Manchester United celebrate their LGBTQ fans as club wins “Football v Homophobia” Award

When Eric Najib came out as gay to his fellow Manchester United fans on a coach trip in May 1999, he could never have imagined what his life would be like 25 years later.

Not only is he the founder and chair of Rainbow Devils – the Premier League giants’ official LGBTQ supporters group – but he is also the manager of the world’s most successful LGBTQ football club, Stonewall FC.

Najib decided to tell his friends about his sexuality to distract them, as emotions ran high after a 2-2 draw away to rivals Liverpool. That result threatened to derail their Treble ambitions in the 1998/9 season.

However, by the end of that month, United had lifted all three major trophies – and Najib’s personal news had been positively received.

He tells the story in “One Love: Rainbow Devils”, a new 20-minute documentary that is part of the MUTV Originals series. The film features other members of the fan group too, and it’s available to watch for free if you register with the Man Utd website.

Viewers also see Eric training at Stonewall FC. He joined the London-based club as a player in 2001 before becoming first-team manager five years later, and he recently guided them to a fifth Gay Games gold medal, in Guadalajara.

His many achievements saw him shortlisted in the “FvH Hero” category at the Football v Homophobia Awards, held at England’s National Football Museum in Manchester.

Meanwhile, United came away with a first-place trophy in their hometown, in the Professional Club category, in recognition of their community-building work, a major ‘One Love Live’ event held at Old Trafford, and impactful efforts made to tackle homophobic chanting.

“Being nominated for the FvH Hero Award was a tremendous honour for me personally and fantastic recognition, not just for myself but for the great work that everyone at Stonewall FC and Rainbow Devils does,” Najib said.

“I’m immensely proud to be associated with both. I’m also delighted to see Manchester United win the Pro Club Award and it vindicates the fantastic relationship Rainbow Devils has with MUFC, with regard to driving inclusivity in football.

The awards gala night was a fantastic evening, and huge thanks to everyone at FvH for making it happen.”

The documentary is particularly effective in conveying how the group helps new members who have previously been less confident about their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Ben Faulkner is shown attending his first meet-up. He once had dreams of making it as a pro footballer and went to the US on a soccer scholarship but found himself drifting away from the game when he realised that he is gay.

“I was adamant that I would never come out,” he explains. “I would live a lie for the rest of my life. I was hiding this thing from myself and everybody else which was obviously very difficult and it started to affect my football.”

However, he never wanted to give up on the game.

“Growing up, I’ve always wanted to equate the fact that I’m a gay man and I absolutely love Manchester United, and try and combine those facets together.”

He’s now a Rainbow Devils committee member, and he credits the fan group for helping to reawaken his passion for football. Recently he has been based at FC Malaga City Academy in Spain as a recruitment scout.

Attending his first social event back in Manchester, he meets other members of the fan group – of different ages and backgrounds, and from all parts of the LGBTQ community.

Sitting in the stands at Old Trafford, Najib contemplates his personal journey at the end of the documentary, reflecting on a quarter century of being a United fan who is out and proud.

“Without my experience of Manchester United, and the people I’ve met here, I don’t think I’d have had the confidence to set up the group or be as confident in myself, as a person,” he says.

“I have so much to be thankful for. Long may that continue.”

If any Blues are still reading at this point … hey, no rude comments from you City fans – you will probably beat us this afternoon anyway!

Theatre Listings

Friday, 1 March – Saturday, 23 March – 7.30pm – 9.45pm

(some shows at 2.00pm – 4.15pm)

Northanger Abbey at Octagon Theatre, Howell Croft South, Bolton BL1 1SB

Queer re-telling of Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey”

Tickets from £15.00 here.

28 March – 30 March, 7.30pm – Price £12 Full

30 March, 5.00pm – Price £2 (unwaged / student) and £12 Full

Je Suis Charlie at 53two, Arch 19, Watson Street, Manchester M3 4LP

Je Suis Charlie is a play about a satirical cartoonist, called Charlie, who hooks up with a young guy, Mike, who he finds on Grindr, only to discover his hook-up is a Christian fundamentalist who wants justice for Charlie’s blasphemy.

Book here.

Thursday, 18 April 8.00pm – LOUD Cabaret – Bury Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW

A new monthly queer cabaret night hosted at The Met!

