Today is the final day of Football v Homophobia action month.
And, one club that has taken on that mantel is Lincoln United, with their LGBTQ+ team growing from strength to strength.
Zack Leader, who runs the team, said: “It is there to create a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy football and feel like all of a sudden those traditional pathways are not a barrier anymore, but they are part of something bigger and they are supported by one another, and by Lincoln United as a club.”
While February is a flagship month for the campaign against homophobia in football, action is year round at clubs like Lincoln United.
“It has to go beyond tokenism, and doing things just for one month of the year or for a campaign. It’s beyond that, and football is a fantastic driver for social change. said Zack, who is also the LGBTQ+ ambassador at Lincolnshire FA. “Out of all the protected characteristics in grassroots football, sexual orientation is the one that is most referenced when it comes to discrimination. That has been rising year on year, it is a major issue and it is one that Lincolnshire FA is doing their best to deal with.”
The Whites’ men’s first team play in step five of the non-league pyramid, while the women’s side have reached the same level as rivals Lincoln City with recent success.
The club’s LGBTQ+ team is the first of its kinds in Lincolnshire, and has created a safe space for the local community.
“A lot of people say to keep politics out of football, but I would say this isn’t politics, this is people’s everyday lives, this is their mental health, this is their general being as a person.” – Lincoln United and Lincolnshire FA’s Zack Leader
Speaking about the month of action, Zack said: “This is a really important time to make sure people understand that football is for everyone, the game should be a safe, inclusive space for everyone free from discrimination.
“Ultimately, there’s mental health issues with LGBTQ+ communities that aren’t spoken about enough. And, that stems from constantly having to face potential discrimination, the challenges of coming out, because you don’t do that once, you do that several times.”
The team was set up in December 2023, and boosted by the unveiling of a new Rainbow Laces inspired LGBTQ+ kit late last year.
Lincoln resident Mayci Harrison has been involved since the team was created, and said: “We all face a similar experience of facing some sort of barrier in football and that contributes to us being a team because we all have that shared experience.
“Lincoln is getting increasingly diverse because of the university, so things like this cropping up is really good for the people like myself who came for the university and stayed here.”