Soccer pro Aaron Ramsdale says his love for his brother, who came out as gay to his family several years ago, is the reality behind Rainbow Laces.
The England international goalkeeper has a tough task on his hands to keep his club Southampton in the Premier League this season.
However, the 26-year-old has taken some time out to publicly support Rainbow Laces, the long-running LGBTQ inclusion campaign that starts its annual activation in the world’s most-watched sports league on Friday.
Ramsdale first mentioned his middle brother Oliver being gay in August 2023 in a Players Tribune column about standing tall in the face of abuse and trolling on social media.
There is a seven-year age gap between the siblings, and Aaron was still in his teens when Oliver came out to his family before heading off to drama school. He is now an accomplished stage performer with multiple credits in London’s West End and international productions.
I don’t have many words to describe how this article has made me feel, pretty speechless and deeply moved ❤️ https://t.co/KtVTYHVUMk
— Oliver Ramsdale (@ollieramsdale) August 3, 2023
In a new short film for the Premier League’s ‘Untold’ series, the ‘keeper says: “One of the main reasons for speaking out was probably the stuff you see online, or what he [Oliver] has to go through more than anything of what gets said around me.
“Having a brother who’s come out as gay doesn’t mean I’m the only one who has to speak out.
“I still get my challenges, and still get ups and downs. You get the sort of backlash from supporters, criticism etc which comes with the job, which is always difficult, but I haven’t had to lie or try and hide or feel excluded by things.
“The challenges which my middle brother Oliver has had, throughout his life having to hide things from people, family members, you know about his sexuality is incredibly tough.”
There has never been an out gay or bisexual player actively playing in the top-flight of English men’s football.
Justin Fashanu came out as gay in 1990, before the Premier League era began, while Thomas Hitzlsperger spoke about his sexuality after retiring.
Fashanu played for lower-league clubs in England and had spells in Scotland’s top-flight in the 1990s. Meanwhile, teenager Jake Daniels — on the books of third-tier Blackpool — is one of just five current players in men’s pro soccer anywhere in the world to be out as gay.
Related
The Ramsdale brothers have discussed how impactful it would be to have LGBTQ representation on the pitch in the Premier League.
“He would love to have someone, a player or staff member or whatever to come out,” says Aaron of Oliver. “It would be amazing if we got to a place where everyone can just be relaxed and be their own self.
“I personally feel it would be a huge statement, one which I think does get overhyped a little bit, which is maybe why someone hasn’t come out.”
PL club boss: Still so much work to do
Ramsdale’s club manager Russell Martin believes the men’s game is becoming more accepting but says maintaining a strong anti-LGBTQ discrimination focus is crucial, particularly amid a wider societal pushback against diversity and inclusion.
Because few players wear Rainbow Laces (mostly because they don’t like to make changes to their boots out of habit), the rainbow captain’s armbands have become vital components of the visibility.
However, that feature of the campaign was overshadowed a year ago when one Premier League captain, Anel Ahmedhodzic of Sheffield United, refused to wear the armband.
Ahead of Friday’s clash away to his hometown club Brighton — the city with the most LGBTQ residents in the UK — Southampton boss Martin told reporters: “It’s our job to make sure, whatever type of discrimination it is, that we call it out as dads and coaching staff here.
Watch Russell Martin discuss Rainbow Laces ahead of Brighton v Southampton (from 16:07)
“I think there’s always going to be differences of opinion and cultural differences and all that stuff and I remember arguing with players in my career.
“Arguing about certain comments that were made, especially being from Brighton and being from a city where you grow up being used to seeing certain things.
“I think it’s changing but I think there’s still so much work to do.”
In the Championship, the division below the Premier League, there was a midweek match dedicated to Rainbow Laces at Leeds United. Former USA international Robbie Rogers played for Leeds before coming out as gay in early 2013.
However, the club’s simple social media post of a rainbow corner flag was met with considerable abuse on X, leading former player and LGBTQ education campaigner Zander Murray to call for a stronger anti-homophobia focus which he says would benefit gay men in the game who are closeted, as he once was.
10 years on from the 🚀 @stonewalluk rainbow laces campaign.
– As a man who’s played pro football openly gay ⚽️
– As an ambassador who has now done over 40+ anti-homophobia workshops to players & school pupils 🗣️
– WE NEED A STRONGER ANTI-HOMOPHOBIA CAMPAIGN NOW!
2/3 🧵
— Zander Murray (@ZanderMurray) November 27, 2024
Although reports of Premier League players using anti-LGBTQ language are rare, there has been an increase in incidents lower down the men’s pyramid, with the FA’s most recent statistics showing nearly 300 cases of proven discrimination charges relating to sexual orientation in the 2022/23 season at grassroots level.
Furthermore, recent data from Stonewall — the charity behind Rainbow Laces — shows 1 in 5 LGBTQ people (21 per cent) responding to a survey felt they had been discriminated against because they are LGBTQ when attending a live sporting event in the last year.
All Premier League clubs will activate the campaign at their home games between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5. For Southampton and Ramsdale, that will be Wednesday’s visit of Chelsea, who along with Brighton are the Premier League clubs most targeted by homophobic chanting.
The goalkeeper’s brother has been busy appearing in a U.K. touring production of the musical “Chicago” but often attends matches when his schedule allows and is likely to be at a Saints game soon.
“I love him, so I think the time we spend together is priceless,” adds Aaron in his interview.
“I admire him and the way he speaks, the way he is around people, the way he fights for what he thinks is right, what he believes in. He doesn’t let anything stop him.”
Subscribe to the Outsports newsletter to keep up with your favorite out athletes, inspiring LGBTQ sports stories, and more.