EQUALITY FC



THE STORY OF THE CLUB THAT DEFIED
GENDER INEQUALITY IN FOOTBALL

WHO ARE LEWES FC?

HOW DID A SMALL CLUB IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND BECOME THE FIRST AND ONLY FOOTBALL CLUB IN THE WORLD TO PAY MEN AND WOMEN THE SAME?

WELCOME TO THE STORY OF

EQUALITY FC

5 DECADES OF SILENCE



WOMEN HAD A TOUGH JOURNEY WITH FOOTBALL IN ENGLAND

DECADES OF DISCRIMINATION RESULTED IN A LONG BATTLE TO BRING WOMEN'S FOOTBALL BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

THE TOUGH HISTORY OF WOMEN IN FOOTBALL CLEARLY PROVES THAT

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE A WOMAN INHERITS FOR A LIFETIME, IT IS BEING A WOMAN HERSELF.

By default, us women, carry quite a lot of weight on our shoulders. From the moment we take our first breath we're immediately gifted with patriarchic concepts and way of life, which are unfortunately still strongly enrooted in our society.

"It's a man's world", they say.

"A place for a woman is in the kitchen." "Sit like a girl." "This is not how a lady should speak." "Going out with that cleavage?" "When are you finding a nice man to take care of you?"

As if these are not enough, try being good at football.

The road to a successful career in any job is already twice as complicated for a woman than a man. Prejudice, criticisms and the classic "81 cents for every man's dollar" are just a few troubles women have to go through.

In football, the situation is not any different - it is perhaps even more challenging - as in most countries, women's football is attached to decades of historical injustice and segregation. Because, after all, football is for boys isn't it?

This has unfortunately shaped not only men's heads but also women's into thinking that football is a man's world.

Take this as an example: most people, women included, can name at least one male football player even if they do not know anything about the sport. On the other hand, try asking a self-proclaimed football maniac if he knows any female football stars. I bet you won't have many confident candidates to answer your question.

But don't worry - the new rise of women's football has just begun. And the first step was taken at the small town of Lewes.


THE ONE & ONLY

CHAPTER 1

A GLOBAL COMMUNITY

Lewes Football Club, also known as the Rooks, or even better: the first and only football club in the world where men and women are equal.

Lewes FC was founded on 23 September 1885 and found its home at the Dripping Pan, where both squads play until today.

The club has faced many ups and downs throughout the decades. Around 10 years ago, Lewes FC came to a significant financial hit. Amid fears of whether the club would survive or not, it was decided on July 8 2010 that Lewes FC would no longer be under private ownership.

Instead, the club opened its doors not only to the local community, but to the entire world, as anyone could now be part of Lewes FC's community ownership.

Nowadays, Lewes FC has currently about 1500 owners. Each member pays an annual fee of £40 and not only they receive the ownership title, but each owner has the right to vote and stand for the Board of Lewes Community Football Club.


THE HISTORIC FIRST

Being a community-owned football club also comes with certain responsibilities, such as taking stance on social issues. As said by the club's General Manager Maggie Murphy, Lewes FC "wants to prove that football can be a tool for social good."

Some would think this is just another marketing jibber-jabber just to 'look good'. But this could not be more wrong. In fact, the club has always stood by its core mission to benefit the community by:

"enhancing the social, cultural and economic value of the Club to its Communities and by acting as a responsible custodian of the club for future generations."

&

"providing sporting facilities and opportunities regardless of age, income, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexuality, religious or moral belief ."

In 2017, the crucial decision was made and Lewes began to pay men and women the same, in all areas of the club, from salaries to marketing budget. And what better name to give this movement than

EQUALITY FC

SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW EQUALITY FC WORKS

Picture: Lewes FC Instagram
Picture: Lewes FC Facebook

PLAYING AGAINST THE ODDS

CHAPTER 2

Equal pay at Lewes FC goes way beyond the numbers. Playing for the club is perhaps the best example of how being paid and treated equally as your male counterparts affects not only your performance as a footballer, but your self-esteem and self-value as a woman.

