Liverpool legend Holly Johnson is among the latest celebrities to showcase their support for Everton’s LGBTQ+ supporters group.
The lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood has backed the Rainbow Toffee's attempt to eradicate homophobia within football.
The group works towards diversifying the sport and recently took a stance against the homophobic chant directed towards Chelsea FC, which can now see those singing it be prosecuted for a hate crime.
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Holly said he’s glad others have support available to them as it is something he lacked growing up, particularly when it came to sport.
The 62-year-old told the ECHO : “I’m just happy that LGBT+ groups for football supporters exist. For most of my childhood I felt excluded from football and other sports, always being the last to be picked.
“The testosterone fuelled fans and players and missing out on that experience only increased my feelings of isolation and difference.
“I joined the rugby class to avoid it and there I found that they didn’t really care that I looked or acted slightly different. I was happy to receive the Rainbow Toffees shirt and hear about the Rainbow Laces initiative. It is small steps of change.
“One day a premier league player will come and one day Justin Fashanu will be seen not as a tragedy but someone very brave and heroic. His life matters more now than it ever did.”
Events manager, Paul Hession, has been involved with the Rainbow Toffee’s for eight years and thankfully has only encountered homophobia a handful of times.
One instance the 44-year-old recalled was when he was raising money for a local charity and a stranger began referring to the merchandise being sold in a derogatory manner with homophobic slurs.
Paul said: “I explained the money was for a children's hospice and made him feel like an idiot. His mates all bought a badge.
“But that’s why we exist because there is still a stigma in the game. People don’t associate being gay with football.
“It makes it harder for any players who are gay to come out. Most of the time the Everton community and fans are very supportive but you still do get the odd one raising an eyebrow.”
Other celebrities who have supported the Rainbow Toffees commitment to ensure that football is a safe space for all include former Coronation Street actress Margi Clarke, Atomic Kitten’s Liz McClarnon and Welsh footballer Neville Southall.
One of their most vocal advocates is India Willoughby, Britain's first transgender national television newsreader on Channel 5.
The Loose Women panellist previously worked for the FA promoting equality in the North East and said from her experience she believes a Premier League player who came out and identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community would be supported.
She said: “If you look at every other sport in the world whether it's tennis, athletics or rugby, they all have somebody there acting as a role model but in professional football you have no one. As a fan, I think it's really disappointing. I don’t understand why in 2022 that this is the case.
“Football fans would come out and back whoever it was that came out. If someone was in the crowd shouting abuse, a lot of people would turn on that individual or group. Just like they do with racists.
“People used to chant all sorts of racist stuff and now through education it's all changed and we know it's not the done thing. If someone tried to do that with homophobia, the other spectators would tell them to stop, point them out to the stewards and they would be thrown out.”
Rainbow Toffees have an all inclusive football team of their own which is set to play against Angels United on Sunday, March 6. Anybody keen to get involved with the LGBT+ fan network is encouraged.
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