There’s still sexism at every level of the Beautiful Game  

Women are the subject of sexism at every level of football, from the kits they are forced to play in, to the misogynistic abuse they receive. 

Their personal safety is constantly put into jeopardy when they play late at night on badly lit and remote pitches. 

Kick It Out  received 400% more complaints of sexism and misogyny in the so-called Beautiful Game during their 2022/23 campaign compared to the season before. 

Sheffield Wire have investigated why sexism is still on the rise. 

Why are some women still forced to play in men’s kit and uncomfortable boots? 

This week, Project ACL has been launched to research why the injuries are so common within women’s football and address why some female players have to pay for their own surgery. 

Hemsworth Miners Welfare Ladies explains the concerns around personal safety and having pitch time cut in favour of male counterparts. This is just at grassroots level, and barely scratches the surface.

The stark increase in sexist abuse coincides with the comments made by controversial ex-footballer Joey Barton. 

Kathryn Batte, a football reporter, said: “When high-profile people are coming out with certain opinions, it gives credence to people that hold them that either haven’t been saying them or had just been ignored before.”

Across social media, women in football face a deluge of misogynistic comments coupled with near-constant, unsolicited sexual images, videos and messages.

“It makes you feel so disgusted. It just makes your skin crawl,” says Abigail Rudkin, football artist and Liverpool fan.

Fan, Emma Partridge, 28, has described the “very unpleasant” abuse that they have received whilst attending matches.

Four out of five female coaches have experienced sexism, with non-playing female staff fighting for increased representation and respect within a male-dominated game.

More attention is being given to women’s football in England than ever before, but there is still an extremely long way to go to dismantle these deep-rooted issues.

Sidelined by Sexism is hoping to bring women’s voices to the forefront of this conversation.