Jess Carter: power, pressure, pride and prejudice

As you might have read in the memo two weeks back, here at The Unmistakables, we have been celebrating the Women’s Euros. It’s a beautiful moment for the game. But there’s another reality running alongside the progress: racism hasn’t left the pitch. Or my social media feed. 

This year, England’s Jess Carter has become one of the most visible examples. Not for a spectacular goal, but for the racist abuse she’s endured simply for showing up and playing.

Playing under pressure and prejudice

Jess has faced a wave of racist abuse online during the tournament. So much so, she stepped away from social media entirely. This wasn’t just a few trolls, it was persistent, targeted, and vile. According to data, she was the most mentioned Lioness during the early rounds, and 14% of posts about her were abusive.

That’s nearly 1 in 7 messages. 

The abuse Jess received was explicitly racist, misogynistic, and often sexualised. She was subjected to slurs, monkey emojis, and posts questioning her citizenship, appearance, and “attitude.” Some messages referenced her mixed heritage in degrading ways, while others used coded language to reinforce racist stereotypes: "aggressive," "angry," "undeserving." It wasn’t just about football, it was about identity.

It’s the kind of targeted, dehumanising hate that leaves lasting harm. And like many women of colour, Jess was hit with the double burden of racism and sexism.

A few bad apples? 

It’s easy to imagine online abusers as anonymous bots or angry teens in basements. But it’s more complicated and uncomfortable than that. Research shows much of the abuse comes from “ordinary” users: adult football fans, often tweeting under real names, with real jobs. Some don’t see what they’re saying as racist at all, but see it as “banter” or “criticism.”

But racism in any form, coded, casual, or explicit is still racism.

Is taking the knee enough?

Symbols matter but only when backed by action. This year, the Lionesses chose to stop taking the knee before games, saying the gesture had lost its impact. Lucy Bronze was clear: what matters now is not kneeling, but changing systems. Ian Wright echoed this sentiment, saying that taking the knee felt powerful once, but it’s not enough on its own. However he would still choose to do it for as long as it takes. 

But not everyone agrees. We asked Paul, our taxi driving friend to raise the question to his passengers this week. 

They had lots to say about taking the knee, and apparently it was also a hot topic in the cab a couple of years ago. 

Many passengers challenged taking the knee as, in their view, it is closely tied to Black Lives Matter, a movement tied to allegations of “embezzlement” with money that mostly did not go to black communities. 

Others added that taking the knee caused divisions where there ‘wasn’t any’. That we are different from the USA and it caused rifts rather than brought people together. 

So what is enough?

What football institutions can do:

• Platform accountability: UEFA, the FA, and clubs must work with platforms to demand takedowns, not just report abuse. The Online Safety Act now gives regulators real power and they need to use it.

  
  

• Swift sanctions: Ban abusive fans from stadiums and club membership. Make examples of offenders. Visibility changes behaviour.

  
  

• Mandatory anti-racism training: Ongoing, expert-led education from youth clubs to elite academies.

  
  

• Support players: Provide real-time mental health support and legal options for those targeted.

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What businesses (including yours) can do:

• Stand up with consistency: Don’t just post about inclusion on International Women’s Day or during Pride. Support your values in July, in a final, when it’s hard and controversial.

  
  

• Use your platform: Got a brand account? Use it to promote diversity and inclusion. Silence is safe for you, but risky for the people being harmed.

  
  

• Audit your culture: Are people in your workplace comfortable challenging racism? Would you know if they weren’t?

  
  

And what you can do:

It’s not just about what UEFA does (though yes, they hold quite a bit of power). It’s about what we do in the WhatsApp group, in the family chat, in the office or at the park. 

• Call it in. Gently or firmly. Privately or publicly. But say something. Racism thrives in silence.

  
  

• Listen to players and fans of colour without defensiveness. Their experiences aren’t “too sensitive,” they’re real.

  
  

We say we support equality. That means speaking up even when it’s uncomfortable even with people we love. Even when it risks a bit of awkwardness at the barbecue this weekend.

There’s still so much to celebrate in this game. Let’s make sure everyone gets to celebrate it equally.