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| Why charities should work with the unpredictable | Why charities should work with the unpredictable |
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| A quadragintillion to one – that's the odds that there are no gay or bisexual professional footballers in the UK. And yet the beautiful game hasn't had an out gay professional player since Justin Fashanu in the 1980s. In any other sector of work this would be unheard of – yet for years in football it has been quietly accepted, with anti-gay language on the pitch an unwelcome guest at many matches. | A quadragintillion to one – that's the odds that there are no gay or bisexual professional footballers in the UK. And yet the beautiful game hasn't had an out gay professional player since Justin Fashanu in the 1980s. In any other sector of work this would be unheard of – yet for years in football it has been quietly accepted, with anti-gay language on the pitch an unwelcome guest at many matches. |
| So in 2009, when Stonewall asked football fans how they would react if there was a gay player on their team, it surprised some commentators that two thirds would feel comfortable if a player in their club came out. Most worryingly for the sport seven in ten fans who'd attended matches in the last five years had heard anti-gay language and abuse on the terraces. With such a homophobic environment hanging over the sport it was little surprise that there were voices at all levels in the sporting community saying that this must change. | So in 2009, when Stonewall asked football fans how they would react if there was a gay player on their team, it surprised some commentators that two thirds would feel comfortable if a player in their club came out. Most worryingly for the sport seven in ten fans who'd attended matches in the last five years had heard anti-gay language and abuse on the terraces. With such a homophobic environment hanging over the sport it was little surprise that there were voices at all levels in the sporting community saying that this must change. |
| Sadly, in the intervening four years, little has in fact changed. The needle on homophobia in football has not moved as far or as fast as attitudes in wider society and this issue is proving to be a tough nut to crack. | Sadly, in the intervening four years, little has in fact changed. The needle on homophobia in football has not moved as far or as fast as attitudes in wider society and this issue is proving to be a tough nut to crack. |
| That is why Stonewall teamed up with Paddy Power to give all those professional footballers who wanted to show their support for gay players the opportunity to do so. The idea was simple; take a pair of rainbow laces, thread them into your boots, play a game in them. No-one was to be forced to wear them, the laces had been trialled and met professional footballing kit requirement and – as they were supplied free to all 134 professional clubs in the UK – it wasn't going to cost clubs or players a penny. Add to that a cheeky catchphrase and support from Joey Barton and the scene was set for the highest ever profile campaign to make football more gay-friendly. | That is why Stonewall teamed up with Paddy Power to give all those professional footballers who wanted to show their support for gay players the opportunity to do so. The idea was simple; take a pair of rainbow laces, thread them into your boots, play a game in them. No-one was to be forced to wear them, the laces had been trialled and met professional footballing kit requirement and – as they were supplied free to all 134 professional clubs in the UK – it wasn't going to cost clubs or players a penny. Add to that a cheeky catchphrase and support from Joey Barton and the scene was set for the highest ever profile campaign to make football more gay-friendly. |
| It was clear from the very start of the campaign that working with an organisation like Paddy Power would allow us to communicate directly with fans, players and clubs in a way we simply wouldn't have been able to had we worked alone. This, coupled with Paddy Power's reputation for eye-catching, and yes, at times risqué campaigns would allow us to draw attention to the issue of homophobia in football. | It was clear from the very start of the campaign that working with an organisation like Paddy Power would allow us to communicate directly with fans, players and clubs in a way we simply wouldn't have been able to had we worked alone. This, coupled with Paddy Power's reputation for eye-catching, and yes, at times risqué campaigns would allow us to draw attention to the issue of homophobia in football. |
| Indeed the results were staggering, exceeding Stonewall's greatest hopes. Players from 52 different professional clubs – 40% of the total number of clubs in the UK – wore the rainbow laces. The media devoured the story, with coverage appearing in tabloid and broadsheet newspapers alike as well as across regional and national TV. | Indeed the results were staggering, exceeding Stonewall's greatest hopes. Players from 52 different professional clubs – 40% of the total number of clubs in the UK – wore the rainbow laces. The media devoured the story, with coverage appearing in tabloid and broadsheet newspapers alike as well as across regional and national TV. |
| Encouragingly broadcast pundits showed their support for the laces on Match of Day, BT Sports Football Show, and Soccer AM. Sporting heroes including Gary Lineker, Boris Becker, Claire Balding, Gareth Thomas and Matt LeTissier all threw their weight behind the campaign. This was coupled with staggering engagement on social media, with over 320,000,000 Twitter impressions of #RBGF. | Encouragingly broadcast pundits showed their support for the laces on Match of Day, BT Sports Football Show, and Soccer AM. Sporting heroes including Gary Lineker, Boris Becker, Claire Balding, Gareth Thomas and Matt LeTissier all threw their weight behind the campaign. This was coupled with staggering engagement on social media, with over 320,000,000 Twitter impressions of #RBGF. |
| The end result: Over a quarter of the entire UK adult population heard about the campaign. All of this within just one week. | The end result: Over a quarter of the entire UK adult population heard about the campaign. All of this within just one week. |
| It was clear that partnering with an organisation that was not a 'usual suspect' allowed us to communicate our message to an audience far beyond those who already supported equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. | It was clear that partnering with an organisation that was not a 'usual suspect' allowed us to communicate our message to an audience far beyond those who already supported equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. |
| The 'tongue in cheek' approach also lowered the barriers for people – players, fans, pundits - to engage with the message of tackling homophobia and not feel that it was a dull, politically correct lecture. And early support from players like Joey Barton – a colourful character in the world of football – gave countless other players the impetus to come out and publicly show their support for gay players and fans. | The 'tongue in cheek' approach also lowered the barriers for people – players, fans, pundits - to engage with the message of tackling homophobia and not feel that it was a dull, politically correct lecture. And early support from players like Joey Barton – a colourful character in the world of football – gave countless other players the impetus to come out and publicly show their support for gay players and fans. |
| Of course a pair of rainbow laces isn't going to eradicate homophobia in football overnight. Stonewall's work in football – and across other sports – will continue until all gay players and fans being able to be themselves. But what the #RBGF campaign has hopefully shown is that working in partnership to create a fun and engaging campaign can, we hope, kick start a national conversation and a long-term campaign to change our national sport. | Of course a pair of rainbow laces isn't going to eradicate homophobia in football overnight. Stonewall's work in football – and across other sports – will continue until all gay players and fans being able to be themselves. But what the #RBGF campaign has hopefully shown is that working in partnership to create a fun and engaging campaign can, we hope, kick start a national conversation and a long-term campaign to change our national sport. |
| Richard Lane is the media manager at Stonewall, a lesbian, gay and bi-sexual charity. | Richard Lane is the media manager at Stonewall, a lesbian, gay and bi-sexual charity. |
| Click here to hear Joey Barton's side of the story. | Click here to hear Joey Barton's side of the story. |
| * This article was amended on 18 October 2013 to remove a hyperlink to coverage of the Paddy Power 'Ladies Day' advert that had been erroneously added at editing stage. Stonewall has always been clear that the 'Ladies Day' advert was deeply offensive and unacceptable. Paddy Power has since apologised for the advert and committed to working to support LGBT communities in future. | |
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