MP Mhairi Black has backed Partick Thistle’s decision to launch a new kit inspired by the LGBTQ movement and says she “can’t wait” to buy one.
Some fans have been critical of the new away strip, which features a rainbow stripe down each side. However, the SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, a lifelong supporter of the Maryhill club, hopes the move will help end the “boys club atmosphere that has surrounded football”.
Black, who is gay, said: “Seeing this strip makes me very proud to be a lifelong Jag. There are many queer football supporters who have long felt excluded because of the boys’ club atmosphere that has surrounded football, and I hope this will go some way to ending that. I can’t wait to purchase mine.”
The strip’s launch was met with some negative comments on social media but Black hopes Thistle’s “statement on inclusivity” will make LGBTQ fans feel more comfortable about attending matches.
She added: “Some of the reaction to the strip is disappointing, but I believe the positive reception is far, far greater. I hope LGBTQ people who have been felt intimated about attending football matches will now feel accepted and secure when attending Firhill.”
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