Autor: Kristina Němcová (@stinanemcova)
The world of women’s football is often seen as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Many captains’ armbands are rainbow colored, and compared to men’s football, there are far more players who are openly queer and unafraid to speak publicly about their orientation. This can be incredibly helpful for many young people who are still in the process of figuring out who they are.
Although the global situation has improved in many respects — in a large number of countries, at least in Europe, same-sex couples are now able to marry — queer people still have some battles to fight. In some countries, gay and lesbians remain a long way from having this right, but every year the number of countries that have reached this milestone continues to grow.
However, the situation is far from perfect or safe for queer people everywhere. Around the world, attacks against them are on the rise, and many politicians exploit them in their campaigns, fuelling hate speech against their rights. This makes it all the more important when queer people — often teenagers who are still finding themselves — can find support and representation in public figures and celebrities.
In the world of women’s football, one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ advocates is undoubtedly Manchester City and Netherlands national team player Kerstin Casparij. You may remember a moment from April 2025, shortly after the High Court ruled that trans women do not fall under the legal definition of a woman.
During a match against Everton, Casparij scored and celebrated by kissing her wrist, where she had the transgender flag bracelet. She dedicated her goal to trans women not only in the United Kingdom.
“My goal today was dedicated to all my trans siblings, who’ve had an incredibly tough & heartbreaking week. You have all been on my mind and in my heart, you deserve so much more than what this government & society is giving you. I’m so incredibly proud of the trans existence within the queer community, and I’m proud of all trans women — you are women no matter what anyone says,” she later wrote on her Instagram, adding that some things are bigger than football.
This was neither the first nor the last time Casparij spoke out on this topic, which is very close to her heart. The world of women’s football plays a crucial role in this for her. In her own words, the women’s game made her coming out as a lesbian much easier because it is such a supportive environment. She herself admits that while growing up, she did not know anyone who was openly queer and perceived the topic as taboo.
That is why LGBTQ+ visibility is so important to her. Together with her partner, Ruth Brown, she creates YouTube and TikTok videos about their everyday life, making them — alongside couples such as Ffion Morgan and Lia Cataldo — one of the most visible queer football couples today.
Her activism does not stop at words alone. Kerstin is, for example, a patron of the LGBT Foundation, where she helps shine a spotlight on the importance of visibility and inclusion for LGBTQ+ women. In interviews, she frequently explains why visibility and inclusion — especially in women’s sport — matter so deeply to her, and she leads by example in doing so.
