The Justin Campaign

Three footballers charged for alleged homophobic Twitter remarks

2012-02-29T04:34:00.003-08:00

Football players are continuing to find themselves in trouble for posting homophobia comments on social media website Twitter.

Just weeks after West Ham United player Ravel Morrison was fined £7,000 a trio of professional players have been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.

These include Manchester United's Federico Macheda and Newcastle United's Nile Ranger.

A statement from the Football Association said: "Newcastle United’s Nile Ranger, Walsall’s Manny Smith and Manchester United’s Federico Macheda, currently on loan at Queens Park Rangers, have all been charged with improper conduct in relation to comments made on Twitter.

"The charge is that the players acted in a way which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute. It is further alleged that the breach included a reference to a person’s or persons’ sexual orientation."

These cases follow a number of high profile cases. As well as Morrison, Leicester City footballer Michael Ball was fined £6,000 by the FA for a comment about the gay soap actor Anthony Cotton during his appearance on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Lee Steele also was dismissed from Oxford City football club after comments he made about the openly gay rugby player Gareth Thomas during his stint in Celebrity Big Brother.

The Justin Campaign welcomes the FA taking such a strong stance on comments made on public sites by professional player. Football fans look up to these young men and women. When role models get told their actions are wrong then this can only have a knock-on effect.

However we are aware that while these high-profile cases are important it alone will not be enough. Far more is needed to raise awareness about the inequalities within sport, especially with the LGBT community.

Football v Homophobia – A Positive Initiative For All

2012-02-24T01:27:00.006-08:00

A message from the Justin Campaign

Just over half way through the annual Football v Homophobia week of action, the Justin Campaign would like to thank and acknowledge everyone for their interest and involvement in our campaign.

This year is the third year we have run Football v Homophobia, and so far there has been a fantastic display of support. We have seen around 20 professional clubs backing the initiative and a host of grassroots organisations getting involved. The football fans and volunteers who make up the Justin Campaign feel hopeful that through continued support, we really can make a difference to football.

Director of Football v Homophobia, Megan Worthing-Davies said “At a time of heightened debate around the impact of discrimination and abuse on the pitch, Football v Homophobia is creating a partnership across the game to truly make a difference on this issue”.

We are heartened to say that FvH this year has seen a huge surge of interest, right from the grassroots to the professional game. Some of the highlights we know of so far include:

Around 20 professional clubs taking action to support the FvH week
Arsenal, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Millwall discussing the issue with members of the campaign at their grounds
Wycombe Wanderers being the first professional team to warm up in FvH t-shirts
Kent, Sussex and Surrey County Football Associations attending a one day training on how to use Football v Homophobia
lGB&T friendly football tournaments hosted around the country including by Sussex University, Guinness Northern Counties, Liverpool Pride and Norwich City in partnership with Norwich Pride

A number of other organisations have also been working on this issue. This month has seen the BBC3 documentary about Justin Fashanu fronted by his niece Amal, the Government encouraging football teams to sign up to the charter to tackle homophobia and transphobia in sport, and the promotion of a poster campaign by the Professional Footballer’s Association. Finally this week, we had the launch of the FA Action Plan; Opening Doors & Joining In and also the Prime Minister’s summit on discrimination in football.

We have also seen firm action being taken by the Football Authorities to counter abuse both from football fans and also from players.

As dialogue on this issue increases, the Justin Campaign will be working across football to ensure there is a coordinated and meaningful approach to tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football. Whilst we would obviously love to have the active support of every club in the country, the Justin Campaign has no interest in pointing the finger at clubs who are not working with us. We recognise that the total acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in all areas of football will not happen overnight.

We believe that Football v Homophobia gives professional clubs the tools to effectively tackle homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football. We recognise that for many clubs this agenda is new. The Justin Campaign aims to work patiently and in a positive manner to convince clubs and organisations that this issue is something that must, and can, be tackled. That’s why our initiative FvH is about giving people the tools to take action – for professional clubs, we have provided a range of simple things they can do and we hope that these small steps for few will lead to more concerted efforts over time by all.

We also think it’s very important that the football family, campaigning organisations and also the government, work in a coordinated and collaboratively way. That’s why three years ago the Justin Campaign created Football v Homophobia to be something that could unite people in working together to make football safe for everyone, and we are proud to see the campaign uniting more people than ever to make a difference this year.

Football v Homophobia is the only specifically created campaign designed to tackle this issue in football. On Monday, The FA’s General Secretary, Alex Horne, announced that The FA supports this campaign as the key driver in tackling this issue in the game. The Justin Campaign welcomes the support of the FA, the on-going backing of Kick it Out, and the recent announcement of support from the Professional Footballers’ Association. Together, and by working in partnership with campaigning organisations across the spectrum as well as the whole football family, we believe FvH can change the game for the better.

The Justin Campaign is a community-initiated organisation run by a team of heterosexual and LGB&T volunteers united by their passion that football should be open to everyone. In and of itself, the organisation demonstrates what can be done if everyone comes together. It’s important to recognise as well, that effective work on this issue is being done. In 2012 already, we have visited prisons, run youth projects involving training LGB&T people as football coaches, initiated a partnership with upcoming artists Shorvon and Hunter, delivered training to County Football Associations in partnership with Pride Sports, and also of course run our international week of action, where thousands of people around the world have taken part in making a difference.

The events being run around the country are examples of how the football family can work positively together on an issue which is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

We look forward to building on the partnerships that have already proven effective in tackling prejudice and discrimination. Find out more about FvH and how you can get involve via our website www.footballvhomophobia.com and help us make football safe for everyone.

How to report homophobic abuse

2012-02-16T15:44:00.003-08:00

A number of fans have been in contact with us in recent weeks to ask what to do if they experience homophobic abuse. We hope the following is useful.

If you are at a professional game then we advise that all incidents are reported immediately to the matchday stewards. They can then liaise with police officers on duty at the game who will then take action to identify those responsible and take action. This could be eviction of those responsible from the game or even an arrest, with subsequent charge.

If you do not report instances at the game then please do notify the club after the incident. While this there is very little chance of action being taken against the perpetrators it does mean that those in charge at the club are aware that such behaviour is going on.

If you are playing a game and experience homophobic abuse then we recommend that you challenge the individual on their actions. We appreciate that not everyone will feel comfortable doing this so it also worth contacting the clubs and the relevant league authorities after the game to inform them of the abuse.

The following website, report it, is also extremely valuable. This gives people the opportunity to report incidents, even those on social media websites, such as Twitter and Facebook. If you do not want to be named then this website allows you to remain anonymous.

We appreciate that some victims may also want support after the incidents. A comprehensive list of organisations and charities in the UK which offer advice and support is available here.

Homophobic abuse, whether on or off the football pitch, is a hate crime. It is only by reporting incidents that action can be taken and we can rid the beautiful game of its last taboo.

Three arrested for homophobic abuse at Brighton - Millwall game

2012-02-16T15:18:00.003-08:00

After years it seems like police and footballing authorities are finally getting the message.

Just hours after officials from Brighton and Hove Albion and Millwall signed the sporting charter, which promotes equality in sport, three Millwall fans were arrested for homophobic chanting.

The Justin Campaign has had contact from a number of fans who were subject to abuse at the game and want to make it clear that this is not welcome in football.

For years Brighton and Hove Albion supporters have been subject to homophobic abuse, largely because of the city's image as the UK's gay capital.

Homophobic chanting is often mistook for banter; let's make this clear, it is not.

The Justin Campaign wants to offer its thanks to Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove Albion for taking such as positive stance on this issue.

It is only with such strong and public signs of action that supporters of all teams will get the message that football is for everyone, regardless of a person's sexuality.

Football bloggers - Football v Homophobia needs you!

2012-02-16T15:05:00.004-08:00

Football bloggers - we need you!

February 18 to 26 is Football v Homophobia week which will see individuals, grassroots organisations and professional clubs come together under one banner to show that homophobia is not welcome in the beautiful game.

Across the world football fans will unite to show that football is about diversity and inclusion, whether people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or straight.

The world's most popular sport has a profound relationship with the attitudes, values and behaviour in our society. It can be a force for change.

The messages of homophobia, prejudice and discrimination affect us all. It is truly the last taboo in football.

Football v Homophobia is run by the Justin Campaign, named in memory of Justin Fashanu, the first and only out gay male UK professional footballer who suffered bulling and hostility after his sexual orientation became public.

For more details on what's going on please visit www.footballvhomophobia.com.

You can also contact us via info@justincampaign.com or follow us on twitter @justincampaign.

In supporting FvH, you are not only helping to make football a more inclusive and welcoming environment, you are also playing your part in making the society we live in a better place for everyone.

We would be grateful if you could share this information with your loyal followers.

We also want to hear from you. Perhaps you want to have been witness to homophobic abuse on the terraces? Perhaps your team has done something special to mark FvH?

Please get in touch and any articles you write we will RT to all of our Twitter followers. If you like we could even post them to our blog.

Look forward to hearing from you!

The Football v Homophobia team

The PFA Backs Football v Homophobia 2012

2012-02-16T05:50:00.012-08:00

The Justin Campaign is delighted by the news that the Professional Footballers’ Association is supporting this year’s Football v Homophobia initiative.

Set up by the Justin Campaign in 2010, the annual week of action, which takes place between the 18^th and 26^th of February, is the FA’s endorsed campaign to tackle homophobia and prejudice against lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in football.

The Justin Campaign uses FvH to work around the year to enable people to take action against homophobia in football and to celebrate and welcome diversity. Through the message of FvH, the Justin Campaign provides support, communication materials, education and training to enable anyone - including fans, LGBT communities, grassroots teams, professional football clubs and football authorities - to communicate and promote inclusivity and unity.

This year, a number of Premier League clubs, along with Football League clubs, will be taking part in the initiative.

During the week of action, the PFA will be distributing anti-homophobia posters to professional clubs, schools and community groups to help raise awareness for the issue.

Simone Pound, the PFA’s Senior Executive of Equality said: “We are delighted to support the campaign and consider it a great opportunity for football to demonstrate a visible anti-homophobia message.”

Megan Worthing-Davies, The Justin Campaign’s Director of FvH, said: “Having the support of the PFA is extremely important for both Football V Homophobia in particular and the fight against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football in general. Their positive influence on footballers all around the country is vital to making the game a more welcoming and secure place for LGBT fans and players.”

For more information, contact Alan Duffy at alan@thejustincampaign.com or on 0781 4347566.

The Justin Campaign Statement on The FA Charging Of Ravel Morrison

2012-02-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

The Justin Campaign is pleased to hear that The FA has decided to charge West Ham United player Ravel Morrison over his widely reported homophobic Tweet.

Whether or not Mr. Morrison’s comments in the Tweet were simply ill judged or a product of a more ingrained attitude towards the LGB and T communities, the fact remains that remarks of this nature are totally unacceptable and need to be acted upon by both the football authorities and the relevant clubs.

Comments like Mr. Morrison’s are not “banter”, they are abuse, plain and simple, and they reinforce the view that football is not a welcoming place for LGBT fans or players.

We therefore applaud The FA for taking this action and are confident that the more homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are challenged by those in football, the sooner we can rid the game, which is often described as ‘beautiful’, of this ugliness.

Here is The FA statement in full:

"West Ham United’s Ravel Morrison has been charged under FA Rule E3 for use of abusive and/or insulting words including a reference to a person’s sexual orientation.

Morrison has until 4pm on 17 February 2012 to respond to the charge.”

For more information please contact Alan Duffy - alan@thejustincampaign.com , 07814347566

Leading rugby ref comes out

2012-02-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

A leading rugby league referee has become only the second person involved with the Australian game to come out.

Matt Cecchin, who has taken charge of the National Rugby League's grand final, said he was inspired after reading a book by former Aussie rugby star Ian Roberts, who is also gay.

The general acceptance following the announcement is a sure sign that being gay is no barrier to anyone wanting to take part in one of Australia's most popular sports.

His reasons for the timing, which was delayed until after his teenage son finished exams, also is a sign that he thinks way beyond the game's borders.

The comments in the interview with the Herald Sun are so powerful that it is best repeating.

Mr Cecchin said: “Like a lot of people, I thought to be gay you had to be feminine, you had to go to nightclubs and you had to be in the scene, and I was never into that.

"I played sport, I loved rugby league, I liked going to the pub with my mates. It wasn't until I read Ian's book that I started to tick a few boxes.

"I'd be very surprised if I was the only gay person in rugby league. But me coming out has nothing to do with other people in rugby league.

"It has to do with the youth who are growing up today and may be going through a whole world of hurt and fear.

"My experience is they don't need to be. People are OK with it now."

The Justin Campaign wants to offer its public support to the decision taken by Mr Cecchin. Such open comments from the referee are extremely refreshing.

Cecchin coming out is exactly how it should be: timed for when a person is ready and for the right reasons. Publicly accepting you are a member of the LGBT community is a big step and should never be taken on somebody else's terms.

We hope that this marks an important step in the game which some people see as adverse to LGBT issues. Given the public support that Ian Roberts received with other players saying it was important to be "true to yourself", there is no reason why Cecchin's decision can be further proof that sexuality is no barrier to forging a successful career in the sporting world.

Strong Enough To Survive - A tribute to Justin Fashanu ....

2012-02-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

By Chris Morgan

I remember seeing the newspapers during the week after Justin’s death and feeling sick to stomach. There were graphic accounts of his last movements and interviews with people who had met him, or spent time with him in his final hours.

The press hounded him throughout his career, drove him to suicide and then afterwards printed some of the cruellest, nastiest stories ever published in the UK newspapers. As an athlete myself I felt angry that Justin was never allowed to meet his true potential on the pitch.

At the time all this happened I was just coming to terms with my own sexuality and was taking my first steps towards a career in sport. I realised that I was faced with a choice of whether or not to be open about my sexuality in the brutal and testosterone driven sport of Powerlifting.

Being out as a gay man in my previous sport of rugby union was impossible at the time. However, I knew in an individual sport like Powerlifting there was an opportunity to be openly gay and what had happened to Justin motivated me and filled me with strength.

For the next four years Justin’s story stayed with me as I strived to win my first title in Powerlifting, as it filled me with indescribable anger and rage. At the Gay Games in Sydney 2002, I won that first Gold Medal and immediately dedicated it to Justin’s memory.

I’ve gone on to win many titles and medals during my career and all this time Justin’s story has always been with me in the background. The fact that similar acts of bigotry are still happening today, means that Justin’s story is still as relevant now as it was in 1998.

I’d like to thank everyone at The Justin Campaign for keeping his memory alive.

Chris Morgan

Gay Games Ambassador & World Champion Powerlifter

Check out our exclusive interview with Chris here.

Arsenal FC welcome The Justin Campaign to the Emirates to mark "Football For Everyone"

2012-02-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

Arsenal have always been one of the more progressive football clubs in the country, and just days after they, along with the other 19 Premier League clubs, signed the Government charter against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football, the club marked its "Football For Everyone" initiative.

We were guests in the director's box, along with Lord Ouseley of Kick It Out and officials from Stonewall. As it was Arsenal's first home game of LGBT History month, the game gave the club a chance to highlight their commitment to fighting bigotry against LGBT people in football.

This was highlighted by Robin Van Persie's notes in the matchday programme, while the publication also let fans know about our forthcoming FVH initiative.

In speaking with Arsenal Chief Executive, Ivan Gazidis, it was clear to see that he and the club were fully committed to dealing with this issue.

However, as we all know, there is a long way to go. Signing charters is all well and good, but this needs to be followed up by action. Arsenal's "Football For Everyone" and it's focus at the weekend on the LGBT community is another positive step and we congratulate Arsenal on this move.

Check out the Football V Homophobia Facebook group for more photos of the day here.

The Justin Campaign Statement On BBC3's 'Britain's Gay Footballers'

2012-01-30T15:16:00.000-08:00

The Justin Campaign was delighted by the broadcast of the documentary ‘Britain's Gay Footballers’ on BBC3 on Monday evening. To see the issue, one which the campaign has been working hard to highlight since 2008, now starting to get the coverage it deserves is extremely exciting.

The Campaign was extremely moved and proud to see Justin Fashanu, the man after whom we named our voluntary organisation, being discussed in such a respectful and positive manner. In addition, the contribution of QPR player Joey Barton must be applauded and highly commended. Having a high-profile player like Barton speak up on the issue will make young people, who look up to him, think again about using homophobic language. It will also provide support for those youngsters who are unsure about their own sexuality; Barton’s positive engagement with the issue will undoubtedly make them feel more secure.

A spokesperson for the Campaign said:

“Football still has a very long way to go in properly dealing with the problems of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia within the sport. However, the more the issue is discussed and is brought out of the closet, the easier it will be to address the problems.”

“The Justin Campaign is proud to be working with The FA and a number of Premier League and Football League clubs on the forthcoming Football v Homophobia initiative, which takes places from February 18th – 26th. “

“The fact that we are now working in partnership with major organisations and clubs in the game shows how far we have come. We hope that the momentum increases and we can finally reach a time when sexuality is no longer a barrier to being a footballer or a fan.”

For more information please contact Alan Duffy at alan@thejustincampaign.com or on 07814347566.

Or check out our website www.thejustincampaign.com

Waking up to LGBT issues?

2012-01-29T02:28:00.000-08:00

Think back twenty, ten, even five years ago and homophobia in football was not something that was talked about, never mind tackled head on.

Yet in recent days there has been two extremely positive signs that the footballing world in the UK at least is waking up to the challenge of ensuring there is true equality in the game.

First there is the news that the Professional Footballers' Association has sent posters to all 92 league clubs which the media says is an attempt to reassure any gay footballers they have the support of their teammates.

The poster shows two shirts in a locker room – one with No 7 Gay and the other with No 11 Straight – written on it, with the words ‘When you are part of a team you are never on your own – we are all winners. Football is committed to tackling homophobia’.

The PFA's head of equalities Simone Pound told the Mail on Sunday: "We are working hard to tackle homophobia and it is something everyone has a responsibility to address.

"We want the authorities, clubs and fans to create a 'so what?' culture around being gay in football. As the players' union, we consider it a vital matter. There has been a step forward recently and football is taking homophobia seriously."

In response a Justin Campaign spokesman said: "We welcome the actions of the PFA. This is a really positive step in the tackling the last taboo in football.

"Football players' look for leadership, advice and guidance from their union. This move, which on paper is only an A4 poster, is in fact a big message, not only to any gay professional players, but to their colleagues and friends that homophobic behaviour is discriminatory and wrong.

