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.
Arsenal fan, Robyn about LGBTQ+ representation, stereotypes and challenging discrimination.
Here’s the full transcript from our conversation with Robyn...
To see our women, especially, be so open about being part of the LGBTQ+ community in football has been such a game-changer.
Not only for me in feeling recognised and being part of that community, but for girls who play football and want to come out or are already in the community and maybe just feel a bit scared.
It's just a place where they can go, a sport that they can get into and feel accepted and celebrated, and I really love that. So I think that the men's game could learn from the women's game in that, everyone feels so accepted and celebrated.
The men's game at the moment can sometimes feel like quite a scary place to be if you don't fit the mould.
When I was younger, if I ever heard a derogatory term or a homophobic chant, I never felt confident enough to really stand up to it and tell people that it was wrong or why it was wrong.
And then as I got older and became more confident in myself and became more sure of who I am, I was able to turn around to these people and say, 'Why are you using that term?' 'What does that term mean to you?’ And most of the time, these people have nothing to say. They look embarrassed.
No one has ever rebutted that comment of, ‘Why are you saying that?’ with something intelligent.
Never.
It doesn't exist.
Premier League and LGBTQ+
Robyn’s story is a great reminder of the importance of representation and challenging our internal biases.
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 Robyn by Joe Bloom
