We asked our readers about their relationship to the sport. Here’s what they had to say…
BY NIC CROSARA, IMABE BY CANVA
With the Women’s Euro 2025 kicking off on 2 July, football season is officially here. And there’s one undeniable truth, and that is that the sport is beloved by many LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people. We asked you, dear DIVA readers, for your opinion on the matter and here is what you had to say about what the world of football means to you.
When and how did you first get into football?
“I’ve loved it since I was a kid and used to both watch and play. I got into women’s football during the 2019 World Cup. It was great to see it televised and made more accessible, and since then I’ve watched way more women’s matches than men’s.” – Anna (39, she/her) from Nottinghamshire
“Start of the 2022 Euros.” – Kate (22, she/her) from Leeds
“2022. Went to several Euro games in the UK and then started following the women’s game. Always been interested in the men’s game because my family are massive fans.” – Saz from Southport
“2020, after falling in love with a woman who loves football.” – Claire (44, she/her) from Australia
What does the sport mean to you?
“The sense of communal joy you get from celebrating a big win with your team is like nothing else. The world feels pretty scary for queer people at the moment so it’s great to have football is something you can focus on and share with like-minded people.” – Gemma (29, she/her) from London
“[It means] everything. Seeing women take the centre stage is amazing and to see that sexuality doesn’t affect their friendships and teamwork heals some of my teenage trauma.” – Laura (36, she/her) from Newcastle
“It’s how I met my wife online. Our love of football made us stand out to each other.” – Wolfie (58, she/her) from North London
“I used to actively dislike football due to its connotations with straight, uninclusive men, and now it’s by far my biggest interest. I’ve forged brand new friendships and spent countless weekends around football. It’s something that helps me relax and feel grounded. It’s also the only thing that makes me feel an element of pride in my country.” – Ellie (30, she/her) from London
Why do you think the sport appears to strike a chord with the sapphic community?
“There’s a lot of acceptance of lesbians both in grassroots teams and as a supporter. Lesbians can come together over football and that’s powerful.” – Izzie (28, she/her) from the UK
“Even if they’re not queer, these women grew up and broke the mold. They didn’t take no for an answer, like being queer, football was part of who they were and they chose to follow their hearts. They are such incredible role models – young women who follow their dreams.” – Pip (41, she/her) Warwickshire.
“I think because it’s always been a space for girls who didn’t quite fit in to society’s ideas of femininity anyway, it’s been curated into a safe space for queer women and those who also feel like they’re on the ‘edges’ of society. I also think because of this, a lot of the players happen to be queer in some way and this creates a sense of normalisation around queerness and allows queer fans to relate to the players.” – Kate (22, She/Her) from Leeds
“There has always been backlash against women’s football not being accepted and I think that resonates with the sapphic experience a lot as it completely decentres men in a male-centred sport and world. There’s so much community in football and women and non-binary empowerment and sapphic acceptance that it creates a safe space for us to be tough and strong and graceful all at once.” – Francesca (22, she/her) from Manchester
Has football helped you find friends and/or community in any way?
“Not really, but I love the vibe at matches and holding my wife’s hand knowing no one will say anything bad.” – Laura
“Yes, I was actually in a remote part of Thailand – I asked a bar to put on the game which they did. A fellow queer gooner walked into the bar and we still message about almost every game.” – Ellie
“Definitely. Since rejoining football at university, I’ve found so much community in the girls on my team. We are a mixed ability team with the more experienced players competing at a high level and the less experienced players joining for fun and mostly the social element. No one is turned away and I think that’s beautiful and makes sport a more wholesome experience for everyone!” – Francesca
“Yes, so many my whole life. It was also my main avenue to engaging fully in my queer identity as a gateway from football to football activism to queer focused football activism to embracing my queerness through football and the friends I found there.” – Gemma (45, she/her) from Slough.
Is there a message you’d like to give the Lionesses?
“You have the talent to defend the title, but whatever happens, we’re so proud of you and we’re with you every step of the way.” – Anna
“We know you can do it again. Another stepping stone to the World Cup.” – Wolfie
“Whatever happens this summer, you changed women’s football forever.” – Nicky* (28, she/her).
“Win or lose, the impact they have on young girls to join the sport and women to stick with it or rejoin the sport alike is more important than anything. That influence the Lionesses have has already done so much for so many people and I can’t wait for it to grow even more.” – Francesca.
Do you have a favourite player?
“Leah Williamson and Lucy Bronze”, “Any Liverpool player”, “Ellen White and Lauren Hemp”, “Lucy Bronze and Le Tissier”, “Fran Kirby and Stuart Lovell”, “I have so many it’s hard to choose, but at a push I’d say Alessia Russo with Jill Scott as my favourite legacy player.” “No. Football is about teams.” “Magdalena Eriksson, Pernille Harder, Beth Meade, Viv Meadama, Alesia Russo, Leah Williamson, the list is endless, so many favs.” “I love Mary Earps.”
Any other thoughts?
“While I think that women’s football is a safe space for queer women, unfortunately the community is not currently a completely safe space for women of colour. There have been issues around racism from fans to players, as well as recent TikTok drama involving microaggressions from white non-religious influencers. As well as mainly white influencers in the space being picked for various football gigs and this needs to stop.” – Ellie.
“What does make me sad is the FA’s rules on trans players. Kirsten Kasperji is an absolute hero for publicly acknowledging this.” – Laura
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