'We are people, who feel, love and live!' - Harder and Eriksson meet ‘QUEERPASS Bayern’

The two Bayern players Pernille Harder and Magda Eriksson have been campaigning for diversity for years and are open about their relationship. The pair recently met up with the "QUEERPASS" fan club on the roof of the "Deutsche Eiche" hotel in the heart of Munich. They chatted about coming out, stop signs - and Munich nights with Freddy Mercury.

Pernille and Magda, it was your express wish to meet "QUEERPASS Bayern" - what was the reason for this?
Magdalena Eriksson: "At our previous club, Chelsea, we had a good relationship with the queer fan club, so before we moved to Munich, we enquired as to whether something similar existed at FC Bayern. We then found out about "QUEERPASS" and wanted to get to know the faces behind it, the people behind it."

Pernille Harder: "A fan club like "QUEERPASS" has an important influence on a club's fan culture. We want to encourage people not to hide when it comes to diversity. At the very first game we attended at the Allianz Arena, we saw the "QUEERPASS" and rainbow flags. It's cool that you're so visible in the middle of the Südkurve, right at the heart of the fan scene."

Tom, you're the chair of "QUEERPASS". A club like FC Bayern wants to create encounters - what does it mean to you to have a dialogue like this with two of the FCB Women players?
Tom Ponetsmüller: "It was a great honour when we heard that you wanted to meet up with us. For us, a dialogue like this with two top players is another terrific opportunity to raise awareness of the issue of diversity together with FC Bayern. The cooperation between us and the club has been excellent for years with various joint campaigns, for example as part of the FCB diversity initiative "Red against Racism". In president Herbert Hainer, we know that we will always have someone who has a sympathetic ear. We feel valued by FC Bayern and part of the club."

Pernille, Magda, how does it feel to live in Munich - how open is this city in terms of diversity?
PH: "The city has a very good vibe, a good spirit. And I also feel very much at home and welcome here when it comes to diversity."

ME: "Munich is open-minded and diverse - a very cosmopolitan city. There are cities where it doesn't feel like that. Munich is a city that can be proud of this attitude to life. If I'm correct, we're also in a queer neighbourhood right now?"

TP: "It's all more of a mix these days. It definitely used to be like that. But the "Deutsche Eiche" here has been a focal point for decades. Munich has a long queer tradition - that's one of the reasons why Freddy Mercury lived here for several years. He was also a frequent visitor to the "Deutsche Eiche". There's a mosaic of him on the façade. Those were great times, I saw him myself a few times when I went out in the evening."

And what's the atmosphere like in the Südkurve of the Allianz Arena?
TP: "We're very fortunate that our block is predominantly liberally minded. We have good relations with most groups."

ME: "Was that always the case?"

TP: "Yes, from the very beginning, as long as we've been in the Südkurve. Schickeria München in particular invited us to have our regular spot next to the group in the Südkurve. At some point, we took a rainbow flag with us as a mark of recognition."

PH: "I think that's really cool. Great fans. Great club."

Pernille, Magda, what has been your experience with regard to acceptance and discrimination during your career?
ME: "Only good ones on the pitch and in our clubs. It's only on social media that there can be comments that criticise our sexuality. If they cross the line, the offence should be reported to put up a stop sign. People should know what their comments can do, everyone should develop a better awareness."

PH: "I always say to myself: out of ten comments, one is offensive - so who's in the wrong here? You should always focus on the nine that convey encouragement and love. That makes you realise how isolated the others are."

Why is there such a big difference between men's and women's football when it comes to diversity?
PH: "There's still a certain macho culture in men's football. It's developed in a tradition that goes back over 100 years. But I have the feeling that the tone is slowly changing, both in the dressing rooms and in the stands. It wasn't that long ago that "you gay..." was an insult, especially among footballers. That's becoming less common."

ME: "Unfortunately, I think there's still too much concern about how people would react if someone came out. That's why I think it's so important that there are fan clubs like yours that work together with the club to ensure that diversity is embodied, that tolerance and acceptance increase and that prejudices and barriers in people's minds are broken down. With your presence, with your flag in the fan block, you create a climate that breaks down people's fears."

PH: "You just said that the fan block explicitly asked you to take up a place in the middle. That's so amazing, because it means the day is slowly approaching when a player will feel confident enough to come out. When you know: The block is behind me, it accepts me - that's what we all have to work on and why your commitment is so important. It takes a lot of courage to come out, we know that - and the more support you feel in your environment, the more courage you have."

ME: "It's also about making sure that your sexuality and the question of who you love are no longer allowed to be a factor. At the end of the day, we're all footballers, and that won't change - we are people, who feel, love and live."

What do you think: When will a men's professional footballer come out? Are we talking about many or a few years?
ME: "Some players in the lower leagues have already come out. It's the responsibility of all of us to create a tolerant environment in football, and the heterosexual part of the fan scene must also take responsibility."

Tom, are Pernille and Magda role models?
TP: "Without question. The way they deal openly with their sexuality and discuss their views contributes enormously to raising people's awareness. When someone who is in the limelight speaks so clearly about their feelings, they reach people. I have the utmost respect for that because, especially in an exposed position, you always have to consider how the public will react."

ME: "For me, fan clubs like "QUEERPASS" are the true role models: real shining examples, because you come from among the fans."

TP:"I think the majority of the Südkurve at FC Bayern would deal with the issue sensitively if a player came out. But unfortunately you can never speak for every fan. I'm not sure whether men's football is ready for a coming out yet, especially as the political situation is currently developing in a direction that is not favourable to it. We at "QUEERPASS" are constantly being asked whether we would like to see a queer player come out - but we're not activists and know very well that this decision is such a private and personal matter that we should never demand anything. Everyone has to decide for themselves if and when they feel strong and confident enough to take that step."

Pernille, Magda: At the 2019 World Cup, you caused an unexpected stir with a kiss ...
ME: "At that time, media coverage of women's football experienced another big boost overall - and so a moment that we absolutely took for granted gained a much greater focus. I think the kiss shows what women's football is all about, who we are: confident, empowered, open. Pernille was there as a spectator at the time, wearing the jersey of my Swedish national team, and I think the crucial thing about this photo was that we hadn't staged anything, but simply did what we always do, what everyone does. We would never have imagined the impact the image would have."

PH: "It wasn't a photo shoot. It was us. Two people who love each other. I think the fact that the image had such an impact in the media paved the way for other lesbian couples in football and hopefully beyond to show their feelings openly. In retrospect, I had the impression that the public simply needed a picture like that. After that, many people became a bit more open and confident."

What advice would you give to young athletes who perhaps don't yet dare to be open about their identity?

ME: "That's a difficult question, every situation is personal and individual. The first and crucial step is to love yourself as you are. Be true to yourself. If you let what bad people say get to you, you start to dislike yourself. You can't let that happen. If you realise that you don't have to hide anything, that you have value as a person, everything becomes much easier."

What's your wish for the future of football when it comes to diversity?
TP: "I think we should simply continue to work together step by step to create a tolerant climate. We mustn't overburden people, it has to be a natural process. And men's football can certainly learn a lot from women's football on this issue."

PH: "Perhaps it's also a question that will only be answered by the next generation of footballers. Young people today are much more open to the issue of diversity."

ME: "We need faces and voices. And when I look around this table, I see all of that. There's certainly still a long way to go - but we'll continue to campaign. And we'll both always be proud when we see the rainbow flag in the Südkurve."

Photo credits: Lisa Nguyen

You can read the full interview (in German) in the December issue of the FC Bayern members' magazine “51”. 

We took you behind the scenes of the FC Bayern Women's trips to Oslo and Freiburg: