Manchester United called for fans to share their #ChooseToChallenge stories

 March 09, 2021

Manchester United's International Women's Day statement was clear: "It's time to call out discrimination. It's time to question stereotypes. It's time to #ChooseToChallenge​."

Manchester United fans shared stories of challenges

The UK Premier League football club marked International Women's Day by inviting fans around the world to share their #ChooseToChallenge stories, quotes, or motivation for a chance to win a signed Manchester United Women's shirt.

These were stories that saw people challenge inequality, call out bias, question stereotypes, and help forge a more inclusive world.

Fan stories shared with Manchester Women's team

By sharing their stories, fans stood the chance to have their stories featured in the Manchester United Women’s Team dressing room before their Aston Villa winning 3-0 game that day - March 7.

All fans who submitted a quote were also entered into a ballot to win a team signed 20/21 home shirt.

This was a great way to engage fans and have their stories of challenges heard.

Manchester United Women share their own challenges

Manchester United Women spoke about some of the challenges they had faced throughout their career, what motivates them, and why International Women's Day is important.

"I love being a role model. I feel like that's one of my main focuses and purposes in life is to leave a legacy of some kind and I really want to help and inspire anybody or the next generation in any way i can, particularly the next generation. I'm really interested in helping develop young players and trying to help them grow in any way I can.

"Equality for me is really being able to set a goal for yourself and not being stopped for no reason."

"I think being a role model for me means to just help the girls coming through to know that they can have a future in women's football and give them an opportunity to play for the teams that they dream about."

"I get messages sometimes saying that they look up to you and they see what you're doing and they want to be like you. I think that's massive."

"When I was younger, I played in an all boys team and I was only maybe six or seven and the boys parents and Dads used to shout on the side 'They've got a girl on the team. You'll easily beat these you've got a girl on the team.' And I'll never forget some of them days, I used to look over to my Dad and be like 'Why are they shouting at me? I'm only little.' I think that really made me who I was. It built a lot of my character up and it meant I'd become the person I am today."

"My biggest challenge in my career so far has been when I didn't get a contract when I turned 18. I think that I learned that things don't get handed to you on a plate. You've just got to keep working hard and and one day it will come."

"I think it's all about doing the things that you love and enjoy and be strong enough to to work your way through certain things ,like there's always going to be people who don't agree, which whatever reason doesn't really matter. So even if they don't agree, if you want to do it, just do it."

"International Women's Day is for everyone ... regardless of your gender race or sexual orientation. It's time to call out discrimination ... to question stereotypes. Let's all help forge an inclusive world. We can all choose to challenge."

Watch the Manchester United #ChooseToChallenge video

"It's time to call out discrimination. It's time to question stereotypes. It's time to #ChooseToChallenge," says Manchester UnIted FC.

Watch the Manchester United IWD video.