With the annual celebrations coming to an end yesterday, we’ve reflected on what we’ve got up to over the past month.
Players from our men’s and women’s teams joined several of our Official Supporters’ Clubs in sending out messages of good will, while the Club also delved deeper into the history of CSB and its role in promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion in football by speaking to current representatives about their experiences of following City.
City in the Community, our official charity, also marked the month with a number of activities surrounding the Football vs Homophobia campaign, which helps to challenge discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression at all levels in football.
And to conclude the Club’s celebrations, members of CSB, City’s official LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, fielded questions from Steffen and Kelly to help our stars gain a greater understanding of its formation and importance to fans around the world.
Officially recognised in 2014, CSB was one of the first of its kind to be created in the United Kingdom, with our City duo finding out more about those early years by chatting to long-standing members Andrew McNee and Anita Clarke respectively.
In Zack’s call, he and Andrew also discussed the importance of increased visibility for the LGBTQ+ community in football, while the US international also expressed his appreciation in gaining a greater knowledge of CSB more generally.
“We want to be inclusive to all people in need of our support, so I really admire what the group’s doing in fighting the good fight,” the City stopper said.
“I know it’s still not easy and it’s uncomfortable at times (for the LGBTQ+ community) but this is exactly what we need to do to change societal norms and make the world a better place for future generations.
“This has been a pleasure, and this conversation has actually made me want to learn even more about the group and get involved.”
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Chloe’s discussion also turned towards something they both have in common – with Anita previously lining up as City’s goalkeeper in our first ever women’s side back in 1988.
With this in mind, the continued growth of the women’s game over the following decades and Clarke’s pride at being part of the Club’s history were also addressed in detail.
However, when it came to referencing what she felt CSB’s greatest achievement was to date, Anita pointed to the group’s continued relationship with Manchester City in supporting and promoting the LGBTQ+ community.
She said: “The fact that we’ve been recognised by the Club and have regular meetings looking to move forward (is amazing).
“But the greatest thing for us would be Manchester Pride, the Club wrapped the bus for us (with the CSB logo), had Moonchester and Moonbeam (City’s mascots) down.
“To see the response of the crowd to City being there was probably the proudest moment for me.
“You’re on the parade and there’s people chanting ‘City, City’ the fact that Manchester City recognise us and the importance (of the LGBTQ+ community) to the city, is mind blowing.”
Hear Zack Steffen and Chloe Kelly’s conversations with Canal Street Blues in full via the video above…
