It started, as is so often the case with Joey Barton, with a tweet.
Show that peoples sexuality shouldn’t be an issue. Join the rainbow laces movement. #rbgf @stonewalluk @paddypower pic.twitter.com/mn3l4OTsLg
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) September 15, 2013
After the QPR man tweeted this we all knew that something big had started. Barton had kicked off a campaign run by Paddy Power and Stonewall (the gay advocacy group and charity) to deal with the issue of homophobia in football.
Robbie Rogers quit English football last year after coming out and while he has unretired and signed with the LA Galaxy now, there are still no openly gay footballers in any of the major European leagues or in any of the four English divisions.
To try and change that, and make football a less homophobic place for players, Paddy Power has sent rainbow laces to every club in England and Scotland and has asked players to wear them as a symbol of support for gay footballers.
Fans have been asked the use the hashtag #RBGF (Right Behind Gay Footballers) to show their support.
That typically cheeky slogan, along with some ads on billboards, will push the message too, something Stonewall believe is long overdue.
The charity’s deputy chief executive, Laura Doughty, told the English press today: “It’s time for football clubs and players to step up and make a visible stand against homophobia in our national game.
“By wearing rainbow laces players will send a message of support to gay players and can begin to drag football into the 21st century.”
It will be interesting to see how this plays out, whether some, or any players do take part and whether the authorities even allow them to wear what could be construed as a political message as part of their kit.
At the very least it gets people talking about the subject, which is start.
UPDATE: Here’s a video that explains a bit more…
