SuperValu along with its team of ambassadors and the Gaelic Players Association hope to encourage Ireland’s Gaelic Games community to wear their rainbow laces with pride and show their support for the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland.
During the month of June, rainbow laces will be available to purchase in local SuperValu stores across the country with all proceeds going to support Belong To, LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland.
Thursday, 8th June 2023: SuperValu has today teamed up with GAA Referee and LGBTQ+ advocate David Gough and Cork Ladies footballer Hannah Looney to launch SuperValu’s ‘Wear with Pride’ Laces campaign for Pride month 2023. As part of the initiative, rainbow laces will be available to purchase in over 222 SuperValu stores nationwide for the month of June, with proceeds going to support Belong To, LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland.
Earlier this year, SuperValu launched the third year of their #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign, as part of their sponsorship of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, with a host of Gaelic Games role models from across the country rallying together to promote the importance of diversity and inclusion in Gaelic games, including David Clifford, Padraig O’Hora, Maggie Farrelly and Ikem Ugwueru.
As part of their #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign, this June SuperValu is building on their previous work with leading GAA Referee and LGBTQ+ advocate David Gough as he and Cork Ladies footballer Hannah Looney team up to lead the ‘Wear with Pride’ Laces campaign. With the launch of this new campaign, SuperValu and its team of ambassadors hope to encourage Ireland’s Gaelic Games community to wear their rainbow laces with pride and show their support for the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland.
With the support of the Gaelic Players Association, the ‘Wear with Pride’ Laces campaign will also see all inter-county players gifted with SuperValu’s rainbow laces throughout the month of June.
SuperValu’s pride laces are Irish-made by Atlantic Weave Limited, a Donegal-based company.
Belong To, CEO Moninne Griffith (she/her) said: “Pride is about inclusivity, self-acceptance and community – just like sports. Research tells us that many LGBTQ+ young people can feel excluded from sports and there is still work to do to ensure that sport is inclusive to everyone. We are proud to join Supervalu for ‘Wear with Pride’ and be part of this campaign to bring visibility and LGBTQ+ inclusion on and off the pitch. By wearing rainbow laces, you can send a strong message to the LGBTQ+ community, saying ‘you are welcome here!’”
Gemma Begley, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager for the Gaelic Players’ Association said: “At the Gaelic Players’ Association, we are thrilled to offer our support to SuperValu’s ‘Wear with Pride’ Laces campaign, this June. For the first time ever, inter-county players up and down the country will be gifted with SuperValu’s rainbow laces via a player representative in their squad. We hope that this activity will help promote the ideals of #CommunityIncludesEveryone and that members of the LGBTQ+ community in Gaelic Games will feel our support for them at a widespread level.”
GAA referee and LGBTQ+ advocate, David Gough, commented: “It is with great pride that I team up with SuperValu again for 2023’s Pride month. Within Gaelic Games, we know that while positive strides have been made, there is still much to do to ensure everyone is included within our communities. A campaign like ‘Wear with Pride’ goes a long way to offering visible support to members of the LGBTQ+ community within Gaelic Games and across the country. I would encourage everyone to lace up this Pride month and show their support.”
Cork Ladies footballer and member of the LGBTQ+ community, Hannah Looney, added: “I am delighted to be involved in and supporting SuperValu’s ‘Wear with Pride’ Laces campaign. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know just how impactful people’s support can be, particularly for those who might be struggling with their sexuality. My teammates and I are looking forward to showing our support for the LGBTQ+ community in Gaelic Games and encourage everyone to get involved this Pride month.”
For more information on the #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign, and to keep up to date with the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, follow SuperValu across Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok and Twitter.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuperValuIreland/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supervalu_irl/?hl=en
- Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@supervaluirelandofficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuperValuIRL
