Our LGBTQ+ community in volleyball. #INCLUSIVEBYDESIGN#
The Volleyball England Foundation project aims to build strong relationships across communities by creating more inclusive sporting environments for LGBTQ+ people and reducing the barriers towards participation.
Many LGBTQ+ individuals face specific barriers when participating in sports, yet 77% of LGBTQ+ people report that they are more likely to join sports clubs if they are actively labelled as LGBTQ+ inclusive or friendly (CPSU, 2018).
Our project will provide an e-learning toolkit that will enable easy access information for all volleyball clubs, and will support training and workshops, to combat these barriers. NHS England suggest that group sessions which involve physical activity are some of the most effective ways to engage young people from this background. We have seen examples of this within volleyball clubs, that when we foster welcome and inclusive environments individuals from this background not only join clubs but also bring their other LGBTQ+ friends along and that they remain in the club.
Did you know?
17 per cent of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people have experienced and 49 per cent have witnessed homophobia or transphobia in sport.
66 per cent of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people felt that there were problems with homophobia and transphobia in sport and that this acted as a barrier to LGBT people taking part.
One in eight LGBT people (12 per cent) avoid going to the gym or participating in sports groups because of fear of discrimination and harassment.
Only half of lesbian, gay and bi people (46 per cent) and trans people (47 per cent) feel able to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity to everyone in their family.
Three in ten bi men (30 per cent) and almost one in ten bi women (8 per cent), say they cannot be open about their sexual orientation with any of their friends, compared to two per cent of gay men and one per cent of lesbians.
Half of black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (51 per cent) have experienced discrimination or poor treatment from others in their local LGBT community because of their ethnicity.