On the 29th June 2021 Vasco Da Gama debuted their new away shirt for the forthcoming Brasileirão season.
The Rio de Janeiro club have traditionally worn a black home shirt and white away shirt, with opposite coloured sashes - depicting the southwesterly route of the Portuguese explorer from whom they derive their name, took out of Lisbon. Uniquely their new 2021 home and away shirts featured a gradiated rainbow sash celebrating Pride month - observed every June.
"O País do Futebol" or “The Country of Football” as Brazil refers to itself, has seen a major wave of support represented in its football community for the Pride movement in recent years but the campaign for LGBTQ+ equality in Brazil can be traced back to the late 60s following the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, New York. In 1964 The Brazilian Military took over the country in a Coup D'etat which led to a right-wing dictatorship that lasted 15 years. After the Stonewall Riots in 1969 the topic of LGBT rights was thrust into the mainstream debate, and when the Brazilian population were allowed to form political parties again after the fall of the dictatorship in 1979 the group “Somos” (We Are) was founded to protect the rights of the community. Fast forward to January 2019 and former military Captain Jair Bolsonaro is elected President of Brazil bringing back many of the intolerant politics of the military Junta. Bolsonaro had previously stated on Stephen Fry’s TV series Out There that "no father is ever proud of having a gay son" and "we Brazilians do not like homosexuals.” Despite his election he has proved an unpopular President with his approval ratings often around 35% and protests against him and his outdated views have only grown throughout his presidency.
As across the world, Women’s football has led the charge against homophobia and it would be amiss of me not to mention the work of the women’s game in the country, particularly that of inspirational striker Marta who is the country’s record goalscorer at international level. The men’s game sadly has lagged behind. In 2007 São Paulo player Richarlyson was allegedly outed by a Director of Palmeiras on live television. When the player tried to sue for defamation his case was thrown out by the court and the judge stated footbaball was a "virile, masculine sport and not a homosexual one" and that therefore "Richarlyson should be forever banished by FIFA and never be allowed to play football again."
Most football based homophobia in Brazil, like the rest of the world, is more often sniggered innuendo or cowardly insinuations. The animal the Deer (Veado) has long been slang for a gay male in the Brazilian language - possibly due to word Veado's similarity to the word “Desviado,” meaning deviant. In Brazil there is a hugely popular (though illegal) gambling game called the Animal Game. Essentially animals are assigned numbers and the gambler has to guess the number/animal. The Deer was assigned number 24 and the number has since become a symbol for homosexuiality. Therefore, historically footballers in Brazil refused to wear 24. "The myth around the number 24 is a big nonsense that is past time to be overcome. We need to demystify this and take advantage of the action to debate prejudice and intolerance in football,' declared Bahia player Flávio when kicking off the club’s 2019 “Número Do Respeito” or “Number of Respect” campaign. In January 2020 he was joined by South America champions Flamengo’s star striker Gabriel Barbosa. Arguably the most high profile footballer playing in Brazil, he voiced his support for the campaign as well as wearing the number in memory of the recently deceased Kobe Bryant.
Vasco’s “Respeito e Diversidade“ shirt marked the first time a club, rather than an individual, wore a single uniform to raise awareness in the fight against homophobia. The city of Rio de Janeiro has long shown support for the LGBTQ+ community hosting the country's first ever Pride parade in June 1995 on Copacabana beach. As across the world Pride is celebrated in June to mark the Stonewall Riots. To mark the closing of the month, Vasco wore the jersey on their last home game of June against Brusque. In the 63rd minute Argentine striker German Cano broke the deadlock, running to the rainbow cornerflag and waved it triumphantly in the air as he was joined by his teammates. The moment was recognised as a breakthrough moment in acceptance of homosexuality in the men’s game in Brazil. However, not everyone agreed. On the day of the game club captain Leandro Castan tweeted the biblical verse “Be fertile, multiply and fill the earth” seemingly implying he was against the promotion of homosexual equality. When later questioned if he was forced to wear the shirt against his will he replied “I am the first to respect the institution and the fan. I’m grateful for Vasco. The moment I exposed what I believe, when I was theoretically forced to wear a shirt, I think some people didn’t like it. But I respect everyone and I also think I have to be respected” (sic). It was implied also that his refusal to wear the shirt led to a dispute with the scorer that day, Cano. Also that maybe Cano’s celebration was aimed at him. To which he replied “I know there are people who pick me up, who say I’m bad. But the numbers are there. I’m very critical. I know it has to do with the Brusque episode. It was marked for me. Me, as a Christian, processing my faith, is what I think. There was no discomfort. Many said they had a problem with me and with Cano. We did not have, and, if we did, we decided in the locker room.”
Whatever the internal politics, Vasco won the game 2-1. Just as despite the politics (or should it be said, politicians) of the country the LGBTQ+ community are winning the fight against ignorance. Whilst it is just a step, the growing acceptance of homosexuality in Brazil’s macho footballing community is one of the most significant steps in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in decades.
Check out Vasco da Gama's "Respeito E Diversidade" shirts here
