Female football star Gabriella Howell is standing up against the sexist abuse she receives from internet trolls. She plays for Sutton United in the London & South East Regional Women’s League and has recently spoken out about the continuous harassment she faces online.
One troll commented on social media, saying, “That’s the trouble with women’s football, I think players are picked on looks rather than talent.”
To this, Howell responded, “You can be both – you can play football and like wearing high heels.”
She also shared that, “Men will say they’re horny underneath my photos of me playing football – and if I tag my club in the post it’s embarrassing.”
The 22-year-old chooses not to delete these comments as she wants to shed light on the negative aspects of having a large social media following.
“I like to keep [the hateful comments] on my profiles and I don’t delete them,” Howell said.
“Young girls think they want to be an influencer but they don’t see the downsides.
“I like to make people aware.”
“Not everyone’s going to like you,” Howell added.
“I repeat that to myself when I see these comments,” she said.
“You’ve just got to develop a thick skin.”
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