February is Football v Homophobia month. Newport County AFC is fully supportive of the campaign against homophobia in football, and we operate a zero tolerance approach to discrimination in all its forms.
Anyone hearing homophobic language being used during a County match should report it to the nearest steward, who will ensure action is taken.
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual, whilst Transphobia is used to describe a range of negative attitudes or behaviours that a person may express towards transgender people or those perceived as being transgender.
The phrases ‘homophobia in football’ or ‘transphobia in football’ are often used without defining the nature of LGBTIQ+phobia.
The Football v Homophobia Campaign works from an understanding that homophobia and transphobia are not uniform phenomena experienced in the same way by all LGBTIQ+ sports participants.
The campaign believes homophobia and transphobia can appear differently in different football contexts and cultures – on a continuum from lack of acceptance of LGBTIQ+ participants to outright verbal and physical abuse.
While it is clear attitudes are changing, there is still a considerable problem with homophobic and transphobic language in football and this affects the experience of LGBTIQ+ people watching, playing, officiating and administering the game.
It impacts particularly on the experience of LGBTIQ+ children and young people in football who may feel especially vulnerable and isolated if they hear negative comments at a time when they are discovering their own identities.
To find out more about Football v Homophobia, visit the campaign website here: www.footballvhomophobia.com