Sport has taken important steps forward – but there is always more to be done in the fight for LGBT+ rights

As the Rainbow Laces campaign returns for its seventh year, it’s evident there’s still a long way to go in making sport an inclusive and safe space for the LGBT+ community

Even with the rise in LGBT+ fan groups at clubs across the country, aspects of the sport continue to be a source of frustration (Getty)

Society has a way of being affronted when minority groups urge that “more” needs to be done.

It is usually a reminder to continue on with the good work, perhaps expand it or look at more effective ways of being more inclusive.

But it is often taken as a personal slight: a suggestion that what effort has been put in by the rest has been worthless. “Please try harder”.

Invariably the plea is met in some quarters with the sort of scorn that made these minorities feel unwelcome in the first place. And so, back a few steps we go. The challenge for human and social rights charities is to find tactful ways of delivering powerful messages.

In this regard, the work of Stonewall and their Rainbow Laces campaign has been a huge success. Since starting in 2013 it has treaded carefully yet meaningfully to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality in professional sport.

The gimmicky nature of the multicoloured laces meant they spread quickly. But unlike fads like the ice bucket challenge, the meaning was never lost. And so, here is the campaign in its seventh year with prominent LGBT+ voices continuing to spread the message and at least half-a-million people set to re-lace their trainers.

This year is set to be the biggest show of equality since the scheme started in 2013, with 15 different sports talking part from Friday until 8 December. As ever, football will be the most visible. Teams in England, Scotland and Wales will be involved in the takeover.

But even with the rise in LGBT+ fan groups at clubs across the country, aspects of the sport continue to be a source of frustration. When 43 percent of LGBT+ people say they do not think sporting events are a welcoming place, they are almost exclusively talking about football matches.

Anti-LGBT+ language is still prevalent in the stands. Just last Sunday, a man was arrested for alleged homophobic abuse towards Wycombe goalkeeper Ryan Allsop during a match against Tranmere Rovers.

Yet even that episode, as grim as it may be, has a kernel of hope. Such abuse is now taken seriously and not simply waved away as playground chatter. Tranmere, to their credit, were quick to release a statement condemning the incident and reiterating their zero-tolerance policy on homophobia.

With the push for more inclusivity comes the need for education, and the short-term benefits of Stonewall’s work demonstrate how much more informed those around sport are to the LGBT+ cause. Steadily, a societal bank of displeasure to intolerance is building through understanding. More awareness, though, does not necessarily mean safer spaces.

The very nature of sport’s tribalism and hero-worship means the more athletes come out, the more the conversation moves on. But there are still no openly gay male professionals in English football, and it is something of a shame that there are only 11 Rainbow Laces ambassadors. Football's representative in that 11 is National League referee Ryan Atkin.

Perhaps, though, this is where it is important to step back and recognise we should not trivialise societal issues by viewing them through the distorted prism of sport. Especially when it comes to openness about sexuality.

Anti-LGBT+ language is still prevalent in football (Getty Images)

Coming out is constant source of anxiety for members of the LGBT+ community, even if they already have to family and friends. Some cope with it well, others less so, choosing to hide behind the safety of nondescript words like “partner” to avoid entering into awkward conversations or silences.

A number of LGBT+ athletes have spoken honestly about how lonely they felt at times in their career because of it. With so much of top-tier sport played in the mind, and sports psychologists preaching authenticity and clarity as key to high-level performance, having to keep a secret about yourself can only be a hindrance. It is not a stretch to think these athletes would have achieved greater things if they were allowed to be their full selves in a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

This is also what Stonewall are working towards: giving sport a better understanding of what to expect from LGBT+ athletes, whether out or not. Particularly us in the media and the way we cover their stories.

A common mistake is to focus on the “LGBT+” rather than the athletes, leaving little time or analysis for what should be championed – the successes.

John Dickinson-Lilley, a blind British Paralympic skier and Rainbow Laces ambassadors, puts himself forward as a unique example of the mistakes often made: “I could have a conversation about the guide dog that takes about 10 minutes. Then a conversation about what I can see which takes another six minutes. And then probably two minutes to quickly talk about my skiing.”

“I think what people need to realise is you can tackle those important issues by talking about the athlete. Really, the most important thing is not sensationalising someone being LGBT. You wouldn’t necessarily run a story on someone who was heterosexual. You would just talk about their sport.

“It’s about getting that balance and being fact-based. Because, really, it isn’t sensational. It shouldn’t be sensational. Statically speaking – there are a lot of LGBT people in the world. And that number will continue to rise.”

Football will be the most visible in terms of promoting the Rainbow Laces campaign yet the sport has so far to go (Getty Images)

But even as the themes of Rainbow Laces evolve, and Stonewall pushes forward, representing minority rights is still fraught with the same issues. There is still a long way to go, and it is notable that supporters from other communities or industries are referred to as “allies”. Creating an environment for inclusivity is a battle, and the LGBT+ community still need a lot of help in this fight.

That has been particularly evident with the groundswell of opposition to trans athletes. Stonewall are keen to reiterate that the numbers of trans people taking part in sports at the moment is very low but, at all levels, they are the most likely to have bad experiences. The Rainbow Laces campaign is as much about highlighting the damaging and discriminatory stories as the feel-good ones.

It is easy to look into the distance and simply yearn for a day when everyone will be treated equally. Where there will be no need for gay sports teams, no protests for LGBT+ teaching in schools or when 14 percent of LGBT+ pupils – 29 percent of them trans – will not be bullied during sports lessons as they are now. It takes effort and, unfortunately, the more productive steps will involve a great deal of pain.

Bit by bit, Rainbow Laces and the other commendable Stonewall initiatives beyond sport are getting us closer to that place. But even considering how much Stonewall has already achieved, it would be wrong to equate progression to lasting change. There is always more to be done.