Leaders and activists from across Manchester’s gay and lesbian sporting community came together last week in a stand against homophobia in football.
The group gathered outside the city’s URBIS centre (pictured), the future home of the National Football Museum to show solidarity through the Justin Campaign’s Football v Homophobia Day held on 19 February.
Those endorsing the day included Sue Sanders, co-chair of Schools Out and LGBT History Month, Trevor Burchick MBE, director of Pride Sports, Simon Smith of GFSN and Lou Englefield, UK board member of European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation. Several staff from Manchester’s Lesbian and Gay Foundation also gave their support to the event.
Lindsay England, a Justin Campaign volunteer who was present on the day commented: “Football is a sport with a huge influence on British society and an environment in which fans, coaches and players at all levels of the game continue to use homophobic abuse as a way to put each other down and wind up the opposition. Tackling homophobia in football will not end homophobia in the UK, but it is an important step to creating a just and inclusive society”
February 19, was launched this year as the International Day Opposing Homophobia in Football and follows the recent media debate around the FA’s cancelled launch of its ‘anti-homophobia film’.
For more information about Football v Homophobia see www.thejustincampaign.com