"It is only with such strong leadership from those in charge of professional football that true equality will be established."

This announcement comes as BBC3 will show a documentary called Britain's Gay Footballers at 9pm tomorrow (Monday).

It will feature Amal Fashanu, Justin's niece and a supporter of the campaign, interviewing, among others, PR guru Max Clifford and QPR captain Joey Barton.

For more read http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16722196.

With such publicity it is surely a sign that the work the campaign and others are doing is finally having some impact at the very top levels and among fans, which can only be good for the beautiful game.

German soccer president calls on players to come out

2012-01-18T09:53:00.000-08:00

The sea may separate them but the footballing communities of Germany and the UK are both facing similar issues.

It is perhaps in these two countries where the issue of homosexuality in the national sport has been most prevalent.

We have already touched on the most recent case in the UK, where a non-league footballer got sacked by his team for a homophobic tweet aimed at rugby legend Gareth Thomas. The fact he has since been resigned by another team is very disappointing.

But in Germany the debate is happening at a much higher level.

Theo Zwanziger, the outgoing German soccer federation president, has said it’s time for gay players to come out, reportedly saying they should "have the courage to declare themselves".

However these comments have been countered by the national team captain Phillip Lahm (right), who said: "The politicians can come out these days, for sure, but they don’t have to play in front of 60,000 people every week. I don’t think that the society is that far ahead that it can accept homosexual players as something normal as in other areas."

It is hard to imagine Premier League chief Richard Scudamore and national team captain John Terry having such a public argument around LGBT issues.

What is equally clear is that both the comments from the German figureheads are from people who have thought about the issue but differ on this pretty major point.

It perhaps sums up the situation where football, particularly in Europe and North America has reached: do we - supporters, campaigners, footballing authorities - encourage someone to come out; or do we continue to ignore the situation and hope it will change in the future as society's views develop?

The simple answer is that while nobody should be forced to publicly accept who they really are, steps should be taken to ensure that the support network is in place for anyone that wants too.

To think, like Phillip Lahm, that footballing society is not ready for a player to say "I'm a member of the LGBT community" is simply sweeping an issue under the carpet and hoping that somebody else will approach what is a difficult, but ultimately not impossible, subject.

As has been said before homosexuality in football remains the last taboo and until we all can stand up and acknowledge that something can be done about it, it will sadly - and wrongly - remain hidden away.

BBC3 to air Britain's Gay Footballers

2012-01-18T09:24:00.001-08:00

Good news.

It has been confirmed that BBC 3 will show a documentary called Britain's Gay Footballers. So set the Sky+ box or video recorder and put January 30 at 9pm in the diary.

The programme will be presented by Amal Fashanu, the niece of Justin who, as most of you will be aware, the campaign is named after, and who is involved with our work.

We have also been told that QPR's Joey Barton and PR guru Max Clifford will feature while the cameras will go to Millwall FC for a match, presumably to see if homophobia exists in a footballing environment.

It will be interesting to see what path the programme follows. Obviously any highlighting of the issue is extremely welcomed. But the hope is that the programme does not trivialise the issue as other documentaries on discriminatory subjects, not just in sport, have in recent years.

We shall have to wait and see.

Somewhere over the rainbow Margaret Court's comments will be band...

2012-01-17T03:05:00.000-08:00

Well done Laura Robson.

Without wanting to sound too patronising the teenage tennis player, who is one of a number of talented young Brits looking to break into the top echelons the sport, proved that a little action can go a long way.

In support of equality in sport, the 17-year-old wore a multicoloured hairband during her Australian Open match against Jelena Jankovich.

It comes in the wake of comments from Australian tennis legend Margaret Court, an avid opponent of same-sex relationships and after whom the arena Robson played her match on was named.

Court, 69, reportedly said: "Politically correct education has masterfully escorted homosexuality out from behind closed doors, into the community openly and now is aggressively demanding marriage rights that are not theirs to take.

"The fact that the homosexual cry is, `We can't help it, as we were born this way,' as the cause behind their own personal choice is cause for concern."

The comments made last week sparked outrage and led to a mass campaign quite simply called 'Rainbow Flags over Margaret Court Arena'.

When Robson was asked about the band after her match, the teenager said: "It was just a rainbow-coloured hairband. I didn't see anything about a protest today."

The Brit added: "I wore it because I believe in equal rights for everyone. That's it. It wasn't a protest, it was just a hairband."

Now in the age of PR and 24/7 media it can be seen that Robson wanted to make a statement but not overplay her opposition to Court's out-dated and vile views.

But what it does do is show all supporters that a little bit of activism can go a long way.

For the Justin Campaign it is encouraging to see so many players - others have been more vocal than Robson - oppose the inhumane views that Court spouts not only to her congregation but also to the media.

We can only hope that pressure is kept up on the authorities to stop Court from attending this year's event but also reconsider naming the arena.

For those players that have to walk onto it during a grand slam it is supposed to be an honour, not a memory of outdated views and abhorred statements.

Perhaps if similar uproar came in football, players could wear messages of support under their shirts?

The Countdown To Football v Homophobia 2012 Begins!

2012-01-13T11:49:00.001-08:00

Dear Supporter,

Five weeks until Football v Homophobia 2012

I’m writing to remind you about this year’s football v homophobia. There have been some important developments this year in the Justin Campaign, and I’d like to tell you a bit more about them, as well as invite you to take action this year for FvH.

Website

At the end of January this year we will be launching our new FvH website. The website will provide a much improved level of support to a wider audience. It will also be easier to donate through the site, and to purchase merchandise. Thank you to those of you who sent in case studies of the fantastic work you did last year for FvH. These will be live on the site in February.

In the meantime, our current site is up and running as usual until the launch of FvH v2!

You can of course also find The Justin Campaign on our Facebook page here and details about Football v Homophobia here. You can also follow us on Twitter at @JustinCampaign, so make sure you check in for up to date information.

Week of action

We are changing the way that we think about and promote FvH. As you know, it began as a day of action on the 19^th February, Justin Fashanu’s birthday. This has worked well, but with the growth of FvH and our developing partnership with the FA, we feel that there is a need to make FvH more accessible and to strengthen it’s impact. We therefore intend to make FvH a year around initiative, with a focused week of action around the 19^th Feb. The focus of FvH will continue to be about empowering people to take action to make a difference, whilst the Justin Campaign will continue to have a wider remit of raising awareness and encouraging a range of activisms. Having a week of action for FvH instead of a day will:

Allow more people to put on events or take action
Allow us to nurture commitment to FvH by the professional game
Ensure that FvH gets more attention and makes a bigger difference

Professional game

Several professional clubs have already committed to being involved in FvH’s weeks of action this year. We are also sending out letters in the next week to all professional clubs telling them more about what they can do to get involved.

What you can do

There are a range of things that you can do this year to get involved. More detail will be available on our new website.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter – get up to date information and help us get the message out
Take part in our ‘Me v Homophobia’ photo action – take a photo of yourself and your gang with a Football v Homophobia sign and upload onto our Facebook page – help us demonstrate support for FvH
Take part in our ‘My club v homophobia’ campaign – take a photo of yourself in your club paraphernalia, with a Football v Homophobia sign, and start a petition to your club to get them involved with FvH
Buy an FvH t-shirt of hoodie and wear it during the week of action – help raise funds for the campaign and spread the message
Wear pink or black or an FvH shirt to a football game during the week of action – show solidary at your club
Put on an event for FvH – we are here to support you in whatever way we can. Check out our new site for new and improved event guidelines and a map of events around the country, as well as case studies of best practice from FvH 2011

Please get in contact to tell us about events you would like to organise or to talk more about how you can get involved. We look forward to continuing to work with you to make football welcoming, inclusive and safe for everyone.

Best wishes,

Megan Worthing-Davies

Director of Football v Homophobia

info@thejustincampaign.com

www.thejustincampaign.com

www.footballvhomophobia.com

The Justin Campaign statement on Oxford City’s Decision To Terminate Player’s Contract.

2012-01-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

The Justin Campaign was very interested to hear the news that Southern Football League Premier Division club Oxford City has sacked striker Lee Steele over homophobic remarks he posted on Twitter recently.

The remarks, made in relation to the openly-gay Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas’ appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, read: “I wouldn’t fancy the bed next to Gareth Thomas #padlock my a**e”.

While it is never pleasing to see someone lose a position in a club or company, we fully applaud the club’s decision to terminate the player’s contract.

For far too long homophobic comments like the ones Steele made have been defended using the erroneous argument that such remarks as simply harmless “banter”. However, we no longer accept racist “banter”, and likewise, we must never accept homophobic “banter”. These kind of comments, in which being gay or bisexual is used as joke, have immense power in dissuading members of the LGBT community from either playing or watching football.

Oxford City’s brave decision shows us that things are, slowly, moving in the right direction and that football is starting to take homophobia, biphobia and transphobia seriously.

Here is the club’s statement in full.

“The Oxford City board have decided to release Lee Steele in view of his recent comment via social media which is considered seriously contrary to the ethos of the club.”

The 2011 Justin Fashanu Cup A Huge Success

2012-01-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

Teams from across the UK got together to play in the Justin Fashanu Cup 2011. In this year's tournaments we had people that had travelled from London, Brighton, Bristol, Trowbridge and Cambridge to play in the five a side tournament being hosted by the Justin Campaign and the Trowbridge Tigers. On Day 1 teams played up to four 24 minute games and in the evening took part in Darts and Pool competitions at the Prestbury Sports Bar in Warminster.

On day 2 of the competition, the final standings were established after another round of games. The Easton Cowboys edged past Sister Act to win the women's competition, in the men's division the Prestbury Tigers ran away with the league with the Trowbridge Tigers team finishing second.

At the presentation evening trophies were presented to the winning teams and medals given to the winners and runners up in both divisions. There were also trophies for the top goalscorer and the player of the tournament. All of the trophies were kindly paid for by RRUK (Rainbow Rooms UK).

Click here for more photos of the event.

Happy New Year from the Justin Campaign!

2011-12-31T08:15:00.001-08:00

Just a short message to wish all our supporters, volunteers and partners a happy New Year from all of us here at the Justin Campaign.

Looking ahead to 2012, we want to make sure that we build on the firm footing that has been established in the fight against homophobia in football.

In particular we are looking forward to:

1) Building on the success of Football v Homophobia 2011 to make the 2012 event on February 19 bigger and better;

2) Working with football authorities and supporters groups to raise awareness about inequality in the world's beautiful game;

3) Using football as a way to build equality for all members of the LGBT community throughout society through workshops, education classes, talks and exhibitions.

Finally thanks to you for all your continued support.

Exeter City striker to coach Devon's only gay-friendly team

2011-12-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

Exeter City Football Club striker John O'Flynn will take on a new role this Sunday.

O'Flynn, in his role as Exeter FC's One Game One Community (OGOC) ambassador, will run a training session for players from the Devon Lions football team on Sunday in Exeter.

The Devon Lions are Devon's first and only gay-friendly football team. The team represent Devon in the Gay National friendly league.

The training session, which will be held in the city, has been organised by Exeter City's OGOC group, which operates under the umbrella of Exeter City's Supporter's Trust.

The aims of the group are to address all strands of equality including race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs. The group works closely with Exeter City FC and its Community Trust to promote a positive and inclusive outlook.

This approach has been endorsed by O'Flynn, who said: "Football should be about bringing people together whatever their backgrounds."Let's help make Exeter City a true community club welcoming to all be they young or old, black or white, male or female, gay or straight, disabled or able-bodied, with faith or without."As they saying goes - united we stand; divided we fall."

Exeter City FC marked its commitment to equality and diversity in October by making its clash with Rochdale its OGOC/Kick it Out fixture. Kick it Out is a national organisation aimed at ending racism and other prejudice in the game.

Devon Lions was formed in February 2009 and since then has provided a non-judgemental environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and heterosexual players to enjoy playing football.

The club takes pride in promoting equality and social inclusion whilst fighting prejudice in society.

It has worked with The Justin Campaign, which opposes homophobia in football.

Richard Cowell, Devon Lions Secretary said "This is such a fantastic step forward to have a Football League club helping make a stance against the homophobic prejudice still seen in the game.

"Exeter City have been incredibly welcoming of our prospect and cause and it sets an example to the rest of footballing world: that we can make a stand against the abuse regularly seen at clubs up and down the country".

Devon Lions FC are always on the lookout for new players, supporters or volunteers, so no matter how experienced you are, you will be made to feel welcome.

For further information about Devon Lions please contact the committee on committee@devonlionsfc.co.uk

The Justin Campaign Is Recruiting! - Head Of Professional Game

2011-12-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Head of professional game – Voluntary – part time approximately 8 hours a week

About the Justin Campaign

The Justin Campaign (JC) is the FA’s adopted campaign to tackle homophobia in football. We challenge discrimination and prejudice against LGBT people in order to create welcoming and inclusive football environments. We aim to see football and wider society value the contributions made by LGBT people. The JC is a fast-growing organisation working with partners at the highest level of football, both domestically and internationally. We focus our efforts on four key areas of work: grassroots football, arts, education and Football V Homophobia (FvH).

About your role

With the adoption by the FA of our key initiative Football v Homophobia, we will see a large increase in contact with professional clubs over the forthcoming years. Your role is to manage the relationship with professional clubs, and to ensure a joined up approach on behalf of the campaign. This will involve working closely with the director for FvH, and the directors of other campaign areas to ensure that we offer the most appropriate support to help professional clubs tackle discrimination and prejudice against LGBT people.

The Key responsibilities of the role include:

· Developing a strategy to ensure the JC supports football clubs to achieve our vision

· Developing a clear approach to professional clubs to get them involved with FvH and other campaign work

· Managing contact with professional clubs and their representatives

· Working with the director of FvH to ensure that FvH works for professional clubs

· Recruiting, organising and managing volunteers to fulfil various functions within the professional game team

About you

You will have a keen interest in both football and the social justice agenda. You understand the importance of the work of the Justin Campaign and are keen to get involved. You have excellent people skills and are good at communicating over email and telephone to build relationships of trust and support. You also have the ability to manage several tasks and projects at the same time, knowing that you will be balancing communication with up to 90 professional club over the course of the year! You are a proactive, initiative taker who would love to get your hands into this project.

To apply for this position, please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter to Megan Worthing-Davies: megan@thejustincampaign.com. If you have any questions please contact Megan on 07814 036789.

The final date for all applications is 1pm, 14^th December.

We welcome applicants from both within and outside the LGBT community. The Justin Campaign is predominantly a Brighton based campaigning organisation. Volunteers will be expected to attend some meetings in Brighton.

The Justin Campaign Is Recruiting! - Head Of Fundraising And Sponsorship

2011-12-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

Head of Fundraising and sponsorship – voluntary – part time approximately 4- 8 hours per week

About the Justin Campaign

The Justin Campaign (JC) is the FA’s adopted campaign to tackle homophobia in football. We aim to see football and wider society value the contributions made by LGBT people. The JC is a fast-growing organisation working with partners at the highest level of football, both domestically and internationally. We focus our efforts on four key areas of work: grassroots football, arts, education and Football V Homophobia.

About your role

This is an exciting role that will involve you working creatively and with initiative to secure funding for the Justin Campaign. This includes a significant role guiding the board about future funding options and possible charitable status. The role provides an opportunity for someone with initiative and ambition to make a real contribution to the future success of the campaign.

Your key responsibilities will be:

· To develop a funding strategy and increase the funding for the Justin Campaign and it’s key initiative Football v Homophobia

· To review the legal/charitable status of the campaign and advise best future options

· To research and target potential funders including charitable trusts, government grants, donor contributions, corporate sponsorship, supporter giving and other opportunities

· To work with the Director of Communications and PR to produce supporting materials such as posters, websites and newsletters to promote, market and advertise funding opportunities and events

· To work with other directors to identify funding needs and options, and to develop short- and long-term plans and budgets for the fundraising program and its activities, monitor progress, assure adherence and evaluate performance

· To recruit, organise and manage volunteers to fulfil various functions within the fundraising team

About you

It is desirable that you have experience, qualifications and/or training in this area. You are an ambitious and motivated person who enjoys finding solutions to problems. You are excited by the scope there is to develop the funding portfolio of the campaign and for the opportunities there will be to use your own initiative to make a difference. You see the potential that exists to take the campaign to the next level of impact and influence through financial growth and are confident in your ability to meet the challenge.

To apply for this position, please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter to Megan Worthing-Davies: megan@thejustincampaign.com. If you have any questions, please contact Megan on 07814 036789.

The final date for all applications is 1pm, 14^th December.

"Justin" Documentary Debuts On December 3rd

2011-11-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

A new documentary charting the formation of The Justin Campaign is to receive its world premiere on December 3rd in Brighton as part of the city's Cinecity festival.

The 30-minute film, made by Ian McDonald, is also interspersed with the moving memories of Justin from people who knew him best: his family, friends, fans and the coach who discovered him. Their accounts, in some cases being told on camera for the first time, create a poignant portrait of Justin in all his brilliance and beauty as well as his insecurities and indiscretions.

The film will be screened on the afternoon of December 3rd at the Nightingale Theatre.

The Campaign is very excited about the screening of "Justin" and is looking forward to revisiting those early days of the project.

Jason Hall, founding director of the Justin Campaign, said: "Justin Fashanu is at the heart of all that we do. Justin's love of football and men placed him in an unfamiliar, monochrome world. However, Justin brought colour into that world, and lots of it. He has inspired a new generation of footballers. Let's all make football colourful!"

Check out a trailer for the film here by clicking here.

For more info, click here.

Transgender first from American Samoa

2011-11-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

Two firsts from the tiny footballing country of American Samoa.

For years the little Pacific island was known as being the country which lost 31-0 to Australia in a World Cup qualifying game.

But now there have been two major breakthroughs. Firstly the country officially last in the Fifa rankings has won its first game. Secondly, and more importantly, was the appearance of defender Johnny Saelua.

He is believed to be the first transgender athlete to compete in a World Cup qualifying match.

Media reports say Saelua is part of the fa’afafine, biological males who identify as a third sex that is widely accepted in Polynesian culture.

He is reported as saying: “The team accept me and we have that mutual respect - which is great. It’s all part of the culture.”

This marks a truly important step in football history. Transgender athletes have long had difficulties in playing any sport, something which is discriminatory and simply wrong.

