Colours of the Representative Rainbow of Freedom: Özgür League, Karşı League and LGBT+ Teams in Industrial Football

Abstract

It isn’t possible to speak of the marginalisation of only women in the field of sport, which is one of the fields in which gender discrimination and masculinity are extremely common. LGBT+ individuals, taking place in the sport community and seeking visibility are also exposed to various kinds of exclusion, marginalisation, humiliation, disregard and even much more traumatising behaviours. The purpose of this study, analysing the foundation processes of LGBT+ football teams in Turkey, is to focus on where such a need arose, starting from this point, to draw attention to the challenges that the teams experienced in the foundation phase and their formation of social existence processes. In the study, interviews were made with the founders of the four football teams and their footballers through utilising an interview form prepared in line with the qualitative research techniques. In accordance with the interviews made, the foundation processes of LGBT+ teams and leagues were found out and various findings related to LGBT+ teams, including internal and external dynamics, were obtained. Findings related to the internal dynamics include mission, admission of members, visibility, sustainability, branch selection, social responsibilities, and internal factors. Findings related to the external dynamics include moral support, financial support, environmental conditions, living space, and media. Introducing the challenges experienced by LGBT+ individuals who aren’t welcomed especially in religious terms in a country with a predominantly lots of societies, their efforts for existence and raising the awareness of society in this respect reveals the importance of this study.