The club's coaches, managers and directors play a big part in this. They make sure to show every player that she deserves to be treated equally and to be praised, something which is often hard to believe in the world of football.

Club Co-Director Karen Dobres explained in more detail how the club motivates their players and boosts their self-esteem as a woman.


By amplifying and taking notice of the prejudice that they might have suffered in the past, the players themselves become advocates of the Equality FC cause, being even more proud of the team they play for and motivating other girls to battle against gender discrimination.

Central midfielder Ellie Noble was more than happy to share her experience at Lewes FC as a female footballer. It is clearly visible how she is glad to be part of the team, as she had nothing but compliments to give about the Rooks.

We also have Millie Waud, who plays for Gillingham FC. Unlike Noble, Waud does not get paid at her club, whereas her male counterparts at the Gills make approximately one thousand pounds a week.

SCROLL DOWN TO DISCOVER ELLIE AND MILLIE'S STORIES

"YOU ARE TREATED EQUALLY. YOU ARE TREATED AS A BIG ASSET TO THE CLUB"

Age: 20 | Position: central midfielder


Ellie Noble's journey in football began by playing with her brother at home. The passion for football drove her all the way to representing England at U18 level. After playing most of her life for Oxford United, Ellie was ready to show her skills at the Dripping Pan.

At Lewes FC, Ellie not only gets paid the same as her male counterparts, but she enjoys the same facilities as the men's team, including the main pitch, gym, food and medical monitoring. It is definitely not by chance that Lewes FC pride themselves in showing off what they can offer to their players, given that even the biggest football clubs still cannot enjoy such privileges.

Along with taking care of her physical health, Ellie and her team colleagues work on their mental health, something that she noticed as soon as she arrived at the Rooks:

The strong emphasis on team bonding was something Ellie has only experienced at Lewes FC.


The genuine drive to have a successful women's football club was also something which stood out to her at Lewes FC:

Lewes FC not only invest but value women, unlike several clubs that just have a women's team "to look good".


Apart from the equal pay, opportunity and respect with which Lewes FC nourishes their team through Equality FC, what else makes the club so special?

Ellie pointed out another scarce quality in women's football which is one of the Rooks' most valuable achievements:

​The average attendance at Lewes FC is between 300 and 500, a shocking number not only for a small club, but in English women's football in general.


The sense of community not only brings impressive crowds, but the passion and pride for the Lewes FC Women, which definitely translates into the players' confidence, self-esteem and performance in and off the pitch.

At the moment, Ellie dreams about a bright future in football, but she still needs to conclude her university studies. At the same time her eyes sparkled whenever she shared her hopes and dreams as a footballer, she explained rather frustrated that she needs to have a plan B.


unfortunately, the community unity, equal pay and opportunity enrooted in the Lewes FC values are still extremely rare qualities in several women's football teams across England

"YOU FEEL LIKE SECOND BEST ALL THE TIME. YOU'RE NOT PRIORITISED."

Age: 19 | Position: defender


Millie Waud can be considered a veteran at Gillingham FC. She started playing for the Gills at age 9, for the boys team. She then joined the Girls Academy, before building her way up to the women's first team. Millie has already played four seasons at the Gills Ladies and it has become difficult for her to imagine her daily life without thinking of Gillingham FC.

Similarly to Ellie Noble, Millie does not have a full time job as a footballer. She is currently studying sport science at university and coaching multiple sports in primary schools, which sadly leaves her passion for football many times on the bottom of her priority list.

Balancing football with university and personal life is not an easy task. Unfortunately, Millie faces criticism when she does not prioritise football, which is something women do not have the privilege to do, unlike men.


Unlike the girls at Lewes FC, Millie and her teammates do not have the privilege to play at the same stadium as the Gillingham FC men's team. Instead of Priestfield Stadium, the Gills Ladies play their home matches at their competitor's home, Chatham Town FC Ground.

This unfortunately leads to a drastic difference in attendance between both squads. The Ladies tend to get around 80 people in average per match, whereas the Gillingham FC men's team usually has a crowd of 3000 people.