One only needs to remember the media storm surrounding 800m runner Caster Semenya to see the simplistic view that many have on the issue.

Saelua's appearance shows that the views in global football are becoming more accepting to those who belong to the LGBT community.

The comments of American Samoa's coach Thomas Rongen were perhaps less helpful to this ongoing battle but do ask an important question. He said: “I’ve really got a female starting at centre back. Can you imagine that in England or Spain?”

People in more established footballing countries, whether they are fans, players or part of the establishment, have to ask themselves this question.

What reaction would Saelua get if he signed for an English football club? Would there be general hysteria or would people accept him for the committed and talented footballer he is? It is a question that one day we hope is asked as it will only help people realise that football is for all, regardless of who you are.

Artwork needed for national campaign

2011-11-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Calling all you arty campaigners.

Government equalities minister Lynne Featherstone is running a campaign to get someone to design a logo for a national campaign to kick homophobia and transphobia out of sport.

Lynne Featherstone said: “Over 2,000 individuals and clubs have already signed up to the Government Charter for Action to kick homophobia and transphobia out of sport and I thank them for their support.

“The competition will help encourage even more people to get involved and spread the message far and wide that homophobic and transphobic abuse is never acceptable.”

More info is here.

Encouraging News From St. Mary's Stadium

2011-11-20T07:56:00.000-08:00

The Justin Campaign is encouraged by the news that two fans were arrested for homophobic chanting during Southampton’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion at St Mary’s on Saturday.

We would like to thank both Southampton FC and Hampshire Police for reacting in such a decisive way to the homophobia, as it shows a willingness to act on the issue rather than simply give it tacit support.

Homophobic chanting by opposition fans during Brighton & Hove Albion games has, for far too long, been an acceptable part of the Seagulls’ matches, with action rarely taken by the authorities. However, in making these two arrests at St. Mary’s, Hampshire Police have shown that it is not acceptable to hurl abuse at a minority who have, for far too long, been excluded from the game we all love. Homophobic chanting is not ‘harmless banter’, it is offensive and damaging behaviour which has no place in a football stadium.

There is now a growing momentum behind the fight against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football, and the actions of Hampshire Police and Southampton FC have helped the game take another big step towards true equality in football.

Pro Soccer Player David Testo: "I'm Gay. It's Just Part Of Who I Am"

2011-11-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Keph Senett is a Canadian writer living in Mexico who’s proudly played soccer on four continents. You can read more from her at kephsenett.com. She’s part of the Communications team for The Justin Campaign.

The article below first appeared at thenewcivilrightsmovement.com

David Testo (right) in action

David Testo, an American-born professional soccer midfielder for the Montréal Impact came out as gay, in a report published this morning on the CBC’s French-language broadcast arm Radio-Canada:

“Je suis homosexuel, je suis gai, a-t-il confié à Radio-Canada Sports. Je né l’ai pas choisi. Ça fait seulement partie de ce que je suis. Et ça n’a rien à voir avec le talent d’un joueur de soccer. Tu peux être à la fois un excellent joueur de soccer et être gai.”

“I’m homosexual, I’m gay,” Testo, who is 30, told CBC Sports. “I did not choose. It’s just part of who I am. And it has nothing to do with the talent of a soccer player. You can be both an excellent soccer player and be gay.”

With this statement, Testo added his name to the notably short list of three openly-gay professional male soccer players which also includes Justin Fashanu (who came out in 1990 and died by suicide eight years later), and Swedish defender Anton Hysén who came out earlier this year.

Testo is an American-born player with a college soccer record from the University of South Carolina. He used to play for the Columbus Crew, a Major League Soccer (MLS) team, and is currently on the roster for Montréal Impact, a Canadian franchise which will join the MLS next year. Now imagine what Testo’s statement could do if he was officially supported by representatives from every one of these organizations.

Although Testo’s statement is a welcome development for anti-homophobia advocates, it may not generate the commentary and fanfare that followed Hysén’s. When the Swedish defender spoke to sports magazine Offside in mid-March, he became the first pro male player to do so since Fashanu, an event some of us had been eagerly waiting for.

If we had imagined a sort of domino effect, with player after player standing Spartacus-like and declaring his homosexuality, we were dreaming. After an initial flurry of interviews and fresh attention on the topic of homophobia in soccer, Hysén once again faded into the background with his fourth division team Utsiktens BK. Maybe we need a higher profile athlete, some of us said. A Beckham or a Messi.

But the problem’s not with the players — it’s with the governing bodies of the sport. As support for anti-discrimination policies across the global sports worlds increases (in the first half of 2011 alone, more than 25 high-profile spots figures came out as gay) professional soccer has displayed a uniform disregard for the issue.

Led by Sepp Blatter, FIFA is notorious for its mishandling of homophobia concerns. The outrage over FIFA’s reinstatement of Croatian Football Federation president Vlatko Markovic in February after his homophobic remarks in November 2010 was all-but-forgotten after the organization’s refusal to react to Nigerian head coach Ucharia Uche’s homophobic comments and actions before and during the Women’s World Cup in June. With no signs of support from the top, soccer has been left behind in an increasingly inclusive and diverse sports landscape.

With tenacious and effective grassroots advocacy from organizations like the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA), recreational leagues from around the world, and anti-homophobia organizations (most notably, The Justin Campaign which was named after the late Fahsanu) it’s entirely possible that the story of inclusive soccer will be written from the ground up. If so, Testo’s statement presents a significant opportunity to game-changers in the world of professional soccer.

The fans are doing their part; the advocates are doing their part; and even if they’ve been a bit slow to come out, the players are doing their part. Now it’s time for the owners, the administrators, and the organizers to do their part and help usher in a new era of soccer that rejects homophobia.

Change is a lot more meaningful than a pair of boots

2011-11-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

It's official - football is becoming more gay-friendly.

According to research from the University of Bath the reason we know this is down to the assortment of coloured boots in the game.

As researcher Adi Adams explains: “There was a time when only black boots were acceptable and wearing coloured boots was identified as unmasculine, feminine and potentially indicative of homosexuality.

"Now there is a wider range and a greater appreciation of clothing styles among the players which is a good indicator about changing attitudes."

While this study may generate a nice headline on a news article, it also does have a serious point about it.

It shows that homophobia in football is being talked about.

However, the seriousness of the research must be questioned. Most fans, whether of fashion or football, would agree that the sport has come a long way from mega short shorts and the 1980s perms.

Off the pitch styles have changed, stadia have been improved, tolerance levels have generally improved.

But still homophobia is a part of the game that we all know and love.

Talk does not make change. This is where we must make a difference, lobbying authorities, talking to fans and providing support to any individuals that ask for it.

After all, change is a lot more than a different colour of boots.

Photos Featuring The Campaign's Young Ambassadors At The England U19 Game

2011-11-14T05:42:00.001-08:00

Following on from our last post, where we told you about our fantastic young footballers from Peacehaven who were in the crowd at the recent England U19 game at the Amex, representing the Justin Campaign, we have a few photos of the young ambassadors at the game.

Seeing young people make a stand for equality for all in the game is heartwarming, genuinely moving and very positive for the future!

Young footballers from the JOFF Youth Centre, Peacehaven, with Justin Campaign Director of Education Jayne Caudwell (far left, bottom row)

Turning their backs on homophobia, biphobia and transphobia

Making sure the crowd get the message

Taking A Stand Against Homophobia: Young Footballers From The JOFF Youth Centre, Peacehaven

2011-11-10T05:32:00.000-08:00

Fans at tonight’s England U19 international at the AMEX Community Stadium will include a team of 11 young men from Peacehaven Youth Club who play under the banner of anti-homophobia in football.

They are young ambassadors for The Justin Campaign, a Brighton-based initiative to make football safe for all people regardless of their sexuality and gender identity. East Sussex Targeted Youth Support Service and The Justin Campaign have successfully worked together to raise awareness of homophobia and homophobic bullying. Projects have included a ‘Tackle Homophobia’ tournament, which took place in June at the Wave Leisure Centre, Seaford (funded by East Sussex Youth Bank, applied for by a group of young people) and a weekly football session at the JOFF centre in Peacehaven (funded by Southern Housing Group).

The young men must be highly praised for their commitment to an issue many adults are failing to openly support.

Equality takes longer than 90 minutes? Yes, but it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.

2011-11-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you across the world reading, apologies - it is quite a UK-focused post.

In the past week there has been a lot of media publicity on the issue of homophobia in the game, from a member of Brighton and Hove Albion's supporters club asking for authorities to take homophobic chanting more serious to homophobic messages being displayed on a Crawley Town player's Twitter account.

Following these articles, Rod Liddle penned these thoughts in yesterday's Sunday Times titled "Equality takes longer than 90 minutes".

For those of you without a subscription or a hard copy of the paper, I'll provide a few extracts.

Talking about eliminating racism in the game, Liddle writes: "We're almost there but not quite. And the force for change has not been pressure groups or the Kick It Out campaign, but a gradualism occasioned by more black players, more black faces on TV and so on.

"You cannot conceive of yourself as being the master race when a black forward has just made your white defence look static and imbecilic, or when your local MP is black.

"And so it will be, I suspect, with homosexuality. For a while now the FA has attempted to outlaw homophobia at grounds but I suspect that this will make the chants even more homophobic."

Mr Liddle concludes: "You force this stuff on people and in the end it just causes even more resentment."

In a way I can see the point that Liddle is trying to make is that changes in society and culture result in more change than action by those in charge of the game.

A lifelong Millwall fan, he has seen the ugly side of the game up close, particularly through the 70s and 80s when it was a no-go place for many.

But in this issue we feel he has largely skewed his effort wide of the post.

For homophobia and transphobia IS now unacceptable in wider areas of society - even other sports - yet football continues to lag behind.

Not just on the field, but off it too, it remains a very male dominated enclave where any issues around sexuality are frankly just not talked about, never mind embraced.

The reason? Perhaps because football is the most popular game in the world, its authorities could afford to take the view they do not have to take equality seriously.

Note that does not mean they do put the issue to one side, just that there is little impetus for doing so from the financial point of view.

For instance, are sponsors going to turn away from the game if a high-ranking member of the footballing authorities makes a homophobic statement?

How much money did Fifa lose when Sepp Blatter made his infamous remarks about members of the LGBT community attending games in Qatar?

The actions of a number of activists and groups, such as the Justin Campaign, have played a major role inensuring this issue is now being looked at more seriously.

Bosses are now realising that football can be a force for good and, instead of waiting for a rap on the knuckles from the Government or being shamed into action by the media, football authorities can and are taking a more proactive stance.

The Premier League and the Football Association can use its global profile to spread a message of equality and show it can use this to change people's views, not reinforce them.

As one twitter user, known as Gixibyte, wrote when I posted the comments earlier: "The alternative is to do nothing. Which breeds more homophobia. Ignore the isolated minority who fume at anti-homophobia."

Charlton Athletic sign charter aginst homophobia

2011-11-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to say that Charlton Athletic have become the second club to sign the Government charter for action against homophobia and transphobia.

The club posted this article on its website on Sunday night.

The Justin Campaign welcomes this step and hopes it acts as a catalyst for more professional sides in all four English divisions to follow in the steps of Wycombe Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.

Justin Campaign press statement: Hope Akpan tweet

2011-11-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week it was brought to our attention that the FA were investigating a tweet that appeared on a Crawley Town player's Twitter account.

According to a national newspaper, Hope Akpan's Twitter account read: "Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic."

The 20-year-old midfielder, who signed from Everton in the summer, has since deleted the comment from the social networking site.

A statement issued by the League Two club, on behalf of manager Steve Evans, said: "Having spoken to Hope at length, I accept that the comments were added to his Twitter account by a young member of his family without Hope’s knowledge.

"The view expressed on Hope’s Twitter account are not shared by any member of the staff of Crawley Town FC. As a club we do not condone discrimination of any kind."

A Justin Campaign spokesman said: "Homophobic comments, whether in football or not, are wrong.

"Even with the support of some clubs and footballing authorities, homophobia remains entrenched in football and it will take strong leadership for attitudes to change.

"The Justin Campaign is one of a number of volunteer groups that is leading the cause towards real change in the world's game.

"In this instance there could be a reasonable explanation but the Justin Campaign hopes the FA will look into this with immediate urgency and deal with any wrongdoing with utmost seriousness."

The Justin Campaign congratulates Wycombe Wanderers on taking a stand against homophobia and transphobia in football

2011-10-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign is pleased to learn that Wycombe Wanderers have become the first professional football club to sign up to the Government’s ‘Charter for Action’ in tackling homophobia and transphobia in sport.

The charter commits signatories to challenge discrimination and work to rid sport of homophobic and transphobic abuse both on the terraces and on the pitch, so that everyone can take part in and enjoy sport.

Jason Hall, founder of the Justin Campaign said: ‘It’s really good to see that Wycombe Wanderers have shown leadership in demonstrating their support for the Government’s Charter. It’s a pity though that other professional clubs have still yet to do the same. It really is time now for them all to take a stand along with Wycombe Wanderers and ‘get with the programme’ “.

The Justin Campaign was set up in 2008 in memory of Justin Fashanu, the world’s first openly gay professional footballer, who took his own life in 1998. The campaign highlights how homophobia is still engrained in both grassroots and professional football and seeks to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions that exist around LGB & T (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans) people, so that the visibility of LGB & T people in football will become both accepted and celebrated. (thejustincampaign.com)

3rd annual Justin Fashanu Cup shows there is no room in sport for homophobia.

2011-10-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

3rd annual Justin Fashanu Cup shows there is no room in sport for homophobia.

The upcoming Justin Fashanu Cup pits Melbourne Rovers, Melbourne’s gay and lesbian soccer club, against the men of News South Wales gay club, Sydney Rangers. The game is on 22nd October and is hosted by Yarra Jets FC.

Why a gay soccer club?

Rovers was formed in 2008 aiming at improving the health and fitness of gay men and women, and to provide a space free of homophobia. In these 3 years, Rovers have come to the sport for the first time, come back in to the sport or transferred from other clubs. Football was in the blood of Rovers player Alex Mungall long before he knew he was a gay man, but: ‘Playing in a regular club didn’t appeal. I had condemned myself to watching from the sidelines. Rovers got me back to playing after a 20 year hiatus’.

A welcoming environment is the main difference between the Rovers and other sports clubs, and while that may be easy to offer, its impact is big. Victoria University’s Caroline Symonds 2010 ‘Come out to play’ study looked in to gay people’s exposure to sport and its health and social benefits, and it’s findings were stark. 26% of male respondents said there were sports they would like to play and didn’t because of their sexuality. Of these, the most common sports male participants would like to play were the football codes: Australian football (45.0%), rugby (17.5%), soccer (10.0%).

Melbourne Rovers President Heath Wilson says: ‘The Justin Fashanu Cup is important in showing young gay men that football can be for them too.’

Who is Justin Fashanu?

Rovers and Rangers put on this match to commemorate football star Justin Fashanu. Fashanu was the first professional footballer to come out. His 1981 transfer to Nottingham Forest made him Britain's first £1m footballer. In 1990 Fashanu encountered hostility after coming out. Many former colleagues spoke out in anger against him, stating that gays had no place in a team sport, and his brother John (also a top flight footballer) publicly disowned him.
Although he claimed he was generally well accepted by his fellow players, he admitted they would often joke maliciously about his sexual orientation, and he also became the target of constant crowd abuse because of it.

Fashanu’s died by suicide in 1998.

Fashanu’s story inspires the international Justin Campaign, designed to write a better story for young people thinking about making football part of their life.
Symbol of the international Justin Campaign.
With Justin Fashanu playing in Adelaide early in his career, and in Adelaide and Wellington, after coming out, it’s fitting that Australia’s biggest football match between gay players commemorates him. There is no stronger symbol of the impact of homophobic abuse in sport, and his achievements remain relevant because he didn’t let being gay stop him playing.
However, Fashanu is still the highest profile player to come out in soccer, and we are yet to have a gay role model in Aussie Rules.

Looking in to the headspace of a gay sportsman

Things are moving on. Last month, A-League club Adelaide’s new marquee import Evgeniy Levchenko’s showed support for gay players. Saddened by the suicide of Fashanu, and made aware of it when a friend came out in private to him, he has spoken out about the culture in which being honest about sexuality is taboo and it’s impact.
"I supported him before he made the step and he said "you know, for me it was just like living 25 years in prison," Levchenko said.

"So I understood him ... yeah, he was hiding all of his feelings and emotions all of his life."
"There are a lot of football players ... and with that there are gay football players," said Levchenko.

Also this year, the Justin Fashanu cup day program features an inaugural friendly women’s match between gay women playing in Melbourne leagues. This comes in the year when the Women’s World Cup was blighted by a Nigerian coaches boast of expunging the scourge of lesbianism from the team. The reaction of FIFA has been strong, if retrospective, however the swift exit of Nigeria from the tournament sends a stronger message: limit your choices at your peril.

In Australia, while no elite level soccer players have come out, and Jason Akermanis has recommended no AFL players do, there was a reminder here of the importance of countering this last month from the sport of hockey, where an affirmative action program has been proving effective.

Gus ‘the Goalkeeper’ Johnston chose to come out publicly via you tube video last month, after 20 years in hockey at a senior level for Essendon, including representative state level for Victoria. His video, hosted on you tube illustrates that depression and suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of their level of achievement, skill or ability to ‘fit in’.
Melbourne Rovers President Heath Wilson welcomes Evgeniy Levchenko’s support. “The Justin Fashanu Cup shows there are many gay players. The support of a top professional is important, and we thank Evgeniy for that.’

Justin Fashanu Cup teams after the 2010 cup was awarded to Melbourne Rovers.

Are things improving?

Melbourne Rovers men and women play within the adult teams of Yarra Jets in the leagues of the Football Federation of Victoria(FFV). Jets Secretary Nick Petroulias says: ‘The Yarra Jets are proud to host the Fashanu Cup this year. Clubs need to get the Fashanu Cup. We hope it keeps growing each year. We formed as a club a few years ago to offer everyone a chance to play football. Sports like football unite people and it’s future is about inclusion. But let’s hope Melbourne give Sydney a whipping’.

Senior coach at Yarra Jets is former Socceroo Hammy McMeechan. ‘All that matters to me is – what can you do with a ball. When I started my career, after getting offered my first big break, I was asked what religion I was. That stopped me playing senior football briefly. I didn’t expect 40 odd years later I would be coaching a squad with a lot of gay players, but they are good guys and some of them are talented players.

