Soccer teams Manchester United and Arsenal are among groups supporting a new campaign in Britain timed to coincide with a report showing an increase in hate crimes against LGBT people.
The rights group Stonewall started its Come Out for LGBT campaign as part of a public awareness effort aimed to mobilize allies and show that LGBT people still face hatred.
New research from the UK's leading charity for LGBT equality shows abuse and attacks have rocketed by 78% in the last five years.
The report from Stonewall found that 21% of LGBT people faced hate crime about their sexual orientation and/or gender in the last year. Four in 10 transgender people experienced hate crime in relation to their gender in the last year.
Even something as simple as holding hands is fraught with peril for many. “Overall, 38% of respondents said they felt scared to hold hands with a partner in public, with the figure rising to 58% among gay men specifically.”
Come Out for LGBT features British celebrities, regular people and organizations who pledge to stand up for LGBT rights. Among them are Manchester United and Arsenal of the Premier League, both which showed their support on Instagram. There are no openly gay players in the Premier League.
In addition to these two teams, other soccer and rugby clubs and athletes have also joined the cause.