Aston Villa is proud to support the Football v Transphobia Week of Action which takes place from March 24-31 and ends on Transgender Day of Visibility.
The club is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all, with this the third season of action on trans inclusion and transphobia in our game.
The theme for this year’s campaign focuses on allies and acknowledging the reticence of some among the trans community to get involved in football due to concerns about the welcome they might receive.
Chloe Clark joined Aston Villa in March 2019 and is a matchday steward at Villa Park while also assisting Under-23s fixtures at Bodymoor Heath.
Reflecting on her role, Chloe said: “The parts of the job I enjoy are working with different people, the stewards I work with very much make it feel like a family.
“Also, it is very different to anything I have done before as my main career is working at a desk.
“It is nice to interact with all sorts of different people, especially as I work in the away end, so every game is different people, from families to groups of friends.”
Chloe is at the beginning of her transition, which started at the end of May 2020.
Talking about her experience, she says: “It will be different to nearly every other trans person in the world and it should be remembered that we all experience transition differently.
“With regards to my personal transition, the hardest step is always the first in my opinion, which is coming out, no matter how well you know someone, whether they are family members, colleagues or friends.”
Chloe is grateful to have received support from family and friends but also her management team at Aston Villa.
“First of all, I informed Clare Buckley, who is the Security and Crowd Safety Co-ordinator at Villa Park,” she added.
“She is very supportive and has been since I first let her know. Also, the senior steward for the away end is Paul Clarke, who has always been supportive and is very much someone to look up to."
March 31 marks International Transgender Day of Visibility, an annual event dedicated to celebrating the transgender community and raising awareness of discrimination and hate crime faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.
Chloe recognises the difficulties transgender people still face globally and believes sport, and football in particular, can be a catalyst for change.
“Football v Transphobia is important because of how big football is in the UK as people of all backgrounds are able to come together to support their team - whether it be online, watching on TV or in person at a stadium,” she said.
“Also, football, and especially the Premier League, can influence so many people and can reach people who are transgender who may be suffering from transphobia and are unable to come out, but they will know they are not alone and are accepted for who they are, and football can do that.
“The reason I feel that LGBTQ+ inclusivity is important at Villa Park and in football is due to football being able to reach all people from different parts of society.
“With Villa Park, everyone there is family and should be accepted for who they are, whether they be a fan, matchday staff, office staff or part of the Villa squad.
“As seen over the last 12 months with players taking a knee against racism, it is important to show it doesn't matter who you are, you are welcome at Villa Park and in football.
“As the Kick It Out campaign shows, we still have a high level of intolerance against many types of people, I feel football can lead the way in helping to make society a better place.”
To find out more about Football v Transphobia and how you can be a #TransFootyAlly, click here.
To find out more about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Aston Villa, click here.
To find out more about Villa & Proud, our official LGBTQ+ and Allies Supporters' Network, click here.