The Justin Fashanu Cup 2011 will be held on Saturday 22nd October, with the program commencing with the women’s match at noon and kick-off of the Cup match at 1pm. It is held at Clifton Hill’s Quarries Park and is free. Yarra Jets and Melbourne Rovers invite you to join us. For further details of the event: see Melbourne Rovers on melbourneroverssc.org.au

Media notes:
For further comment, and opportunities to talk to players from either team, contact:
Alex Mungall Joseph Roppolo
Player, Melbourne Rovers SC Coach, Sydney Rangers FC
(M) 0438834388 (M) 0408 444 892

References:
Adelaide United's Evgeniy "Lev" Levchenko believes gay footballers should not fear coming out.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/stars-life-in-the-fast-lane/story-e6frecj3-1226117755790
Homophobia rife in Aussie sport, report shows
http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/5413/Homophobia-rife-in-Aussie-sport-report-shows.htm
Come Out To Play: The Sports Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) People in Victoria.
http://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/Come%20Out%20To%20Play%20May%202010.pdf

Wolverhampton College Students Tackle Homophobia in Football

2011-10-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Students from the City of Wolverhampton College took to the field on Friday 30 September 2011, in an inter college Six-A-Side college tournament to challenge homophobia in football. The tournament was run in partnership with the Justin Campaign, which was founded to demonstrate misconceptions that exist around Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans (LGBT) people in football. Teams took part with student drawn from a variety of departments across all five of the college’s campuses and a team from The Justin Campaign.

In the morning a workshop, run by the Justin Campaign was held for Wolverhampton College sports students. The workshop’s aim was to raise the awareness of the damaging impact homophobia can have on LGBT people, and to help develop a greater understanding of the problem.

Adam Dwight lecturer in sport at the City of Wolverhampton College said: “This was a very enjoyable event and a great many students took part. More importantly it was an opportunity to raise awareness of a very serious issue, which exists in both amateur and professional football. Hopefully by informing and educating our students, they will respect other people and remember that football is a game that should be enjoyed by everyone on the same terms.”

Jayne Caudwell from the Justin Campaign said: ‘’The young people I met at the City of Wolverhampton College, in the workshop and at the football tournament, are very interested in issues of equality. They were very keen to know more about The Justin Campaign and we discussed ways to make football a more welcoming place for all people regardless of sexuality and gender identity. They aim to do something on 19th Feb, 2012 (International Football v Homophobia day). It was a pleasure to met such a responsive group of students.’’

A new season, same old story

2011-09-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

A new season brings hope for supporters of every team up and down the country.

Brighton and Hove Albion are probably the one side in the country which have the most to smile about.

Promoted to the Championship last year as champions, they have finally moved into a new home 14 years after the controversial sale of their former home the Goldstone Ground.

But, one thing that does not change is the homophobic abuse that its fans get at seemingly every game.

Using Brighton's reputation as the gay capital of the UK for "inspiration", Leicester City fans spent much of the match reminding Seagulls fans of the large LGBT community that reside in their city.

"Town full of faggots" and "Does your boyfriend know your here?" were just two of the chants from a minority of Foxes fans aimed towards the travelling fans.

After posting news about the comments on Twitter there was plenty of reaction from supporters of both teams.

One Albion fan said: "It happens at every away game."

Another said: "It happens pretty much every game. Only way to react is with sarcasm. Away clubs do nothing about it coming from their fans."

This is not to say the Albion fans were completely innocent. In response, a number of its supporters resorted to chants.

One Leicester fan said: "We get racist abuse galore,that doesn't justify it but there are idiots everywhere.How do you win that battle?"

Another said: "There's no place for hurtful chants but sometimes the tamer songs are just a bit of banter which no one wants out of footy."
A third wrote: "very embarrassing for us real #lcfc fans. As embarrassing as the weekly racist abuse we receive. All clubs have idiots."

But as always, the reaction is not always positive.

One devoted Foxes fan replied: "shut up u dick the Brton fans were doing limp wrist salutes back the Leicester fans. Nothing in it at all."

Another said: "It's football, not ballet!!! If you aint happy don't go!!!"

It is perhaps these comments which sum up the battle facing campaigners. Any football fan knows that chants and humour is an integral part of the fan experience. At the prices that supporters have to pay these days it would be wrong to completely do away with this side of the game.

But there must be some action when clearly abusive behaviour is so evident.

Why do stewards not step in if this is such a regular occurrence?

A Norwich City - Ipswich Town game last year saw stewards step in and evict a fan who was leading a particularly nasty chant about the campaign's figurehead Justin Fashanu.

Any football fan who hears chants such as those listed above should not be afraid to report them to the football club.

If the club's a re made aware by those that pay the bills then they will have no option but to step in and take action.

Footballer or porn star? Only one of these industries accepts you for being gay

2011-09-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Ask any professional footballer and they will admit the hardest thing is deciding what to do on retirement.

Some remain close to the game, falling into roles such as coaching, management or punditry.

For many in the 1960s and 1970s the "in thing" was to run a pub or nightclub. Others take on roles such as postmen.

But one Belgian footballer has created quite a stir after hanging up his boots after announcing he has become a gay porn actor.

Jonathan de Falco resorted to the career change after sustaining an injury on the pitch.

Some may see it amusing that the former Racing Mechelen and Oud-Heverlee Leuven footballer has adopted the name Stany Falcone to appear in several adult movies.

But the reason for his change of track is a little worrying.

He told the Antwerp Gazette he hid his real sexuality while he was a footballer because: "The football world is not ready for gay players. There is too much prejudice and generally low tolerance.

"Since I was 20 I have been in gay circles, but when I played soccer, nobody noticed anything. If my orientation would have been known, there would have undoubtedly problems."

It is disappointing that de Flaco felt this way about the lack of support network within the game.

He is not the first footballer to admit that there is low tolerance for members of the LGBT community in the sport and sadly he will not be the last.

His new career is not the one most would chose but that is not say de Falco should be looked down on.

Ultimately his choice has given everyone with a say in the running of the game to think again. Why is it that a man can openly admit to being a porn star yet not want to admit to being a gay footballer?

It is a question that those in charge should not be afraid of answering honestly - something which de Falco has only been able to resort to after leaving the sport he truly loved.

Fifa's overture in women's game welcomed

2011-09-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

Homophobia in football is not just limited to the men's game.

As the popularity of the women's game has grown across the globe, so has the need to confront and combat negative language to those part of the world's most popular sport.

For while football has long been accepted by those with an X chromosome, women were long looked down on for even making a passing remark about the game.

But times are changing as seen with the popularity and skill on display at this summer's World Cup in Germany.

Perhaps it is this which has encouraged Fifa to take steps against bigotry in the game.

According to reports, the governing body of world football has announced it will look into homophobia following anti-gay comments by the coach of Nigeria’s female team at the recent women’s World Cup.

As mentioned previously on this blog Eucharia Uche sparked controversy on the eve of the women's World Cup when she reportedly branded gays as “dirty” and “a problem”.

Fifa has now decided to investigate the comments and the wider issue of homophobia in the women’s game, according to gay group AllOut.org. Much of the credit for this work must go to this campaign group.

It organised a 45,000 signature petition, a sure sign of support on the issue, and a flash mob outside a stadium during the women’s World Cup in Germany which urged FIFA to act over Uche's comments.

Andre Banks, co-founder of AllOut.org said in a statement: “Today we are excited to see FIFA take a first, critical step. By launching an immediate probe into coach Uche’s homophobic statements, the international governing body of soccer is sending a clear and important message: homophobia has no place in football, on or off the field.”

The Justin Campaign wants to echo to sentiment echoed in this above statement. It seems finally Fifa has its head in the right place and realised that football can be a postive force for all. But first the authorities need to show those taking part in the beautiful game the sme commitment its supporters and players do.

With the support of the world's governing body and individual member nations the sport is certainly heading towards a game everyone can be proud of. If proven guilty, any action taken against Uche will certainly be a step in the right direction.

PRESS RELEASE: Lahm urges players not to come out

2011-09-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

German international footballer Philipp Lahm, in his newly published autobiography “The Subtle Difference”, discusses homosexuality in football and ultimately concedes that gay players shouldn’t, at the present time, come out.

“I would not advise any gay professional footballer to come out,” he explains. “I would fear that he could end up like Justin Fashanu who, after he outed himself, was driven into such a corner that he ended up committing suicide.”

The Bayern Munich star’s comments are sure to provoke much debate, and the Justin Campaign would still hope that a gay player would feel able to be themselves and come out.

However, Lahm’s comments, while controversial, do raise the question – is football a comfortable and welcoming environment for LGBT players and fans?

Unfortunately, at this moment in time, the answer has to be no.

Thankfully the likes of The FA are now starting to properly tackle the issue, but for all parties concerned, there is still a long way to go.

Lahm himself made similar comments earlier this year, but his concerns are coming from the right place.

In 2008 from the Weimar Gay Triangle, a German LGBT rights organization, for his outspokenness against intolerance.

Therefore, however hard it may be to hear Lahm’s words, the Justin Campaign applauds the player for discussing the issue in public and adding an important voice to the debate.

Regular reading list: September 4

2011-09-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

At regular intervals we will list a number of articles that have interested us at the Justin Campaign. Read on and follow links for the articles in full.

England's 3-0 away win in Bulgaria in the Euro Championships qualifying game was marred with the home fans directing racist chants at a number of England players. Here Henry Winter, of the Daily Telegraph, argues that footballing authorities need to get tougher on the issue.

The issue of homophobia in football is slowly reaching football fans across the world. Read the words on the issue from self-confessed football geek Alastair Moncrieff, from Fife, Scotland, here.

In recent months, there has been positive language to originate from key players in the Bundesliga about homophobia in football. So it was somewhat surprising to read the German national team's captain Philipp Lahm state in his autobiography that homosexual professional footballers should not come out. Read more
here.

A Day To Be Proud Of For The All-Stars

2011-08-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

In the run-up to the weekend’s fabulous Brighton & Hove Pride event, the Justin Fashanu All-Stars took part in the Ford Pride football tournament on the 6th of August at Brighton Rugby Club.

15 teams from the LGBT community participated in the competition, which was organised by the Ford Motor Company and Pride.

The winners of the tournament were the London Roman Emperors while the runners up were the London Roman Conquerors. The most sporting player award was given to Michael Duff of the Brighton Bandits.

The Justin Campaign is incredibly proud of the All-Stars, despite the team not making it past the group stages of the competition. The All-Stars put out an all-female team, with trans woman Juliet Jacques lining out for the Brighton–based side.

Jacques, a freelance journalist who writes for The Guardian, said: “Being trans wasn’t an issue during the tournament. It was a very safe and welcoming environment to play football.”

The Justin Campaign is committed to tackling transphobia in the game, as well as homophobia and biphobia, and we were delighted to see Juliet line out in the famous pink jersey.

The Justin Campaign Take Pride Of Place In Brighton

2011-08-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

The sun came out for Brighton Pride on Saturday, with The Justin Campaign taking their place in the parade through the crowded streets of the city. Carrying their “Tackling Biphobia, Transphobia and Homophobia in Football”, the campaigners took part alongside the organisers of the recent Ford Pride football tournament.

The Justin Fashanu All-Stars were also present to show off their footballing skills in their famous pink jerseys.

As well as participating in the parade, the Campaign also had an information stall on King’s Road, organised in conjunction with the Doctor Brighton’s street party.

The day was a massive success both in general, and for the Justin Campaign, with a huge amount of interest shown in the campaign’s work.

After all the recent rioting troubles across the country, it was wonderful to see Brighton at its most peaceful and positive best!

Time to clip the wings of the Super Falcons' coach

2011-07-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

The women's world cup has sprang a number of surprises expected from tournament football.

Japan's rise to the final, England actually playing for penalties (only to, unsurprisingly lose), Germany failing in the first round of a knockout - all unexpected delights from tournament football.

But one unnecessary and despicable action has been the behaviour of Nigerian women's football manager Eucharia Uche.

Allegations of a "witch-hunt" of lesbian players in the country, who proudly play under the banner of the Super Falcons, have been ongoing for a number of months.

It is claimed Uche uses homophobic coaching measures, even describing homosexuality as “very dirty” and “spiritually, morally very wrong”.

Yet still Fifa sits on its hands.

This is why it was positive to see a demonstration against the actions taking place in Frankfurt this week.

Leading the protest was the international gay rights pressure group www.allout.org, who are demanding an investigation into the allegations.

More than 100 activists dressed as referees in front of SV Frankfurt's Commerzbank Arena and holding up red cards reading "Homophobia No."

It was a simple action against an issue which has been overlooked for far too long.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell perhaps summed up the situation best.

He said: "The reported purge last year of lesbian players from the Nigerian women's football team by Nigerian soccer federation official James Peters is outrageous discrimination.

"The team's current coach has also boasted that she is attempting to remove lesbian influences from the team. These actions go against the spirit that sport should be open to everyone and that players should be judged solely on their football abilities."

He added: "Fifa's silence and inaction is collusion with homophobic prejudice and discrimination. It has failed to act against the anti-lesbian policies of the Nigerian football authorities.

"Sepp Blatter and Fifa must insist that Nigerian football officials halt their witch-hunt of lesbian players. Allowing this discrimination is unacceptable. The beautiful game is not beautiful when it tolerates prejudice."

It may be that Fifa has its eye on other matters at the minute - most notably the allegations of in-house corruption.

But, homophobia in African football is not a new thing - the rape and killing of Eudy Simelane is just one incident of many.

But how long will it be before those with the power actually use the power.

We are beyond the stage where inactivity is an option.

This is a message to all the footballing authorities - this is an issue and you should tackle it.

For more on this issue:
http://nigerianfutbol.blogspot.com/2011/07/eucharia-uche-disgrace-to-nigerian.html http://www.teamkickoffnigeria.com/forum/topics/eucharia-uche-a-disgrace-to http://www.womenssoccerunited.com/group/womensworldcupgermany2011/forum/topics/fifa-has-taken-tentative?xg_source=activity

Markovic fine upheld - but is it enough?

2011-07-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

What price a bigot?

The Justin Campaign has long been critical of Vlatko Markovic, the Croatian football federation president.

Last year the 74-year-old said in an interview that a gay player wouldn't play for Croatia while he led the federation.

He added he had never met a gay player because "only healthy people play football."

It sparked outrage not only from LGBT campaigners but also from football fans.

Uefa took the decision to punish one of the most powerful men in European football with a fine of $14,500.

When you consider the vast sums of money that the Croatian FA earns in a year through a variety of sponsorship deals and international game revenue then this amount was hardly a drop in the Adriatic Sea.

But still the footballing bureaucrat, who has since been re-elected to serve a fourth four-year term, decided to appeal the fine and attempt to get it overturned.

Thankfully, Uefa has seen sense and decided to uphold the punishment.

It is pleasing to see Uefa stand up to the diplomats who help fund its organisation.

If this ban had been overturned then completely the wrong message would have been sent out to football fans across the continent.

While the fine could have been a lot more, at least it still stands and is a firm sign that such comments are not welcome from those who run the game.

For if that is the message from the top, then what hope is there for those at the bottom looking for leadership.

But could Uefa not take a stronger stance and make this man stand down?

Their view is obviously no.

Uefa seemingly took the decision that it would be overstepping the mark to remove diplomats who have been elected by contemporaries, such as Markovic.

Any decision to reverse this would have no doubt overthrown the applecart and made its life a lot more difficult in the future.

While it is very easy to oppose this view, pragmatism, it seems, is the winner in this one.

But at least the officials in Switzerland have not completely ducked the issue.

Campaigners, fans, footballing authorities, everyone must work together if we are finally to bring some justice to tackling homophobia in football.

A New No. 10 For The Justin Campaign

2011-07-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign’s founding director, Jason Hall, was honoured to be present at the recent Prime Minister’s Reception for LGBT groups which took place at Downing Street last week.

The reception had a strong sporting theme, with high-profile sportspeople such as Gareth Thomas, Ben Cohen and Billie Jean King attending along with the great and the good from

the LGBT community. Another attendee was Justin Campaign patron and Stonewall FC legend Aslie Pitter.

Jason presented the Prime Minister with a personalised Justin Fashanu All-Stars jersey (above - Jason is in the yellow tie) while he was also photographed with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone MP (below).

In his speech at the event, the Prime Minister admitted that the government needed to do more to encourage lesbian and gay sports people to come out.

The presence of Jason at this auspicious event was yet another truly positive step for The Justin Campaign on the road to beating homophobia in football.

For more photos, go to https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150243123154334.

For more information, contact alan@thejustincampaign.com.

Seaford Successfully "Tackles Homophobia"

2011-06-30T03:38:00.000-07:00

A prime example of the grassroots side of The Justin Campaign's work was on show last Sunday in Seaford.

The “Tackle Homophobia” Day was organised by students from Seaford Head School in conjunction with the East Sussex County Council, The Justin Campaign and Brighton & Hove Albion FC, and took place at the Downs Leisure Centre, Seaford.

MP for Lewes, Norman Baker (above), and Councillor Colin Belsey from Eastbourne were present as local teams took part in a football tournament while other various activities took place.

Seaford F, junior tournament winners, receive the junior tournament trophy from County Councillor Colin Belsey (second right) and Maddie Jay, Young Mayor of Seaford (third left), with some of the event organisers. Photo: Alan Quick

Justin Campaign patron, Aslie Pitter MBE, turned out for the Justin Fashanu All-Stars in the senior tournament on a day that saw the local community, and in particular the young people of Seaford, work together to send out a clear message that homophobia in football is simply not acceptable.

To see more photos from the great day, go to https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150299730023126

For more information, contact alan@thejustincampaign.com.

Super Eagles' Wings Clipped By Homophobia As FIFA Watch From The Sidelines

2011-06-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Nigeria and France kicked off the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Sunday with the Europeans managing a 1-0 win over the Super Eagles. The tournament in Germany provides some of the greatest female footballers the chance to show off their skills to a global audience and hopefully, help to promote the women’s game which has all too often been ignored and treated with disdain by the mainstream media.

However, while the women’s game continues to battle sexism, statements from Nigeria’s manager, Eucharia Uche, have highlighted the dangerous homophobia which still pervades the game.

Uche previously stated that “homosexuality is a dirty thing, spiritually and morally it is very, very wrong”, while she has also mounted a campaign of ridding her squad of players thought to be gay by enlisting the services of priests to pray for her players.

