It’s a sign of the social media times that WSL International footballers, Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis announced pending parenthood on Instagram with the news “Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025!”

Football world congratulations though were marred social media homophobic slurs towards the couple.

 

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A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)

 

Kerr blocked messages from her post after the announcement. The Chelsea striker was quickly supported by her club in who released a statement hitting out at the “hateful homophobic” comments: “Chelsea Football Club is aware of recent unacceptable and hateful homophobic comments published across various social media platforms.”

“There is no place in society for any form of discrimination and we will not accept any abuse directed towards our players, staff or supporters.”

Chelsea Pride, a Chelsea LGBTQ+ supporters group have also spoken out on the abuse received by Kerr and Mewis:

It’s not the first time Homophobic comments have been directed towards WSL players on social media, prompting widespread calls on the powerful media companies who run the platforms to exercise more control and be accountable.

There is very little transparency and very little accountability from the social media platforms to stop such abuse.

Brenna McPartlan, Burnley and Northern Ireland International has spoken about hateful speech surrounding women’s football and the homophobic abuse they receive: “You see something new everyday.”

“It shouldn’t be something we have to become normalised too. We should be encouraging people to come out freely without having to worry about abuse online.”

“Social media platforms need to be doing a better job to stop this from happening on such a regular basis.”

Kerr and Mewis now face the task of becoming parents, hoping homophobic abuse will slowly trickle out of the football community. It does not have a place in football. It does not have a place anywhere.

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