A social media campaign aiming to tackle sexism against women in sport has taken off after appearing in televised Premier League games.
#HerGameToo is an unpaid voluntary campaign with the goal of creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of gender.
The hashtag and logo appeared on the advertising board alongside ‘Kick It Out’ on Monday night’s Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Newcastle, which aired on Sky Sports.
The words “Lets kick sexism out of football” could be seen in slow motion replays, appearing just as Chelsea scored the opening goal.
#HerGameToo saw more positive exposure on Sky Sports main event on Sunday, during Aston Villa’s game against Spurs, with screenshots of the campaign being shared across X.
Faye Hackwell, a freelance sports journalist, volunteers as a blog writer for the movement.
She said: “Over International Women’s Day we had clubs dedicate more than 59 fixtures to us to help us raise awareness.
“This included players warming up in HGT t-shirts, female mascots and activities at matches”.
#HerGameToo was launched by Bristol Rovers fans Lucy Ford and Caz May in 2021, after they both received abuse online and in person.
Their mission statement reads: “To tackle sexism in football head-on by creating a campaign that empowers women in the sport.
“Our campaign will provide a safe and supportive environment for female supporters.
“We’ll champion the women’s game by creating opportunities for girls to develop their skills and participate in football at all levels”.
Faye, who also works with media organisations including UEFA and the BBC, recalled how she got involved with #HerGameToo:
“I started writing at the beginning of last year”.
“I really want to help spread the message of football being a game for all and felt using my media skills and contacts was a good way to do that”.
“I had seen the work on social media and, as a woman who works in often male-dominated environments and attends matches at stadiums which are predominantly filmed with male fans, I wanted to volunteer my skills to help spread the word of the amazing work the team do”.
To spread their message and objectives, #HerGameToo aims to work with as many football clubs as possible.
This ensures that the campaign’s objectives are integrated into the clubs’ and stakeholders’ agendas.
“We have grown hugely in the last year,” Faye added.
“We are now partnered with 74/92 PL & EFL clubs and have more than 100 volunteers”.
Local reach has been positive, with Bolton, Bury and Rochdale all representing #HerGameToo . Bolton’s squad sported #HerGameToo shirts during their warm up on Saturday.
The campaign works with sports beyond football, including rugby, cricket and ice hockey, each with their own dedicated teams.
Moreover, by being in partnership with WeLoveSport several pubs across the UK support Her Game Too, including 11 pubs and bars in Manchester.
You can download Her Game Too’s strategy here.
Their website here where you can go to report any sexist or anti-social behaviour during a match, as well as to find out ways to get involved, and contact the directors and club ambassadors.