LAST month, Kick It Out, a leading campaign group for equality and inclusion in football, launched their anti-sexism campaign, writes Oxford United Supporters’ Panel (OUSP) chair Janine Bailey.
It revealed that nationally over half of female fans have experienced sexist behaviour or language on matchdays, and that over 80 per cent of those surveyed wouldn’t report it as they didn’t think it would make a difference or be taken seriously.
The same week OUSP announced our official partnership with Her Game Too. The partnership sees OUSP commit to promoting equality and championing female role models, ensuring female voices are respected in our meetings and events, and sharing reporting channels to call out sexist or misogynistic behaviour.
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OUSP has been committed to promoting equality from the outset. Some of our early work included getting sexism added to the club’s reporting line details, and having these details clearly displayed in ladies’ toilets, often a safe space for girls and women, as well as in the more traditional public places such as the concourse, programme, and on-screen.
We have also supported Grace, the club’s Her Game Too ambassador, to put on events for female fans, including a recent evening with Amy Cranston, the club’s head of medical before her move to Manchester United.
Some people have questioned the need to work for equality and inclusion. After all, we are all Oxford United supporters and as such have common ground, so why should there be a special focus on groups that are defined by characteristics such as gender, race, sexuality, or ethnicity?
Our common love of Oxford United is to be celebrated, and it provides a fantastic foundation for bringing us together.
Most people naturally seek out others like them: as a U’s supporter it’s always a pleasure to see someone in Oxford United yellow when you are on holiday. You immediately have common ground.
But this tendency can lead to the proliferation of ‘echo chambers’ and we cannot ignore the fact that any cohort which is in a minority might be made to feel intimidated or uncomfortable. This is especially true when features that are part of their identity become used as terms of abuse or insult.
At our match against Portsmouth a few weeks ago, one of the officials appears to have been subject to racist comments from the Pompey fans.
If a referee is bad, it’s fine to call them out as bad, but not to criticise them for the colour of their skin, their gender, or any other such feature, a feature likely to be shared by some of the fans around you.
Discriminatory behaviour and language, whether at the match or on social media, is taken seriously and will usually lead to a stadium ban.
So, in the light of Kick It Out’s campaign against sexism and the fact that it’s Black History Month, let’s celebrate the diverse community of Oxford United supporters. Remember that discrimination is never banter. If you see or hear it then call it out, report it to the nearest steward, or text the club (60075 on matchdays). And if you want OUSP to help support your community, please get in touch.
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