Jordan Henderson: Liverpool captain's Saudi Arabia move has 'tarnished his reputation' as LGBTQ+ ally

1 year ago 22

Liverpool instrumentality disappointed with Henderson determination aft past LGBT support

Sometimes actions talk louder than words.

It is not yet 2 years since Jordan Henderson wrote immoderate 900 words successful the Liverpool matchday programme, professing his enactment of Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign.

"I bash judge erstwhile you spot thing that is intelligibly incorrect and makes different quality being consciousness excluded you should basal shoulder-to-shoulder with them," the Reds skipper wrote.

They were words that solidified Henderson's presumption arsenic an state for the LGBTQ+ community. Today, they look bare to some, leaving that aforesaid assemblage wondering if determination was ever immoderate information successful what helium wrote, aft the England planetary joined the exodus to Saudi Arabia successful signing a three-year woody astatine Al-Ettifaq.

To his critics, his actions look bare too, accepting a woody that volition bring him an astonishing payday - a reported £700,000 per week - successful a federation wherever the precise radical helium claims to enactment are persecuted conscionable for being who they are.

Same-sex intersexual enactment is amerciable successful Saudi Arabia, with the decease punishment a imaginable punishment. There person besides been "consistent reports of favoritism and violence" against LGBTQ+ radical successful the country, according to Human Rights Watch.

Jordan Henderson wearing a rainbow captain's armband

That Henderson would actively take to determination to Saudi Arabia has near immoderate fans, specified arsenic Reds protagonist Keith Spooner, feeling "gutted".

"On a idiosyncratic level, I tin recognize there's fiscal reasons, there's idiosyncratic reasons, there's crippled time, but I deliberation arsenic an advocator oregon an state of radical who are LGBT, whether it's successful athletics oregon life, determination are knock-ons, repercussions of your actions, and his determination to spell to Saudi Arabia and play determination has decidedly tarnished his reputation," helium told BBC Sport.

In December 2020, Spooner - who came retired arsenic cheery astatine the property of 17 - was "completely caught off-guard" erstwhile Henderson replied to a tweet successful which the Reds instrumentality told his club's skipper however his wearing of a rainbow armband - often worn to enactment LGBTQ+ causes - had "meant the world".

Henderson told Spooner helium would ne'er locomotion unsocial - successful a motion to Liverpool's anthem - successful a tweet that has been liked by astir 30,000 people.

It is that aforesaid rainbow armband that is desaturated from colour to achromatic and achromatic for overmuch of the promotional video Al-Ettifaq released announcing their caller signing's arrival.

"Was that connection an existent worth that Jordan really believed? Was it thing that Liverpool Football Club believed? Or is it conscionable a tick-box exercise?" said Spooner, 27.

"It's getting to the signifier wherever it's getting harder and harder to spot whether oregon not these campaigns really person value, oregon whether it is the lawsuit that these radical are being told to marque this remark oregon enactment retired this tweet."

He added: "The information that helium has present decided to determination to Saudi, [given] their cognition to radical similar me, it does consciousness similar portion of what helium would person said oregon antecedently spoken astir successful the past wasn't of existent value, it wasn't the lawsuit that helium genuinely believed it, truthful that's the large disappointment for me."

Keith Spooner pictured holding up a Shamrock Rovers v Liverpool scarf astatine Anfield

Henderson has agelong been seen arsenic 1 of the much socially conscious footballers, notably starring talks betwixt Premier League captains connected giving wealth to charities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, the aforesaid twelvemonth helium was shortlisted for a shot state honour astatine the British LGBT Awards, Henderson wrote those programme notes earlier Liverpool's Premier League lucifer against Southampton.

"Before I'm a footballer, I'm a parent, a husband, a son, a member and a person to the radical successful my beingness who substance truthful overmuch to me," helium wrote.

"The thought that immoderate of them would consciousness excluded from playing oregon attending a shot match, simply for being and identifying arsenic who they are, blows my mind."

Yet much words that person travel backmost to haunt Henderson. The begetter of 2 daughters, should his young household travel him to Saudi Arabia helium volition beryllium bringing his children up successful a federation with a chiseled deficiency of women's rights - not until 2018 were women allowed to drive, portion Saudi women inactive acquisition important favoritism and unequal treatment.

The disapproval of Henderson's determination is widespread, with erstwhile Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger saying "silly me" aft believing his enactment for the LGBTQ+ assemblage was "genuine".

After Henderson's departure from the Reds connected Wednesday, Liverpool's LGBTQ+ instrumentality radical Kop Outs urged him to "stand by your words arsenic a professed state & champion of #LGBT+ rights, of women's rights and of basal quality dignity".

Pride successful Football, a web of LGBTQ+ instrumentality groups, said successful a statement: "When you spot idiosyncratic who has been an state truthful publically transportation to a nine successful a state wherever LGBT+ radical are attacked and imprisoned, it is disappointing.

"Good luck successful Saudi Arabia Jordan, but you person mislaid the respect of truthful galore radical who valued you, and trusted you."

To date, Henderson has not addressed immoderate of the disapproval is facing. Should that infinitesimal come, galore volition beryllium keen to perceive what his latest words volition be.

"I'd beryllium funny to perceive what Jordan Henderson has to say," said Spooner.

"Have his values changed? What does helium deliberation astir the information his rainbow armband is present blacked out?

"There is immense hypocrisy - but it's up to Jordan to reply those questions."

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