Football v Homophobia
On February 19th 2010, The Justin Campaign are launching an initiative, Football v Homophobia, to raise awareness of homophobia in amateur and professional football; to unite clubs, players and fans across the country by using the game of football to bring communities together in opposing hate and discrimination in the world’s favourite sport.
The campainers where also part of the FARE Networking Conference “Football for Equality: Challenging racism and homophobia across Europe”. One decade after the foundation of the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network in Vienna, The Justin Campaign joined more than 100 campaigners, fans, football administrators, players, policy makers and experts from 28 European countries in Austria’s capital to devise the future of the FARE network.
In her opening address MEP Ulrike Lunacek, co-president of the LGBT Inter-Group of the European Parliament, stressed her satisfaction that FARE addressed homophobia for the first time so prominently in a conference.
For football , Ulrike Lunacek said, it is also clear that there are some gay man among football players - but very few of them are out. Justin Fashanu was one: A black man, but also gay. He could not live his full potential and committed suicide because of the fear, because of the reactions, because of the prejudices. That’s why it is so important to work against this fear, to be open, breaking the surface, breaking the silence.
Jason Hall, Founding Director of The Justin Campaign said: It’s important that all communities affected by prejudice and discrimination join forces in opposing hatred. These conferences are important in ensuring the right people are involved in such discussions; however it's the actions that come afterward that are important.
EGLSF Co-President, Pepe Garcia Vazquez says:
We welcome the news of this campaign and look forward to the future development of this initiative. For the past six years EGLSF has been leading the European campaign to tackle homophobia in football as part of the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network. We hope that this campaign day will unite the efforts of all those working to challenge homophobia throughout Europe.
It´s the actions that are important
After listening to their partners and supporters, The Justin Campaign believe that to tackle homophobia in football effectively a collective show of opposition needs to be made by all involved to get the message across to the perpetrators of homophobic insults and abuse.
The Justin Campaign intend that Football v Homophobia on Feb 19th will become the one day out of each year where individuals, community groups & teams and clubs internationally can express their disapproval of homophobia in football by celebrating under the banner of Football v Homophobia.
The launch in the UK this year will also coincide with LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) History Month, a full month of activity celebrating the lives and achievements of the LGBT community.
The Justin Campaign and FARE hope that you can express your support for the day and ensure that this initiative significantly changes how LGBT people are perceived and treated in football. You don’t have to be a football fan or sports group to back the campaign.
Ways that professional football clubs can show their support for Football v Homophobia:
• Adopt the logo and display it with a message of support on the club’s website.
• Host the logo on screens around the ground throughout match day.
• Include the logo and information for fans and supporters in your match day programme.
• Ensure signs condemning the use of homophobic language and abuse in your ground are highly visible.
• Inform fans of the initiative by declaring it on loudspeaker at half time on match day.
• Have designated members of staff distributing Football v Homophobia flyers on match day.
Ways that community football clubs can show their support for Football v Homophobia:
• Organise a match, or even a tournament in your area and promote it using the Football v Homophobia logo.
• Circulate this message & news of Football v Homophobia among other community teams in your area.
• Include the Football v Homophobia logo in your newsletter, briefly explaining the initiative with a message of support.
Ways non-football groups can show their support for Football v Homophobia:
• Upload the Football v Homophobia logo onto your website, briefly explaining the purpose of the initiative and add a message of support.
• Include an article on Football v Homophobia in your organisation’s newsletter.
• Provide The Justin Campaign with your organisation’s logo and details so that we can ensure they appear on our campaign materials.
• Circulate this message and news of Football v Homophobia to other organisations, community groups, football teams and the media in your area.
• Support local teams in arranging football matches, tournaments, skills events, quizzes or other themed events in your area to celebrate Football v Homophobia.
The Justin Campaign are happy to field any questions regarding the launch of the initiative, support you in developing any ideas you might have about how you celebrate Football v Homophobia and provide you with any promotional materials such as posters and flyers.
Via website: www.thejustincampaign.com
Via email: justincampaign@gmail.com
The Justin Campaign
19 January 2010
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