Seven way to celebrate Pride 2021

June is Pride month and that means celebrating the LGBTQI2S community in sport and beyond. Knowing that LGBTQI2S participants face additional barriers when it comes to accessing and staying in sport, it’s important that we work to address these barriers with tangible solutions year-round. There is no place for homophobia, biphobia or transphobia in sport. While everyone should be welcome and celebrated in sport, we know this is not the reality. That’s why we are working to support and empower the LGBTQI2S community in and through sport by sharing resources and education focused on inclusion, amplifying LGBTQI2S voices and we encourage our sport community to do the same.

In honor of Pride month, here are seven ways to celebrate that you can do in June and every month.

Attend a virtual event

While there may not be a parade or in-person workshops to attend this year, there are plenty of informative and inspiring virtual sessions to choose from. Bonus – virtual means you can go global or even international! Choose an event that speaks to your interests and motivates you to learn more. Here are some of our picks:

• You Belong Here | workshop hosted by PacificSport Interior
• Vancouver Pride Society
• Victoria Pride Society
• Campbell River Pride festival

Host a mini Pride event with your club, office, or close group of friends

While large scale events may be off the table this year, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a meaningful celebration within your organization. Decorate your space, make time for important conversations and show you are an ally.

Learn the history and importance of Pride

Pride is a celebration, but it’s also a reminder of the work and people who paved the way for LGBTQI2S rights and inclusion. What is now Pride, began as a riot against police brutality, led by Marsha P. Johnson, a Black, trans woman and Sylvia Rivera. It’s important to acknowledge this history and apply an intersectional lens to how we celebrate Pride and uplift LGBTQI2S voices.

• Check out this CBC Sports panel where Anastasia Bucsis, Wade Davis, Erin McLeod tackle issues of marginalized orientations
• A recording of CBC’s session on Breaking Binary Barriers in Sport
• 31 LGBTQ Women Who Changed Sports, Culture, Politics, History
• Black Athletes paving the way for LGBTQ Equality

Share your pronouns

Pronouns are part of our identity. When we share our pronouns whether through our email signature, social media profiles, Zoom name or in conversation, we are letting people know that they can be comfortable sharing their pronouns and that no one is assuming their gender. If you’re unsure of someone’s pronouns, ask!

Evaluate

Evaluate your organization’s current policies and frameworks. Do they support LGBTQI2S participation and inclusion? Do they uplift, encourage and allow LGBTQI2S participants to thrive? If you’re not sure where or how to start, use our Inclusion Readiness Checklist. Our resource on Adopting Inclusive Policy Language can help LGBTQI2S participants and staff feel included too.

Educate yourself and others

There are countless resources and education tools available to help you and your organization support LGBTQI2S sport participants, coaches, volunteers, officials, and fans. If you’re unsure where to start check out the LGBTQI2S Inclusion section of the viaSport Learning Centre. Use the filter options to find resources specific to coaching, policy and information collection, transgender inclusion and much more.

The LGBTQI2S+ Sport Inclusion Task Force has just launched their new website. Check it out to learn about their objectives in LGBTQI2S inclusion and for access to resources, articles, and news.

Outsports is the leading LGBTQ+ sports publication, check out their podcast to hear stories from the LGBTQI2S sport community.

Share a story about an LGBTQI2S leader who inspires you

Highlighting leaders in the LGBTQI2S community should be an everyday practice, but Pride is the perfect time to share a story of someone who has impacted you or those around them. Stay tuned for our upcoming athlete profiles where we will share more about their work, their stories and advice they have for LGBTQI2S members in sport.

How are you celebrating Pride this year? Tag us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @viasportbc to let us know. We love sharing what our community is up to.

Happy Pride!