It has also been reported that lesbian members of Uche’s team were dropped ahead of the 2011 Finals in Germany. Yet, so far, FIFA’s response has been extremely tepid, with a promise to “talk to her (Uche)” the sum total of their actions.

This appallingly poor response from the football world’s governing body highlights how far down on their list of priorities homophobia seems to be. If the manager of a team competing in the 2011 Finals had spoken of the problem of black players in their team, FIFA would no doubt (and obviously rightly so) have acted with the kind of authority and decisiveness necessary. However, the rights of the LGBT community continue to be viewed as less important.

Until the likes of FIFA finally start to deal with the issue of homophobia within the game (and arguably within its own corridors of power), football will continue to be riddled with this vile and needless bigotry.

A Busy Weekend In The Fight Against Prejudice In Football!

2011-06-23T02:37:00.000-07:00

What a busy weekend we have ahead of us!

On Saturday, June 25th, the University of Sussex is holding a five-a-side tournament in aid of The Justin Campaign. The competition, which has been organised by the Students’ Union, takes place at the Falmer Sports Complex with registration scheduled for 10:30am.

A number of local LGBTQ organisations will be present to show their support while there will also be a BBQ on site along with a table football table to keep everyone fed and entertained.

Then, on Sunday, June 26th, Seaford plays host to a “Tackle Homophobia” tournament from 1pm to 3pm. Organised by students from Seaford Head School in conjunction with the East Sussex County Council, The Justin Campaign and Brighton & Hove Albion FC, the competition will take place at the Downs Leisure Centre, Seaford.

The students secured grant money to host the tournament and will be joined on the day by MP for Lewes, Norman Baker, and Councillor Colin Belsey from Eastbourne.

As well as a tournament for the young people, there will also be an adult competition involving teams from The Justin Campaign, Police, Fire Service, and Seaford Head Community College staff.

A number of professional football clubs have also featured the tournament on their website. See Torquay United’s preview here.

For more information on these fabulous events, contact alan@thejustincampaign.com.

Don't forget Women's World Cup

2011-06-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

The following is a blogpost from Lindsay Eanet, a Justin Campaign officer based in Liverpool and massive fan of both men's and women's football.

Hey you! Yes, you! Did you know there’s a whole other World Cup that starts a week from Sunday?

Yes, the FIFA Women’s World Cup starts on June 26!

It’s a thing that is happening, and you should watch it because, like its male counterpart, it will be full of highly skilled, impassioned play that reminds you all about what ‘The Beautiful Game’ should be about.

Maybe it’s just in the US and the UK, but the lack of international media and fan attention that seems to be surrounding the Women’s World Cup (minus the Playboy spread in which members of the German national team participated) is disappointing, although thoroughly unsurprising.

Maybe it’s just bad timing, with men’s league play just ending, Euro qualifiers on the horizon and Olympic hype overwhelming all sports coverage whether we like it or not.

Or maybe it’s the systemic inequity of women’s sports, the fact that fewer resources and advertising revenue will inevitably go to the competition than the male counterpart.

Usually, when women’s football makes the headlines at all, the focus, sadly, is more on scandal and salaciousness than success and statistics.

My fellow American football fans probably remember Brandi Chastain triumphantly ripping her shirt off after her winning goal in the 1999 Women’s World Cup more than the goal or the victory themselves.

As women’s football came to the forefront during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, all eyes were on German stars Inka Grings and Linda Bresonik for their love triangle with male coach Holger Fachs as opposed to their skills on the field.

But three years have passed and progress, although small, has been made —
on the FIFA Women’s World Cup official website, Grings is being touted as one of the stars of this year’s competition and the driving force behind the home country’s squad.

And she has the stats to back it up: Grings has won the Golden Boot in the Bundesliga six times and has been named German Female Footballer of the Year three times.

Much like Mia Hamm, Sissi and Hanna Ljungberg did briefly in the years following the tournament’s inception, hopefully Grings and her contemporaries, like Brazil’s Marta and England’s Kelly Smith, can turn the focus away from the ugliness of scandal and hypersexualization and towards the beauty and magic of the game we know and love itself.

England’s first match takes place on June 27 against Mexico at 6pm CET in Wolfsburg.

For those of us who lack the luxury of digital cable, BBC Sport Online will be streaming the matches. Or, host a watch party!

Watch parties are fun, and so is supporting England’s awesome female athletes.

French pro footballers lead the way

2011-06-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Fantastic news.

For the first time ever professional football players have publicly taken part in a video against homophobia in football.

But this was not in the UK, but in France, where there have been a number of high profile incidents of homophobia.

Past and present internationals joined club stalwarts and team presidents in the video which must be seen as a milestone by all in the game.

In the words of campaign group Paris Foot Gay: "This video is the proof that opinions are really changing for the better when it comes to homophobia.

"Since the foundation of Paris Foot Gay we have noticed the strong impact that these attitudes and declarations have brought to young players and supporters.

"We give thanks to League One clubs the Girondins of Bordeaux, the Montpellier Hérault sport club and Paris Saint-Germain for their support.

"It’s thanks to them that this video clip had been realised."

There have been a number of high profile incidents of homophobia around football in France in recent years.

For instance, earlier this year an abusive banner was unfurled at an Olympique Marseille game.

This is not forgetting in 2009 when Louis Nicollin, the president of Montpellier FC labelled Auxerre footballer Benoit Pedretti a "little queer" on television.

It says so much about the efforts of Paris Foot Gay that the volcanic Nicollin was persuaded to appear in this video.

The video was produced also with a petition launched by the French Football Professional League on May 8.

So far only the Evian Thonon Gaillard Football Club has signed it.

But organisers are hopeful the clubs whose players appear in the video, namely Olympique Lyonnais and Stade Rennais, will follow the same path.

The players who appeared (in order) are:
Frédéric Thiriez (Président of the Professional Football League), Nicolas Douchez (Rennes), Sonny Anderson (former Lyon player), Dimitri Szarzewski (rugby player, Stade Français), Marc Planus (Bordeaux), Matthieu Chalmé (Bordeaux), Miralem Pjanic (Lyon), Romain Danzé (Rennes), Ludovic Giuly (Paris) and Louis Nicollin (President of Montpellier).

To see the video visit here.

Wanted - football players in Brighton and Hove

2011-06-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Calling all football players in the south east of the United Kingdom. Please find below a press release from Ford Motor Company and Pride in Brighton & Hove.
------------------

Ford Motor Company and Pride in Brighton & Hove are pleased to announce that the annual Ford Pride Football Tournament is back!

Following last year's success, the LGBT community football tournament will kick-off a fantastic week of festivities and celebrations culminating in the world famous Pride in Brighton & Hove Parade, and you could be right at the heart of it all.

We are now recruiting men's and women's five-a-side teams to participate in the Ford Pride in Brighton & Hove Football Tournament for the LGBT community, to take place on Saturday 6th August at the Brighton Rugby Football Club.

Last year's competition saw very high standards of play, some spectacular goals and the cup being lifted by Stonewall Lions. Through Ford's sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League, the Stonewall Lions team were also lucky winners of tickets for the whole team to a UK based UEFA Champions League match of their choice and Ford is delighted to be able to offer the same opportunity to the 2011 champions.

What's more, the winning team will also be invited to join Ford in the Pride in Brighton & Hove Parade which takes place on Saturday 13th August.

All participating clubs are welcome to enter as many teams as you would like and there is no entry fee. We want this year's competition to be bigger and better than last so feel free to send this e-mail on to all of your friends that might be interested in entering a team. Ford will even provide players with breakfast and a BBQ buffet to keep you energised throughout the day. Spectators are also, of course, very welcome.

Brighton Rugby Football Club has excellent links to the A23 and the centre of town, there is plenty of parking for those of you who wish to drive and there are also changing facilities and showers for participating teams' use. The tournament is scheduled to commence from 10am. If you are travelling by train Ford will run free minibus transfers from Brighton station to the club.

If you wish to make a weekend of it and enjoy the atmosphere of the start of the festivities throughout the town, please see www.brightonpride.org for a guide to what's on and recommended hotels.

To register your interest to participate in this unique opportunity please complete the attached form and email to fordpridefootball@imagination.com. Please note tournament numbers are restricted so please respond no later than Friday 8th July 2011. An information pack will be sent out nearer to the event upon your confirmation.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Claire Le Boutillier at fordpridefootball@imagination.com or on 0207 323 3300 at any stage.

We hope you are able to make it and look forward to hearing from you soon!

Mixed messages from the Queen

2011-06-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

Mixed messages in the Queen's birthday honours list today.

First of all congratulations to John Amaechi.

The former NBA player, who was raised in Greater Manchester, has been one of the most vocal critics of homophobia in sport.

He came out shortly after his retirement - one of the first professional sportsmen to do so - and, while it was welcomed by some, looked down on by others, his actions inspired thousands to stand tall.

The fact he has now been awarded an OBE is testament to his personality and the work he has done for disadvantaged youngsters on both sides of the Atlantic.

And he is a terrific guy too.

On hearing the news, Amaechi said: ""I was once an overweight bookworm who hid in the corner of my school library and wished I was invisible.

"My mother told me that I could do better and I hope to use this platform to convince other young people just how true this can be for them too."

But then there is a little more worrying news about bus entrepreneur Brian Souter receiving a knighthood.

No one is doubting the business credentials of the man who started off as a bus conductor and now heads up Stagecoach, one of the largest transport firms in the country.

However, this same man also was the leader of the Keep the Clause campaign, fighting the lifting of Section 28 which banned teachers and pupils from discussing homosexuality in schools.

To date, he has shown no regret for so actively fighting a ruling which not only was prejudiced but outright bigoted.

If progress is to made in tackling homophobia then schools must be the first place where a positive message is made, not the last.

The Queen's honours list are there to honour a wide section of society. But what sort of message is being put across if a man advocating such a ruling.

It certainly puts a dent in the image of the monarchy after the jubilant scenes a little more than a month ago at the Royal Wedding.

Thank goodness for every Brian Souter there is a John Amaechi.

JUSTIN FASHANU ALL-STARS WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!

2011-05-25T04:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, The Justin Fashanu All-Stars men's team were victorious in The FA-organised LGBT Champions League final, beating a strong London Titans side by a 4-3 margin.

The tournament was part of the UEFA Champions League festival, held at Hyde Park in London, in the run-up to the actual Champions League final on Saturday 29th May.

The finalists even had their picture taken alongside the Champions League trophy itself.

The London Lesbian Kickabouts won the women's trophy in a tournament which also saw The Justin Fashanu All-stars womens' side take part.

The event was superbly organised by The FA and highlighted how much more beautiful the beautiful game is when we are all included.

For more information, contact Communications Director Alan Duffy at alan@thejustincampaign.

Enough is Enough

2011-05-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

A year ago, 15-year-old Dominic Crouch jumped from a six-storey building.

Six months after the tragic incident his family discovered their loved son had been subjected to homophobic bullying at school.

In a very frank interview to promote the Lesbian and Gay Foundation's Enough is Enough campaign, his father Roger Crouch talks about why youngsters are often on the end of homophobic bullying from their peers.

Mr Crouch said: "Bullies should think about the consequences as what may seem like a laugh can have serious consequences on a lot of people.

"I don't think those bullies imagined for one minute that Dominic would have gone missing from school and then gone to a six-storey building.

"Even if he were gay it should have been his choice [to come out] rather than somebody else do it on his behalf."

He added schools need to do more to create a positive culture, something both the LGF and the Justin Campaign are working to do.

Perhaps most shocking was Mr Crouch stating while there had been a huge number of positive comments in support of the family after the incident, there had also been a huge amount of homophobic statements on websites that had been incredibly upsetting.

It does make you question when, even when a family has lost a son in such tragic circumstances, why people still continue public displaying bigoted ways.

The abuse that Dom received from his peers is no different to thousands of footballers and fans across the globe.

Like Dom, they may not necessarily be gay but are still subjected to homophobic abuse dressed up in the form of "banter".

Former Spurs and Arsenal defender Sol Campbell is one player who comes to mind but there are many others, most of whom keep the hurt trapped up inside.

But there is always a breaking point.

For some this is raging and screaming in private; others it is public retaliation; regrettably and tragically a number decide to end their own lives.

Please take time out to watch the full interview here and remember the consequences of any actions you may take.

To find out more about the Lesbian and Gay Foundation visit here.

A Petition Demanding The Resignation of Croatian Football Federation President Markovic

2011-05-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign's Keph Senett has created this superb petition. Please read her words and then sign it!

Yesterday was International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. I spent the day creating a petition entitled Fight Homophobia in Football: Demand The Resignation of Croatian Football Federation President Vlatko Markovic, calling for Markovic's resignation after homophobic comments he made back in November 2010.

"As long as I'm president [of the Croatian football federation] there will be no gay players," Markovic said. And, "Thank goodness only healthy people play football." The comment caused a public outcry, and resulted in two discrimination lawsuits. The first suit was dismissed by a Croatian court a few weeks ago.

The petition specifically calls on the UEFA to demand Markovic's resignation. Here are some details, from the petition:

At the time, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) opened a disciplinary case against Markovic under Article 11 of its Disciplinary Code which obliges it to impose sanctions on any football association if an official “insults the human dignity of a person or group of persons”.

In February of 2011, after a contentious election, both FIFA and the UEFA confirmed Markovic for a fourth term as Federation president.

The UEFA has positioned itself as an organization with a commitment to equality. In 2008, the organization launched the Respect campaign, which “dovetails with programmes aimed at combating violence, racism, xenophobia and homophobia, as well as at nurturing fan support, intercultural dialogue, the environment and humanitarian relief.”

More recently, in mid-February, the UEFA officially endorsed The Justin Campaign, a group dedicated to ending homophobia in football.

For more background on the case via my blog, click here.

I'm trying to collect 25,000 signatures, and I could really use your help.

To sign the petition click here

Once you're done, please ask your friends to sign the petition as well. Grassroots movements succeed because people like you are willing to spread the word.

Thank you.

Keph Senett

Justin Campaign supports International Day against Homphobia

2011-05-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the International Day against Homophobia.

The Justin Campaign is fully behind the international initiative founded by the Fondation Émergence to, in its own words, "fight this scourge on our societies".

Much like the Justin Campaign's very own successful international event Football v Homophobia, it is a day which is not just for those who are experience prejudice.

A spokesman for the Justin Campaign said: "Even now in the 21st Century there are people who are on the receiving end of the most appalling and horrific abuse due to their sexuality. This is simply not right.

"We have shown through Football v Homophobia the positive message that can come about when people from all sections of society come together. But even in sport there are areas where progress is still needed before all can enjoy without fear.

"We urge everybody to get involved in some way, whether it is by putting a poster up, raising the rainbow flag or simply by letting friends and family know that equality is far from a reality for many. The more that know the further the message can be spread."

For more details on what you can do visit here.

Bi and Trans Community Consultations

2011-05-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

Following the huge success of the 2011 edition of Football v Homophobia, The Justin Campaign was decided to reach out to both the Bi and Trans communities in the hope of creating two new initiatives - Football v Biphobia and Football v Transphobia.

However, before we launch these new initiatives, we want to hear the view of these two communities, so we can move forward and plan our strategy in the most appropriate way.

We have created two online questionnaires, one for the Bi community and one for the Trans community.

Click on the relevant questionnaire below here and let us know what you think.

Bi survey

Trans survey

Thank you for your help!

The Justin Campaign team.

Justin Campaign Article In Delayed Gratification

2011-05-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign's Director of Communications, Alan Duffy, is featured in the latest editio of a superb new slow news quarterly, Delayed Gratification, which takes a detailed look at the news of the previous three months.

Alan discusses England cricketer Steven Davies' decision to publicly come out as well as the issue of homosexuality and sport in general.

Click on the image to see the article.

And check out Delayed Gratification is you want to subscribe to this superb publication.

Aslie Pitter MBE makes Justin Fashanu All-Stars debut

2011-05-10T10:20:00.001-07:00

May 2nd, Justin Fashanu Day, was a busy time for the campaign, but one of the great events that took place to commemorate Justin was a football tournament in Brighton.

With teams from the Justin Fashanu All-Stars going head to head against sides including The Morning Star and Young Anarchists, the day was a huge success.

One of the highlights was the appearance of Justin Campaign patron, Aslie Pitter MBE, who currently plays for Stonewall FC. Aslie (pictured above, on the left, with Simon Hawker) donned the famous pink jersey and was one of the star performers of the day.

The Justin Fashanu All-Stars eventually bowed out in the semi-finals of the tournament. After a goalless draw in the first game, the Allstars fell behind in the second but pulled level, deservedly so through Andy Cooper's goal. This meant a play-off to reach the semi-finals

against the Socialists team. The All-Stars impressed in the clash, winning 2-0 with goals from Cooper again and a Simon Hawker penalty. However, the semi-final proved a step too far for the Allstars who succumbed to a 4-0 defeat.

The All-Stars women's side recovered from a 3-0 defeat in their first game to eventually finish runners-up in the Women's tournament. Strong defensive displays ensured three clean sheets in the competition with Sue Oliver's goal securing a 1-0 victory sandwiched in between two 0-0 draws.

Having Aslie take part was the icing on the cake on a day when we marked the anniversary of Justin's death by doing what he loved most of all - playing football.

Persistence is key

2011-05-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

12 months ago an effort from one of the largest sports in Australian to raise awareness about homophobia drastically failed.

Well known Aussie Rules player Jason Akermanis wrote an editorial for the Herald Sun advising gay players to "Stay in the Closet".

He added: "Locker room nudity and homoerotic activities are normal inside footy clubs", but advised young gay players who are "thinking of telling the world [about their sexual orientation to] forget it."

The result of these words was to instantly put pay to the small steps taken by the
Australian Football League and its player association.

Indeed, former Aussie Rugby League star Ian Roberts - still the only male footballer from Australia's dominant sports to come out - told one magazine: "There are kids out there in the suburbs who are killing themselves because of comments like that."

It was the equivalent of Craig Bellamy or Scott Parker from penning a high-profile column in the Daily Mirror or Sunday People.

Any encouragement that ARL fans had to ditch its macho stereotypes was instantly screwed up and thrown in the bin.

It would have been very easy for the sport to shelve any plans to promote equality for a few years.

Yet, thanks to a small group of players, the issue of tackling homophobia is still alive.

