England and Chelsea player, Eniola Aluko has given her support to her club’s Game for Equality this weekend.
Aluko, who was born in Nigeria, before moving to England as a baby, believes clubs like Chelsea have a duty to promote equality and says this Saturday’s game is the perfect way to showcase the good work being done by so many organisations.
‘Football clubs, especially those with a huge following need to support equality as the messages those clubs carry are so important,’ she said.
‘They have an impact all over the world so when a club like Chelsea stands up and says, “this isn’t right, we are against all forms of discrimination,” everybody else will buy in to it all over the world.
‘What the club says has an impact in places where things aren’t as accepted as they are in England and it is important that we keep doing it and eventually that message will become normality so we won’t have to say it anymore.’
Last week, England women’s captain Casey Stoney spoke publicly for the first time about being gay and Aluko believes her international team mate’s courage can prove an inspiration to everyone.
‘There is an issue in society with people just being themselves, whether you are black or white, you’ve got a different religion or sexual orientation, and there is a problem, particularly with young people being able to be themselves and to be confident in their own skin,’ she said.
‘When someone comes out and says, “this is me, take it or leave it,” it empowers people and makes them think if she or he can do that then so can I and that is the most important thing.
‘It is not about individuals, it is about the knock-on impact of people being okay with who you are, whoever they are. It’s important that people know it is okay to be who you are and if you feel different that is something to be celebrated and when you celebrate who you are it trumps ignorance.
‘All the things you think people may think about you, that gets defeated when you come out and say I am happy with who I am.
‘I hate to sound philosophical about it but that is something society needs, whoever you are. So for someone like Casey to do that highlights it even more and is important.’
Our game against Everton on Saturday will bring important campaigns and organisations together through football to highlight work promoting equality within the sport, and throughout communities.
The Game for Equality will see Chelsea FC’s Building Bridges initiative join forces with Kick It Out, Football v Homophobia, the Premier League and the Football Association to underline the commitment to tackling discrimination in all forms.
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