We’re delighted to announce a new queer cabaret night where we will be showcasing the most fabulous of rising stars from across Bury and beyond.

Expect tantalising musicians, side-splitting comedians, captivating dancers and a line-up of talented additions for your delight on a monthly basis. Thursdays have never been so exciting!

Our first event will feature Hunter Millington, who will present his one-man musical exploration of gender and their transition through a western lens. Expect rootin’ tootin’ Cowboys and Cowgirls and everything in-between. Ye-ha!

Supported by The Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ Network and Dibby Theatre

£11 standard / £9 subsidised / £13 supporters (including fees)

Standard – What we need most people to pay.

Subsidised – For people currently unable to pay the standard price.

Supporters – The extra you pay goes directly towards the subsidised ticket option.

Doors open 7.00pm / first act on-stage 8.00pm

Book here.

The Laramie Project

The Laramie Project, created by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project, presents a collage of accounts following the murder of a young gay man named Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998.

The narrative draws from over 200 interviews with locals and people connected to the case recorded in the 18 months after Matthew’s death. The result is a moving piece of verbatim theatre that explores the dividing viewpoints of prejudice and intolerance and the potential for human compassion. The production serves as both a memorial to Matthew Shephard and a powerful commentary on hate crime and acceptance in society.

Content warnings

Descriptions of homophobia, violence, death and sexual violence.

Performances

Thursday 25 April (7.15pm)

Friday 26 April (2.00pm & 7.15pm)

Saturday 27 April (7.15pm)

Manchester School of Theatre, Cavendish Street, Manchester M15 6BG

Tickets available (from £5.00) for each performance can be purchased on the Fatsoma ticketing site using this link.

Howerd’s End

Frankie Howerd was one of Britain’s most loved comedians for half a century. But he had a secret. And the secret’s name was Dennis.

This hugely acclaimed play by Mark Farrelly (Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, Jarman) takes you to the heart of Frankie and Dennis’ clandestine relationship, which lasted from the 1950s until Frankie’s death in 1992. It also affords a glorious opportunity to encounter Frankie in full-flight stand up mode.

Packed with laughter, but unafraid of truth, Howerd’s End portrays two humans’ journey through closeness, love, grief and all the other things that make life worth living. Come and say farewell to a legend … and learn the art of letting go.

Friday, 3 May, 7.30pm – Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7JA

Price £20 + £1.50 booking fee

Book here.

Wednesday, 29 May – Friday 31 May – 8.00pm – Birthmarked at The Lowry, Pier, 8 The Quays, Salford, Manchester M50 3AZ

A young Jehovah’s Witness comes to terms with his sexuality and finds his feet (and high heels…) in a world he once believed would be destroyed at Armageddon. Birthmarked is a new concept gig written and performed by Brook Tate and his grand ol’ band of pals. With original music likened to Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell, alongside a whale, a paintbrush and a pair of tap shoes, he hopes to shine a light on what it means to be marked… at birth.

Price from £15.50. Book tickets here.

My Gay Best Friend (and other unspoken letters of LGBTQIA+ Identity) 2024

Friday, 21 June 7.30pm – 9.30pm
The Kings Arms, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
£5.00 + £1.00 booking fee

My Gay Best Friend (and other unspoken letters of LGBTQIA+ Identity) is returning for its second year!

It feels now more than ever, with the world so divided, we need an event to uplift and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ voices in a safe environment, whist also bringing awareness towards the daily struggles and battles members of the community face on a day-to-day basis.

What one thing that you’ve wanted to say to your straight mates but never had the chance to? How much of our struggles and joys do straight people really know about the LGBTQIA+ community?

‘My Gay Best Friend’ is the event that aims to be an annual anthology series in which we commission LGBTQIA+ identifying writers to express their personal and political opinions of something that are often left unspoken. Sometimes comical, sometimes emotional, sometimes political, but always honest and personal to the writer. These monologues / letters / speeches will be written and sealed, before being opened and read by the straight identifying actors live for the first time on the night in front of the audience.

For this year’s event, we will commission five new pieces of work spoken aloud for the very first time live on stage.

Get tickets here.

Conversion Therapy Ban Debate Turns into ‘Garbled Mess’

A bill aimed at banning conversion therapy failed to move through Parliament on Friday (1 March), after a debate on it ran out of time: with anti-conversion therapy ban MPs accused of ‘filibustering’ the bill.