Despite being an excellent player and being part of quite a big team such as Gillingham FC, Millie has had some ups and downs during her time at the club. The welcoming atmosphere is beyond any doubt as the girls and their coaches have an extremely friendly bond. However, the relationship between the women's team and the club has gone through quite a bumpy road.

Millie was more than brave to share that despite the lovely environment at the Gills, sometimes she feels that she will be treated as the "second best" and will not be prioritised.


As for her future, Millie does wish to carry on with football, but she sadly admits that a full-time career in sport is at the moment an unlikely scenario.

A guaranteed and successful career in football is a dream that unfortunately many women do not have the privilege to pursue.


Picture: Gillingham FC Facebook

Prejudice and disrespect were a common experiences for both players. Ellie and Millie are not the only ones who still face the big glass ceiling of women's football not being taken seriously.

Despite the great improvements in English football throughout the years, we cannot forget that the sport was taken away from women, along with men taking over the spotlight for 50 years.

Unlike male players, women have an even more challenging journey in football, which consists of: playing in inferior facilities, underpayment (or no payment at all), facing prejudice and not having the certainty of an fulfilling the dream of a successful career in football.

Both players were asked what upsets them the most when it comes to their experience as a player facing so many gender stereotypes. Once again, their accounts were fairly similar.

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH


Unfortunately, five decades was more than enough time to install the sexist culture we see today in English football. Regardless of what team they play for, most women are still seen as a nuisance in football, mainly by men.

THE TOOL FOR
SOCIAL CHANGE

CHAPTER 3

BEFORE THEY COULD TAKE OVER THE WORLD STAGE AND BREAK THE STEREOTYPES IN FOOTBALL, LEWES FC HAD TO TRANSFORM THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY INTO

AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE

Differently from many football clubs worldwide, the voices of the fans and the community is not only heard in the chants, but are incorporated into the values and purposes of the club.

The town has always been proud of their team, as Lewes FC constantly works on enhancing the social, cultural and economic value of the club, in and out of the Dripping Pan. The duty to its community is even carried on the club's formal name: Lewes Community Football Club.

Ever since the creation of Equality FC, the Lewes community and the football club have become even more intertwined in a cohesive social harmony. Perhaps the best example of that is a typical match day.

A game day at Lewes FC is a celebration of gender equality and freedom of expression. Usually, a football match is a male dominated environment, where all the gender stereotypes and discrimination are reinforced. On a women's match at the Dripping Pan, every gender restriction melts away, resulting in one huge party where players and fans celebrate Equality FC along with local food and drinks.

The club also makes sure to involve the women in the community by encouraging them to attend the matches, and even bring their children along. It is said to be a slightly difficult task sometimes, as football matches were not a welcoming environment for a long time, and which still today women tend to believe it is not where they should be. But by spreading the word around the town about Equality FC, women and their young daughters decide to attend the matches as a way to support the cause.

Therefore, a match day at Lewes FC not only celebrates its phenomenal players, but unites an entire community together to celebrate football, unity and set an example to the rest of the world of what football should really represent: equality and team spirit.

TAKE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT A FOOTBALL CLUB AND THEIR COMMUNITY CAN DO

FOREVER THE ONE & ONLY?

CHAPTER 4

THE WONDERFUL JOB THAT LEWES FC HAS BEEN DOING SINCE EQUALITY FC HAS BEYOND DOUBT SET AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER FOOTBALL CLUBS WORLDWIDE.

BUT WHY ARE THE ROOKS STILL THE ONLY CLUB IN THE WORLD TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT EQUAL PAY FOR MEN AND WOMEN? WHY HAVEN'T OTHER CLUBS DONE THE SAME? WAS IT EASIER BECAUSE LEWES FC IS SMALL AND COMMUNITY OWNED?

THE CLUB'S CO-DIRECTOR KAREN DOBRES AND GENERAL MANAGER MAGGIE MURPHY HAVE SOME ANSWERS TO SUCH CHALLENGING QUESTIONS:

REWRITING HISTORY


CHAPTER 5

Becoming the first and only club in the world with equal pay was just the first step for Lewes FC. The club's mission to be exemplary at a world stage is an infinite path, which they trace and modify at every innovative move.


