Exeter City will celebrate Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign with a dedicated fixture against Fleetwood Town on Saturday 22nd October.
Exeter City is proud to be supporting Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign to "Lace Up and Speak Up" for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans or Queer (LGBTQ+) inclusion in football.
The campaign aims to create a broader, louder and more impactful movement for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, with the hope that every conversation will move a step closer to achieving the ambition of making sport everyone’s game.
This year’s Rainbow Laces campaign will run from the 19th to the 31st of October. This includes Rainbow Laces Day on Wednesday 26th of October and Exeter City's dedicated Rainbow Laces fixture. The campaign has been brought forward to get the ball rolling for inclusion both in our communities and globally, across all sports and physical activities prior to the World Cup in Qatar.
Keep an eye on all of our social media platforms, website and matchday programme for relevant content and news about the campaign.
Support of the Rainbow Laces campaign will help celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion within the EFL and highlight the great work clubs are doing in this area.
The campaign is not just about wearing Rainbow Laces, it is about opening up conversations about sport and the wider community to further inclusivity.
Proud Grecians, Exeter City's LGBTQ+ and allies Supporter's Group, the club's One Game One Community Group, Exeter Pride and Isca Apollo, the Exeter LGBT+ friendly community football team, volunteers will hand out laces to some of those attending the game.
In addition, rainbow corner flags will be used, the team captain's will wear rainbow arm bands, announcements will be made and details about the campaign will be placed in the match programme.
Exeter City has a long history of supporting rights for all, including taking a stand against homophobia for more than 10 years by supporting the annual Football v Homophobia initiative each February.
Exeter City’s One Game One Community Group is part of the national Kick it Out campaign which aims to address all types of discrimination in football including race, disability, gender, age, religion and sexual orientation.
For 2022, Stonewall is championing the cause with pride all year round. Because inclusion has no off-season.
More than a million people have laced up in support of LGBTQ+ equality in sport. But many in this community still feel unwelcome in sport, fitness, and physical activity. Because people bully, belittle and exclude, making them feel out of place. Sport is for all, and everyone should be welcome. Laces have brought awareness.
Now we all need to speak up with those around us. We must ensure we are championing the cause with pride all year round. Not just when the cameras are on. Because inclusion has no off-season.
Lace up. Speak Up. Make sport everyone’s game.