Football Writers’ Association and Sports Media LGBT+ working together on industry inclusion
In Pride Month, the FWA joins with Sports Media LGBT+ in sending a message of welcome and inclusion to industry colleagues, with the two organisations collaborating on a panel event on 14 June in association with Football v Homophobia
By FWA / Sports Media LGBT+
Sports Media LGBT+ is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Football Writers’ Association and an accompanying panel discussion event to take place in Pride Month.
Both the collaboration and the event, to be held via Zoom on the evening of June 14, reinforce the FWA’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and acknowledge the significant contributions being made across football media by lesbian, gay, bi, and trans people.
Several members of the FWA are also part of Sports Media LGBT+’s core group or are connected to the network through social media.
As part of the agreement, the two organisations are also issuing a joint pledge that recognises the power of the Pride message and how it equates to our workplaces, press boxes, and everyday conversations both in person and online.
The Football Writers’ Association and Sports Media LGBT+ share a commitment towards fostering a fully inclusive environment for all in the football media industry.
The FWA’s Constitution already contains a strong equality and anti-discrimination statement.
In Pride Month in June 2021 and beyond, the two organisations are collectively sending a welcoming message to friends and colleagues who are lesbian, gay, bi and trans, in appreciation of the significance of this time of year and the importance of active allyship.
While football in the UK continues to make progress on LGBT+ inclusion, the culture, traditions and global audience of the game can make conversations on this topic difficult.
The FWA seeks to contribute to a more open dialogue that recognises the many challenges that LGBT+ people in football face, particularly with regards to coverage in the wider media and the value of responsible visibility.
To further explore these themes, a panel discussion event will be held virtually in conjunction with Football v Homophobia on Monday 14 June (starts 7pm BST).
Titled ‘Taking Pride in Our Work: LGBT+ Voices in Football Media’, the panel will feature Nicky Bandini (The Guardian, ESPN, talkSPORT), Adam Crafton (The Athletic), Matt Dickinson (The Times), and Lianne Sanderson (Sky Sports, talkSPORT, BBC Sport).
The event will be introduced by FWA chair Carrie Brown and moderated by Sports Media LGBT+ founder and lead Jon Holmes.
Jon has also written a blog for the FWA website providing further background about his experiences in football journalism, the group he set up in 2017, and the impact of visibility.
http://footballwriters.co.uk/editorial/taking-pride-in-my-work-football-writing-and-being-lgbt/
Learn more about Sports Media LGBT and Football v Homophobia on their websites.
To enquire about membership / involvement in Sports Media LGBT+ head to their contact page
https://sportsmedialgbt.com/contact
Tags: Carrie Brown, Jon Holmes, LGBT+, Sports Media LGBT+
Twitter