Pride in UCLU Sport returns after a year long absence

The Pride in UCLU Sport campaign is back next week, creating a more welcoming environment for LGBT students who want to get involved in sport.

It launches next Monday, and will include a whole host of events from panel discussions, rainbow matches and a new Pride in Sport pledge for clubs and societies to sign.

Once societies have signed the pledge, they are free to use the Pride in Sport logo on any publicity.

The aim of Pride in Sport is to create a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for LGBT+ students who want to get involved in UCLU sport, as well as officially beginning a campaign in which societies will be encouraged to promote the acceptance of LGBT+ students and condemn negative behaviour from other members.

The issue of LGBT+ representation in university sport is not new. A NUS report  found “46.8 per cent of LGBT students who do not participate in sport find the culture around sport alienating or unwelcoming”, and of those students who do choose to participate, “17.1 per cent of LGBT students… are not open to anyone”.

This year, the Pride in Sport pledge has been expanded – society representatives are required to attend training sessions and meetings with the UCLU LGBT+ network, and the society as a whole is to take a zero tolerance policy to homo/trans/biphobic behaviour and respect the pronoun choices and genders of members.

Pride in UCLU Sport did not run last year despite being considered a relative success in 2014, the Union was contacted but did not respond.