Dear John, Sign the petition to say no to the use of the gay pride rainbow political symbol on uniforms soccer matches. Not everyone agrees with the causes represented by the gay pride rainbow. Players who have declined to wear the gay pride rainbow in international and league play have been harassed and now risk being disadvantaged in their careers. Please sign now. http://www.citizengo.org/en-us/sc/170719-tell-fifa-no-political-symbols-no-lgbt-rainbow We first launched this campaign in June, before the start of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, because LGBT activists were calling on teams to mandate the use of the gay pride rainbow on their uniforms. Their plan was to make a political statement in an attempt to force traditional countries to recognize "gay marriage" and the gay pride movement -- and impose this as a political test on players to be considered to play on a team. However, this unfortunate story has been told before. When Jaelene Hinkle, a professional soccer player, was called up to play on the United States Women’s National Team in June 2017, she wasn’t aware the U.S. team was going to require players to wear a gay pride rainbow on their uniforms to celebrate “LGBTQ Pride month.” She declined to play because she, as a Christian, felt she should not wear a jersey celebrating the meaning of the gay pride rainbow. This was an unfair ask to her. How can we protect the next Jaelene Hinkle who may feel intimidated to come forward? Each time the petition is signed an email will be sent on behalf of the petition signers to FIFA’s President and the International Football Association Board to ask they guarantee all are welcome. FIFA and IFAB have a responsibility to assure players are judged by their soccer skills, not by their political or religious views. No one should be required to wear a political symbol with which they disagree. Sign here: http://www.citizengo.org/en-us/sc/170719-tell-fifa-no-political-symbols-no-lgbt-rainbow Thought the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup has passed. Some national teams participating in internationally friendly games have agreed to require players to wear the gay pride rainbow symbol on their uniform. In past international soccer matches, the United States, the Republic of Ireland, and some professional teams have required players to wear an LGBT rainbow on their jerseys. England required players to wear LGBT rainbow laces on their cleats. Some teams have required captains to wear an LGBT rainbow captain’s armband. Some have placed the LGBT rainbow on corner flags. This is all outlined in a detailed report below. Sign the Let All Play petition to ask FIFA's President and the International Football Association Board to stop the use of political symbols, including the LGBT rainbow uniforms. Sign here: https://www.citizengo.org/en-us/sc/170719-tell-fifa-no-political-symbols-no-lgbt-rainbow Thank you, Gregory Mertz and the entire CitizenGO team P.S. According to the detailed 2019 Let All Play report, The Laws of the Game from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) state, “Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images” (Law 04.5). FIFA’s Equipment Regulations add that this includes a ban on any “political or comparable symbol” (Article 8.3). FIFA and IFAB need to enforce their own rules. How is a gay pride rainbow any different in regards to how the rules should be enforced? |
