As part of our Rainbow Laces campaign, we’ve partnered with A View, from a bridge to give LGBTQ+ fans a space to share their thoughts and stories and their experiences.
For the first in the series, we spoke to Snake, a lifelong Chelsea fan who plays for Stonewall FC about LGBTQ+ inclusion, representation, and the importance of community.
Here we present Snake's words in a transcript from our conversation...
“So growing up, I didn't think that gay lads played football.
“I've played Sunday League my whole life and as far as I was aware, I'd never shared the pitch with another queer person. So then, when I came out a couple of years ago, I sort of thought I'd be one of the best gay footballers, maybe, ever? If there's a gay Ballon d'Or, I've gotta be on the shortlist!
“And then I joined an LGBTQ+ team and I went to the first training session and I realised how completely wrong I was. The team were good! It was humbling.
“If you're a queer football fan, you might feel like people like you aren't out there and there are no other people who have your experiences.
“It does seem from the outside unusual. It's not always been a given - queer people haven't always felt welcome in football, so it's easy to make the mistake and think like, 'Oh, there's not going to be other fans who are queer.'
“But actually, what I've found is the more I've gone down the rabbit hole into the gay football scene, there are so many of us. And there's always been so many of us.
“If you go to a game, the chances are within earshot of you there's going to be another LGBTQ+ fan. Maybe they're not super vocal about it, but they are going to be there at the football.
“If you can find those people and find that community, you're golden, you're sweet - that's going to be so empowering for you and it's such a nice feeling.
“My relationship with football and my sexuality, it is a paradox because when I was younger, football was kind of the thing that kept me in the closet and prevented me from coming out because I didn't feel it was safe. I didn’t really feel I'd be accepted in the teams I was playing for or maybe at matchdays.
“Whereas now, the opposite is true. Football is a space where I'm exploring my sexuality, it's where I'm meeting other gay people. It's where I'm finding a community and that's so unlikely - football is now my vehicle for exploring my queerness. And obviously, outside of just the queer community, I've got so many friends I've made through football, people from all different walks of life.
“Maybe it's sad to say, but most of my friends on some level are through football or a connection to football, because that's something we love.
“So for me, Chelsea is a big part of my identity. I grew up going to games with my dad and all of his mates and I love my dad and his mates and I love going to the football with them. But as I've got older, I've found a community of queer football fans and queer Chelsea fans. And that's amazing because it's such a niche and such a powerful niche, and I feel so grateful that I've found a specific group of people.
“I think when you're coming out that's so important - that you can find your people and find your community. It's a cliche - you'll hear it from everyone - but community is so important.”
Premier League and LGBTQ+
Snake’s story is a great reminder of the power of football and of community. At the Premier League, we are committed to ensuring that football is for all and that everyone feels welcome.
We continue to work year-round to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion across all areas of the game and we are proud to support and work alongside our clubs in their efforts to drive inclusion and diversity at stadiums and in their local communities.
Photography of Snake by Joe Bloom