A new research initiative, including a nationwide survey, has been launched to investigate homophobia and transphobia in sport throughout Scotland.
The lottery-funded Out for Sport, run by Scottish charity the Equality Network, is looking to gather information that will help the Scottish Government and sports bodies to stamp out prejudice, lift barriers and encourage greater sports participation among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Scott Cuthbertson, Community Development Coordinator for the Equality Network, explained: “For too long homophobia and transphobia has been allowed to plague Scottish sport, with prejudice and discrimination too often left unchallenged. This will be Scotland’s biggest research to date on homophobia and transphobia in sport.
“With all eyes on Scottish sport in the lead up to the Olympics and Glasgow Commonwealth games (in 2014), now is the right time to ensure sport is fully inclusive to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” he added.
The Equality Network will be working with LEAP Sports Scotland, a national organisation established in 2011 to support LGBT sporting groups.
Hugh Torrance, Chair of LEAP Sports Scotland, welcomed Out for Sport: “LGBT people report to us that homophobic and transphobic attitudes, and institutional discrimination, are the biggest barriers to their inclusion in sports. This commonly begins in PE at school, and pervades at all levels.”
He added: “As LEAP Sports Scotland will be working to ensure that there is a positive legacy for LGBT people from the 2014 Commonwealth Games, we welcome Out for Sport as an initiative to help lift this barrier and encourage participation.”
The Equality Network is encouraging people to respond to the Out for Sport survey and share their opinions on homophobia and transphobia in sport: http://www.outforsport.org.uk