In contrast with last year's high profile efforts, this year sees three players going into speak to clients of the national youth mental health foundation about the issue.

On May 17, the trio will attend an event for the day and judge a design competition with the theme "In my eyes, homophobia is out of bounds".

Their efforts have the support of 17-year-old Hannah Williams, who made national headlines in Oz last year after Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School forbade her to take her girlfriend to the end of school party.

She said: "I've heard that a lot of guys believe that it's a lot easier for girls to come out because there are a lot of celebrity girls who are lesbian.

"Guys tend to stay in the closet for a lot longer and normally don't choose to come out unless something happens."

The Justin Campaign, which runs its own educational programme, praises these players and indeed the player's association for doing such work.

High profile media stunts are important to get word across and raise awareness about topics.

But, as has been shown, it can so easily go wrong, and ultimately has no impact on the very people suffering from accepting who they really are.

Yet these three players simply talking to young people about the issue will not only raise awareness but will have a deep impact on people clearly troubled. It could in fact save lives.

Substance over style, actions speak louder than words - let's ditch the cliches and just tackle an issue which has no place in any part of society.

A statement from Croatia's Center For LGBT Equality

2011-05-06T06:09:00.000-07:00

We thought that you should all read this statement from Croatia's Center For LGBT Equality on the recent decision by the Zagreb courts not to prosecute Croatian Football Federation boss Vlatko Markovic over his appalling remarks made last year.

HELP US STOP HOMOPHOBIA CROATIAN FOOTBALL!

We are writing to you with the intent of drawing your attention to the repeated homophobic statements given to the media by the President of the Croatian Football Federation VLATKO MARKOVIĆ and the executive president of FC Dinamo Zagreb ZDRAVKO MAMIĆ.

The facts and contents of this letter are known to relevant Croatian authorities, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Gender Equality Ombudsperson, as well as the Croatian public. Our organisations have also filed a lawsuits against Vlatko Marković and Zdravko Mamić for the violation of the Anti-Discrimination Act and the Sports Act.

The lawsuit was filed on the grounds of the statements given by the defendant Vlatko Marković to the daily newspaper Večernji list, dated 7th of November, 2010.

The statement in question is found in a Večernji list article entitled 'There's No Room for a Gay in the [Croatia national football team]', in which he responded to the reporter Tomislav Dasović's questions as follows:

„Could an openly gay player be a part of the Croatian selection?
- Not while I'm the president, certainly not!

Have you ever met such a player in your career?
- No, luckily, only healthy people play football.“

On the 16th of November 2010, after the controversial statement of Mr Marković that was relayed by numerous web portals and television broadcasts, in an article entitled 'Homosexuals Wouldn't Play for My Selection, Either' the daily newspaper Jutarnji list published a statement by Mr Mamić in which he claims that 'gay football players can't play for the selection' since, due to their 'slight build', he sees gay men as more suited to 'working in other fields, such as being ballet dancers, authors or journalists'.

Mr Mamić verified the authenticity of said article in court, adding that his words were faithfully conveyed; while Mr Marković stated that his statements had been misinterpreted.

Acting as the central authority in the elimination of discrimination, the Ombudsman has urged the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, the Croatian Olympic Committee and the Croatian Football Federation to take all the legal and other measures stipulated by the law and their regulations, in order to prevent and sanction discriminatory statements and acts.

Since to this day there have been no institutional measures taken to inspect the responsibility of Mr Marković and Mr Mamić, we have decided to inform UEFA about the situation.

Within the class action suits against Mr Marković and Mr Mamić, our organisations have requested the court ban any further appearances in the media, in a way that is discriminatory based on one's sexual orientation, and there be issued a public apology in a daily newspaper for making such statements, at their own expense.

We would like to remind you that this is not the first time a person of a high position in Croatian football openly expressed their homophobic sentiments, spread prejudice and invited discrimination against LGBT persons. In the 2004, the then national team coach Mr Otto Barić made an almost identical statement, for which UEFA took disciplinary action against him.

Kind regards,

For Center for LGBT Equality,

Marko Jurčić
Karla Horvat Crnogaj
Matea Popov
Franko Dota
Danijela Almesberger
Gordan Bosanac
Zvonimir Dobrović

Court dismisses discrimination suit against “no homosexuals” football president Vlatko Markovic

2011-05-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week judge Jasenka Grgic of the Zagreb county court rejected one of two discrimination cases filed against president of the Croatian Football Federation, Vlatko Markovic.

The complaint comes after Markovic made the following remarks: “While I’m a president of the Croatian Football Federation, there will be no homosexuals playing in the national team,” he said, adding that “only normal people play football.”

The incident resulted in two discrimination suits – one by the Center for LGBT Equality and another by Center for Peace Studies. According to the Croatian Times, Grgic felt that “direct discrimination” had not been proven. Further, the judge suggested that the suit was misdirected, and that an employment discrimination suit might be filed against the Federation, but not Markovic.

“We believe that the problem is very deep because Vlatko Markovic is the head of Croatian football, and sport – according to Law on Sports – must be equally accessible to all, regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation,” said Marko Jurcic on behalf of the plaintiffs. The group has said they will appeal to the high courts.

The second suit is scheduled to be heard in June 2011.

Shortly after Markovic’s original remarks, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) opened a disciplinary case against Markovic, under Article 11 of its Disciplinary Code which obliges it to impose sanctions on any football association if an official “insults the human dignity of a person or group of persons”.

The matter was scheduled to be heard on November 25, 2010. If such a hearing took place, I can find no evidence of it, and in February of 2011, after a contentious election, both FIFA and the UEFA confirmed Markovic for a fourth term as Federation president.

The decisions of the courts aside, the UEFA has positioned itself as an organization with a commitment to equality. In 2008, the organization launched the Respect campaign, which “dovetails with programmes aimed at combating violence, racism, xenophobia and homophobia, as well as at nurturing fan support, intercultural dialogue, the environment and humanitarian relief.”

More recently, in mid-February, UEFA officially endorsed The Justin Campaign, a group dedicated to ending homophobia in football. The UEFA has the power and the policy to hold Markovic and the Croatian Football Federation accountable, and as a fan that’s committed to equality on and off the pitch, I want to see it happen.

Questions for the UEFA? Comments? The contact form for the UEFA is here.

Amal Fashanu Talks To The Justin Campaign

2011-05-02T05:09:00.001-07:00

On this important day, Justin Fashanu Day, the anniversary of the death of the first, and until very recently, only professional footballer to publicly come out, The Justin Campaign speaks to Justin's niece, Amal Fashanu, a woman who has worked with the campaign to both honour her uncle's memory and fight homophobia in the game.

What kind of relationship did you have with Justin?
I have always believed I was Justin's favourite, since I am his only niece and my relationship with him was simply amazing. The best uncle I could have asked to have.

What kind of person was he?
It's difficult to write in words what kind of a person he was as I would only say an infinite list of positive things. From what I can remember he was kind hearted, generous, loving, open, friendly and very talented.

What are you fondest memories of Justin?
I remember coming back from school one afternooon and finding Justin at home. I couldn't believe it. I was so excited and after dinner Justin, my mum and I had desert. If I'm correct it was strawberrys with cream that night, and as always he decided to spice things up so we started a strawberries and cream war. We then sat in the living room as I did my home work sat on his lap. This was the last day I ever saw him and I always remember this day as if it happened minutes ago.

I think it’s fair to say that your family struggled with Justin’s sexuality at the time. How do you feel about that?
I think like any family living constantly in the public eye, it is a struggle to live with people scrutinising your personal life as well as your professional one. Who cares what one does in their private life? Who really cares? What was Justin gifted at, football. So why care about his sexual preferences?

How would you like your uncle to be remembered?
I would love my uncle to be remembered for what he really was, a super talented and brave man who faced the world without fear. He is my Hero!

Do you think Justin can be an inspiration to other footballers who are considering coming out publicly?
I don't think he can be an inspiration, I know he is and will be to many out there who have the fear of saying who they are and not caring about the rest.

In February, Norwich City, Norwich Pride and The Justin Campaign came together to unveil Justin’s banner at Carrow Road in Norwich City’s Hall Of Fame. How proud were you to know that your uncle’s memory will live on forever at the home of his first club?
Even when I read this question I smiled because of how happy and proud this makes me. Maybe now people can recognise Justin for how much of an amazing footballer he was and not by the fact that he was homosexual or committed suicide.

Are you surprised that, prior to Swedish footballer Anton Hysen coming out only recently, no other professional footballers had come out publicly since Justin?
If I am honest surprised is not the word I would use to describe it. I would say I'm more disappointed. I find it sad that some one would have to oppress themselves and who they are from others just because they fear that people will judge.

How important do you think organisations like The Justin Campaign are in the fight against homophobia in football?
I think theses organisations play a key role. Apart from raising awareness it provides a community of support for those who may feel alone or misunderstood.

Your father John was also a highly successful, top-class footballer. Have you inherited the Fashanu football genes?
I would love to say yes, but unfortunately I don't think so. Although I must say I have scored many goals playing football with my family in the past.

You can find out more about Amal on her website - http://amalfashanu.co.uk/

Justin Fashanu Day

2011-05-02T01:30:00.000-07:00

Today marks 13 years since Justin Fashanu was found dead hanging in a garage in south London.

The life of the UK's first and only openly gay footballer was turbulent to say the least.

An amazing talent on the pitch, his career was marred by a torrent of abuse and "banter" about him publicly accepting who he was.

To mark occasion and to remember him, The Justin Campaign has organised a series of events.

A tournament yesterday including the invitational Justin Fashanu Allstars reminded people that football is a game for all to enjoy. It included Aslie Pitter MBE, of Stonewall FC, who is also a patron of The Justin Campaign.

Today, we have also unveiled a new page on the website www.thejustincampaign.com which will be a tribute to Justin.

As well as information about his career, it has tributes from top football writers such as Henry Winter, LMA's Frank Clark, Peter Tatchell and his niece Amal Fashanu.

As part of ongoing work around educating people about the subject, campaign volunteers will also be going to a speak to school children about the work we do in ridding homophobia from the beautiful game.

Justin's death was a tragic end to one of the most talented footballers of a generation.

While he and others helped raise awareness about the subject, homophobia in football is still a massive taboo.

Yes progress has been made but more needs to be done before other players feel comfortable in publicly accepting who they are.

This is why we will continue to remember Justin Fashanu.

Did you know Justin? How did his news of his death affect you? Please leave tributes and comments below.

GUEST BLOG - Musa Okwonga and "Love, Against Homophobia".

2011-04-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

My name's Musa Okwonga, and I'm a poet, musician and football writer (and once a keen player; I played for Stonewall FC for a couple of years, as a holding midfielder who ran forward too often.) This music video, “Love, Against Homophobia”, began life as a poem that I wrote in November 2009. I had just returned from Amsterdam, which has just about the friendliest gay scene on the planet, when I read of the rape and murder of Eudy Simelane, a South African footballer and lesbian activist. I was sickened both by the story and the fact that life could be so arbitrary – that you could be subjected to such horror merely by accident of birth. And so, listening to an appropriately angry piece of music (in this case, “Beaten Metal” by Antibalas), I put the finishing touches to the poem, with Simelane’s plight firmly in mind. A year later I read of the murder of David Kato, the gay activist who hails from my parents’ homeland of Uganda, and it was around then that we set the words to music, knowing that this was a theme that deserved wider attention. (“We” were The King’s Will, a two-man outfit where I wrote the words and Giles Hayter – a multitalented schoolfriend of mine, who is a painter, producer, composer and mathematician – made the electronica that would accompany my verse.) I recorded my vocal acapella, and Giles built a beat underneath it that was subtle, stirring and choral, before surging into something upbeat and triumphal. We advertised online for an animator who could bring life to the work, and that was when we were lucky enough to find Jae Hwang, a Korean animator working in London, who created the stunning 3-D video that you can now see on YouTube. Jae’s work on this was remarkable; he completed the video in a relatively short space of time, and contacted us halfway through the process to send us some stills of the final piece, which were so beautiful that we immediately selected one of them as the cover of our debut album. We also handcuffed ourselves to him and told him never to leave us (well, that’s not true, but he’s currently making the video for the lead single of our next album).

So there you have it: “Love, Against Homophobia”. I personally felt there were too few songs of an affirming nature when it came to gay rights, and so we set about making the best one that we could. We hope that you like it.

You can watch Musa's incredible video here.

Kobe shown homophobic language not fine.

2011-04-14T02:19:00.000-07:00

Sports stars are often held up as paragons, as inspirations to us all.

Young people copy their actions, those in adulthood rue missed opportunities oft wondering why they are not in the similar position.

All in all this makes it worrying why Kobe Bryant, one of the most recognisable sports stars in North America, if not the world, was seen apparently uttering the word "faggot" to a referee.

Such an example could very quickly be seen as being acceptable by tens of thousands of people.

English football fan's minds will immediately think of the incident involving Wayne Rooney where he uttered a number of expletives into a TV camera after scoring a goal. The result - a two game suspension.

In the Bryant case the NBA acted swiftly and fined him $100,000. For that they must be praised.

The head of NBA David Stern made the sport's position very clear in a statement.

He said: "Kobe Bryant's comment during last night's game was offensive and inexcusable. While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated.

"Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."

Bryant himself said: "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period.

"The words expressed do not reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were not meant to offend anyone."

These words and apology do not excuse Bryant from what was a clearly offensive comment, not just to the referee but to gay people across the globe.

The fine is welcomed but it needs to be put in perspective.

Bryant earns more than $30 million. A fine of $100,000 is hardly going to hurt him personally.

But what it will do is grab the headlines and make kids and adults know that such language is not acceptable, never has been and never will be.

From recent memory there have been no notable examples of football authorities taking similar stances.

Whether it is through lack of evidence - as such language does get uttered on the pitch and in the terraces - reluctance, or inability to track down the offenders, who knows.

Whatever the reason we hope the FA, Uefa and Fifa sit up and take note of the NBA's admirable lead.

Anton Hysen: an inspiration

2011-03-31T02:55:00.000-07:00

The fourth tier of Swedish football does not normally get a whole load of international press coverage.

But that was before Anton Hysen, a midfielder for Utsiktens BK, decided to publicly declare his sexuality.

Hysén, the son of former Liverpool and Swedish international Glenn Hysén, recently came out as Sweden's first openly gay male footballer.

He is only the second high-level footballer to come out in the world, ever, after the Justin Campaign's figurehead Justin Fashanu.

But reading this article from the Guardian newspaper highlights that even with strong family support and being away from the intense media pressure of the top tier of football there are still many questions unanswered.

How will it affect his football? Will opposition taunts ever die down? What impact will it have on his personal life?

Reading the comments in the piece it is clear Anton is a very strong-willed individual who is simply living his own life.

He says: "There's nothing to be a role model for – you're gay, it's not a big thing. People tell me I'm a celebrity now, and I shouldn't be. But as long as it helps [others by speaking openly], I'll do everything I can. If there's anyone afraid of coming out they should give me a call."

The support he has received has also been fantastic, which can only be encouraging for LGBT fans and players across the world.

He says: "Everyone has been very positive. I was on the train last weekend and this girl said: 'You've made the world a better place, thank you for being there for everyone,' and I haven't done anything.

"But when you think about it, I kinda have. Obviously I haven't been playing in the top league but I'm still going for it, and I'm still the only active player who has come out, so of course it's huge.

"If you're a real man in the Premier League you'd say, 'If you've got a problem, call me.' There has to be some way – whoever plays in the Premier League should try to support them."

A TV programme in the UK featuring Anton alongside Rugby star Gareth Thomas and England cricketer Steven Davies planned for the coming weeks will also further bring the subject to the country's attention.

The Justin Campaign has already publicly supported Anton.

Whether his actions will lead to a UK professional player coming out in the next few months or even years it not important. Such a decision is ultimately down to the individual.

But the key thing is that clubs and authorities see it as an issue and have a support network in place to ensure that anyone who wants to can do so with as much backing as Anton has received.

His lead has already shown that homosexuality in football is less of an unspeakable "taboo" but uncharted territory that authorities, players and fans should not be afraid.

Football clubs are workplaces too

2011-03-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign inbox is full of emails from LGBT and equality campaigners from across the world.

This week we caught sight of this report and survey from Northern Ireland.

The report by the Rainbow Project claims that one in four gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people hide their sexuality while at work in the private sector.

The figure itself is shocking for part of the UK which, as a whole, appears to have really taken steps towards a more equal society in recent decades.

It also highlights the large steps we still need to take before people can feel proud and free to be themselves.

This is clearly apparent in the comments from Matthew McDermott, equality officer at the Rainbow Project and the report's author, who said: "This should enable government and employers to consider the measures they think appropriate to improve working life for all LGBT people."

The Justin Campaign welcomes the report and these comments.

But we also must make it clear that this covers not just offices, factories, shops and public buildings where the majority of the population head to earn their keep.

It also covers all professional and semi-pro football clubs too, both on and off the pitch.

We hope clubs across the country sit up and take note of what is a significant piece of research and ask "what can we do" for its employees.

Education workshops and picking up on negative language are just some of the simple steps that would very quickly improve things for LGBT people.

Creating an accepting culture behind the scenes is as integral as having a visible presence on the pitch in the ultimate aim of ridding homophobia from the beautiful game.

The Justin Campaign Nottingham Tournament Is Approaching!

2011-03-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign, in partnership with the University of Nottingham LGBTQ staff network, is delighted to announce details of a fantastic summer football tournament to be held at the University of Nottingham Sports Centre on July 2^nd.

The day will consist of both a male tournament and a female tournament (no mixed teams) and teams need to be submitted by June 1^st (including payment of £4 per player).

There will also be a stalls fair, and spaces are now available for this too!

So for both team and stall submissions, please contact us at nottingham.events@thejustincampaign.com

Ahead of this fantastic day, Notts County football club have issued the following statement:

As a club, we recognise and appreciate that homophobia, like all forms of discrimination, have no place in football and work hard to combat them. We therefore fully support the work of everyone associated with the Justin Campaign and give our full backing to events such as this. May the best team win!

The Justin Campaign can't wait to see you all there!

The Justin Campaign Signs Up Aslie Pitter MBE

2011-03-22T02:42:00.000-07:00

The Justin Campaign is delighted to announce that Aslie Pitter MBE is to become the organisation’s new patron.

Aslie, who is gay football club Stonewall FC’s longest serving player, received his MBE, awarded for his work in tackling homophobia, at the end of last year.

