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THE Premier League is set to launch a new LGBTQ+ inclusion campaign after ending its partnership with Stonewall, the charity behind the widely recognized Rainbow Laces initiative.
Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, launched in 2013, has become a staple in English football, with players from every Premier League club wearing rainbow-colored laces and captains wearing rainbow armbands to promote acceptance and equality. The campaign aimed to support LGBTQ+ rights and foster inclusion among fans and young people.
After more than a decade of collaboration, the league will now run its own campaign, timed to coincide with LGBTQ+ History Month in February, The telegraph report.
“Rainbow Laces has benefited from a wide range of partners with a natural ebb and flow reflecting cultural and sporting changes,” a Stonewall spokesperson said. BBC Sport.
“Alongside other sporting bodies, the FA has been instrumental in promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion at a grassroots level and, more recently, the Women’s Super League has taken up the mantle as the women’s game has grown, allowing the Rainbow Laces to reach more diverse audiences.”
Despite Stonewall’s efforts, recent reports from Kick It Out reveal an alarming rise in discriminatory incidents in football, including an increase in sexism, transphobia and faith-based abuse, with racism remaining the most prevalent problem.
Controversies surrounding players’ attitudes towards rainbow armbands also made headlines. Last season, Ipswich captain Sam Morsy refused to wear one due to his religious beliefs, while Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi was criticized for personalizing his armband with the phrase “I love Jesus”.
Additionally, Manchester United scrapped plans for LGBTQ+ support jackets after a player refused to participate.
With no openly gay or bisexual players currently in the Premier League and a rise in discriminatory incidents, some are questioning the timing of parting ways with Stonewall – an organization well-respected for its work defending LGBTQ+ rights.
Details of the Premier League’s new campaign are still under wraps, but as the league prepares to ‘reset’, it is hoped it will introduce a meaningful and effective initiative that will advance equality rather than undermine it.
