In response to Melbourne United National Basketball League Club’s Isaac Humphries coming out publicly as gay, Pride in Sport, the national not-for-profit program that supports Australian sporting organisations and clubs in all aspects of LGBTQ inclusion, has issued the following statement.

Beau Newell, National Program Manager for Pride in Sport, said: 

Pride in Sport applauds Melbourne United player Isaac Humphries for his courage and leadership in becoming the first openly gay male NBL player.

Humphries, an elite, professional male basketball player, is the one of only few elite male athletes in Australia to come out publicly as gay. In a statement issued by the NBL, he addressed his challenges in continuing to play the game not being his true self, but also the relief and joy he feels for doing so and being able to be a role model for younger athletes.

His bravery is to be congratulated and his journey shows the unfortunate reality that many athletes face when they are not able to enjoy the sport they love as their true selves.

pic.twitter.com/YTMc5bzLKc

— Isaac Humphries (@IsaacHumphries7) November 15, 2022

Like Humphries, many athletes self-edit their existence in sport and expend a good deal of their daily energy on hiding their true self from others. His statement highlights the fear that many athletes have in coming out: that they will face potential discrimination, harassment, bullying from those within their sport and loss of professional opportunities.

We know that experiences of prejudice and harassment, and/or not being able to live openly can impact on the mental health of LGBTQ people. Research shows that traditional sports are often seen as unwelcome spaces for people of all ages with diverse sexualities or genders, with many athletes being completely or partially in the closet while playing sport due to fear of intolerance and discrimination from other players, coaches and officials.

This is a fear that is justified for many, but as many LGBTQ athletes who have recently come out over the past few years have demonstrated, such as Adelaide United FC player Josh Cavallo most recently, it has not been their experience.

It is the right of every player to be accepted and affirmed, on and off the sporting field, and we know that when this happens, mental and physical health outcomes dramatically improve.

Sport has an amazing opportunity to provide a safe and inclusive environment to all people, including people with diverse genders and sexualities. We congratulate Melbourne United and the NBL for providing a player with a welcoming, supportive, and safe professional environment where he can be himself.

We applaud Humphries for sharing his story and couldn’t be prouder of him.

ENDS

Pride in Sport Statement

NBL Statement

Melbourne United Statement

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

David Alexander

ACON Media and Communications

Mobile: 0428 477 042

Email: DAlexander@acon.org.au

CONTENT WARNING:
The following story may be triggering for some members of the trans and gender diverse community.

The following is a piece written and supplied by Pride in Sport Ambassador, Ricki Coughlan.

So 30 years ago today [1 Dec 1991] I dropped into the local news agent to pick up the morning paper on my way to my Sunday run at Centennial Park and this [front page article] greeted me . . . The previous evening I had headlined on Channel 7 news, as that afternoon a person who couldn’t deal with my existence brought a news team and a phoney petition to Sydney Athletic Field.

This was pretty devastating for me. I’d been running and racing for a few years at this point and loving my sport. I ran with a great squad of runners and enjoyed my weekend racing with so many amazing athletes. I had a career in the fitness industry, a nice relationship with a man and a good circle of friends. I was just an average person in the burbs living her dreams.

“I had lost my social anonymity and had to explain my life to everyone…”

After a terrible struggle in my childhood and teen years I took the only action I wanted and needed; I transitioned. This was all now 10 years in my past in 1991 and I had completely moved on in my life. But now, I had lost my social anonymity and had to explain my life to everyone in my immediate social and professional circle and everywhere I would go for the next couple of years everyone would know my story. It was embarrassing. I didn’t want this. I wanted to live my life just like everyone else.

There was a media furore, but I had the support of my fellow female athletes, my coach and running squad, workplace and circle of friends. My fears that I would become the object of ridicule and hate were not realised. Instead, everywhere I went I was met with the well wishes of welcoming and supportive people. The general consensus was that the person who outed me had massively overstepped the mark, invaded my privacy and was a cruel bully. I had a right to choose a life I could live and a right to play sport.

“The person who outed me had massively overstepped the mark, invaded my privacy and was a cruel bully. I had a right to choose a life I could live and a right to play sport.”

Some weeks before this hit the headlines I had met with Athletics NSW and they informed me that “Athletics is a sport for everyone and there is a place for you in this sport.” With no precedent to work with anywhere in the world, Athletics Australia requested that I should be tested to make sure that I didn’t have some kind of huge physiological advantage. Really, they only needed to look at my racing results: I was a good club runner and competitive at state level.

