Category: News

National Coming Out Day

Berlin Conference

Pride in Football at the international Football v Homophobia conference in Berlin

Today is, for those who don’t know, national coming out day. Whilst many use this day to tell their coming out stories and to highlight how, regardless of how it goes, things get better I would like to use it to highlight why we still need such a day. A day that encourages people to not live in fear or self hatred simply for loving who they love or being who they are.

I spent the tail end of last week with other members of Pride in Football in Berlin at the international conference against homophobia in football. There were football fans from as far as Mexico in attendance, we discussed our experiences and challenges and, most importantly, our ways forward for the beautiful game.

In the UK we still have no openly LGBT players in the men’s top flight. We still have LGBT phobia in the stands, a lack of understanding from many clubs and the leagues and, at times, what feels like a lack of respect from governing bodies such as the FA, UEFA and FIFA. It’s all good saying that you believe in football for everyone and diversity but we’ll believe you mean it when we see action. We have the next two World Cups in countries where LGBT people are persecuted. How can the beautiful game be for everyone when we still face this?

Pride in Football will continue to fight to change attitudes in the stands, in clubs and in governing bodies. We do so because we love the beautiful game but don’t have to accept any hate that comes from areas of it. We all want to cheer on our team whether we are gay, bi, lesbian, straight, trans, non binary. However we define ourselves, we also all call ourselves football fans. And it’s time to make sure we can be proud to be one too. We work so that no LGBT fan feels unwelcome at a match and we also hope that one day on National Coming Out Day, a top flight male footballer can follow in the steps of our women’s game and be proud to be openly LGBT.

We have far to go, and we have many challenges but just because it is hard does not mean it is not the right thing to do and does not mean it is unachievable.

I believe in a brighter, prouder future for football and if you want to help us please do get in touch with us to see how you can support our work.

 

Joe White, campaigns officer for Pride in Football

Football Pride Week

Football Pride Week – International meeting of anti-discriminationary football fans on homophobia in Football

On the occasion of the first network meeting of QFF – Queer Football Fanclubs (QFF) in Berlin and the 5th anniversary of the initiative Football Football fans against Homophobia (FFAH), the network wants to invite everybody, together with Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and the Lesben- und Schwulenverband Berlin-Brandenburg ( LSVD ), to a multi-day international football fans conference on homophobia in football, from 05.10. – 09.10.2016 to Berlin.

In various workshops, panel discussions and meetings we want to make aware, sensitize and educate about the issue of homophobia in football and work out strategies and Options for footballing bodies and fans. A special focus is also on the dialogue between fans, Clubs and associations.

Registration and admission are free: http://www.footballprideweek.net/index.php/anmeldung/
Program:

>> Wednesday, 5th OCTOBER 2016 (from 19 hrs)
“Get together” – barbecue at Fanprojekt Berlin
https://www.facebook.com/events/659328547550968/

>> Thursday, 6th OCTOBER 2016
Conference – Dialogue between German clubs, associations and fans (in German)
https://www.facebook.com/events/640054842839403/

>> Friday, 7th OCTOBER 2016
Conference – International fans commitment against homophobia (in English) https://www.facebook.com/events/1637163143262839/
+ Birthday reception “Five years of Fussballfans gegen Homophobie”

>> Saturday, 8th OCTOBER 2016
QFF annual meeting (in German) / FSE ADD Meeting (in English) http://www.footballprideweek.net/index.php/programm/08-10-2016/
+ Closing party SchwuZ

>> Sunday, 9th OCTOBER 2016
QFF-Sunday lunch (Pasta-Buffet)

football-in-pride-week

Football Pride Week, Berlin 5-9th October

INVITATION & CALL FOR REGISTRATIONS

FOOTBALL PRIDE WEEK & FSE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION DIVISION NETWORK MEETING
BERLIN / GEMANY, 5th – 9th OCTOBER 2016
Financial Support for Travel Costs is available! (Deadline 8th September)
Deadline for registrations is 30 September 2016!

