homophobic abe at football match this untry remas a prevalent issue and, worrygly, uld be on the rise. ”Tottenham ach Steffen Frnd wh members of the Proud Lilywh and Gay Gooners LGBT supporters groups. Photograph: Andy Hall for The GuardianKick It Out has an app by which spectators n report homophobic abe to them, while the Football Associatn has a siar facily on s webse.
The erng body also striv to mata an active prence the fight agast homophobia English football, seen the workshops anised last year which brought together reprentativ om the Premier League and Football League wh those volved the LGBT supporters movement, most notably the Gay Football Supporters’ Network, which provis umbrella backg for the ne fan groups and is the procs of helpg set up others at clubs cludg Aston Villa, Sunrland and Readg.