The past couple of months have been massive for the LGBTQ+ community in Football, with Jake Daniels becoming the UK’s only current male professional footballer to come out publicly as a gay man (and the first since Justin Fashanu), and the launch of the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective.

Emma O’Hara, our Community & Inclusion Officer attended the launch of the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective and reflected on the event by saying, “The panellists were massively inspiring in sharing their stories and they really showed the need for such a visual and representative collective for the professional football game. 

“It was a great event for networking and seeing the impact that feeling included and welcome in the sporting environment can have on individuals.” 

More locally, on 8th June, the Reading FC Community Trust and Proud Royals came together to host their first Rainbow Royals football session. The next session is set for Wednesday 13th July and is open and welcoming to anyone over 16 and is located on the 3G behind Select Car Leasing Stadium Dome. 

Thomas Williams, the Proud Royals founder told BBC Radio Berkshire that the sessions are, “a way of getting active in a safe and welcoming environment with qualified coaches and is open to everyone, not just the LGBTQ+ community.

“We want to get people involved and interested in the sport, and the aim is to try and build a team to enter the league within the Berks & Bucks area. That is a long way from now but just to get people active and enjoy being in an environment that suits them.”

Within the Berks and Bucks FA, as part of one of our team meetings, we dedicated some time to learn more about the history of Pride month and discussed ways to be a better ally for the LGBTQ+ community. Following this, staff were provided with an Inclusion Language Guide and we are currently in the process of developing an EDI Action Plan for the 2022/23 season and Inclusion Checklists, to ensure all projects and events have inclusion as a focus. 

Looking ahead, at 7 pm on  Monday 11th July, as part of our Summer Support Series, we are hosting the webinar, Creating an Inclusive Club. To register for the event, please use the link below. 

Creating an Inclusive Club Webinar

We believe that no one should have to choose between participation and their own culture, identity, beliefs or circumstances.