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.
Monday, 28 February 2011
Friday, 25 February 2011
Equality in the stands
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.
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.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Anti-Homophobia Hoarding Unveiled At The Withdean Stadium
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.
Monday, 21 February 2011
On birthdays, banners, bigotry and breakthroughs
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.
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.
Friday, 18 February 2011
FARE Executive Director Piara Powar Backs Football v Homophobia
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
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.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
UEFA ISSUE A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR FOOTBALL V HOMOPHOBIA
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.
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