The Conservative government first promised a conversion therapy ban in 2018 under Theresa May’s leadership, but despite her insistence on a trans-inclusive ban, Boris Johnson later opted to push forward with legislation that only protected gay, lesbian and bisexual people from the barbaric practice.

Because Friday’s Conversion Practices (Prohibition) Bill was a Private Member’s Bill put forward by Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MPs were only given a set amount of time to debate it, and with that time now having run out it’s unlikely to be considered further.

Russell-Moyle’s bill had been intended to create new offences for a course of conduct whose “predetermined” purpose was to change a person’s sexual orientation, or to change a person to or from being transgender.

Fellow Labour MP Kate Osborne tweeted, “Disgusting and so upsetting to be sat in chamber listening to MPs filibuster and ensured that bill to #banconversiontherapy will not progress,” adding, “It’s a betrayal of #LGBTQ community & young people who will still face this abhorrent cruel practice. I will keep fighting for a full ban.”

Canterbury With The T, a Canterbury and Whitstable network, also took to X/Twitter to criticise Labour MP Rosie Duffield, saying, “If you needed any proof that the Gender Critical arguments against a full conversion ban are a garbled mess of fallacy and cry bullying, then do watch Rosie Duffield’s speech.”

Duffield opened her speech by announcing, “Feminists believe that lesbians should be free to date only women, as they choose, however in today’s toxic climate they are pressurised into dating so-called ‘lesbians with a penis’, in other words, men,” a statement that was met with a hubbub of boos and catcalls.

She continued to repeat other familiar anti-trans dogwhistles, including, “(this bill) merely suggests that anyone trying to stop their daughter from cutting off her healthy breasts as a teenager … is breaking the law.”

Labour MP Rosie Duffield has been at the centre of controversy in recent years due to her comments about the trans community, with her views leading to some of her party peers calling for the whip to be removed.

Several residents in Labour MP Rosie Duffield’s constituency have written to the politician to urge her to stop attacking the trans community.

Duffield’s opposition to the Conversion Practices (Prohibition) Bill was at odds with fellow Labour MP Stella Creasy, who represents Walthamstow.

After the debate, she tweeted, “In Westminster today in vain to try to get (Lloyd Russell-Moyle’s) bill to finally ban conversion therapy. Gutted we couldn’t get it through to the next stage of parliamentary debate – to all those at risk of harm from these practices please know the problem today is politics and not you!”

Labour and Co-op MP for Oxford East Anneliese Dodds also lashed out on Twitter, criticising the Tory government for repeatedly failing to ban the controversial practice. She wrote, “The Conservatives promised a ban on conversion therapy six years ago. Today they refused to back one. This is a failure of leadership and a betrayal of the LGBT people at risk of these abusive practices. Labour supports a full ban on conversion practices.”

Meanwhile, Tory MP Alicia Kearns received widespread praise for holding an Alba MP to account after he dropped the “T” from a reference to the LGBTQ+ community.

The Alba Party is a Scottish nationalist and pro-independence political party, founded in February 2021 and led by former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond. It is, essentially, a group of people who have defected from the Scottish National Party. No Alba Party candidate has been elected at any election.

In a passionate speech, Kearns addressed Alba MP Neale Hanvey, who looked visibly discomfited, saying, “You’re suggesting that transgender people do not exist … you are suggesting they are lesser than other LGB people. I will not stand for it because it was trans people who stood with gay people at Stonewall, it was trans people who fought alongside for LGB rights … When you remove the T you suggest they are lesser. I will happily discuss with you the intricacies of legislation but when you choose to eradicate, that is wrong.”

Glasgow-based journalist Tristan Stewart-Robertson was one of many people who shared the clip in praise of Kearns, tweeting, “Tory @AliciaKearns doing a better job standing up for LGBTQ+ than the entire Labour Party currently or indeed most of the media (who make money off transphobia and bigotry).”

Former Gender GP policy officer Adi Aliza DG also shared the clip, writing, “Worth noting that @UKLabour‘s @RosieDuffield1 also removed the T+ from LGB in her speech. As far as I’m aware Duffield is not a member of the LGBT+ community, however (she) seems to think she can define who we are and who we support.”

The Equality and Human Rights Commission called on the government to ban “harmful” conversion therapy practices as recently as October 2023. After Friday’s chaotic scenes, a full ban seems further away than ever.