"Football and queerness are integral to who I am." Lars Fellows, the first trans contestant on I Kissed a Boy, to speak at Football Pride 2025
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Lars Fellows, the first trans contestant on BBC’s I Kissed a Boy, will be a guest speaker at Football Pride 2025, taking place at The Y Theatre in Leicester on Friday, 29 August from 10am - 5pm.
Organised by Football v Homophobia, the annual event celebrates LGBTQ inclusion in football and brings together fans, players, and allies for a day of talks, performances, and community building. Tickets are priced at £20 and include lunch.
Fellows, 23, is a passionate Wolves supporter and currently plays for Village Manchester FC. He recently shared his football journey on the FvH Podcast, recalling his early training with Stoke City and the challenges he faced stepping away from the sport during his transition.
“Football and queerness are integral to who I am,” he said. “This event creates space for us to belong, to feel seen, and to celebrate our love of the game.”
At Pride in London in early July, Lars was invited to join Pride of Irons – West Ham United’s official LGBTQ supporters’ group – on their float in the parade.
It was his first experience of Pride in the capital and he says he felt “very honoured” to be a guest.
He also says it left him feeling “hopeful” for the future, “knowing that communities and organisations like this do exist.”
“A network like Pride of Irons… having that when I was younger, a group that I could have been a part of, might have helped me in my transition, and my journey of being queer in football.
“It was a really special day and I felt proud to be with the group, just hearing different people’s stories and their own relationships with the game."
His appearance comes at a time of growing concern over new regulations in England and Scotland that restrict trans participation in football. Fellows has spoken out against these changes, urging allies to help make football more inclusive.
Also appearing at Football Pride will be fellow I Kissed a Boy contestant Jordan Burrow, alongside a host of LGBTQ personalities and performers. Fellows hopes the event will send a strong message of solidarity and visibility.
“It’s a very special thing,” he added. “Football once felt lost to me, but now it’s a source of strength and pride.”
