The Guild are launching a #RainbowLaces campaign to tackle homophobia in sport

Sports teams will be given rainbow laces to wear at Varsity

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The Guild are launching the #RainbowLaces campaign with Sport Liverpool to address the issue of homophobia in sport.

Research by the NUS Out In Sport 2011 found that almost half of the LGBT students don’t play sport and find it alienating and unwelcoming, so the campaign aims to ensure that all students feel able to take part in sport on campus in an inclusive environment that is welcome to all.

With the Athletic Union, the Guild are encouraging sports teams to wear rainbow laces to show support of the campaign and send a message that homophobia in sports is not acceptable.

The Guild are also creating a pledge for sports teams to sign and sypporting the LGBT society to put on events during the LGBT History Month.

Every club captain will sign the pledge to eradicate homophobia from sport and every sports club will wear Rainbow Laces at Varsity.

The Guild also aim to get 800 tweets on #RainbowLaces by the end of Varsity.

The club captain of every team will sign the Guild’s pledge to eradicate homophobia in sport.

Vice President of the Guild, Rosie O’Donnell, said “The Rainbow Laces Campaign follows on from the Stonewall campaign in 2013 that was aimed at footballers. Since then lots of student unions have done this campaign with their AU and it is about time that we did that too.

“I rowed whilst I was a student and would hate to think that another student wouldn’t feel able to join in just because they’re gay. This campaign isn’t about accusing sports teams of being homophobic, it is about encouraging everyone to be more inclusive and be conscious of any language or behaviour that might exclude people.

“By putting on the laces and getting your team using #RainbowLaces on social media it is a great way to show collectivism and that it really doesn’t matter what your sexuality or gender is, what matters is that anyone can join in with sport.

“The campaign launched on Friday and will continue until Wednesday 17th (a big day of fixtures), when teams will put their laces in and tweet lots of photos @LiverpoolGuild @SportLiverpool using #RainbowLaces.”

Kai, second year History student and member of LGBT society told The Tab, “I support #Rainbowlaces because I want current and future students who are part of the LGBT community to feel like they can enjoy playing the sports that they love at university.”