Written by co-founder, Lyndsey, this article takes a moment to celebrate those championing the development of accessibility in women’s football, no matter how many obstacles are in the way.
You can find out more about the fantastic work Level Playing Field do in the links at the end of this article.
Progress has most definitely been made but the speed has sadly been glacial rather than with momentum.
As the sun sets on a weekend at Villa Park, I’m left with so much to digest. A celebration of disability visibility and access against the backdrop of significant change within the club.
For two years, I have advocated behind the scenes to promote equal access for women’s fans. It is not a role which results in your name in lights; it is one you do through passion and more often than not, lived experience. Progress has most definitely been made but the speed has sadly been glacial rather than with momentum.
Moving towards the end of my first season as Vice Chair of the Disabled Supporter Association, focusing on the women’s game, I have a lot to reflect upon. Conversations with the club are finally flowing with the limitations and restrictions of the women’s game driving our expectations. Issues are finally being addressed and I have now built an amazing team of three to support me in continuing to advocate and push for more.
But today left a question in my mind: should we celebrate accessibility once a year or should we as a society be doing more by making small changes which contribute to a more inclusive society? My answer is both are necessary with a focus on compromise.
To think logically, we cannot be 100% inclusive as everyone’s needs are different and conflicting – the quiet that works for one is the opposite of the noise that works for another.
For similar reasons, many businesses shy away from the conversation of reasonable adjustments due to high outlay and minimal relative return. Again if we find a middle ground, especially when working with business, that is often where we can make the most progress as minor adjustments can make a massive impact.
To circle back to today’s game, it was great to celebrate the work of Level Playing Field and see the focus on BSL (British Sign Language). Hearing the players’ enthusiasm to continue this into other projects was also really positive. Additionally, it was great to see the uptake of fans use the resources on how to do basic sign language. I was also humbled by the conversations with so many new faces who discussed access issues – many of whom I know I can help resolve months of stress and anxiety quite quickly with clarification and/or signposting.
This leads me to the question around disabled fans at Villa Park.
As a DSA we know where the standards here need to be but it is not yet at a place we feel is acceptable, even with my favourite word “compromise”. There is still a lot to do but the right conversations are being had to make that happen.
Aston Villa Women is our club.
Villa Park is our home.
Time to make it a proper home for Disabled Fans!
You can find out more about how the Level Playing Field charity helps support disabled sports fans by clicking here
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