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There’s No Off-Season For Inclusion.

There’s No Off-Season For Inclusion.

It has been nearly ten years since Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign began raising awareness and bringing visibility to LGBTQ+ people’s experiences in sports.

Our LGBTQIA+ community has seen so much progress this year, with sportspeople coming out, including Josh Cavallo, Soloman Bates and nonagenarian baseball star Maybelle “May” Blair.

The Rainbow Laces campaign encourages everyone to make a difference by starting conversations with those around us, speaking out when we hear anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, and raising awareness of LGBTQ+ stigmas in sports.

Sport should be everyone’s game, whether you’re a sports fan, a gym junkie, or part of a community sports club. Thousands of individuals, grassroots organisations and sports clubs are already tying their Rainbow Laces to keep up the fight for sports inclusion.

However, Stonewall’s statistics show that we still have a long way to go:

Only 43% of sports fans think live sports events are welcoming for LGBTQ+ fans

14% of sports fans still think homophobic remarks are acceptable in sport

Just 40% of sports fans think competitive sport is welcoming for gay and bi men

43% of sports fans think competitive sport is welcoming for lesbian and bi women

Only 29% of sports fans think competitive sport is welcoming for trans sports personalities

The Rainbow Laces season runs from 19th-31st October this year, with Rainbow Laces Day on the 26th October.

Rainbow Laces are now available in ace, bi, lesbian, non-binary, pan, and trans flag colours designed to make all members of the LGBTQIA+ community feel welcome in sports.

For 20% off your very own Rainbow Laces, use the code LACES22.

Words @raejoancreative

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