New short film ‘Play On’ shows powerful impact of LGBTQ inclusive football

The film, created by spoken word artist Myndstate and the director John Reavey, is being released by Kick It Out in Football v Homophobia’s annual Month of Action, with the wider project supported by FvH, Dulwich Hamlet FC, London Titans FC and others.

Written and performed by Myndstate, the two-minute short follows his journey from falling in love with the “beautiful game” at just eight years old. However, that passion ebbs away during his teenage years, as he hears homophobic slurs while watching and playing football.

He describes how the insults begin to feel increasingly personal, leading to an “overwhelming sense of shame” that eventually leads to him hanging up his boots in his early 20s.

However, he then discovers the world of clubs, teams and leagues that welcome LGBTQ people, which reignites his love for the sport.

The message behind ‘PLAY ON’ is that the work is still needed, with reports of homophobia rising. As a gay fan, Myndstate says he would still never “dare hold hands at a match” with his boyfriend and remains constantly hyper-aware of where it is safe to sit in a stadium.

We caught up with Myndstate to find out more about the project…

Congratulations on this superb film! Tell us the story behind the spoken word piece and how you and John went on to create this short.

Thanks! I got commissioned to perform at FvH’s annual Football Pride event last year, which provided the perfect platform to write a piece about my journey in football as a gay man; a subject I’d always wanted to talk about but had never managed to put into words.

After seeing the reception it got at the event, and the number of people it resonated with, I knew it was a piece that had to be taken a step further – and there was no one better than John to help bring it to life.

We’ve been good friends for over eight years, and we met playing football for London Titans, an LGBTQ-inclusive club, so we always knew the first piece we would collaborate on would be about this topic.

As soon as I pitched it to him, we both got so excited talking about ideas and hopes for the film, and after John put together an incredible treatment, we just didn’t look back.

What reactions have you had to the film so far?

The reactions have been incredible, and the sheer number of people it’s touched has surpassed our expectations in the most beautiful way.

It’s always emotional seeing messages from people who have been through (or are going through) something similar, who finally feel their story is being seen and heard. 

It’s also amazing hearing from people who can’t relate, but who now understand the battles that we’ve dealt with and the challenges that we continue to face as a community.

What do you hope the film can achieve?

We hope it can raise awareness that homophobia and discrimination are still very much big parts of the game, and that more action needs to be taken at all levels.

But we also want to highlight that positive change is achievable and that everyone can play their part to help fight against it together.

For anyone who is struggling to find where they belong in football, we want them to know that safe and inclusive spaces do exist, and that they shouldn’t lose hope.

No one’s journey in a sport they love should have to be cut short because of who they are and how they identify.

How can people find out more about your work, John’s work, and LGBTQ-inclusive football?

The best place to find us both is on social media and via our websites (Myndstate.co and JohnReavey.com). I perform regularly around the UK, so I’d love to catch you at a show, and John is always working on some kind of incredible film or project that will have a screening waiting for your attendance.

In terms of LGBTQ-inclusive football, we both play for London Titans FC, which is a very social and welcoming club, but you can also head to Pride Sports’ LGBT+ Sports Club Finder to search for local teams and groups that you can get involved with.

‘PLAY ON’ is available to watch now on YouTube, and you can share it via Kick It Out’s social channels.

Follow Myndstate (Instagram and TikTok) and John Reavey (Instagram and TikTok) on social media.

#FvH2026 calendar of events – see a list of dedicated matchdays etc here

• Thu 19 Feb: FvH ‘Wear It Black and Pink Day’ / International Day Against LGBTQ+-phobia in Sport
• Fri 20 Feb to Sun 1 March: Activation of EFL Rainbow Ball initiative
• Sat 1 March: Zero Discrimination Day (UNAIDS)
• Wed 25 to Tue 31 Mar: Football v Transphobia Week of Action – #FvT2026
• Tue 31 Mar: International Transgender Day of Visibility

Visit www.footballvhomophobia.com for more information on how you can get involved in the Month of Action in February.

Published by Jon Holmes - sportsmedialgbt.com