Kick It Out Campaigns Against LGBTQ Discrimination with #TakeAStand

February 5, 2021 

English football’s equality and inclusion organisation, Kick It Out, is encouraging more people in the football community to make a pledge to tackle homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football as part of its #TakeAStand campaign. As the UK celebrates LGBTQ History this month, it is another opportunity for people to use their voice in support of making football "a more open and inclusive game for all." 

The #TakeAStand campaign launched October 2020 to spur people across the football community to take any action or make a pledge in the fight against discrimination. There are three components to the campaign with resources for each, including:

• Reporting - "If you see, hear or experience instances of discrimination, whether they are in the stadium or online, you can report it to Kick It Out." Ways to report.
• Making a Pledge - Kick it Out is asking fans to raise their voices online and pledge to stand against discrimination. Tweet a pledge to support the LGBT+ community in football.  
• Being an Ally - Expressing the importance of everyone being a vocal ally for LGBT+ equality, regardless of their sexual orientation, the campaign offers 10 tips from Stonewall on how to be an LGBT+ ally in sport.   

Sanjay Bhandari, Kick It Out Chair, said: “Our #TakeAStand campaign aims to tackle discrimination, but also create a culture where everyone belongs and individuals take personal responsibility for being part of the change. We can all do something to take a stand against hate and promote a more inclusive society."

"Our ambition is to turn bystanders into activists and to crowdsource solutions by capturing pledges of individual action. We want to use those pledges that we receive from the public and organisations, to turn them into insight and make anti-discrimination strategies better informed by understanding more about what people are doing on the ground." 

#TakeAStand is a digital-first campaign, driven largely through social media channels, with the organisation noting: "whether you have 10,000 followers or just 10, your voice online can be incredibly powerful.” Facebook, Twitter and the FA are among its partners. 

Facebook has supported through initiatives focused on action and centred on reporting and education. By building a new automated Messenger service for when fans are back in stadiums, people will be able to report matchday discrimination directly to Kick It Out. 

Twitter has also committed to support with campaigns and educational initiatives that combat online hate, as well as delivering training sessions with football clubs and police authorities.