A new short documentary film from the BBC visits with two different soccer teams in England and builds a dialogue about why there are no openly gay soccer players in the Premier League.
The London Titans are a gay soccer team that members say are a safe haven from the homophobia that many of its members have experienced in the sport. The men involved are a group of straight guys who have been recruited to play in a match against the Titans.
The short film, titled We Are Gay And We Love Football Too, uses these two teams to engage in a conversation about homophobia in the sport and what has kept every gay Premier League and elite-level pro soccer player in England in the closet since Justin Fashanu in the 1990’s.
Here is the official synopsis. You can also watch the film directly below…
There are over 2,000 professional footballers in the English game today – yet, apparently, not one is gay. Why? As the new football season kicks off amateur LGBT team The London Titans and their newest recruit Tom – who quit playing football after homophobic abuse – tackle this ugly issue disfiguring our beautiful game. They’ll do battle on the pitch against a ‘lads’ team as they reveal their own personal stories and explore why our ‘banter’ culture fuels ignorance towards homosexuality.
