Manchester United player Katie Zelem says she has pretended to be an accountant in the past so that guys weren't put off - and hopes female footballers won't face the same pressures.
Research commissioned by dating app Bumble has found that almost half of UK adults (48%) think that women who have a passion for sport are taken less seriously than men. The survey of over 2,000 UK adults found that these associations are so ingrained in society that it affects other aspects of people’s lives, including dating.
Katie, 26, a midfielder for FA WSL club Manchester United, which she also captains. She is no longer single and says her boyfriend supports her career and love of the sport, but says it has not always been the case - for either her or her female friends and colleagues.
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Over a third (37%) of women aged 18-24 surveyed said they felt hesitant to bring up that they are a sports fan on a date due to a fear of judgement, being challenged on their knowledge or because they will not be taken seriously .
Katie says: "I think it is a shame that women have to feel like that. A lot of men feel like football is their 'go to' thing, the thing they know about. I don't care about what they know!"
According to the research almost two fifths (39%) of women say they are hesitant to admit to a love of sport because they feel self-conscious that they would be judged, 30% are worried they would not be taken seriously and 27% worry that they might be challenged on their knowledge of sport, 22% said they were worried that they could be laughed at.
Katie says in her dating past she has kept tight lipped about what she does for a living because she wanted to get to know the person before telling them and dealing with the reaction. "When I first meet people I have not said that I play football, as I want to get to know them more before I open up my life to interrogation," she says. "It's quite sad."
"Myself and a lot of other women have felt like when it is early days and you are trying to make a good impression, it's easier to mention hobbies seen as 'feminine' - which is derogatory.
Katie says she has even lied about her job, adding: "I have told men that I am an accountant before now."
Asked if being recognised ever revealed her real job, Katie said: "Women's football is on the rise and with social media, more people are recognising me. Sometimes when I say I play for Manchester United people don't believe me, or they say 'you don't look like someone who plays football' - there are a lot of different responses. Other times I just get asked if I know Ronaldo."
Katie says she has joined up with Bumble in order to promote their campaign and try to help change the narrative around women and sport for the better. Over a quarter (27%) of women said they would exclude sports as a hobby on their online dating profile and Katie wants to see that change.
"I have joined up with Bumble as I want to change the narrative around women and sport," she adds. "I want women to feel emboldened, to be proud of it, I am a huge advocate for that.
"I want the next generation to not have to even think about this, I want them to be more comfortable with it - and that goes for men too."
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