Today's episode, I must confess, is one that hits directly home, for we will comment on a sport I utterly loved as a kid, football. Believe it or not, I even had dreams to even become a professional footballer but things happened along the way. Long-story-short, let's say my mannerism and voice (for I had a "feminine" voice compared to my teammates), hampered my success as a sportsman even though my abilities as both goalkeeper and centre-back was in the words of my coach "astounding". Abusive commentary and attitudes towards me were a daily habit I had to be accustomed to because you know, it's always just a fun game and boys will be boys. Eventually, I fell out of love for the sport when I accepted my sexuality. And happily, nowadays I'm grateful I didn't continue on the path of being a professional footballer, for reasons why we are going to comment on this episode with our interviewee Beth Miles.
Beth is a member of a marvellous football team from London, called Goal Diggers. In its five years of life, the team composed of women & non-binary people has changed the perception that many have with football being primarily a male sport. Nowadays with more than 200 associates, Goal Diggers stands for creating a place where inclusivity is the key and ability is to be developed, not as a primary reason why one should be negated entrance on the pitch.
Beth besides being a right-back she is also the social secretary of the team, which means she creates incredible gatherings outside the matches. Beth hosted an episode on the BBC Radio 4 programme called "My name is..." where she discusses the necessity male football has to learn from female football how to add inclusivity and dismantling of prejudices, so know to us all, into their agenda. I'll leave the link for the episode in case you wanna hear it, it's of course beautifully hosted and edited.
In our talk today we're going to delve into her story with football, how the football pitch and society reflect each other, female football and inclusivity, coming out as a sportsman and why it's been taking us forever to hear of a gay or bi or transsexual footballer and how sports can become political acts.
LISTEN TO BETH'S EPISODE ON BBC'S RADIO 4 PROGRAMME "MY NAME IS..." - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dq2t
