MAKING WALES PROUD TO PLAY
The LGBT+ (Le***an, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender) Sport Cymru Network was formed in 2013 in response to research conducted by Sport Wales which identified that whilst many le***an, gay and bisexual people are interested in sport, they have also been put off by negative experiences, or the perception that it is an unpleasant and unsafe environment for gay people. Whil
st there are significant challenges in quantifying the percentage of the Welsh population who identify as LGB and or T, Stonewall (2014) estimate that between 5-7% of the UK population are LGB and the NHS quotes EHRC data, suggesting that 1% of the population are “gender variant to some extent”. This equates to between 185,522 and 247,363 individuals across Wales who would be considered as LGB and/or T. As Wales strives towards a 2021 aspirational target of 75% of the Welsh Population “Hooked on Sport for Life”, it is essential that every person irrespective of background or circumstances has the opportunity to participate in sporting activity. This requires the sport sector to challenge cultural norms and to diversify the offer based on a sound understanding of communities and their individual biases. Our vision is to support the creation of a thriving, inclusive, sporting community across Wales, where LGBT+ individuals feel safe, welcome and free from discrimination; and where NGB’s, Local Authority Sport Development partners, schools and the wider sporting sector are confident, and competent in delivering programmes that cater appropriately, and appeal, to LGBT+ individuals. Michelle Daltry
LGBT+ Sport Cymru Chair
