Celebrating Pride Month and highlighting useful resources

It’s Pride Month, and at Active Sussex we’re focusing on how we can make sport and physical activity more welcoming for LGBTQ+ people. 

Everyone should feel safe, included and able to take part. But, right now, 58 per cent of LGBTQ+ people are not meeting the government’s recommended levels of physical activity.

We also know that one in five LGBTQ+ people who go to gyms, sports clubs or activity groups experience discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

This shows how important it is to remove barriers and create spaces where everyone feels they belong.

As part of this work, in February we co‑produced a video for LGBTQ+ History Month. It highlights local clubs that are already taking action to make their sessions more inclusive and welcoming.

You can watch the video below.

More recently, we hosted an LGBTQ+ in Sport workshop for clubs and activity groups, delivered by Stonewall.

The session covered:

• What key LGBTQ+ terms mean
• What allyship looks like in practice
• The experiences LGBTQ+ people often have in sport and exercise
• How clubs can remove barriers and challenge discrimination

Everyone who took part received practical resources on inclusive language, how to be an ally, and how to safely challenge harmful behaviour using Active Bystander approaches.

One participant afterwards pledged: “I will hold a discussion at the club about the Rainbow Laces campaign and how we can get involved.”  

This shows how clubs are already thinking about positive changes they can make.

If you’d like to learn more, here are some helpful resources:

• Stonewall – LGBTQ+ Terms 
• Stonewall – How to get involved – Rainbow Laces 
• LGBT Foundation – Hidden Figures – LGBT Health Inequalities in the UK 
• Youth Sport Trust – LGBTQ+ 
• Play Their Way – Tips for reducing barriers to LGBTQ+ participation 
• Video about the Proud Pledge
• Stonewall – Sign the Proud Pledge
• Active Sussex – How to be an Active Bystander 
• Active Bystander poster for clubs – 5 D’s

If you’d like to join a free LGBTQ+ Inclusion session, run by Sport England and Accessible Futures on Tuesday, June 23, 1.30–3pm, you can sign up by clicking the link here.