WEBINAR: WED 16TH JUNE @ 19:00
PART OF DUBLIN PRIDE’S HEALTH & WELLBEING WEEK & GCN’S IN & OUT FESTIVITIES
Sporting Pride, the association tasked with getting the LGBTQ+ community active, continues its successful “Standing Proud in Irish Sport” webinar series with an interview about LGBTQ+ inclusion in football in Ireland with RTE 2fm’s Stephen Byrne, Dublin Devil’s FC Secretary Adam Kane and Sky Sport’s pundit and LGBTQ+ ally Graeme Souness.
Taking place on Wednesday 16th June 2021 at 19:00 as part of Dublin Pride’s Health & Wellbeing Week and GCN’s ongoing In & Out festivities, the live interview with Graeme, Adam and Stephen will cover a broad range of topics around male football, including:
• The lack of gay male footballers at elite level - what are the reasons for this? • Keeping your sexuality a "secret" - what are the mental health issues and how this affects your performance on the pitch.
• Graeme's experience with gay/bisexual footballers as player and/or manager, including football's treatment of Justin Fashanu in the 1980s – what, if anything, has changed in past 30 years?
• How would a player come out in football? What would be the reaction of team mates, manager, supporters, media, sponsors?
• What is being done at grassroots level to make Irish football more LGBTQ+ inclusive and why LGBTQ+ clubs need to be an important part of any inclusion strategy. • Q&A section with the live online audience.
The experienced RTE 2fm broadcaster Stephen Byrne, who in 2017 produced and presented the “Playing Straight” documentary about homophobia in football, will host the interview, taking Graeme and Adam through their personal experiences of LGBTQ+ male players at both professional and amateur levels.
Aidan Walsh, Chairperson of Sporting Pride, says “We are delighted to facilitate this important webinar with Graeme, Stephen and Adam about LGBTQ+ inclusion in male football. With Ireland’s acceptance of the Marriage Referendum in 2015, the inspirational Katie McCabe as captain of Ireland’s international women’s team and a thriving LGBTQ+ club scene with Dublin Devils and Cork Rebels, Ireland has a unique opportunity to be world leaders in football’s ongoing battle with homophobia.”
To watch this ground-breaking free webinar, go to the live streaming links below on Wednesday 16th June at 19:00.
● Simultaneous live streaming GCN’s Facebook and YouTube channels:
About The Panel
Graeme Souness – Pundit & LGTBQ+ Ally
As well as being one of English football’s most successful players as a 5-time League Champion and 3-time European Cup winner with Liverpool, Graeme, in his own words, likes to break down walls. As well as being one of the hardest footballers to have ever graced the turf at Anfield, as Rangers manager, he signed both the first black and first Jewish player for the club. Graeme is also an ally for the LGBTQ+ community having spoken at Brighton Pride and worked with the Gay Times. As a good friend of TV presenter Dale Winton, Graeme has personal experience of the issues faced by LGBTQ people.
Stephen Byrne – Presenter on RTE 2fm
Stephen Byrne is a radio and television presenter and self-confessed film fanatic! After getting his start as a teenager on YouTube creating short films and comedy sketches, he bagged his own RTE show called ApartmentRED, followed by the live daily magazine show TwoTube. For the last eight years, Stephen has been the RTE correspondent on the Oscar Red Carpet, interviewing some of the biggest stars in film, including Stephen Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey andSamuel L Jackson. Stephen is also an avid documentary maker - his documentary Playing Straight took a look at homophobia in the Premier League and in 2018 he went back to his old school for an entire year and sat the Leaving Cert all over again to see how much pressure it puts on young people. You can catch him every weekend on 2fm,talking with the biggest stars in movies and music.
Adam Kane – Secretary of Dublin Devils FC
Adam Kane has been an active player in grassroots football his entire life. Before joining the Dublin Devils in 2019, Adam played and coached with a number of clubs in both Irelandand the United States. As well as playing football, Adam is a supporter of St. Patrick’s Athletic, which gives him a unique insight into what it is like to be a LGBT+ player and supporterin Ireland. Having first-hand experience of homophobia in football, Adam is acutely aware of the importance of LGBT+ inclusion and the stand against homophobia in football.
About The Hosts
Sporting Pride
Founded in 2018, Sporting Pride is Ireland’s sport, fitness and exercise body, tasked with inspiring the LGBTQ+ community to get active. Research shows that 55% of LGBT men and 56% of LGBT women are not active enough to maintain good health, compared with 33% and 45% respectively of the general public. As a member of the EGLSF and the Federation of Gay Games, Sporting Pride also offers LGBTQ+ sports people the opportunity to represent Ireland in international competitions. www.sportingpride.ie
Dublin Devils FC
Formed in 2005, Dublin Devils FC is an LGBTQ+ inclusive football club that welcomes anyone who loves soccer, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or age. The club provides soccer for all levels and playing abilities, including competitive 6- and 11-a-side leagues, as well as social football for those looking to reconnect with the sport and meet new people from similar backgrounds. www.dublindevilsfc.com
Gay Community News
GCN is the national LGBT+ press in Ireland operating since 1988. GCN reflects queer life in Ireland and is delighted to collaborate with Sporting Pride, the Dublin Devils and Dublin Pride to facilitate this vital conversation about the LGBT+ experience in soccer and how we can all work together to make sport a more inclusive space and accessible for the LGBT+ community. www.gcn.ie
Dublin Pride
Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival & Parade happens every year in June and celebrates respect, inclusion, diversity, and equality. Dublin Pride is one of the biggest people parades and festival in Ireland now, Pride is 365 days not just for one day. Dublin Pride now runs events, workshops, talks throughout the year and has now launched its second festival Winter Pride in late November/December. Find out more here: www.DublinPride.ie
This event is supported by the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Fund and The Community Foundation of Ireland.
Sporting Pride Contact
Karina Murray karina.murray@sportingpride.ie