Huddersfield Town goalkeeper and Terriers Together Ambassador speaks with Town Academy
- Huddersfield Town Academy take part in EDI training
- Focus paid on importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion
- Session in part delivered by Terriers Together Ambassador Chris Maxwell
Holding a session with our entire cohort of Huddersfield Town Academy players, Chris Maxwell helped speak about the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion during LGBTQ+ History Month.
Alongside our HR Manager and Equality Lead Zoe Shackleton, the talk was an educational workshop aimed to promote inclusivity, with both staff and players alike taking part. Extending our Terriers Together way of thinking across the full Club, the session was an opportunity to reduce the feeling of taboo around speaking about LGBTQ+ issues, especially in football.
First Team Terriers Together Ambassador Chris Maxwell spoke passionately within the discussion, sharing his own personal and lived experiences of seeing the game evolve over time, speaking with particular resonance about the support he showed a former Academy teammate when they decided to share their sexual orientation publicly.
Well received and engaged with by all, the Club will continue organise more sessions of this nature going forward, helping to tackle issues from within the football industry that have been present for too long.
Huddersfield Town Terriers Together Ambassador Chris Maxwell commented:
“Football, much like society, still has a long way to go where LGBTQ+ inclusion is concerned. If speaking to the younger generation can help promote a better future in the game for players who feel they are unable to be their true selves openly, then that’s something I’ll be more than happy to continue doing.
“I’ve had personal experience of working and playing alongside an openly gay player at my previous side, and that was an incredibly liberating and empowering experience. A brave thing to do, I would have no hesitation in being there for another teammate in the same way if they ever needed me.
“Making our game more inclusive as a whole holds real importance for me, and I hope our Academy players took something meaningful from the session. The more open football and society become, the better off we all are for it.”
Huddersfield Town HR Manager and Equality Lead Zoe Shackleton added:
“It was wonderful to extend our Terriers Together work again to our Academy players, especially during LGBTQ+ History Month. Engraining those core beliefs of respect, acceptance, and inclusion throughout the Club is of the utmost importance to us, and I must thank Chris for taking part with us and sharing his experiences.
“With interest in our LGBTQ+ Supporters’ Group ‘Proud About Town’ continuing to grow, our hope is that Huddersfield Town continues to be welcoming and accessible to everybody - that’s our main motivation for putting inclusion at the heart of everything we do. Whether you’re a member of our staff, a player, coach, or supporter, we accept and celebrate all Terriers for who they are, and always will.”
Find out more about the equality, diversity and inclusion work completed by Huddersfield Town as part of our Terriers Together initiative by CLICKING HERE.
