Why we must all speak out against racism and misogyny

Media outlets, clubs, associations and individuals need to begin to take responsibility in speaking out

Choosing to stay silent is a privilege, and ignorance is harmful to those who are forced to experience racism in their everyday life. 

Media outlets, clubs, associations and individuals need to begin to take responsibility in speaking out after Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw was subjected to racist and misogynistic abuse last week.

Following Arsenal’s 4-3 at the Joie Stadium in the Women’s Super League (WSL) last weekend, Manchester City put out a statement expressing star striker Shaw was subjected to racist and misogynistic abuse after the match. 

City confirmed Shaw made the decision to not share the messages she had received, so as “not to give the oxygen of publicity to the vile individuals who sent them.”

The club indicated an investigation into the persecutors will follow, and offered their ongoing support to Shaw during the time.

Following the incident in Manchester, Shaw withdrew herself from City’s Subway Women’s League Cup fixture against the Gunners just days later, as a result of the vile abuse she was subjected to. 

Since then, very few voices have chosen to directly respond and amplify the issue at hand. 

Indeed, the silence from many of Shaw’s footballing counterparts has been deafening. 

To her credit Gunners defender Lotte Wubben-Moy took to social media on Monday morning to express her solidarity, stating “I stand with Bunny and every individual facing racism in their day to day lives”.

Wubben-Moy continued, “In the current political landscape the power of sport to unite, educate and break down barriers is crucial.  

“We’ve had all these years of campaigns, but we need more action. Our institutions need to be better."

Arsenal colleague, Manuela Zinsberger echoed the sentiment via LinkedIn, the keeper saying: “Consequences are needed, attitude is needed- from associations, clubs, fans, players, sponsors, the entire football world.”

Emily Fox reposted Wubben-Moy’s statement, while Leah Williamson opted to share a post from Versus that spoke on the issue. 

Vivianne Miedema posted a lengthy statement on her Instagram account, urging fans to “be nice and be respectful to each other”.

Not once did Miedema name Shaw, nor did she use the word ‘racism’ in her pleading caption demanding respect from women’s football fans.  

Other than that, the outrage has been minimal. 

Some action is better than none, but this is simply not good enough. 

Footballers have the platforms to generate change, and silence in these moments makes them complicit in the issue.

As well as this, just the day before, Chelsea defender Millie Bright shared her own experience dealing with mistreatment from fans, expressing that she was called “shit” before being asked for a photo by the same fan in the stadium.

Major news outlets across the UK, including the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), made the decision to publish their discontent toward the two events in one statement. 

The decision to group the two events together when addressing the issues at hand is a problem in itself. 

The treatment towards Bright and the racial abuse that Shaw was subjected to are entirely separate issues, and to conflate the two displays a keen ignorance toward the epidemic of racism that flows through football, and the rest of the world.

We are still unaware which experience Miedema was referring to in the first place, and the opening sentence of her statement that reads “picked a picture with a smile, but this week wasn’t all smiles”, disappointingly suggests that it is likely the latter.

However, to fans unaware of the situation, they easily could have conflated the statement as being penned in regards to facing her old team twice in one week. 

The WSL and nearly every football league in the world chooses to take the knee on the referee’s starting whistle, before commencing the match as a way to say no to racism. 

Gestures like these are important, but they are growing so plainly ingrained in the everyday happenings that people are beginning to forget what they even stand for.

Choosing to stay silent is a privilege.

Which is why everyone has a duty to speak out.