Get the facts...

What sexism can look like at matches or online

Football is community, identity, and belonging. Many people feel the matchday experience has improved, but female fans still report sexism at games, from comments dismissed as “banter” to intimidation and threats.

Sexism is not a “male problem”, and it is not limited to one type of person. It can come from men or women, online or in the stands, and it often shows up because of wider attitudes we have all grown up around. That is why the goal is not to blame a whole group of fans. It is to set a clear standard for everyone. Wolverhampton Wanderers is for everyone who loves the club, and respect has to be part of the matchday culture. Calling out sexist behaviour early, whoever it comes from, helps keep football a place where everyone can belong.

Even when it is not physical, sexism can change how safe someone feels and whether they keep coming back. Challenging it early helps protect fans now and helps prevent more serious harm later.

Why sexism cannot be dismissed as “banter”

“Banter” gets used to make sexism sound small. The impact is not small.

Sexist comments and behaviour:

Tell people they do not belong, even if they love the club just as much as anyone else.
Create a hostile environment where matchday becomes stressful instead of enjoyable.
Link directly to discrimination, including not being taken seriously, being ignored, or being pushed out of spaces.
Can escalate over time. When sexist behaviour is normalised, it can lower the barrier for intimidation, threats, and in some situations violence against women and girls.

Nobody should have to tolerate sexism to be considered a “proper fan”.

If behaviour targets someone because of gender or belonging, it is not harmless.

Kick it Out Sexism and Misogyny Report 2024

Find out the key takeaways from Kick It Out's Report

Key Takeaways

Many female fans say football is central to who they are, but attending games can still be unpleasant. Common experiences include wolf whistling, sexist comments, and being challenged on knowledge and opinions. Some fans have experienced physical or sexual violence at matches. These behaviours can be worse for fans from ethnic minority backgrounds or LGBTQIA+ communities, where sexism overlaps with racism and homophobia. The impact is real. Some fans feel unsafe or unwelcome, and some stop attending live games.

You can access the full report from Kick It Out here

Key reasons why it's important to report and record instances of sexism and misogyny

How to report...

There are a number of ways to report discrimination.

At Molineux, on a home matchday, supporters can report racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory or antisocial behaviour by speaking to a matchday steward or texting the Not In Our Pack text line on 07723 479887, starting the message with WOLVES.

Contact the club. Wolves can be contacted by emailing fanservices@wolves.co.uk
Report to Kick It Out. This is important so that officials and organisations know the extent of the problem.
If you would like support or help, please get in touch with Girls in Old Gold via our contact form

Get the facts...

What sexism can look like at matches or online

Football is community, identity, and belonging. Many people feel the matchday experience has improved, but female fans still report sexism at games, from comments dismissed as “banter” to intimidation and threats.

Even when it is not physical, sexism can change how safe someone feels and whether they keep coming back. Challenging it early helps protect fans now and helps prevent more serious harm later.

Why sexism cannot be dismissed as “banter”

“Banter” gets used to make sexism sound small. The impact is not small.

Sexist comments and behaviour:

Tell people they do not belong, even if they love the club just as much as anyone else.

Create a hostile environment where matchday becomes stressful instead of enjoyable.

Link directly to discrimination, including not being taken seriously, being ignored, or being pushed out of spaces.

Can escalate over time. When sexist behaviour is normalised, it can lower the barrier for intimidation, threats, and in some situations violence against women and girls.

Nobody should have to tolerate sexism to be considered a “proper fan”.

If behaviour targets someone because of gender or belonging, it is not harmless.

Kick it Out Sexism and Misogyny Report 2024

Key Takeaways

You can access the full report from Kick It Out here

Key reasons why it's important to report and record instances of sexism and misogyny

How to report...

There are a number of ways to report discrimination.

At Molineux, on a home matchday, supporters can report racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory or antisocial behaviour by speaking to a matchday steward or texting the Not In Our Pack text line on 07723 479887, starting the message with WOLVES.

Contact the club. Wolves can be contacted by emailing fanservices@wolves.co.uk

Report to Kick It Out. This is important so that officials and organisations know the extent of the problem.

If you would like support or help, please get in touch with Girls in Old Gold via our contact form

Remember, discrimination is not OK, so don’t ignore it. Report it.

Have questions? Contact us...