And for other readers commenting on homophobia on the men’s game, and the women’s game - it’s a tough issue, but women who play team sports find themselves entangled in attitudes about femininity in ways that men don’t - to play a sport - to play it well, with passion & joy, and with aggression & the will to win, too - really does break form with traditional notions about femininity - something a lot of British women players from different backgrounds have to deal with. Guys in their long muddy socks, shorts and t-shirts on the tube don’t draw stares or homophobic remarks - they look like “regular guys”. Women athletes - and especially women soccer players (even in the US but not nearly to the degree as elsewhere) - have to contend with the attitudes of their families (note the plot regarding this on Bend it Like Beckham), friends, and strangers. Women athletes challenge the status quo - this is what Lily Parr and her teamates did on and off the field. This is, perhaps, subject for another post.

Three cheers to LLKA for prodding the FA, and inviting them to participate in the Lily Parr Exhibition Trophy event.

We also asked them whether they wished to comment on the existence of the ban and how that fitted in with them now being responsible for the women’s game.

That press statement was their response and that is why Trevor Brooking’s statement, (which was issued as part of the overall statement) refers to Lily Parr. …”Many of these will be young girls and we are aiming to train the next generation of women like Lily Parr - fit and skilful players respected for their footballing ability.” (Incidentally, we made the same request of Newcastle United in relation to their role in bringing the ban. Maybe we’ll get something from them by next year’s trophy game when there Press Office is not so busy).

The most postive aspect of the day for us was the number of young women who got involved in researching the ban and Lily Parr’s life - the exhibition is likely to go to Paris now, where the French team want to display it and hopefully add to it. Obviously, these are (mainly young but some not so young) women football players - not historians, not academics - trying to make their own sense of what happened during that period and that is important.

The “Lily Parr Song” which was written and performed for this event is shown below :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW_6I6Osfp0

It’s irreverent, a bit mad, funny but most importantly, full of life. How we imagine Lily would have been. Some of the most exuberant performers in that clip are from the Paris Arc En Ciel - and considering they were earlier beaten 4-1, I think their obvious spirit says everything about how the day went.

In terms of LGBT History Month, we achieved more than we had hoped. The enthusiasm of the players and spectators to embrace the theme of the day was remarkable. Both the French and LLKA teams engaged fully in trying to gain their own proper understanding of that time. It is not every day that lesbian football players or women players in general, find a role model that they can truely connect with. And the fact that they did is evident from the video alone.

Having said that, I must say I quite enjoy watching the USA Womens team and that I support them.