QueerAF Partnership: Why queer representation in sports shouldn’t feel like a Herculean effort

As someone who grew up queer the last thing I never expected I’d get into sports, especially with the lack of LGBTQIA+ sporting role models. Fast forward to 2024 and we’ve just had 195 openly LGBTQIA+ athletes competing in the Olympics and I’m a member of a local running club and enjoy powerlifting. 

Although the amount of LGBTQIA+ athletes participating in the Games has been impressive, what we should really be talking about is the variety of sports in which they competed. While there’s been a lot of involvement in popular events, such as football and rugby, we’ve also seen competitors in sports such as archery and weightlifting. Seeing someone you relate to can only be a positive thing, as many of us struggle to get involved in sports due to alienating experiences in school. Research carried out by LGBT Youth NW and Pride Sports found that the majority of us have experienced either homophobia or transphobia in school sports or found the environment unwelcoming. Going to a school where rugby was prioritised, it never felt like something I could get involved in, especially at a time before players like Gareth Thomas came out. This put me off not just rugby but sports in general until I reached my late 20s. 

Having visibility at such a significant global event is excellent news, but we need to consider how to get more LGBTQIA+ people involved in sports in the first place. This is where grassroots movements and community sports teams deserve to take centre stage. For years they’ve provided LGBTQIA+ people a safe place to try sports, but awareness still needs to be improved. One way this could be done is by making sports opportunities available in existing LGBTQIA+ spaces and events.

This year saw the first Out for Sport festival during London Pride, which gave attendees taster sessions of different activities, all run by around 20 LGBTQIA+ inclusive clubs based in London. Knowing that there are events in LGBTQIA+ friendly spaces could provide the crucial first step for people to see the variety of activities that they are able to take part in. This would also remove a level of anxiety that can often arise, especially if you’re interested in a sport where the perceptions are particularly gendered, like powerlifting.

We also need to promote positive experiences and efforts to tackle existing barriers in sports. Hearing about queer people running events like non-gendered strength competitions may inspire people to participate or add to discussions about making sports a fairer place for everyone. As a non-binary powerlifter, knowing that these discussions were taking place would encourage me to keep engaging with the sport and have reachable goals

There are now more LGBTQIA+ clubs like the Gay Outdoor Club and Dykes who Hike being set up across the UK, providing experiences outside people’s comfort zones or local areas. As with the Olympics, these clubs also cover a wide range of sports, from rugby and running teams to the UK’s first LGBTQIA+ surf club based in South Wales.

Although the process of finding these groups can be daunting, there are sports club finders available that allow you to filter by location and activity. Even if you cannot find something in your area, you can find guides that can help you understand what steps need to be taken. 

Taking part in sports can be an imposing prospect, particularly for LGBTQIA+ people, but the growing availability of clubs and teams should be an encouraging sign. Coupled with the increased visibility of LGBTQIA+ athletes at all levels, there has been an improvement. However, there is still room to grow. Grassroots groups give us spaces to be ourselves, share experiences, and build community – but we also need to see them as part of a more extensive toolkit that can tackle existing barriers in sport. 

By supporting more queer people to discover sports, our community can also begin to heal from the struggles we have faced, ranging from difficult school experiences to feeling a sport isn’t suited to you.  

This article is part of a QueerAF and Inclusive Journalism Cymru partnership dedicated to uplifting Welsh LGBTQIA+ emerging and marginalised journalists. 

You can follow Sam on X and LinkedIn. 

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