Lauren James announced on Instagram today that she will use her outlet and resources to support individuals and boost diversity in women’s football. The Blue recounts her childhood and how her parents gave her the platform and encouragement to push for her desire. James said, “I grew up in a house of football.
A Childhood Immersed in Football
I have been surrounded by it my whole life. I was lucky that I had the support of those around me to play and be put in environments where I could succeed. But that success didn’t come easy, and I saw girls who looked like us fall away because they didn’t have that support.
The number 10 plays for Chelsea, while her older brother is an academy graduate from the Blues and the current captain of the men’s team. However, Lauren James was controversial at the World Cup after being compared with her skills and her breakthrough World Cup to the likes of Beckham.
Lauren James: Comparisons to Beckham’s Infamous Red Card
To get the red card reminded us of that night that Beckham was sent off during the match with Argentina in 1998 after kicking Diego Simeone – a game that England went on to lose in a penalty shoot-out.
A similar event happened against Nigeria for women when James stamped on the back of Michelle Alozie in round 16, originally given as a yellow but increased to red after VAR interference. Being knocked out of football, the game went to penalties, but lucky for James, England won 4-2.
Unlike Beckham, she was not blamed for the end score, but she got racially abused and named to the point where statements by the FA and the lioness had to be made against the racial discrimination she faced. This is not her only controversy; remember, she is only 21.
Further Racist Abuse After Arsenal Match
Months later, after a yellow card was given in December against Arsenal, racists came out with both England and Chelsea condemning the abuse received by James in the aftermath of Saturday’s match. Asked how James was, Hayes said: “She’s not in a good place if I’m honest.
She is still learning and developing after being sprung into the media and increasing exposure to the women’s game. Everyone makes mistakes, and athletes are humans like us. England striker seemed to put Millie Turner in a headlock as the United defender tried to slow down play against United in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
It caused the same response: people automatically called her a monkey or judged her based on one action in an intense football game, not her as a person and every other game she’s played.
Lauren James: Scholarship Initiative
The scholarship is an example of how she wants to be an advocate for the sport, help present a proportional view on the sport, and understand that she, as part of a minority-represented group in the WSL and Lioness squad, has a responsibility to use her platform to help others have the same opportunities.
James explained why she wanted to set this up in her own words: “Now, I’m in a position where I can try to make a bit of a difference. It won’t happen all at once, but we need to get more diversity in the women’s game & that starts with giving girls like you – who have the talent to succeed – every chance to do so.” to increase diversity in women’s football.”
Lauren James: Using Her Platform for Positive Change
She is a perfect example of someone like Leah Williamson using their platform for the best, their media audience and their commercialism of the women’s game to “navigate those tricky early years & hopefully fulfil the potential we’ve identified you have. You’ll see me occasionally, too, so you can ask me whatever you like, and I hope I can give you some good advice.”
This was good news to come out of the game; it shows that one action or rash action in a game, one minute out of 90, does not define you, and you should not be judged based on that. I hope those who get access to this resource can go into the sport and the hierarchy and keep advocating and keeping the message of the scholarship and the reason that James set it up in their future jobs.
