Everton is proud to support this year’s Rainbow Laces week of action, in conjunction with Stonewall.
Rainbow Laces has become a symbol of inclusion in football, and Everton lead the way.
Our ‘All Together Now’ campaign, to celebrate diversity and increase awareness of everything done by the Football Club and its official charity, Everton in the Community, to promote equality, is now approaching its third birthday.
Our ongoing commitment to ‘All Together Now’ – which, in 2020, saw the Club formalise its support for Stonewall, Europe’s leading LGBTQ+ charity, by becoming members of their ‘Diversity Champions’ scheme - was recently rewarded with the ‘Kick it Out Promoting Inclusion’ award at the 2021 North West Football Awards.
And ahead of tonight’s Merseyside Derby, we are again delighted to show our commitment to Stonewall’s ‘Lace Up and Speak Up’ call to action, which focuses on starting the conversation and supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion across the sporting industry.
The matchball will be delivered to the referee via a rainbow plinth pitchside, while handshake boards and substitutes’ boards will both carry support for Stonewall.
Both captains will also wear the rainbow armband to demonstrate the players’ support of the initiative.
The Rainbow appears on the Club’s social media accounts and will feature on the big screen and in the matchday programme for the derby.
Everton Women will follow suit for their Continental Cup game against Durham FC at Walton Hall Park this coming Sunday (1pm GMT), with the captains wearing the rainbow armband and other matchday activations surrounding the initiative.
Everton in the Community's youth engagement programme continues to deliver LGBTQ+ awareness sessions in primary and secondary schools across the Merseyside region.
Everton also works closely with the Rainbow Toffees, an affiliated LGBTQ+ supporters' group that promotes equality and seeks to eradicate prejudice in both football and the wider community.
You can find out more about Stonewall and the Rainbow Laces week of action HERE: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/rainbow-laces
