Everton FC fans have spoken out after the team's social media accounts were recently flooded with homophobic comments.
Taking to Twitter and Instagram, the Premier League football team revealed their 2022/23 hummel away kit, which happened to be in the colour pink. The kit pays tribute to Prince Rupert’s Tower “with a modern twist,” according to the Everton FC website.
The away shirt, in an “eye-catching rosebloom pink, features a distinctive, patriot blue pattern inspired by the angled roof of the tower in the Club crest - and amplified into a cool geometric print for 2022.” It is complemented by a tonal Club crest and a round, patriot blue neckline, with pink trim and block sleeves.
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Mirroring the home kit, the traditional four hummel chevrons down the arms are pared back to two, providing a striking contrast with the sleeving. The back-of-neck also features the famous Prince Rupert’s tower motif, which forms an integral part of this year’s overall kit branding. The kit was worn for the first time yesterday on Wednesday, July 20, when the Everton First Team featured in their second pre-season friendly in the US, against Adrian Heath’s Minnesota United.
Social media trolls responded to the new kit, by insinuating the colour, which is seen as a feminine colour by society, would define a player's sexuality. Rainbow Toffees, an LGBTQ+ fan group for Everton FC, spoke out against the comments.
Paul Hession, the Rainbow Toffee’s event manager for eight years now, told the ECHO : “Pink is just a colour and so is blue. It’s part of our history. I really don’t know what all the fuss is about. I’ve recently seen the homophobic comments on social media regarding our new away shirt and I’m appalled that people would associate pink with being gay or girly. Especially in this day and age. This is why Rainbow toffees and other LGBTQ+ football supporters groups exist. We need to stamp out this small majority of fans with this mentality. It’s just not acceptable.”
The 44-year-old explained how Everton has worn pink on many occasions, even dating back to when they played as Saint Domingo’s in a pink sash.
Colin Dowling, an openly gay footballer who plays for Rainbow Toffees and Mersey Marauders FC, added: “It's ridiculous who cares about what colour shirt a player is wearing. It doesn't define your gender or sexuality. It's just a shirt, it's all about the player in the shirt and how they play. It just shows the shallow narrow-minded people still out there in this day and age. Men can look good in pink no matter their sexuality.”
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