Media release: MAPPING OUR LGBT+ Fan Groups.

                         

                

                     MAPPING OUR LGBT+ FAN GROUPS.

The UK celebrates LGBT HISTORY MONTH in February every year. For 2018 the theme is "Geography-Mapping Our World." 

LGBT+ campaign organisation JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) supported by Kick It Out (KIO) and members of the Bradford City LGBT+ fan group have created an online interactive map featuring a selection of International LGBT+ Fan Groups to help raise awareness and visibility around LGBT+ Equality, Inclusion and Diversity.

Alongside of  this four physical cut-out style maps with additional artwork featuring LGBT+ fan groups logos and names have been developed to enable young people to engage and learn about LGBT+ football supporters across the globe. 

These mapping exercises not only give an introduction to LBGT+ people but also bring in new learning skills around the use of on-screen tech, graphic design, geography, history, discovery, teamwork, collaboration and debate all in a fulfilled environment and safe space.

Speaking on the launch of the resources, Roisin Wood, CEO of Kick It Out, commented: “We’re pleased to be supporting JBG? with their online interactive map for LGBT History Month.”

“We hope the educational resources will help encourage football supporters and beyond to find out more about LGBT+ inclusion in the game”

Proud Cherries founder Louise Clarke says, “I would like to thank Lindsay and 'Just A Ball Game?' for putting together such a brilliant map.”

“It’s great to visually see just how many groups there are and to hopefully watch the numbers increase. It will also be a massive help in making contact with other groups to arrange meet ups or plan projects together."

 

The online map can be found on the download page of the JUST A BALL GAME? website: http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/downloads  

and can also be found here on the KICK IT OUT website: http://www.kickitout.org/

Media story from our new partner club PNE Women.

PNE Ladies strike up just a ball game? partnership

JBG? Founder Lindsay England with PNE manager Luke Podmore after establishing the link-up.

Preston North End Women are delighted to be able to confirm a partnership with Just A Ball Game? ahead of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History month, next month.

The partnership will see the club become an official club partner with the organisation, who were set up to challenge homophobia in sport.

JBG have kindly presented the club with a range of their merchandise which will now be displayed at our home games with the team wearing JBG t-shirts in the warm up.

The partnership comes just days before LGBT History month, which is held every February in the UK. It first started in America, with them holding it in October every year, and over time has become more and more popular within the UK. LGBT History month is a chance to celebrate people in the past, people in the present and the future who have been LGBT.

PNE Manager Luke Podmore was one of the first people at the club to be involved with the organisation of the partnership and thinks it’s another great campaign to be associated with.

“It’s a great organisation to be involved with. Like I’ve said in the past when we’ve worked with Stonewall, football is a great carrier of messages and it’s great that we can now help them reach out to people and raise awareness of what they do.”

“Alongside us there are a few other clubs at a similar level to us that are involved with Just A Ball Game? With us being higher up the footballing pyramid, we are able to reach quite a wide audience and I think teams like us have a responsibility of passing these messages on to combat homophobia in sport. Hopefully more clubs will now follow suit and promote the good work the organisation is doing.”

PNE players Chelsea Flanagan (l) and Nikki Emery (r) with Lindsay England after the partnership was confirmed.

Lindsay England, the founder of Just A Ball Game?, believes that the partnership will already help build an ever growing list of club’s supporting the campaign.

“It’s very encouraging for another women’s side to come on board and join forces with us. It’s great that we’ve got a campaign out there that is challenging homophobia in sport and, at the same time, raise awareness about LGBT issues. The more teams that come on board, the merrier and we need to build on what we call a gay/straight alliance. It doesn’t matter to us if anybody that supports our campaign identifies themselves as LGBT or whether they identify themselves as being straight, the more people on board supporting us, the better.”

“It’s very important to us that clubs high up in the pyramid support the campaign because we all need those role models, especially in the women’s game as it’s very hard to break through in what is such a male dominated sport like football. Birmingham City are the only team in the Women’s Super League to support us and we need those role models higher up supporting what we do because it shows that people are respected in the game. Lianne Sanderson and Casey Stoney are two of the stars at international level that have  come out, along with our patron Andie Worrall, and it shows they’re not afraid of showing who they are and are also great role models for young LGBT that might be a bit shy in telling their friends or their parents. It gives them someone to look up at and aim to be like and say ‘look these people are in that environment and they are happy’ and ultimately it should lead them to become a better player or better all-round person.”

For more information about what Just A Ball Game? do, visit their website - http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/

International Day Against Homophobia 2014- JUST A BALL GAME?

                         our #teamwozza  rainbow flag at arsenal ladies v manchester city women fc.


For this years International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), JUST A BALL GAME? teamed up with a number of our volunteers and supporters joining millions world wide to fly the rainbow flag raising awareness to those who have been victims of abuse and physical harm and even death simply for being themselves and identifying with a queer community.

                 Here are a few pictures from our participation.

                              our patron and manchester city women's goalkeeper andie worrall

                              fulcrum sport director trevor burchick and pro balance's andy jeffries

                                                   staff from lesbian and gay foundation

                               our jbg? ladies futsal team members at northwards housing event.

                                                      northwards housing flying the flag

               

                                       ann morgan jbg committee member and campaigner

                               jbg? committee member paul amann with officials of liverpool fc