Hi everybody,
You´re getting this e-mail because you are working/volunteering against homophobia in football or are active within the Anti-Discrimination Division (ADD) of FSE. This is why we’d like to invite you to join us for the so far biggest international gathering of European activists in the field of homophobia in football in Berlin / Germany between 5th and 9th of OCTOBER 2016. For this fan-driven event, Football Supporters Europe joins forces with Football fans against Homophobia – who will celebrate their 5th birthday during this week – Queer Football Fanclubs (QFF) and the Berlin Lesbian and Gay association (LSVD).
After a get-together on 5 OCTOBER 2016, the Pride Week will kick off on 6 OCTOBER 2016 with a conference on homophobia, aimed at German clubs, associations and fans (in German only). On 7 OCTOBER 2016 we want to bring together fans and other initiatives, involved in the work against homophobia in and around football on an international level. On 8 OCTOBER 2016 there will be the next meeting of the Anti-Discrimination Division (ADD) of FSE under the motto “All Colours Are Beautiful”, which will involve fans from all over Europe from the FSE membership, who are actively organising activities against discrimination in football. Furthermore, QFF will hold their annual meeting on the same day.
The “Football Pride Week” is part of the project “Queering Football – Tackling Homophobia and Promoting Anti-Discrimination”, in which FSE is a key partner. The project is coordinated by FairPlay-vidc and co-funded by the European Commission under the ERASMUS+ Sport Programme. It is also co- financed by the funding pool PFiFF of the Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH.
You can find further details on the meeting & workshops further below in this email and in the draft programme attached. Check also the website for latest news!
REGISTRATION
It´s easy! If you want to take part in the Football Pride Week and/or the ADD-meeting, just register online via this link! We will then get back to you with further information ASAP. Deadline for registrations is 3 October 2016!
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FSE has a budget available for financial support for international participants to help them to cover travel costs for the cheapest means of travel, so that they can take part in the meeting in Berlin. Fan representatives can request support for travel or accommodation. We´d welcome if you could try to stay with friends you may have in Berlin. As more people travel cheap and stay private, as more people we can subsidise. Any support provided will be decided on a case-by-case basis, based on the cheapest means of travel or accommodation available. We will work with this budget on a “first come, first served” basis. If you require financial support for your trip to Berlin, just submit an online enquiry via this link no later than 8 September 2016!
FURTHER DETAILS ON THE PROGRAMME / AGENDA OF THE MEETING
Wednesday, 5th OCTOBER 2016 (from 19 hrs)
“Get together”
Thursday, 6th OCTOBER 2016
Conference – Dialogue between German clubs, associations and fans (in German)
Friday, 7th OCTOBER 2016
Conference – International fans commitment against homophobia (in English)
Saturday, 8th OCTOBER 2016
QFF annual meeting (in German) / FSE ADD Meeting (in English) / Closing party
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?!
If you need any further info, have any questions regarding your participation, don’t hesitate to get in touch by sending an email to the FSE Coordinating Office via [email protected].
We’re looking forward to seeing you in Berlin!
— Martin Endemann Football Supporters Europe Senior Project Manager [email protected] Mobile: 0049 178 435 1988 www.fanseurope.org

Download the Draft Programme here:

Draft Programme english – Football Pride Week

footballpride

Pride in Football AGM

The Pride in Football AGM is at Wembley with lunch, stadium tour and minimum £20 travel expenses on Saturday 16th July.

The Football Supporters Federation are hosting us and providing lunch and the FA have arranged a tour of the stadium for us. Pride in Football have enough cash to be able to pay at least £20 towards travel for folk coming from outside London. Parking is available.

This is a great opportunity for LGBT Fans to network, have fun, see inside Wembley and determine Pride in Football’s agenda.

Lunch is from 12.50pm, the tour will be from 1.30pm and our AGM begins at 2.10pm. Hopefully it will be finished so that we can attend the closing session of the Summit.

Please let Di know if you are attending but ANYONE coming needs to register for the FSF Summit – to make sure you get past security and get some lunch. This also means that we are all able to attend the Plenary discussions and Workshops organised by the FSF; so well worth while arriving earlier in the day. It kicks off at 10.30am.

Register for the FSF Summit here: http://www.fsf.org.uk/supporters-summit/

PiF need to know who’s coming too – so we can budget for travel expenses and know how many will be on the Wembley tour. Parking is available but arrangements need to be made in advance – let Di know.