LFC will host a variety of Pride-themed activities across the club throughout July, building up to the finale of Liverpool staff and fans marching in solidarity together, albeit virtually, in LCR Pride Foundation’s MarchOnline on Saturday July 31.
This year, LCR Pride Foundation’s annual theme is ‘From Now On’. In addition to marching in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and in protest against the prejudice and inequalities that they continue to face globally, LCR Pride Foundation is asking everyone who submits a video to make a pledge for something they would like to change for the LGBTQ+ community here.
The virtual march, which will be broadcast from LCR Pride Foundation’s YouTube channel at 12pm BST on July 31, will comprise of videos from members of the public, businesses and charities. To register and submit a video for this year’s virtual Pride March please visit here.
Ahead of the virtual MarchOnline, LFC's Pride activities will include training for its employees, continued work with the club's own LGBT+ employee network and engagement with LFC Women Supporters’ Committee and Kop Outs, the club's LGBT+ supporters group, throughout the month.
The club’s Pride activities are part of Red Together, which is LFC’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. Red Together provides a recognisable platform to demonstrate the club’s work, as well as celebrating its inclusive culture and diverse fanbase.
LFC Foundation will also be delivering an inclusive football tournament for individuals and teams, and Pride-themed sessions in 40 local schools to raise awareness of LGBT+. The club’s charity will also host a virtual ‘Careers Uncovered’ event with guests from the LGBT+ community, including former professional rugby league player Keegan Hirst.
Billy Hogan, chief executive at Liverpool FC, said: “As a club through Red Together, we focus on integrating equality, diversity and inclusion into everything that we do and are fully committed to supporting our staff, players and fans.
“I am really proud of our continued involvement in the city’s Pride celebrations, and I would like to thank our LGBT+ staff network and our supporters for the important role they have played in helping us to progress our equality, diversity and inclusion work further.
“I am sure the city will once again celebrate Pride in style, whilst helping to raise awareness of the discrimination and inequalities that the LGBT+ community still sadly continues to face, and I look forward to being able to play a part in this.”
This year, fans will notice that the club has adopted the newest version of the Progress Pride flag across its digital platforms following consultation with various internal and external groups.
The Progress Pride flag incorporates new colours and a circle, which recognises the intersex community, alongside different gender identities and LGBT+ people of colour. The club’s iconic crest will be displayed in full Progress Pride colours throughout July in support of the Pride in Liverpool celebrations.
Speaking about the upcoming March with Pride, LCR Pride Foundation CEO and co-founder, Andi Herring, commented: “Our annual March with Pride has always been at the heart of grassroots activism within the community. Although we cannot march in person this year, we can still come together virtually to both celebrate our LGBT+ community and highlight the inequalities and injustices it still faces in the city region and around the world.
“We are grateful for the support of high-profile and visible allies like LFC, who are not only standing with us, but also moving forward to enact real change and using its platform to encourage others to do the same."
Jo Goodall, chair of LFC Women Supporters’ Committee, added: “It's really wonderful to see Liverpool FC using both their men's and women's social platforms to further promote equality, diversity and inclusion alongside the Red Together initiative.
“As part of the LGBTQ+ community, it fills me with joy and makes me proud to support such an incredible and inclusive club.
"As well as players, our men's and women's fans come from all around the world and, regardless of sexuality, gender, race or religion, nobody should feel excluded from playing for or supporting our club.”
To find out more about Red Together - LFC’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion - please visit www.liverpoolfc.com/redtogether. If you would like to report any incidents of racism, hate or discriminatory abuse online, please contact LFC here.