So for the next 18 months I was put through a range of tests at the Australian Institute of Sport whilst dealing with media appearances, the lies and nonsense of the person who outed me and the media questioning whenever I turned up to race. In 1993 Athletics Australia notified me that they could find nothing out of the ordinary about my physiology and that I was free to continue competing.

Ricki Coughlan participating in the 2021 Pride Month Video Campaign with Pride in Sport and SBS.

These days people reflecting on those times talk about me in heroic terms and use terms like “trail blazer” but it wasn’t like that for me. I had no idea that there were so many transgender people and no idea that I was setting some kind of precedent. I wasn’t doing what I did for anyone else because I never thought there would be anyone else. I never thought any transgender people would want to play sport and I just wanted to race and enjoy fun and fitness with my friends.

I continued to compete in Athletics for another year whilst the person who outed me found herself increasingly unwelcome. I just melted back into society and got on with my life. It is only in recent years that I’ve begun to understand the significance of those events now, half of my lifetime in the past.

This reflected a reality of the times. Transgender people in those days were not discussed in “polite company”. Trans people were marginalised, despised, considered “perverts” and “weird”. We were broken aberrations and should not be permitted near small children or spoken about near them.

“Many others since have also changed hearts and minds in their circles and shown others who struggle with their gender or their identity what is possible.”

I have more lately heard that my story at the time gave others who were still closeted and marginalised some hope and a dream, which they would also go on to fulfil and I’m glad that was one outcome.

So this story is one of the power of visibility. I didn’t want that visibility at the time, but my visibility put a human face and a name and a person on the term “transsexual”. This gave some hope to a few and changed the hearts and minds of millions of Australians. Many others since have also changed hearts and minds in their circles and shown others who struggle with their gender or their identity what is possible. Trans children and youth are now changing hearts and minds among their school communities and the barriers of ignorance and misunderstanding are coming down in a new generation, promising a better, more welcoming and more inclusive world. The story continues.

Yours in sport,
Ricki Coughlan

If content of this story raises any concerns for you, support is available.​​
  ACON: 1800 063 060
  Lifeline: 13 11 14 ​
  1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732​
  QLife: 1800 184 527 ​

Shop Now for Trans & Gender Diverse Pride Badges

Visit www.facebook.com/profilepicframes and search for ‘Pride in Sport’ to use the above Facebook picture frame.

About Ricki Coughlan

Widely recognised within the sporting industry as one of the worlds first public transgender athletes [in athletics disciplines], Ricki brings a breadth of knowledge and life experience to this space. Ricki is the founder of Love Fitness. Two of her big passions are running and helping other people become their own champion through performance running, fitness and personal development. For over 35 years, Ricki has managed fitness centres and trained fitness leaders. In her years of running and training Ricki has won State championships, and even been picked for State teams. She’s stood on the podium at fun runs, and won plenty of medals. However, the real rewards were perhaps less tangible on those days, like the work which went into achieving those things and the way that work moulded her character. The amazing self-esteem which evolved as every day she tore down negative self-belief and fostered a champion’s mindset. It was also the foundation for a life of amazing health and wellbeing.

About Pride in Sport

Pride in Sport is a national not-for-profit program that assists sporting organisations and clubs with the inclusion of LGBTQ employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators. It is part of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, which provides a range of services to employers, sporting organisations and service providers with support in all aspects of LGBTQ inclusion. All funds generated through membership and ticketed events go back into the work of Pride in Sport, actively working alongside sporting organisations, clubs and participants to make Australian sport inclusive of LGBTQ communities. For more information, visit the Pride Inclusion Programs website here.

Learn more at www.prideinsport.com.au/trans and www.transhub.org.au 

Little Athletics Australia has become the newest member of the Australian Pride in Sport program, committing to further develop and enhance the inclusion of LGBTQ people.

ACON Health’s Pride in Sport program is the only sporting inclusion program specifically designed to assist sporting organisations with the inclusion of employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators with diverse genders and sexualities.

Being a Pride in Sport member means changing practices and working towards a more inclusive, safe, and healthy sporting environment for people with diverse sexualities and genders.

Andrew Johnston, General Manager Operations of Little Athletics Australia, is excited about the opportunity that Pride in Sport will play when helping promote positive messages and examples around LGBTQ inclusion for sport and recreation programs at Little Athletics Australia.