On joining forces with The Justin Campaign, Aslie (pictured in red with Justin Campaign founding director Jason Hall) said:

“I’m delighted to join with The Justin Campaign. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. The campaign is very important as we need to highlight the fact that, in sport as in life in general, people need to be able to be themselves.

Justin Fashanu had no support when he came out but hopefully now,

through organisations like the Justin Campaign, there is support waiting for players who do want to come out.”

Aslie’s new role with the campaign comes just after the hugely successful FA-backed Football v Homophobia initiative in February, which saw events taking place all over the world to celebrate the fight against homophobia in the game.

The Justin Campaign is honoured to welcome Aslie on board and is excited about this high-profile new-signing!

For more information please contact Alan Duffy at alan@thejustincampaign.com or on 07814347566

www.thejustincampaign.com

www.footballvhomophobia.com

German Football Boss Promises Support For Gay Players

2011-03-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Yet another positive piece of news has appeared, this time in the German media and regarding DFB President Theo Zwanziger.

In an article in the German press, Zwanziger has pledged his support for gay players in Germany who want to come out.

We at The Justin Campaign would like to applaud Mr Zwanziger for his comments. For the game to become more welcoming to members of the LGBT community both on and off the pitch, the footballing authorities need to be far more visible in their support for anti-homophobia initiatives and the inclusion of gay people in football, something which Mr Zwanziger has himself done perfectly.

Here is the link to the German article http://www.11freunde.de/newsticker/137165

And here is a translation, which, while not perfect, will give you the gist of what Zwanziger is saying.

German Football President Zwanziger Promises To Support Gay Players Who Come Out.
DFB president Theo Zwanziger has pledged his personal support and the assistance of the Association to any gay Bundesliga players who decide to come out. "I’d find it brave and welcome, if a football player came out. He would have the support of both the DFB and myself ", Zwanziger said before the Congress of the European Football Union (UEFA) in Paris.

On Sunday, a German TV show “Murder In The First Division” from ARD has the issue of homosexuality in the Bundesliga as its theme and Zwanziger was please to see the issue being covered in the media.

“"I welcome it, " he explained. "It is important that TV shows, with their audience of millions, show taboo topics from all areas of society because keeping taboos such as sexual orientation or depression amongst others hidden, is contrary to the ideas of freedom and human dignity."

In relation to whether players should come out, Zwanziger also said: “Whether someone wants to make his sexual orientation public, they have to decide that for themselves”.

If you'd like to hear our views on this or any other issue, then please contact Communications Director Alan Duffy on 07814347566 or at alan@thejustincampaign.com.

Another step along the way

2011-03-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

Regular readers of this blog will know the importance we place on small victories towards the ultimate aim of LGBT acceptance in football.

So it is with pleasure that the following news reached us: a charter signed by national sporting bodies against homophobia and transphobia.

Among those signatures was Alex Horne, the general secretary of the FA.

In a statement, he said: "The FA and its stakeholders have worked hard over the years in providing football for all and ensuring that football stadia are open to everyone and are both family and LGB and T friendly.

"We’ve seen real progress over the last 20 years when it comes to tackling racism and that’s something football should be proud of.

"We remain committed to our long-term goal of removing all forms of discrimination, such as homophobia, out of the game."

Coming shortly after the FA announced its backing to the Justin Campaign's Football v Homophobia initiative, it is clear that those in the halls of power are sitting up and taking notice of the game's last taboo.

Praise must also be directed towards the coalition Government and in particular equalities minister Lynne Featherstone.

But quite what impact the charter has is another question.

Darren Ollerton, director of the Justin Campaign, said: "The Justin Campaign applaud this move by the FA to make public their commitment to tackling homophobia and transphobia in the UK game.

Whilst it is important for the FA to publicly assert their values around equality within football, the future worth in signing this charter will be seen in real change on and off the pitch.

"The Justin Campaign is clear that there must be real tangible outcomes to this move, and look forward to working closely with the FA to ensure that all points on the charter are fulfilled."

Show your support by signing the charter here.

“Let’s just all go for it…”

2011-03-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

As a professional footballer with a pedigree, twenty year-old Anton Hysén could probably count on some column inches throughout his career. But with a single disarmingly blunt proclamation, the defender for Utsiktens BK overshadowed his team, his game, and his famous football father.

“I am a footballer. And gay,” Hysén told the soccer magazine Offside. Then, “If I perform as a footballer, then I do not think it matters if I like girls or boys.” And with that, Hysén proved again that confidence is attractive.

To fully comprehend the revolution in that simple sentence, it’s necessary to understand a little bit of history.

Pro football has only ever had a single out gay player. Justin Fashanu was a phenomenon. A graceful and deadly forward, Fashanu hit a career apex in 1980 when he scored a spectacular goal against Liverpool FC, a strike that would win him the BBC Goal of the Season. The following year, he became the first black player ever to earn £1m. In 1990, Justin Fashanu came out to the press, and eight years later, he hung himself in a garage in Shoreditch, London.

But it’s this matter-of-factness that will save him and the sport. After all the agitating and emotion and endless debate about whether someone should come out, Hysén just did it. Sure, it’s cocky, but isn’t that how we like our young professional athletes? Controversial, bold and unapologetic?

Professional football’s been waiting ever since. In the last eleven years, the game has changed. Women have increasingly made their way onto world class pitches. Anti-racism education campaigns have muted the notorious hooliganism associated with the sport. Yet, homophobia has lingered, an ugly scar on the beautiful game.

Due in large part to the efforts of grassroots organizations like The Justin Campaign – which is named after Fashanu and which has organized two years of their banner action, the Football v Homophobia Initiative – things have begun to shift. In 2011 both the FA and UEFA announced their official support for the Initiative. There’s a page about homophobia on the Kick it Out web site. Still, it’s not an out, proud, alive pro player, is it?

In recent years gay professional athletes in other sports have begun to come out. In February 2007, pro basketballer John Amaechi came out, but in 2010 he was widely quoted warning gay footballers to remain closeted. In December 2009, professional rugby player Gareth Thomas came out, and like Fashanu, was subjected to taunts by spectators. Less than two weeks ago, cricketer Steve Davies told the world that he was gay, saying “[i]t’s something I’ve lived with for a long time.”

Then straight professional wrestler Hudson Taylor brought the issue even more into the mainstream by founding Athlete Ally, “a sports resource encouraging all individuals involved in sports to respect every member of their communities, regardless of perceived or actual sexual-orientation or gender identity or expression, and to lead others in doing the same.” His willingness to lead an anti-homophobia campaign as a heterosexual – and to wrestle with a Human Rights Campaign sticker on his headgear – took some of the onus off LGBT athletes to advocate for themselves. Hudson’s action drove the point home: hate in athletics hurts everyone.

Still, professional footballers were curiously silent, absent from the swelling team of diversity proponents.

And then, finally, Anton Hysén with his youthful boldness, his utterly disarming swagger.

“It’s so weird when you think about it. It’s so fucked up, the whole thing. Where the hell is everyone else?” Hysén asks in the Offside interview. “It’s barely any other footballers who are openly gay, right?”

The question’s laughable. While thousands of advocates have been toiling in the human rights trenches, where has he been?

In a BBC podcast posted today, presenter Alan Green asks Hysén about fallout. “You’re still young,” he says. “Do you think it’ll damage your career in any way?”

“I really don’t care. If you respect me for the person that I am and how good I am in my sport, you shouldn’t care.”

“Most fans will accept this but some won’t,” Green persists. “[They] are likely to make homophobic comments during the game. Do you think you’ll be able to cope with that?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hysén says, his voice weary. “Well, you know, if they say anything… they can call me whatever they want. I am who I am, I really don’t care. Maybe I should just go dance with them.”

“Your brother, Tobias, is a Swedish international, and I know he backed your decision to come out and he hopes more players will follow your example. Do you think that’s going to happen?”

“Um, I have no good answer to that,” Hysén says, ”but I really hope so, because there’s enough things to be afraid of. I mean, let’s just all go for it. If there is anybody else, I strongly recommend now would be a good time… I’m sure there is somebody, but it’s going to be like a first step to the future, to a better place where gay people can play football.”

With that comment, Hysén dragged his sport, willing or not, into the 21st century. Football might refuse to evolve, but you can’t stop the willfulness of youth – and why would you want to? It’s a characteristic that just might help him win matches. Still, Hysén understands he’s the beneficiary of a strong and necessary support network.

“I hear [Fashanu's] brother didn’t want to talk to him…,” Hysén comments. “When that happens, when the teammates refuse to talk to you and turn their backs? … You have to have your family and friends as well. That’s just a tragedy.”

And what of Hysén’s famous footballing dad? “Jag är ruskigt stolt över grabben,” Glenn Hysén tweeted after the story broke. “Stöttar honom till 100 %.” I am very proud of the kid. I support him 100 %.

Justin Campaign Statement On News That Swedish Player Anton Hysén Has Publicly Come Out

2011-03-09T02:39:00.001-08:00

The Justin Campaign is delighted to hear the news that Anton Hysén, who plays for Swedish 4th tier side Utsiktens BK, has decided to publicly come out.

Hysén, who is the son of former Liverpool and Fiorentina star Glenn Hysén, reveals his sexuality in an interview with Offside magazine.

Coming not long after England cricketer Steven Davies publicly declared his homosexuality, Hysén's move is another positive step on the road to total equality for all in football.

The Justin Campaign applauds Hysén's honesty and bravery and is sure that his declaration will inspire others to simply, and openly, be themselves whilst being part of the beautiful game.

We also hope that the Swedish footballing authorities will do all they can to support Hysén in the coming weeks and months.

For further comment from the Justin Campaign, call Alan Duffy on 07814347566 or email on alan@thejustincampaign.com

Here is the link to an article (in Swedish) on Hysén - http://www.qx.se/16969/fotbollsspelaren-anton-hys%C3%A9n-kommer-ut

Equality in the stands 2

2011-03-08T14:55:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago we published this blog post. We subsequently received this reply from Tęczowa Trybuna and have, at their request printed it in full. All comments are welcome.

Dear Justin Campaign,

We read the entry on your blog and would like to explain ourselves. There is no doubt that the decision we made is hard, but we find it to be a proper measure to avoid harassment and aggression against homosexual supporters during European Championship, that would be hosted by Poland and Ukraine, in 2012.

As you know, conditions which homosexuals in Poland have to deal with aren’t easy, the best example could probably be the initiative of LGBT activists to introduce civil unions in Poland, the initiative that is being slowed down by the representatives of the government and as for the moment isn’t likely to be introduced to the parliament. Thus, as we decided, calling for raising the awareness about homophobia in football and launching campaigns so that we all could enjoy the game in safety, both gay and straight, would do no good, because – sincerely – hardly anybody among Polish officials cares.

Searching for solution of our problems, we thought of the stands that are on Camp Nou or the stadium of AC Milan, where the members of gay fanclubs can feel safe and focus on the game, rather than uneasily look around just in case there was someone who would prefer them beaten up (and that’s what happened to some of the members of Teczowa Trybuna 2012).

In Poland we met with disapprovement, not only from the side of other supporters, but even Polish gays and lesbians considered our idea nothing more but ghettoization. But none of them even thought that creating separate stands for disabled people (rather than enabling them to access all the
places) or VIP stand to divide the society, although it is division due to criteria of physical abilities or wealth. If we are all there just to watch the game, why shouldn’t we be there all together? If it truly doesn’t matter, who you are, and just which team do you support, why shouldn't we all be in one place?

What we care about is safety. We are threatened right now, and we want to watch the games of European Championship that would be co-hosted by our country in safety. We know what’s the situation of gay supporters and we know that Polish Football Association (PZPN) is doing nothing to improve it.
And we want homosexual people – both Polish and from abroad, that will come to watch the games in 2012 – to be able to watch the games in safety.

That’s what we believe Rainbow Stands could increase. We ask you for support us!

Best regards,
Tęczowa Trybuna 2012

The Justin Campaign supports England cricketer Steven Davies

2011-02-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

The Justin Campaign has backed England cricket player Steven Davies in his decision to publically acknowledge his sexuality.

The England and Surrey wicketkeeper today “came out” with the support of the cricket community, saying: “I want to be remembered as a good cricketer, not a gay cricketer”.

The Justin Campaign, which works towards promoting LGBT equality and inclusion in football, would like to add its public support to Steven’s decision.

Alan Duffy, of the Justin Campaign, said: “Steven’s decision and the support he has received from everybody in the game is proof that it is what happens on the pitch which counts.

“It is definitely a positive move and one that can only help promote equality in UK sport.

“Once again we see other sports take the lead while football remains one of the only major sports where people feel afraid to freely admit who they are.

“We look forward to the day when professional footballers feel able and free to make the same decision without the invisible barriers of bigotry, discrimination and hatred that is entrenched within the game.”

The Justin Campaign, which is named after the Justin Fashanu, the only openly gay professional footballer in the UK, who had to battle abuse throughout his career.

It works not to “out” players, but to create an environment where players and fans feel free to enjoy the beautiful game.

The campaign recently held an international initiative, Football v Homophobia, which was celebrated across the globe and had the backing of the FA and Uefa.

Notes:
For more details on the announcement see here.

For more details on the Justin Campaign’s work visit www.thejustincampaign.com and www.footballvhomophobia.com.

Equality in the stands

2011-02-25T03:18:00.000-08:00

Well what a few weeks it has been.

Football v Homophobia, the international initiative begun by The Justin Campaign last year, has been a tremendous success.

Events on three continents and in more than a half dozen countries have really raised awareness of the issue on inequality in the world's most popular sport.

Yet just as our volunteers were getting some much needed sleep, came this idea from eastern Europe - separate stands for LGBT fans at the Euro 2012 competition.

No one is doubting that in Poland and Ukraine, members of the LGBT community face hatred, bigotry and abuse on a regular basis.

Indeed as Teczowa Trybuna 2012 (Rainbow Stand 2012), the Polish national team's fan club, state: "Unfortunately, during trips to matches in Poland, we often encountered unpleasantness, harassment and violence from the ‘real’ fans."

But, while the idea is to to encourage people to be aware that football is a game for all, we feel it would only end up having a negative effect.

It seems that many football fans across the globe are in agreement.

Eager to gather thoughts on the issue I asked the question on Twitter - see @justincampaign.

@Norfolkblogger wrote: "Terrible idea. Should we have separate teams too? Ridiculous!" while @SteveJB84 told us: "Really bad idea, should be integration not separation. Homosexuality isn't contagious."

As shown by the Football v Homophobia event in Ukraine, progress can be made through people uniting together, not through taking an independent stand.

After all football is a team sport and no matter how strong the individual, a collective effort will always shine through.

Anti-Homophobia Hoarding Unveiled At The Withdean Stadium

2011-02-24T10:07:00.000-08:00

Just days after Football v Homophobia, The Justin Campaign continued the celebrations and the positive action by unveiling an anti-homophobia hoarding at Brighton & Hove Albion's Withdean Stadium, the first of its kind to be installed at a league ground in England.

The hoarding, which faces the away stand at the Withdean, arguably the most homophobic stand in the whole of league football in England, was unveiled just before the Seagulls' League One clash with Plymouth Argyle. Luckily, the home team did the business on the pitch too, winning 4-0 against bottom of the table Argyle.

The hoarding is yet another positive step on the road to equality for all in the game we all love so much.

On birthdays, banners, bigotry and breakthroughs

2011-02-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Keph Senett is a Canadian writer living in Mexico who’s proudly played soccer on four continents. You can read more from her at kephsenett.com. She’s the Communications Officer for The Justin Campaign.

If he'd lived, February 19 would have been footballer Justin Fashanu's 50th birthday.

The Norwich City FC, Fashanu's club between 1979 and 1981, posthumously inducted him into their Hall of Fame earlier this week at Carrow Road.

Norwich City's Chief Executive David McNally unfurled Fashanu's banner with the help of The Justin Campaign's founding Director, Jason Hall.

As reported by the Norwich Evening News, McNally backed Fashanu's induction and the work of The Justin Campaign.

"Discrimination of any kind shouldn’t be accepted in any form of society and especially at the football club," McNally said.

“We deplore racism of any kind and will do all we can to help the Justin Campaign and the people from Norwich Pride achieve their aims and if it means together we can kick homophobia from this great game of ours and this great club then all well and good.”

“Norwich City nurtured a fantastic footballer - the world’s black first £1m player - a tremendous talent," said Jason Hall.

"It's been a long time coming for Justin to be put in the hall of fame but he fully deserves it.”

The delay in the recognition of Fashanu's contribution to his club and to the world of football can be at least partially attributed to a culture that has a history of racism and homophobia.

Justin Fashanu's extraordinary skill - most famously on display during a match against Liverpool in 1980 - demanded that the football world sit up and take notice.

If he'd been a different sort of player only in that he was black, he might have been honored sooner. He might have survived.

But Justin Fashanu was also gay, and in 1990 he publicly came out. The move essentially ended his career.

Though he was still in peak condition, no club offered him a full-time contract.

Some of his colleagues spoke out against him, and his brother publicly disowned him.

The press used the story to run sensational headlines, and he was the target of abuse hurled from the crowds in stadiums.

Eight years later, in the shadow of a sexual assualt allegation, Justin Fashau hung himself in a garage in Shoreditch, London.

February 19 marks the second annual Football v Homophobia Initiative, an international day opposing homophobia in football. On this, what would have been his 50th birthday, Fashanu is still the only professional footballer to disclose that he is gay.

Still, for an event that is only two years old, it's been wildly effective.

"This year it’s going to get bigger, better, louder and prouder than before," Campaign Director Darren Ollerton pledged earlier this year.

The Campaign made good on this promise with more than 30 events scheduled worldwide in places including Canada, the Netherlands,Spain, the Ukraine, and the USA, as well as the United Kingdom.

And while the spirit of the Initiative has always come from the grassroots, perhaps the most impressive gains from this year come from the big organizations.

This week, both the FA and UEFA officially announced their support of The Justin Campaign, proving once again that with a little determination and the support of a great team, a worthy player will find their breakaway.

Join the team

To learn more about The Justin Campaign, check out the web site at www.thejustincampaign.com.

To find out about Football v Homophobia Initiative events happening near you, visit the site at http://www.footballvhomophobia.com.

And as always, fight discrimination on your home pitches by supporting LGBT and mixed league sports.

