Why are they wearing rainbow bands and laces in the UK?

You've probably already noticed that yesterday watching the Manchester City's highlights, and maybe you're still wondering why: during the next two Premier League rounds, the first in the middle of the week already and the second that will take place next weekend, the two main British series (but also the Scottish Premier League, the lower divisions of English football and women's championships) have joined massively the awareness campaign called #RainbowLaces. In the meanwhile many club have temporarily changed their logo on social accounts, the players have worn colored captain bands and shoelaces and even many stadiums have 'fully embraced' the initiative launched in 2013 by the organization called Stonewall, aimed at promoting equality and diversity in the world of football and the fight against homophobia.

First of all, the campaign is directed to the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bi and trans), promoting maximum support and their complete inclusion in sports activities but also helping to report any kind of violation and abuse, both physically through the stewards present in the stadiums and online, using the Kick It Out platform. The project, as in previous years, received a very huge support, especially on the media, also because there are few channels that are able to have the football's power and diffusion. This year Crystal Palace has decided to take part in a more direct way, creating 100 limited edition rainbow jerseys whose proceeds will go to charity.

The participation in this campaign is almost total, involving football players but also referees and staff members, including slogans and special-effect phrases, such as the one used by the Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson:

“I’m a parent, a husband, a son and a brother and the idea that anyone I love and care about wouldn’t feel safe or comfortable coming to watch me play if they were part of the LGBT community makes me wonder what world we live in.”

In recent days, the Catalan full-back Héctor Bellerín, one of the players who in the last few months has proved to be among the most sensitive to openly talking about certain social issues, was the protagonist of a short video released by the official Arsenal channels.