'Sad reality' - Arsenal star Vivianne Miedema claims most 'beautiful thing about women's football' is still missing from the men's game

Miedema is one of the world's most influential athletes when it comes to raising awareness of the discrimination faced by the those in the LGBTQIA+ community. She has been a long-term supporter of Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign, and is proud of how accepting the women's game is of different sexualities. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, the Arsenal star admitted it's something that isn't true of the men's game.

Miedema said: "We always say the beautiful thing about women’s football is that we’ve created an environment where a lot of people are included. People are welcome. Obviously, the sad reality is that it’s not really reflective of the men’s game or general society."

Men's football has historically been hostile for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and unfortunately things have changed little. Last August, Luton Town were fined £120,000 for homophobic chants sung by fans during an away match againstBrighton. Three months later, aNottingham Forestseason ticket holder witnessed homophobic abuse during a match against the Seagulls. In 2022 Blackpool’s Jake Daniels became the UK’s first openly gay male footballer since Justin Fashanu in 1990.

Miedema will continue her activism alongside helping Arsenal on the field. Jonas Eidevall's side are currently third in the WSL table, three points behind leaders Chelsea. Their next league assignment is a potentially tricky trip to Liverpool on Sunday, who beat them at the Emirates Stadium in October.