FARE Executive Director Piara Powar Backs Football v Homophobia

2011-02-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

Coming the day before Football v Homophobia 2011, Piara Powar, the Executive Director of Football Against Racism in Europe has given his support to the initiative.

The former director of Kick It Out said:

"I’ve long been an admirer of the way the Justin Campaign have worked through using the experience of a successful footballer as a focus for education through learning the lessons of his life.

The FARE Network supports the Football v Homophobia Day as a means of raising awareness of homophobia in football. This is a movement that is growing and we hope that NGO’s, fan groups and other football groups will get involved in making a stand within their own environments."

Justin Fashanu Banner Unveiled At Carrow Road

2011-02-18T04:23:00.000-08:00

Just two days before what would have been Justin Fashanu's 50th birthday, Norwich City FC, The Justin Campaign and Norwich Pride came together at Carrow Road to celebrate Justin's entry into the Canaries' Hall Of Fame at Carrow Road. Justin's banner will join other City icons such as Ron Ashman, Mark Bowen and Joe Hannah on the walls of the stadium. Norwich City chief executive David McNally joined members of The Justin Campaign and Norwich Pride on a day when Justin's place in the Canaries' history was finally set in stone.

This is yet another important step on the road to equality for all in football.

Click here to listen to a report on the day by BBC Norfolk. The relevant section begins at 28mins 40secs.

Click here for a report on the day by the Eastern Daily Press.

Click here for more photographs of the event.

UEFA ISSUE A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA

2011-02-15T04:05:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to announce the issuing of the following official statement from Willaim Gaillard, UEFA Senior Advisor to the President, Michel Platini.

"UEFA is pleased to offer our support to the 2011 Football v Homophobia Day this weekend.We believe that the principles of equality should run throughout football, there is no room for discrimination of any kind within our sport.

Through our partnership with the FARE Network and contacts with the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation we are actively contributing to the struggle against discriminatory attitudes and will continue to ensure that we do everything possible to support initiatives that challenge and educate.

My personal congratulations to the Justin Campaign for a creative and inspiring idea to remember a genuine pioneer of football.”

This wonderful public support of FVH comes after The FA gave their backing to the initiative a number of weeks ago.

We at The Justin Campaign are delighted by this statement from William Gaillard, which is yet another step on the road to a time when football can be enjoyed, without fear or persecution, by everyone.

Football v Homophobia website back up!

2011-02-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

The new Football v Homophobia website is back up and running after yesterday's crash.

Despite the hassle, its great to know that it has already had so much interest (interest which crashed it!).

Check out the new site now and see all the new events that are being added all the time - from Kiev to Paris and Barcelona to Toronto!

It's what happens on the pitch what counts

2011-02-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

Once again footballers in Germany seem to be taking the lead on the issue in homophobia on football.

Schalke and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has urged homosexual footballers to stop hiding their sexuality.

The 24-year-old, who has been recently linked to Liverpool and Manchester United, told a German celebrity magazine that coming out would lift a great weight from gay players' shoulders.

He added the fans would soon accept it saying what matters is the performance delivered by a player.

Neuer's comments follow on from those of Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez last November.

Once again it is encouraging to see footballers speak positively about the issue.

The majority of players are actually very bright and aware of the wider world, contrary to popular belief.

More statements like this and both players and footballers alike will feel more comfortable with the fact that being LGBT is both fine and acceptable.

SERVER PROBLEMS.

2011-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Dear all

The launch of our new website today was obviously so popular that our current server wasn't able to handle the attention!

A short note to say that we are currently dealing with our technical issues and both our home site and the new Football v Homophobia website should be back online soon.

Regards

The Justin Campaign team.

GUEST BLOG: Challenging homophobia on the terraces

2011-02-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Nick Holden is a Leicester City fan who experienced homophobic behaviour from his own fans at a recent game with Sheffield United in the English Championship. Here Nick talks about his own views of the incident and how it affects his view of the beautiful game.

Last week, as we often do, my 12 year old son and I joined 2,000 or so Leicester City fans in making the short trip up the M1 to Sheffield for a game at Bramall Lane. It wasn't exactly a classic, but Andy King's cracking volley in the fourth minute was enough to steal all three points for the foxes, so we mostly went home happy.

Besides a seeming over-reliance by both sides on aerial attacks and a pitch that wouldn't have disgraced a potato farmer, only one thing spoiled the evening.

Midway through the first half, with Leicester already in the lead but the football less than enthralling, the away fans began the customary baiting of the home crowd. There were indeed empty seats, and the ground was too big for them, and given the weather and the standard of the football, it was understandable that the visiting support wanted to go home. Then they spotted a new target.

Sitting in the South Stand, not far from the away support, was a chap in his mid to late 20s wearing a pink sweater. Pink! That could only mean one thing, right? Before long, a sizeable chunk of the away fans were directing their hostility in his direction - from straightforward homophobic name-calling, through suggestions he indulged in anal sex, to a strangely polite "we can see you holding hands" directed at him and the chap sat next to him.

To be fair, the Blades fan in the pink didn't seem to be upset by the chanting - if anything he revelled in the attention, conducting some of the chants, waving his rear end at us in response, and smiling broadly as he returned to his seat for the second half to a chorus of "he's just been for a bumming".

But that's not the point.

Unlike football ground racism, the victims of homophobia on the terraces are often not those who are the targets of the abuse, but those fans of either team who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. And since the victims are not so obvious, it is also harder for them to speak out, to challenge the intolerance or to end it.

In both stands, amongst both sets of supporters there would be young men and women struggling (to a greater or lesser extent) to come to terms with their sexuality in a society that tolerates sexual differences only barely at best. To a young gay man, or even a young man who thinks he might be gay, the sustained homophobic chanting that night will have had only one message: you're not welcome at football, sonny, you don't belong here. Even worse, some will feel under peer pressure to sing along with the bullying and the intolerant, for fear of being singled

When I first watched matches at the old Filbert Street, racist and sexist attitudes pervaded football. Female programme sellers would be treated to a barrage of wolf-whistles, and "he tackles like a girl" would never raise an eyebrow. Black players expected, and received, monkey noises and banana skins, and the only reason there was no anti-Asian racism was the almost complete absence of Asian faces - even in Leicester - from both pitch and terraces.

Over the past couple of decades the situation as regards sexism and racism has improved dramatically. As women and ethnic minorities have won greater equality in society, football has tagged along, sometimes positively but often reluctantly. Andy Gray's comments about female officials now draws swift retribution but in his playing days such attitudes would have been commonplace. Racism on the terraces has retreated, although the growth of the EDL makes clear that the battle is far from over. Nowadays outright anti-Black racism is rare, although I've never yet watched a long-haired player put in 90 minutes without being asked where he left his caravan - gipsy and Romany people remain the 'legitimate targets' for racists in football, just as Baroness Warsi suggests muslims are in wider society.

But homophobia continues to rear its ugly head. Anyone who challenges it is accused of "not getting the joke", or asked to define their own sexuality before their views are considered, as I was when I raised the issue on an internet radio show phone-in the day after the game. You can't imagine someone being asked "why do you object to racism, are you black?" any more, although in the 1970s such an enquiry would have been commonplace. It's now widely understood (outside the ranks of the scapegoat-chasing EDL and their ilk) that everyone, black and white, has reasons to object to, and directly confront and challenge, racism and racists. The same cannot be said about homophobia.

Homophobia won't be eradicated from football until it is eradicated from wider society. But football doesn't have to lag so pitifully behind the curve of social progress as it is doing right now.

People talk about the need for gay players to come out in order to challenge homophobia but I think this misses the point. Openly gay players would certainly help, both in terms of making fans question their homophobic attitudes and in providing positive role models for LGBT football fans. But making gay footballers the driver of change, we actually let everyone else off the hook. Every single footballer, coach, manager and fan - whether in the Premier League, or Sunday pub team - can play a part in getting homophobia out of the game. We shouldn't have to wait for the next Justin Fashanu.

I didn't challenge the homophobic chanting at Sheffield last week. There were too many of them, and I was too scared. I stood quietly and shook my head in sadness, but I lacked the courage to speak out. If the Justin Campaign and the Football v Homophobia day on February 19 can give other fans the courage to speak out against homophobic chanting on the terraces then all of us, gay and straight, will be able to concentrate on the important stuff on the field: like getting the mighty foxes back into the top flight where they belong.

This blog post sparked a debate on Foxes Radio, an independent Leicester City radio station which ran for a week in February. To read more of Nick's work visit http://4glengate.net/

Far from lost in translation

2011-02-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

Homophobic abuse in sport can be in all forms.

The most familiar type people are subjected to is verbal shouting of all sorts of horrible, misguided and bigoted statements.

It is with great regret when the Justin Campaign learnt that this sort of language was on display in one of the biggest French league games this weekend.

A banner in the stands of the Stade Velodrome in Marseille read: "Band of faggots. Be men."

The huge poster was spotted by a member of the Paris Gay Football Association during the match between Olympique de Marseille and Avignon Arles.

A statement from the group said: "It is now more than three years we've alerted club Marseille, on the need to tackle the problem from recurring homophobia of some supporters."

They added that there had been a history of homophobia abuse from fans of the French team when, after one incident in 2008, the club's director of communications at that time, Nathalie Paoli, said: "Marseille is not sufficiently exemplary to rebel against such comments."

The story was originally reported in the French media here.

Of course these comments may be a little skewed to an internet translation package.

But there is no doubting that this banner was not lost in translation.

Many questions from the incident. How did the banner get into the ground in the first place? Why did club officials so nothing to take it down? What impact did it have on other fans?

What is clear is that this shows how far football must travel if homophobia is to be pushed out of the game.

But as long as there are groups such as the Paris Gay Football Association then people will see what is right and what is wrong.

Football v Homophobia - part 1

2011-02-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

February 19 is nearing sooner than expected.

But from all the fantastic feedback and response we have had it is clear that this year's Football v Homophobia will be bigger and better than 2010.

Here is just one example of a new group that is on side - Wiltshire and Swindon Men's Sexual Health.

With the backing of local football team, the health teams will be using the Football v Homophobia banner to present a number of extremely important messages.

As Trowbridge Tigers player Nick Pitcher said: "Well when you look at what happened to Justin Fashanu, when he was disowned by members of his own family and being dropped into the reserves and all the adverse publicity, he went and committed suicide, so it doesn't set the stall up for other players to come out.

"And it's obvious that every football team, and every league, there are going to be gay players, but they can't come out because of the repercussions, which is a great shame."

This is just one of the many events happening across the world to mark February 19. To let us know about you event please email info@thejustincampaign.com or leave a comment below.

GUEST BLOG: The last taboo

2011-02-03T15:47:00.000-08:00

Kieron Brady is a former professional footballer who played for Sunderland in the 1992 FA Cup Final. After having his career cruely cut short through injury he now works to promote equality.

The last taboo.

That oft-spouted mantra that by now has a familiarity to all within the LGBT community vis a vis the issues of homophobia, homosexuality and football.

It raises the perpetual questions as to why the national game has not yet succeeded in creating an atmosphere where a player can enter into the public domain that his sexual orientation differs from that of most, if not all, of his colleagues.

My career in the game was brief, a blood condition was sufficient in ensuring that my lifelong aspirations were to be curtailed not long after my teenage years were a reality.

I was in the game, and moreover the environs of the changing room long enough however to perhaps locate one of the areas which is contributory to why the aforementioned atmosphere has yet to be realised.

The answer, ironically may not have its roots in homophobia per se but more so around the sexism and, some would contend, borderline misogyny that permeates through the 'locker room' and acts almost as a de facto clause on one's contract of employment.

We should put to bed instantly any promotion that football is engulfed by the profoundly intolerant.

The game, certainly not from experience or knowledge, is not immersed with Westboro-esque attitudes, the 'Christian' collective hailing out of Topeka, Kansas whose raison d'etre is hatred of many but have acquired infamy through their spleen being directed at the LGBT community through their 'Godhatesfags' promotion. Real Christian eh !!!

Within the discourse around this it is more important to emphasise that the obstacles to a player placing his sexuality into the public arena are more likely to be because the player, or players, are reticent owing to the reality that this feature of their identity emasculates them in an environment of overwhelming manliness, a manliness which many within the game pursue through persistent promiscuity with adoring fans and wannabee 'wags'

Footballers, particularly the younger players, enter the lair with a greenness, their learning of the game coinciding with being brought into a sub-culture of socialising, excesses and omnipotent peer pressure which stipulates that scoring on a Saturday night is as important as finding the net hours previous.

This almost inescapable aura is contributory to why any player, either gay or bi-sexual in earlier years or who has realised this in a post-pubescent period will go through periods of uncertainty, not around his sexuality, around whether such a public proclamation is conducive to maintaining his place amongst the pack.

For most, a declaration that one is asexual would be a preferred option, their inner turmoil convincing them that it would be better to state that I am different, but I am not that different which may lead to an instinctive thought amongst others that screams 'What if he fancies me'.

It would be laughable if without an underlying seriousness.

With the celebrity of footballers at unprecedented levels, it is difficult to see how this will alter any time soon. Fame and fortune are magnetic, both have an allure to the impressionable and as this is a reality that abounds throughout all genres of entertainment it is somewhat unrealistic to expect the beautiful game and its nuances to manifest themselves in a wholly different manner.

And so the question remains, how can the atmosphere be created where players would, if they wished, be prepared to make known that they are gay or bi-sexual?

The answer, though I am not naive enough to think it is definitive, is in education and a greater awareness of their rights and as important, their responsibilities.

As a young player, I was bereft of any knowledge around employees rights. I paid by 'subs' to the PFA without actually knowing what the monies were for or indeed what I could expect from the players association if a situation required their assistance.

Professional football can be akin to the military, the new recruits are indoctrinated to a degree into respecting their seniors and any dissent, regardless of having a potent or justifiable argument, is generally met with contempt that one would have the audacity to question the authority of one of the deified.

This schooling only serves to de-individualise players, it prepares the players for clichés and conformity which in turn leads to robotic rhetoric about 'Me scoring is not important, as long as the team wins' and 'If I can be half as good as x player I will be doing well'.

Young players in particular know full well that other retorts to the mundane questioning of post match interviews can lead to scornful words from elder statesmen in the ensuing days in the workplace.

I recently said in an interview that to make a breakthrough regarding homophobia in society that an order of events would be a footballer making public his bi-sexuality or that he is gay, then in light of any abuse in the environment of his working life it would be imperative for stringent action to make clear that homophobia has no place in the game or in society and this would act as a deterrent for those prepared to exhibit their ignorance and intolerance.

Like racism in yesteryear the calm came after the storm as it were and I believe that challenging the issues of sexism, sexual harassment and discrimination will have gains made through events of late within Sky TV.

I daresay across industry in the ensuing days many who had absorbed the coverage of this episode learnt what actually constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination and have suddenly felt empowered and this new found knowledge may lead to employees across working life recognising that such behaviours cannot simply be excused as workplace levity which infers that a victim has 'no sense of humour' or are 'over sensitive' if they are unprepared to accept such jibes around their gender.

I can appreciate that within the stresses of employment humour is a vital component in absenting the anxieties that the job brings but wit is at its best when all concerned are genuinely laughing and not in order to secrete their angst at the subject matter.

Someone asked me recently if I thought we would have made great strides if one day the papers had splashed across the front pages that a top footballer was gay.

I replied that we will, but not as much as when we are at a stage when a professional player being gay is NOT front page news.

We may have to experience a storm before the calm so to speak, many social inequalities only begin to be deconstructed and the course of history altered through a pivotal moment and watershed when someone decides to take a stand, even if the person momentarily has little idea of the momentous events that can follow. I give you a public bus in Alabama, Rosa Parks and a disputed and dilapidated chair.

In the context of the 'gay footballer' we have to ensure that any public acknowledgement does not have diuretic properties for the footballing establishment. They have to be prepared to clampdown on any invective emanating from supporters, however, in order for the confidence to be created in the former players have to know that they have entitlements and protection as footballers, employees and as important, as citizens.

If that confidence can come through equality training and education then it is worth pursuing as the outcome, if managed aptly, will be beneficial in making a more egalitarian society.

To remove the last taboo it may be necessary for the authorities and clubs to say to fans in the strongest terms that you will be the last to boo.

Kieron Brady
Celebrate Identity Challenge Intolerance
www.cici.org.uk

"True and transparent Equality is only achievable when the suppressed, armed with conviction, see themselves as equal"

MP Caroline Lucas backs Football V Homophobia 2011

2011-02-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

Coming just days after Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, tabled an Early Day Motion in parliament about The Justin Campaign and their work in fighting homophobia in football, the Green Party head, along with her team, took part in a photo-shoot to show her support for Football v Homophobia 2011.

Caroline with Phelim MacCafferty, chair of the LGBT Greens

Caroline with Phelim and her team

So far, Caroline's EDM (click here to view it) has seen 23 other MPs sign it in support of The Justin Campaign and Football v Homophobia. The MPs are -

Glenda Jackson, Labour, Hampstead and Kilburn

Kate Green, Labour, Stretford and Urmston

Peter Bottomley, Conservative, Worthing West

Paul Flynn, Labour, Newport West

Jeremy Corbyn, Labour, Islington North

Alan Meale, Labour, Mansfield

Marsha Singh, Labour, Bradford West

John McDonnell, Labour, Hayes and Harlington

Martin Caton, Labour, Gower

Mike Hancock, Liberal Democrats, Portsmouth South

Valerie Vaz, Labour, Walsall South

Stephen Hepburn, Labour, Jarrow

Tony Lloyd, Labour, Manchester Central

Naomi Long, Alliance Party, Belfast East

Tom Brake, Liberal Democrats, Carshalton and Wallington

Steve Rotherham, Labour, Liverpool Walton

Kelvin Hopkins, Labour, Luton North

Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru, Arfon

Katy Clark, Labour Party, North Ayrshire and Arran

Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrats, Bristol West

Kerry McCarthy, Labour, Bristol East

Mike Weatherly, Conservative Party, Hove

If your local MP isn't on this list, then contact them and urge them to support the campaign!

THE JUSTIN CAMPAIGN TEAMS UP WITH THE FA AND KICK IT OUT

2011-02-01T04:41:00.000-08:00

Great news today for the fight against homophobia in football!

The Justin Campaign in partnership with The FA and Kick It Out have released this press release which sees all three organisations working together in support of Football v Homophobia.

A great day indeed and a huge step forward for the LGBT community's relationship with the game we all love so much!

Read all about it on the FA website here!