Lupi Roma Outsport’s ongoing commitment to fighting discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people, as well as its intersectional approach, have led it to relate to other minority groups in the area and to deal with other aspects of discrimination. Lupi Roma Outsport has thus promoted initiatives for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis with AISM (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society) and for the support of refugees with refugee football team Liberi Nantes, as well as carrying out a campaign for the International Day Against Homobitransphobia during the first Covid-19 lockdown, involving other local sports entities advocating for LGBTIQ+ inclusion.
Colpi di Tacco (Heel Strike) is an initiative that takes place once a year, in addition to special editions. Its name is linked to the image of a football player wearing high heels, as an homage to the irony historically used by many LGBTIQ+ activists to criticize gender roles and machismo.
This sports event is open to everyone and promoted in the Roman neighborhood of Pigneto, where a football tournament is held based on the so-called “fairplay” rule: participants register individually, teams are generated randomly, and team captains also act as referees.
A presentation, panel or pedagogical exercise inspired by ETS (Education Through Sport) practices usually opens the tournament, and a moment of final socialization (i.e.: social dinner) is always guaranteed.
Colpi di Tacco is made possible thanks to the collaboration with other groups and associations that act in the territory, involving different types of participants, for instance economically disadvantaged youth, migrants, young footballers. The objective of this practice is in fact to involve people with different backgrounds and cultures, also belonging to contexts that are typically not involved in civil rights movements.
Colpi di Tacco aims at bringing people together, overcoming prejudices that often intersect: the lack of openness towards LGBTIQ+ people, the fear that migrants could represent a threat to Italian society, the prejudice against people living with disabilities. Sport can be a perfect tool to overcome these barriers.
