Football is one of the most sexist and intolerant sports practices towards the LGBT community. A movement that emerged in 2017 and has become popular throughout the country, however, aims to reverse this scenario: these are teams formed only by homosexual players. The style started in states like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, and last year the first interstate championship with LGBT teams took place. The wave has now reached Goiânia, capital of Goiás, which has its first amateur team with 27 openly homosexual players. Their aim: to make the sport more inclusive and put homophobia to the sidelines. “Gay people didn’t come together to play football because of discrimination. We felt belittled. When they saw the possibility of playing in a 100% gay team, everyone started to support and embrace the idea”, Jostter Marinho, one of the founders, president and defender of Barbie Futebol Clube, told the website O Popular. “Rudeness, brutality, fortunately, do not exist with gay teams. There are disputes, but loyalty, unity, inclusion, willpower on the field are mottos. We do not accept playing against teams that are prejudiced”, explains Jostter, a 26-year-old student, who highlights that the project is non-profit. “Many gays stop playing at some point due to intolerance, bullying or homophobia. The biggest lesson we can show society is that it's not what you do that defines you. We need to fight for inclusion in sport, put an end to any type of prejudice that exists”, says the team's top scorer, Pedro Lima, a 21-year-old student. Raising the flag for the team and the LGBT movement are Barbie FC's plans for the future. Training twice a week and playing friendlies, the team from Goiás is preparing to enter the national circuit. In November, he will try to participate in the 3rd edition of Champions LiGay, which should welcome 16 clubs from across the country.
