I’ve never been into football. At school, only boys were allowed to play, while girls were sent to the netball court.
And as I got older, I just associated it with rowdy men — like the friend of a friend I watched the 2021 Men’s Euros final with, who got so annoyed when England lost he threatened to throw her TV out of the window.
As a queer woman, I’ve never felt encouraged to get involved, and I didn’t see anyone like me on the pitch.
But then came the Women’s Euros this summer. At first, I wasn’t particularly engaged with it, but when the invite to watch it at the pub dropped in the lesbian group chat, I thought, why not?
And I’m glad I went. When Chloe Kelly’s winning pentaly hit the back of the net, lesbian couples kissed, women embraced, and queer friends jumped up and down. I wasn’t in an LGBTQ+ pub, but there was community everywhere.
This wasn’t just a win for women. It was a win for the queer community.
Across all the teams that played in the Euros, there are reportedly 78 openly LGBTQ+ players and coaches. In the 2022 Men’s World Cup, there were none. Even now, not one player in the Premier League is publicly out.
Lionesses, past and present, like Jill Scott, Beth Mead and Jess Carter, have spoken publicly about their queer sexualities. And while other players have chosen not to label themselves in the media, many are rumoured to be dating women. The team has even been dubbed ‘The Lesbianesses’.
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It all feels especially meaningful, particularly after rainbow armbands were banned at the men’s World Cup in Qatar 2022 — and just months after FIFA confirmed the 2034 men’s tournament would be hosted in Saudi Arabia, a country where LGBTQ+ rights are non-existent.
Women’s football is leading the way. Not just on the pitch, but in the community it creates, and it’s having a real impact on women like me.
‘It feels like a safe space’
Despite never being a huge fan of football culture, Mia Walters, 24, from Manchester, started watching the women’s World Cup and was ‘hooked from there’.
‘I grew up in a family of football fans, but I never really felt like that was the space for me,’ she tells Metro. ‘As a queer woman, it doesn’t always feel like there’s a big space for us within society, like there is for queer men.’
However, when watching women’s football, she says ‘the energy could just not be more different.’
‘The Lioness games really provided that safe space. It feels like it’s tailored for women and queer women.’
She even travelled to Switzerland to watch the final. ‘Seeing families, female couples and groups of friends meant it was so easy to feel integrated.
‘I’ve been out for five years but I still don’t always feel 100% comfortable being openly gay in public with my girlfriend. The matches have been the only places I 100% didn’t worry about holding my girlfriend’s hand or kissing in public.’
‘It’s not just about the sport, but the representation’
Metro Lifestyle reporter Eleanor Noyce agrees the community around the Lionesses is buzzing with pride.
Eleanor, who is bisexual, she says: ‘Some might say as long as they’re bringing it home, it doesn’t matter how the Lionesses identify — but it means the world to me.
‘I’m a life-long Arsenal fan, and while I’m a massive supporter of the mens’ team, I feel more at home and accepted at Arsenal women’s games. To watch England and know that many of the players on the pitch are part of the LGBTQ+ community is everything. It’s not just about the sport, but the representation too.
‘Other queer women get excited about couples within teams — there’s fan accounts dedicated to the likes of Beth Mead and Vivienne Miedema. Society has sexualised queer women for such a long time, but now we’re celebrating queer love on our own terms.’
Eleanor, who also watched the Lionesses in Sweden, watched Sunday’s final at the pub.
She adds: ‘It was a rare occasion when I was sat in an average pub in South London, surrounded by queer women.
‘When Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty, a couple in front of me kissed, with a Pride Progress flag pinned behind them. It just felt normal, and I’ve never experienced that before.’
‘Having openly queer players is groundbreaking’
Eve Kirman, from Norwich, plays grassroots five and seven-a-side football in London.
She grew up playing in boys’ teams and later for Norwich United. While playing football was one of her ‘biggest passions’, she ultimately gave it up, as it didn’t seem like a viable career choice for women.
Today though, Eve still plays in local teams, where she says there is ‘a level of openness’ about queer identity.
‘That trickles down from the Lionesses,’ Eve, who is lesbian, tells Metro. ‘They’ve created a really accepting, amazing vibe. We joke about bringing our WAGs to the sidelines of games to support us.
‘When players are open about being queer, it sends a message without needing to say anything.
‘There’s just a real sense of joy that comes with being unapologetically yourself, having fun and doing something that you love.’
However, Eve adds that there’s still a way to go in terms of inclusivity. ‘We have to reflect on who is being left out,’ she says.
‘The FA recently decided to ban trans women from playing in women’s football. There’s definitely more that can be done.’
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