AMBITIONS LIST

1. MORE OWNERS THAN BARCELONA

At the moment, the club has around 1500 owners, but they want to broaden their global community. Their goal is to have over 150,000 owners and reach another record by becoming more owned than FC Barcelona.

2. FULLY-PROFESSIONAL SQUAD

Even at the top of their game and playing for many years, most women footballers do not earn nearly enough to depend solely on football. They usually depend on a second job or give up their dream in football to pursue something else. Lewes FC wants to move from their currently semi-pro women's team to becoming a fully-professional squad so their players can compete better.

3. AMPLIFY THE EQUALITY MESSAGE

The club wants to explore the maximum potential of Equality FC. For now, Lewes FC wants to take their women's team all the way to becoming champions of the Women's Super League. Along with that, bring the men's team to the first tier of English football. That way, Lewes FC will have the biggest platform possible to prove that equality does work in football.

4. INSPIRE YOUNG GIRLS

Lewes FC also wants to set an example to the younger generation by becoming female role models. Almost every current footballer has their role models be men. The Rooks want their young fans to grow up seeing that girls can also play football and be great champions one day.


However, to check all the boxes on their task list, Lewes FC Co-Director Karen Dobres admits to need more funds and sponsorships flowing into the club.

Lewes FC might be, for now, the one and only club in the world to pay men and women the same. But they are definitely not the only ones hungry for change in women's football.

What is impeding women to achieve gender equality in football? What needs to be done?


The path to change is still long, but history is at last being re-written.

Some of the biggest transformations in women's football were highlighted by Claire Rafferty, former player for Chelsea, West Ham and a former Lioness.


From the lift of the 1921 ban to the 2019 World Cup, women did more than simply breaking barriers of stereotypes and patriarchy - they have built a new hope to finally make their football dreams become the new reality.

THE 50-YEAR SILENCE IMPOSED ON US HAS BEEN BROKEN. THE STEREOTYPES HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED. THE IMPOSSIBLE HAS BEEN CONFRONTED, AND EQUALITY TOOK ITS FIRST STEP.

WHEN WILL EQUALITY BECOME THE NEW NORMALITY IS STILL UNCERTAIN, BUT THE POTENTIAL AND POWER OF WOMEN IN FOOTBALL IS DEFINITELY UNQUESTIONABLE

BECAUSE THE BIGGEST WEAPON A WOMAN INHERITS FOR A LIFETIME, IS BEING A WOMAN HERSELF.

CREDITS

WORDS: Juliana Cruz Lima

INFOGRAPHICS: Juliana Cruz Lima

PICTURES: Juliana Cruz Lima, Lewes FC social media, Gillingham FC social media, Hannah Tappenden

VIDEO: Juliana Cruz Lima and Hannah Tappenden

MUSIC: royalty free by Biteable and Epidemic Sound

SOCIAL MEDIA

TWITTER: @julyy__scl

INSTAGRAM: @its_justjuly

WEBSITE: itsjustjuly.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my amazing family and boyfriend who have always encouraged me, gave me the best emotional support and, as usual, gave me the greatest love in the world.

To everyone at Lewes FC: Karen Dobres, Maggie Murphy and Ellie Noble for welcoming me in the best way possible every time and helping me tell their story with so much passion.

To everyone at Gillingham FC: Millie Waud, Jamie Raynor, Toby Waters and Mel Tsangarides for all the great interviews and for welcoming me at Priestfield.

To Claire Rafferty for the amazing opportunity to interview you and for your valuable insights!

To my project mentor Rob Bailey for guiding me, motivating me and helping me build such an amazing project!

To all the lecturers at the Centre for Journalism for believing in my potential and providing me the best support to create a project I'm insanely proud of.

To my mentor and friend Mauro Beting for always showing me the ins and outs of football and journalism.

To my mentors and friends Guta Nascimento and Isabella Marinelli for bringing me the very first insights for my project.