Whether you call it football, f煤tbol, or calcio,鈥痵occer is a sport that brings people together across borders, languages and identities.鈥�
Although I did attend a match the last time the World Cup was in Dallas, I鈥檓 not that into soccer. Alexsis, on the other hand, is an avid sports fan.
鈥淗onestly, I didn鈥檛 grow up as a huge sports person,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut as I鈥檝e gotten older, I鈥檝e started falling in love with different sports like basketball, soccer and hockey. And no, it鈥檚 not just because of the HBO show Heated Rivalry.鈥�
But being a queer sports fan can be complicated. Recent negative headlines regarding and can feel overwhelmingly negative, and traditional sports bar culture鈥痙oesn鈥檛鈥痑lways leave room for everyone.
So, with Dallas hosting the World Cup, we wanted to know: how are LGBTQ sports fans in North Texas feeling about FIFA coming to town?
For queer fans in North Texas, especially in a state where LGBTQ rights鈥痳emain鈥痯olitically contested, finding a safe place to watch the game can matter just as much as the score.鈥�
For many, the answer to that concern starts with LGBTQ bars turning into sports bars.鈥�
Places like , and in Dallas鈥� Oak Lawn neighborhood are preparing to welcome crowds during FIFA matches.鈥�
At , Dallas鈥� oldest and only lesbian bar, general manager Mindy May says World Cup excitement is already building.
鈥淲hen鈥痵omething like this comes to town, it feels big,鈥� Mays said. 鈥淟ike when the Super Bowl came to town-- it鈥痜eels鈥痓ig,鈥濃��
鈥疢ay says Sue Ellen鈥檚 and their partner gay bar鈥疛搁鈥檚鈥痑re coordinating watch parties throughout the tournament.鈥�
鈥淲e're鈥痟aving a watch party for each game,鈥� May said. 鈥淚'm having鈥痶wo of them here and three of them will be at鈥疛R's.鈥��
She says planning started almost鈥痠mmediately.鈥�
鈥淲hen they first told us,鈥疘 think we鈥痶hought鈥痳eal鈥痓ig, like, are we having a parking lot party?鈥� May said. 鈥淭he World Cup falls during Pride Month, so everything should feel extra.鈥疘t's鈥痑lmost like a gift.鈥濃��
Besides the celebration, May also addressed safety concerns, especially for transgender fans
鈥淚鈥痗ouldn't鈥痠magine鈥痶he environment that comes with going somewhere else and鈥痺atching鈥痵occer,鈥� May said. 鈥淪o鈥痽eah, we try to provide every little thing that comes along as a safe place for them.鈥濃���
is a tiny gay bar in Oak Cliff, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in welcoming vibes. Manager Dan Friessen says that out-of-town visitors often describe having a bar 鈥渏ust like it鈥� back home. That feeling of comfort is what keeps people coming back.
Friessen adds that all queer bars, even those not showing the games, offer something that traditional sports spaces sometimes鈥痗an鈥檛: the freedom to relax.鈥�
鈥淎 lot of people are鈥痡udgmental,鈥� he said. The LGBTQ community鈥痙oesn't鈥痺ant to have the hassle of dealing with people who are judgmental of them, so they can come here and get away from that.鈥濃��
鈥淚t's鈥痑 fun place and people are very friendly,鈥� Friessen said. 鈥淵ou can get to know鈥痡ust about everybody.鈥�
And while these bars are designed as queer spaces, both Friessen and May stress that everyone, including those visiting for the World Cup, is welcome.鈥�
鈥淭hese people are our people,鈥� May said. 鈥�淪o,鈥痺e are showing them as a club to welcome them in, to have them鈥痮ver, basically.鈥��
Friessen adds, 鈥淚 just want to let everybody know that鈥痶hey're鈥痺elcome to鈥痗ome and enjoy鈥痶he space.鈥濃��
That sense of inclusion is what draws fans like Alexsis to these spaces.鈥�
鈥淧lease鈥痗ome out鈥痟ere,鈥� May said. 鈥淭his is a safe place, and this is where鈥痶hey're鈥痝oing to feel like they鈥痝ot鈥痶o see something new and fun.鈥�
Details: The FIFA World Cup comes to North Texas June 14-July 14. Check out our list of watching parties around North Texas.
