An exhibition at London Met showcases the voices of LGBTQ+ Arsenal fans, sharing powerful stories of pride, identity and belonging in football.
Date: 4 July 2025
By Wendy Sloane, Associate Professor of Journalism
A joyful celebration in the Rainbow Room proudly showcased the voices and stories of LGBTQ+ Arsenal supporters in a powerful new oral history project. This multi-disciplinary initiative, created by academics from several schools in collaboration with the Arsenal gaygooners, highlights the lived experiences of 20 diverse LGBTQ+ fans - all members of the “UK’s first, and the world’s biggest, LGBTQ+ football fan club".
Through in-depth interviews and striking photos, the project explores how the gaygooners navigate identity, belonging, and community in the traditionally heteronormative and hypermasculine world of football fandom.
“I’m so proud of all the members that stepped up to take part and tell their personal stories, which to me demonstrates how successful the group has been in the last 13 years,” said Carl Ferne, 61, a semi-retired pharmaceutical consultant and proud gaygooner.
“It’s always about visibility. For people to step up is a brave thing to do, especially in the world of football where you’re always on your guard and always looking over your shoulder, thinking twice about wearing that shirt that has pride and rainbow numbers on the back.”
The exhibition featured extracts from the interviews and 13 individually curated posters, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the challenges, triumphs, and impact of LGBTQ+ fans. It not only celebrates diversity but also supports Arsenal’s wider commitment to inclusivity. Plans are already in motion to publish the interviews in several academic articles.
“This is an amazing, huge step forward,” said Stewart Selby, 60, who founded the Gay Gooners in 2013. “I am proud, not for myself but for what we’ve achieved so far since I set out on this journey. Whenever you try to change things, people always ask: ‘where’s the evidence?’ Finally, we are starting to have some evidence.”
Prof Jenny Harding, who co-led the project, said that the London Met collaborators felt "very privileged" to work with the Arsenal gaygooners on the project and hear their stories.
"What participants had to say was interesting, valuable and moving, helping us to understand their passion for football, the challenges they have faced and the significance of the gaygooners in a historical context," she said.
The exhibition is the result of a partnership and £8,800 grant between Arsenal and London Met as part of the Arsenal for Everyone - Innovation Challenge, by members of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Research Group.
Sarah Tyce, a 46-year-old disability outreach coordinator and gaygooner for the past nine years, described the exhibition as “phenomenal” and “a real inspiration". Her two teenage sons are also active members. “It’s lovely to see this come into conception, and I’m sure it will have a positive impact on the next generation,” she added.
Dr Sebastian Cordoba, the project’s co-leader, described the research as “truly remarkable and inspiring”, highlighting the personal resonance of the findings. “Many LGBTQ+ people like myself don’t see ourselves reflected in sport, pushing us away from playing and engaging in the joys of sportsmanship and fandom,” he said. “It’s more important than ever that this intersection is visibilised and highlighted in research, public discourse, and policy.”
Kimmy K, 46, a health and safety worker who came to the UK from Kenya as a young adult, said that being part of the gaygooners has helped her be who she is, as a football fan and a lesbian. “This is a validation of the fact that yes, we are here, and it gives a bit more visibility to the people we are. We are very diverse people from all sorts of backgrounds; we have the trans community, we have the lesbians, we have the gay men, we have people from all over the world.”
For others, the exhibition showed how far the gaygooners have come on the road to full acceptance.
“The academics were open to listening to different ideas and didn’t have any preconceived ideas about how the project should work. People have put in a lot of time and effort, and it’s come out really well,” said Angus Moorat, 60, a retired journalist and the gaygooners’ secretary.
“The project is immensely creative and has been quite meaningful for our members who have taken part.”
