Brighton Seagals rebrands recreational section to ‘Seapals’ to be more inclusive

Brighton Seagals Football Club, which is open to women, non-binary and trans people, has rebranded its recreational section to Seapals to be more inclusive.

Players at the club, which competes in the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League, can be as competitive or non-competitive as they wish.

Player Mya Allen says she is proud to wear the club’s badge: “The team is always doing something to be inclusive, like we’ve rebranded Seagals to Seapals to be more inclusive of non-binary and transgender people,” she said.

“That’s what the badge means to me, it’s just always changing, but it’s always the same love and respect that we have for everyone else.”

Brighton Seagals FC was founded in 2019 and now boasts 140 players across the competitive league and social football, with every aspect run by volunteers.

Chairperson Justine Thomson said the club followed the moto “more than football”.

“And actually, there is so much more beyond that. There’s so much to learn, and the club wouldn’t run without volunteers,” she added.

“We do it because we love it. Women’s football is a really safe space to be.”