International match to honour lesbian football hero

She was a footballing genius who lit up the game in the 1920s and 1930s with her antics on and off the field. Lily Parr, who lived openly with her partner Mary and insisted on being paid in Woodbine cigarettes, was the first woman to be inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame. 30 years on from her death, lesbians from around the globe will come together on the pitch to celebrate her brilliant life of this star of the game.

The Lily Parr Exhibition Trophy will be held in Regents Park on Saturday 9th February 2008 as part of LGBT History Month. The event, and a small exhibition at the Hub in Regents Park documenting the Football Association's 1921 ban on women playing in FA grounds (which lasted for 50 years), have been arranged through Camden LGBT Forum in conjunction with Islington LGBT Forum.

An internationally mixed team from London Lesbian Kickabouts will play a French lesbian team, Paris' Arc En Ciel, for the Lily Parr Exhibition Trophy. Possible additional participation from a Spanish lesbian team, Panteres Grogues, awaits final confirmation.

The event is supported by the Lorraine Bowen Experience, who will end the day of lesbian football with an appearance at the after-match reception in the Black Cap pub in Camden.

Kick-off is at 3pm on Saturday 9th February at The Hub, located at the Zoo end of Regents Park, near Primrose Hill Bridge/Avenue Road.

More information on Lily Parr at the London Lesbian Kickabouts website. or on her Wikipedia entry.

With thanks to PinkNews