In 2019, the annual London Pride event saw more than 1 million people descend on the capital to celebrate the freedom of being who you are and loving who you like. However, this sentiment of openness and acceptance hasn’t quite made its way to the football pitch yet. While a BBC Radio 5 live study found that 82 per cent of football supporters would have no issue with their club signing a gay player, many professional players still feel reluctant to go public as homosexual. Justin Fashanu became the first player in England to come out as gay in 1990, but in 1998 took his own life aged just 37 years old. He remains the only British male player to have publically come out while playing in the Football League. Thankfully, one team aiming to kick out the stigma is HotScots, Scotland’s very first LGBT+ football club. We chat to Alicia Hartman, chair of the club, to find out why they’re making sure the beautiful game is attractive for all.
We are a community club who pride ourselves on our inclusivity and skill on the pitch, welcoming anyone with a love of football – regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, religion or nationality. The club was formed in 2007 in Edinburgh, to break down barriers in football faced by the LGBT+ community, making the sport accessible to all and creating a safe place for people to enjoy the sport they love. Here, you never feel judged for being yourself. You are a footballer, nothing else in the background matters when you play.