01.02.2017

Football v Homophobia Month of Action kicks-off

The international campaign Football v Homophobia kicks-off today (1 February) with a launching event hosted by the North London Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

Speakers from across football will come together to debate the challenges to the participation of LGBT people in sport, homophobia and sexism in the game. The event will also provide an opportunity for participants to network and exchange best practice on tackling homophobia and transphobia in football.

The Football v Homophobia (FvH) campaign, which involves month-long activities to tackle discrimination against LGBT people in football, began in 2010 with an international day of action against homophobia and transphobia in football and grew to occupy an entire month of campaigning in February in 2017.

Over 30 events will take place across the UK to mark the month organised by universities, LGBT organisations, grassroots and Premier League clubs, including Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC and Aston Villa.

Groups in France, Spain, Slovenia, Russia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, funded by Fare and FvH, will also mark the month through a series of activities varying between anti-homophobia tournaments, film screenings and talks, film production, and the translation and promotion of the FvH toolkit.

Ahead of the campaign, FvH and Scottish LGBT rights group LEAP Sports teamed-up to hold the first Scottish Football Fans Activist Training, a seminar that explored ways to influence clubs to take a stand against LGBT-phobia and make football more diverse.

Hugh Torrance, Executive Director LEAP Sports, said: "Our training has come about as a result of community members speaking to us about their experiences in the football stands.

"We hope the seminar created a long lasting network of mutual support amongst LGBTIQ football fans in Scotland. By creating strong partnerships with fans, we can ensure that the work of Football v Homophobia in Scotland is well informed and has the best possible impact."

To get involved in the Football v Homophobia Month of Action (#FvH2017) follow the infographic below:

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