Fans are fundamental to Football v Homophobia – so ‘Wear It Black and Pink’ on Wednesday
More than 25 LGBTQ+ and allies supporter groups have signed up to be FvH Champions in the campaign’s annual Month of Action; on Wednesday 19 February, fans will be among football people everywhere who are taking part in ‘Wear It Black and Pink’; here’s why the activation matters and how you can get involved…
I was an honorary Rainbow Ranger again last Friday, on a freezing but fruitful Valentine’s night for QPR and the Football v Homophobia campaign.
Members of the Rs’ official LGBTQ+ and allies fans group flag-waved the players onto the Loftus Road pitch for their designated ‘Rainbow Ball’ match.
Jay from the group was selected to carry out the ball itself, while his friends squeezed black FvH T-shirts over their beloved blue-and-white-hooped jerseys, so they could display the bright pink logo proudly.
QPR Rainbow Rangers’ enthusiasm was matched by their team, who soaked up some early Derby County pressure before firing home two glorious goals right in front of us, sat in the lower School End.
The hosts went on to win 4-0, reigniting a push up the table towards the Championship playoffs. Another highlight for the fan group was an article in the matchday programme in which Eamon shared his ‘Falling Back in Love with Football’ story.
See Calendar of #FvH2025 events and designated matches here
This Wednesday, FvH is asking fans everywhere to channel a little of that same devotion they have for their club into the anti-discrimination campaign.
The call to action is ‘Wear it Black and Pink’ on what is the International Day Against LGBTQ+phobia in Sport on February 19.
You might already own an FvH T-shirt, which makes joining in simple – but don’t worry if not. The aim of the game is to wear something that shows off the campaign’s two colours and then post a pic plus the hashtag #FvH2025 to social media.
In doing so, we can collectively combat the grim reality of a virtual world that couldn’t feel further removed from the welcoming vibes found in West London last Friday.
You don’t need to look far for more examples in February. Leicester City’s Foxes Pride spent time chatting with Ruud van Nistelrooy before the club dedicated a double-header of men’s and women’s fixtures to the campaign.
Chelsea Women players posed for a photo with the FvH flag before beating Everton in the WSL; Swindon Town produced an outstanding short film alongside their local Pride organisation; Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday’s fan groups Rainbow Blades and Rainbow Owls joined forces for a kickabout captured by the EFL; both their clubs have held designated games, as have others in the league such as West Brom, Blackburn, Cambridge United and Barrow.
Coventry City’s FvH match was attended by Chris Nee who wrote about the atmosphere for FourFourTwo. He highlighted the contrast between the hate speech that tends to seep out online whenever club accounts mention anything LGBTQ+ related…
“When it comes to social media, the Sky Blues and all other clubs increasingly find themselves on the end of the kind of comments that used to be considered beyond the pale. If nothing else, it proves the need for Football v Homophobia in the first place.”
Wednesday’s ‘Wear It Black and Pink’ activation is a perfect opportunity to prove that need on platforms that were once valuable community spaces.
In 2010, when FvH began, we couldn’t have envisaged just how toxic Twitter would become, or how Facebook would later feel so unfriendly.
FvH chose February 19 as the original ‘Day of Action’ because it is the birthday of the late Justin Fashanu, the world’s first out gay professional footballer, who we lost in such tragic circumstances in 1998 at the age of just 37.
Homophobia, racism and prejudice swirled around Justin his entire life, exacerbated by football’s insistence on conformity and the sensationalist fear of difference whipped up by the media.
While the game has changed and some of the stigma has been reduced, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination still causes great damage in the sport we love so much. That’s why the campaign continues to be backed by so many.
Out and Out Football’s recent survey results remind us that the majority of hateful or abusive incidents go unreported.
Meanwhile, the testimonies of the tiny fraction of male pro players and referees who have come out as gay or bi point to unseen mental health problems; and for trans and non-binary people, like Jay who carried out the match ball at QPR, it must feel at times that football doesn’t love you back.
So thank goodness for our LGBTQ+ supporter groups. I feel fortunate to have so many friends who have poured their heart, soul and endless energy into creating spaces that make the fan experience safer and more fulfilling.
Every year, the groups form the bedrock of FvH’s Month of Action and they all deserve at least a moment of appreciation during the long season from their clubs and communities, like Leicestershire FA recently showed to Foxes Pride.
LGBT+ History Month is the logical time to amplify their voices alongside those of our wider community in the game, including members of our LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective network group.
We also extend a warm welcome to lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in the game who may not be as widely known or who we are hearing about for the first time.
Only this week I’ve been learning about Middlesbrough’s chief steward Graham Hansford, who has spoken to the EFL about how he came out to his Riverside Stadium colleagues back in 2011.
Again, the significance of being connected to an LGBTQ+ fan group – in this case, Boro’s Rainbow Reds – gets a mention.
Whichever colours we wear on our club jerseys, and however we identify, we are all on the same team when it comes to Football v Homophobia.
‘Wear It Black and Pink’ on Wednesday and join us in demonstrating exactly how united we all are.
Join friends and fellow football fans all around the world – ‘Wear it BLACK and PINK’ on Wednesday 19th February!
To sign up as an #FvH2025 Champion as a club, fan group or other football organisation, follow the links from the FvH homepage.
Visit www.footballvhomophobia.com for more information on how you can get involved in the Month of Action in February.
Check out our archive of related content, including episodes of the FvH Podcast.
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