The Premier League has announced a new initiative to promote LGBTQ+ equality in football, following the conclusion of its Rainbow Laces partnership with Stonewall. This move marks a significant step in the league's ongoing commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity within the sport.
Since 2014, the Premier League and Stonewall have collaborated on the Rainbow Laces campaign, which encouraged players to wear rainbow-coloured laces and pride-coloured captain's armbands as symbols of support for equality in football. However, this partnership has now come to an end.
In place of Rainbow Laces, all top-flight matches between 6th and 12th February will be dedicated to 'Premier League With Pride'. This initiative aims not only to continue promoting equality but also expand upon it through various innovative strategies.
Innovative strategies for equality promotion
The new initiative will feature LED advertising around stadiums and bespoke digital artwork created specifically for all clubs. These measures aim at increasing visibility and awareness about LGBTQ+ issues within football culture.
However, last season saw some resistance towards these symbolic gestures. Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy did not wear the rainbow armband while Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi wrote "I love Jesus" on his. Manchester United even abandoned plans to wear a jacket supporting the LGBTQ+ campaign due to one player's refusal.
Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, said:
"Premier League With Pride demonstrates our ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community, and our commitment to ensuring that football is for everyone and inclusivity is embedded across all areas of the game,"
"We want everyone involved in football to feel welcome, supported and comfortable being themselves."
Despite these challenges, Stonewall remains committed to working with Premier League clubs towards achieving greater inclusivity within football.
Collaboration with national support line switchboard
The league's new campaign is being launched in partnership with national LGBTQ+ support line Switchboard. This collaboration signifies a broader approach towards addressing issues faced by the community both inside and outside sports arenas. Jon Holmes from Football v Homophobia expressed optimism about the new initiative, stating, "There's a really deep element to this and I think that's hopefully how this new initiative will evolve out of Rainbow Laces as well."
In 2021, the BBC withdrew from a workplace equality scheme run by Stonewall due to concerns over impartiality on issues the charity was campaigning about. This decision sparked debates about the role of media outlets in promoting social causes.
The Premier League's new LGBTQ+ initiative signifies an important step towards fostering greater inclusivity and diversity within football. While there may be challenges ahead, collaborations with organizations like Switchboard and continued commitment from clubs promise a future where everyone can enjoy football without prejudice or discrimination.
