Proud Terriers have spoken out about the impact supporters can have while inside the stadium
- February is LGBTQ+ History Month
- Importance of the Proud Terriers group
- Comments from founding member of Proud Terriers, Ryan Mather
Huddersfield Town is proud to shine a spotlight on LGBTQ+ inclusion, a key aspect of our work to make football a welcoming and respectful environment for all.
We spoke to the founder of Proud Terriers, Ryan Mather, about the impact that homophobic and transphobic abuse can have on people attending football matches and what more can be done in order for football to be fully inclusive. Proud Terriers has an important role and purpose in the Club’s inclusion aspirations.
“We are an LGBTQ+ fan group and we have been established since 2013. When I set up Proud Terriers it was with the aim of creating a group in which Huddersfield Town supporters could be themselves and feel safe in being who they are. When I came out, there wasn’t a group to get me into football, so I worked with the Club to create one and to provide a safe space where people feel supported and welcome, and not intimidated because of their sexuality, gender identity, or any other characteristic.
“I wanted to do my bit to make football more inclusive.
“I think we’ve seen progress across the board, but the question is, are we close to feeling welcome inside a stadium? The answer is that there has been enormous progress and although there is more to be done, we are getting there.
“As a whole, we just want to go to the football without there being an uncomfortable atmosphere. We all have a responsibility to challenge anything that we see or hear that is inappropriate, and we can all make a difference and have a positive impact. The vision is to keep progressing.”
Fans are able to report any abusive and/or discriminatory language and behaviour that they see or hear on a match day in various ways, such as speaking to a steward or using the ‘Tackle and Text’ messaging system in place at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“I’m grateful to the Club for putting the incident reporting system in place because it’s not always easy to challenge a situation yourself, and it’s reassuring that there are other options of communicating any concerns and to feel confident that action will be taken.
“Ultimately, the message is that we’ve all got a responsibility to contribute to change and if we all pull together to create that welcoming atmosphere inside the stadium it will be a welcoming and positive experience.”
Huddersfield Town is a proud supporter of LGBT History Month and other LGBTQ+ campaigns. We work with our LGBTQ+ supporters and allies, and other agencies, to ensure we are aware of and can address any inappropriate or discriminatory language and behaviour, on match days and in other environments including social media. Everyone who engages with us has an opportunity and responsibility to contribute to making our club one in which we are all ‘Terriers Together’.
Our Proud Terriers group is open to members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community and has a key role to play in eliminating any homophobic and transphobic behaviour from our environment. We look forward to expanding this network and contributing further to Pride and other events in Huddersfield and the surrounding areas.
If you want to find out more about Proud Terriers, please CLICK HERE and if you would like to be involved in the Proud Terriers supporters and allies group, please submit your details via the Contact Form at the bottom the Proud Terriers section.
