Five of England's Lionesses were shortlisted in the British LGBT+ awards' top 10 sports personality of the year, with former stars Alex Scott, Demi Stokes and Jill Scott lining up alongside current players Beth Mead and Leah Williamson amongst the nominees.
The award is designed to recognise and celebrate sportspersons that are either LGBT+ or those have proven strong advocates and allies of the LGBT+ community in sport during the past 12 months.
And amongst the 10 nominees named for the prestigious award, half have donned the Three Lions on their chest. The impressive representation from women's football bears testament to the recent success garnered off the back of a triumphant Euro2022 campaign as well as the progressive nature the team have strived to engender across sport.
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Former England and Arsenal star Scott, who came out in her autobiography, made waves at this year’s World Cup as the first woman to commentate for the BBC. She was praised for wearing the pro-LGBT+ OneLove armband on air after Fifa top brass had controversially banned the article in the run-up to the first matches. Scott's OneLove tribute is also nominated for Media Moment of the Year.
Mead’s nomination arrives hot on the heels of a slew of awards the Arsenal and England striker guzzled up in 2022, not least the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament as she fired the Lionesses to victory at the summer’s Euro2022 championships. Mead, who is in a relationship with Arsenal and Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema, has long been open about the injustices faced the LGBT+ community.
Manchester City left-back Demi Stokes was also named to the list. A key cog in the Euro2022 squad, Stokes also captained Team GB in Tokyo two years earlier and boasts an array of football silverware as well as providing a good representation of the LGBT+ community in the sport.
Scott is another Lioness relishing a sensational year. After retiring from football following Euro2022 success, Scott embarked on a season with I’m a Celebrity, in which the former England star won, becoming the first openly LGBT+ woman to achieve the feat. Scott is known for her candour in speaking around her experiences as a gay woman, as well as being an advocate for closeted men in the game.
Arsenal star Leah Williams culminates the list The England defender has spoken honestly about her sexuality and the accompanying journey, as well as raising pertinent and often difficult issues facing the LGBT+ community, including the issues ensconcing last year’s World Cup in Qatar.
The public are invited to cast their votes at britishlgbtawards.com ahead of this year’s star-studded ceremony which will be held in London on Friday 23 June.
The full list for LGBT+ Sport Personality is as follows:
Alex Scott
Beth Mead
Demi Stokes
Ellia Green
Emily Bridges
Jake Daniels
Jill Scott
Lauren Rowles
Leah Williamson
Michael Gunning
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