The Rainbow Laces campaign started in 2013 as a partnership between Paddy Power and Stonewall. It was focused on football specifically, and on promoting acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) football players. Over a series of high profile campaign weeks, dozens of Premier League footballers wore Rainbow Laces, the Metro Newspaper did a #RainbowLaces takeover, the campaign video with Arsenal attracted 1.4 million views, and 30% of the British population heard about the campaign. After two years of partnership, Stonewall and Paddy Power amicably parted ways. But the work goes on.
Stonewall now has full ownership of the Rainbow Laces campaign and has committed to run the campaign for a further three years. The campaign is trying to create an environment where all LGBT people feel welcome at all levels of sport, with the belief that most people in sport welcome LGBT people, and we all need to come together to deal with the small minority of people who give sport a bad name through homophobic, biphobic and transphobic actions.
There have been some key changes to the campaign – it is now:
- focussed on ALL sports, although at the moment the chief focus is on football, rugby and cricket as three of the biggest sports in Britain
- working intensively with grassroots, youth and community sport alongside high profile clubs and leagues
- actively working with a wide range of sport sponsors as a force for positive change across sport through #TeamPride
In September the campaign is being re-launched, with a story based on extensive new research of sport fans’ experience of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. #TeamPride will also be announced as part of a big call to action to the sports industry.
Also launched will be the toolkit for grassroots, community and youth sport clubs to raise awareness, and organising a series of community sport #RainbowLaces activities in different parts of the country.
On 25-27 November, 2 months on from the re-launch of the campaign, there will be a weekend of focus on leagues, clubs, players, senior staff and the media – all visibly demonstrating their commitment to the #RainbowLaces campaign by wearing rainbow props (including captain arm bands, hair bands for long haired players, ties for news presenters, and laces for all other players).
At GBWR we want to hear from all those who have ideas as to how we can get behind the campaign and we will be sending out support packs to those individuals or clubs and asking them to tweet pictures of them wearing their #rainbow laces when the campaign launches. If you or your club would like to be involved, please e-mail danielhook@rfu.com.
