Words matter
Her Game Too urges football fans to call out sexist language in the stands
By Emily Drakeley
As a female football fan and co-founder of Her Game Too, a voluntary organisation working to make sport more inclusive, I’m all too familiar with the lurid comments female fans and players are subjected to: what we should be doing instead of watching a match; that one of us has an STI; insults about our intelligence; and the usual sexual remarks.
Some see it as banter. I certainly do not. Would you make that same comment to another male fan in the stands?
I'm asking men to take time to understand the words that come out of their mouths and the impact a seemingly 'throw away' comment can have on someone.
Growing up, I thought swearing, violence and shouting at people was part of being a football fan. Maybe that’s why I was never taken as a child, because my parents didn’t agree with it. And that’s completely fair. If I was them, I probably would’ve done the same in the noughties and 2010s.
As I got older, and I began to understand what these abusive words meant and noticed how most of these remarks were reserved for women. I felt frustrated. Fans don’t shout at male fans saying they’ve got an STI, so what are we implying about women here?
We need men to be better. Often, it only takes a simple 'that's not ok', to shut down and stop violent remarks.
Together with White Ribbon UK, Her Game Too is urging men to understand how language perpetuates misogyny and keeps women out of sport. We need men to understand and be open to learning about the impact of their attitudes and behaviours.
Culture change starts with men standing out from the crowd to #ChangeTheStory for women and girls so that women and girls can go to a football match and focus on what's going on on the pitch and not concerned about their safety in the stands.
Emily Drakeley is a co-founder of Her Game Too, an award winning voluntary organisation with the aim to raise awareness and educate on the importance of inclusivity and diversity in sports.