WFTJM89

If your instinct is to switch off for fear of being lectured then it's pointless trying to recall what was said, because ultimately you're unwilling to listen. But just in case this is an unfair conclusion, basically two main points: -LGBT people generally don't feel very welcome in football world (see this thread for reasons why 😉). If we can show that actually they have nothing to fear, then that = more fans = more people coming to matches = more money etc etc. This I'm sure you will agree is only a good thing - particularly for a club that is not big in the same way that some are. -Football is global. SFC is bigger than Southampton. It may not be a huge issue in this country because we have relatively good equality here. This might all mean very little to us privileged people in this country, but in places where people face imprisonment or execution for coming out as LGBT, just seeing that the club support them can offer some hope.

And this is the essence of the problem. We're just one of the many groups that are working with the club to make sure that football continues to grow up a bit and become an atmosphere where people won't hurl any abuse, because at the end of the day, abuse of any kind is abuse. And surely we don't want ANY abuse at St Mary's. Sitting on your arse, shrugging your shoulders, and washing your hands of something 'because that's the way it's always been' is why nothing changes. It's the cowards way out. And your observation on current climate is also wrong. We will absolutely put our hands up and say that on the whole things are much better than traditionally to be expected. But that doesn't mean there's still work to be done. At the very least, these groups (and like I've said, we are one of the newest groups and are something like the 40th group in English football, so we're not exactly at the front of this) are helping to cultivate the climate into which at least a half dozen well known top-flight players in EFL are preparing to come out into.

A 'safe space' is not necessarily a physical space 😂 It's not about getting a dedicated rainbow bit of St Mary's to segregate us at all. It's just about having a space for a particular community that is part of the fan base to meet, talk, discuss things football as well as outside of that, bring issues to the club, get together for social events, and work with the club and the league to make the sport more friendly to those who are not the majority. And in case no-one realises, Saints were the only top division team without this group. We're well behind the curve and late to the party on this. I do genuinely hope that I might some day meet some of you and we'll have a laugh and a pint and shout at shit reffing together and rejoice when we score and be bitter and petty when we concede.

Hey 'SaintsLoyal'. You're right, I did only attend my first match at the beginning of November. I've been following Saints since 2009. I've been listening to or watching matches since 2014. I've wanted for so long to go to a match - especially when I lived down the road off Oxford Street. But I could never find anyone to go with. I think you'll agree it would have been a pretty naff experience to go alone. And in case you're not overly aware, it's surprisingly difficult to find straight mates outside of work when you're a gay like me. So all my attempts over the years to find anyone interested to go to a match with me (family members who do football are Spurs fans, boo) were unsuccessful. I'm sure you don't begrudge me finally making it - and loving it - even if it needed a visible group to allow me to do so. And in response to the posts mocking the idea of safe-space. Today, when the club announced the partnership across social media, we have variously been called a lovely selection of things including 'disgusting', 'paedophiles', and my personal favourite, 'the sons of Satan and Horror of Creation'. It might not seem much to you, but it can be quite exhausting and disheartening - although sometimes they do make me chuckle (like that last one). Fortunately, the Club have been absolutely wonderful and already banned several fans from attending matches. It's nice to know they are serious about wanting to cultivate a better, friendlier environment, even if some fans aren't. PS we as a group are very aware that we have thus far fallen into the 'privileged white people' group; unfortunately it's really hard to find people when they'd have to go looking quite hard. But I can happily report that being announced by the club has seen our membership treble. I do hope we will soon be able to post pictures with BAME members. In the mean time, I encourage you to consider that there might be people in your family and friend circles who would be pleased to watch you grow into a better person, if you could only stop being such snowflakes and instead join with us to make St. Mary's a truly wonderful place. God bless 💛

https://rainbow-saints.mailchimpsites.com/ Our website is now live, along with our membership form. We'd love to hear from any Saints fans who are LGBTQ+ or Allies!

https://rainbow-saints.mailchimpsites.com/ Our website is now live, along with our membership form. We'd love to hear from any Saints fans who are LGBTQ+ or Allies!

Are the two mutually exclusive?

Hi everyone! Did you know that until now Saints were the only top division team in English football without an official LGBT+ Supporters Network? Well, with the help of Pride in Football, Southampton FC, and a few other groups, that's no longer the case. We're aiming to soft-launch with the club as an official supporters group later on in the year with the Rainbow Laces match, but in the mean time, we're really keen to hear from fellow fans who want to work with the club to make matchday experiences safer and more enjoyable for LGBT+ fans, as well as meet fellow LGBT+ fans outside of matchdays at socials and such like. So if you're an LGBT+ Saints fan, or an ally, then pop on over to Twitter and give the Twitter page a follow - and do say hi! https://twitter.com/Rainbow_Saints

Hi everyone! Did you know that until now Saints were the only top division team in English football without an official LGBT+ Supporters Network? Well, with the help of Pride in Football, Southampton FC, and a few other groups, that's no longer the case. We're aiming to soft-launch with the club as an official supporters group later on in the year with the Rainbow Laces match, but in the mean time, we're really keen to hear from fellow fans who want to work with the club to make matchday experiences safer and more enjoyable for LGBT+ fans, as well as meet fellow LGBT+ fans outside of matchdays at socials and such like. So if you're an LGBT+ Saints fan, or an ally, then pop on over to Twitter and give the Twitter page a follow - and do say hi!