THIS FAN GIRL CREATE CHARTER FOR UK PUBS THIS WORLD CUP THAT GIVES TEN RECOMMENDATIONS ON STEPS TO TAKE TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR FEMALE FANS.
This World Cup is going to be undeniably different from tournaments we’ve experienced before, with political and ethical concerns at the front of lots of fans' minds. The reality is that this tournament is happening, so for This Fan Girl a pressing concern comes to mind.
This will be the first time we’ve watched World Cup when the majority of games will end, or start and end in darkness.
Research from the charity End Violence Against Women states that 1 in 2 women already feel unsafe going out a night. The fact that this tournament will be played in the dark in the UK shouldn’t be a reason women are deterred from watching football at the pub.
This Fan Girl, a platform powered by women who love the beautiful game with 15.1k followers on Instagram, have enjoyed football at pubs across the country for years with over 50 meet-ups held in London, Manchester, New York, and Paris. They know the vital role that pubs can have in creating a safe space to watch the game and help retain female fans.
This year, TFG are working with as many pubs as possible to provide their insight into what would make venues more appealing this World Cup. TFG have created a 16-page This Fan Girl Pub Charter informed by their community of football fans. The charter context, insight and leans on research which leads to the TEN recommendations, with suggestions for how each can be achieved.
The charter aims to:
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Share our lived experiences of female football fans
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Give 10 clear recommendations for what pubs can do
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Provides examples for how suggestions could be carried out
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Be the first step in affecting a shift in culture that’s less tolerant of any form of abuse
Ahead of the tournament in just under two weeks' time, TFG want to get as many pubs signed up to the charter as possible so are sharing it completely free of charge with anyone working in the nightlife or hospitality industry. Pubs that have acknowledged the charter are added to the Pub Finder, a place where fans can find the This Fan Girl Charter Pub closest to them.
As well as This Fan Girl’s campaign to provide guidance to pubs, they’ll also be hosting a series of meet-ups in The Flowerhouse Pub, details as follows.
21st November, 1pm ENG v IRAN
29th November, 7pm ENG v WALES
Comment from founder Amy Drucquer:
“We started This Fan Girl meet-ups in 2017 because of how intimidating it felt to walk into a pub as a woman. In 2022 the need to create a space where female fans feel safe to watch football still remains just as necessary. With past meet-ups, we felt like we were always able to create an inclusive and safe atmosphere on the ground in the particular pub we were in - but what about the other 47k+ pubs in the country?
To effect more change, we knew we had to think bigger. This tournament, we hope our This Fan Girl Pub Charter will allow as many pubs as possible to create meaningful change for female fans in their venue, and a legacy for all fans in public spaces.”
For further information please visit the This Fan Girl’s website here .