“Little Athletics Australia is pleased to have partnered with Pride in Sport. We aim to further our inclusive practices so that everyone feels welcome”, Johnston said.

Data from the 2020 PSI National Survey showed that just 44% of LGBTQ people felt mentally well within their sport, with 44% of people who are not an active LGBTQ Ally saying they were too busy to be engaged in individual activities.

Data from the Out on the Fields study showed that 80% of people have either witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, with 75% believing that an openly gay person would not be safe as a spectator at a sporting event.

Data from the LGBTIQ+ Health Australia showing that LGBTQ young people aged 16 to 27 are five times more likely to attempt suicide compared to the general population, with transgender people aged 18 and over nearly eleven times more likely.

Beau Newell, National Program Manager of Pride in Sport Australia, said actual and perceived social exclusion is a leading cause of preventable death in Australia, and creating a much healthier and safer sporting culture for LGBTQ people has never been more important.

“By joining Pride in Sport and working with ACON, Little Athletics Australia is showing the community that they care about the health and wellbeing of their athletes, and members across the nation” Newell said.

“Congratulations to Little Athletics Australia for leading the way in changing Australia’s sporting culture, to be more inclusive.”

Pride in Sport is Australia’s first and only sexuality and gender diverse sporting inclusion program for the Australian sporting sector.

ENDS

ABOUT PRIDE IN SPORT

Pride in Sport is a national not-for-profit program that assists sporting organisations and clubs with the inclusion of LGBTQ employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators. It is part of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, which provides a range of services to employers, sporting organisations and service providers with support in all aspects of LGBTQ inclusion. All funds generated through membership and ticketed events go back into the work of Pride in Sport, actively working alongside sporting organisations, clubs and participants to make Australian sport inclusive of LGBTQ communities. For more information, visit the Pride Inclusion Programs website here.

ABOUT THE PRIDE IN SPORT INDEX

The Pride in Sport Index (PSI) is an independently administered benchmarking system that provides the opportunity for all national and state sporting organisations to have their LGBTQ related initiatives, programs and policies reviewed, measured and monitored. An initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Australian Sports Commission and a legacy of the Bingham Cup Sydney 2014 (the world cup of gay rugby), it was developed alongside an advisory group that includes representatives from the National Rugby League (NRL), the Australian Football League (AFL), the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), Football Federation Australia (FFA), Cricket Australia, Swimming Australia, Water Polo Australia, Basketball Australia and Golf Australia. For more information, visit the Pride in Sport website here.

ACON / Pride in Sport Media Contact:
David Alexander, ACON Media and Communications
E: dalexander@acon.org.au
T: (02) 9206 2044
M: 0428 477 042

Little Athletics Australia Media Contact:
Laura McGrane, Media Coordinator
E: laura.mcgrane@athletics.org.au
M: 0400 134 814

Pride in Sport is participating in GiveOut Day 2021, a national day of giving to LGBTIQ+ projects, community groups, and not-for-profit organisations.

The best part? Donations to LGBTIQ+ organisations (like Pride in Sport) on GiveOUT Day are doubled by GiveOUT and its partners. In its third year, GiveOUT Day provides LGBTIQ+ organisations with the opportunity to build awareness of their causes, raise funds for vital services and expand their networks.

We’re on the hunt for our own dedicated GiveOut Day Champions to help raise much needed funds for Pride in Sport, and the important work we do across Australia.

GiveOUT Champions are individuals who fundraise on behalf of an LGBTIQ+ organisation that they’re passionate about (like Pride in Sport!).

What do GiveOUT Champions do?

Each GiveOUT Champion makes their own individual profile and sets a fundraising goal. This broadens the reach of Pride in Sport’s campaign, as GiveOUT Champions engage within their own networks to help us reach a wider audience.

Who can be a GiveOUT Champion for Pride in Sport?

Anyone! GiveOUT Champions are your volunteers, supporters, members, board members, friends of friends, existing or potential partners, members of the public who can get involved by helping fundraise for Pride in Sport.

The earlier you become a Champion, the earlier you can start raising awareness and funds for Pride in Sport!

Follow this step-by-step process to become a Champion!

Step 1:

Click the ‘Become A Champion’ button!
This will take you to a sign-up page at GiveOut’s website.

Step 2:

Create ‘Your Account’ by completing the required form with your personal details.
Be sure to ticket the box “I am registering as a GiveOUT Champion”

Once you’ve filled out your personal details click the ‘Continue’ button.

Step 3:

You will then be taken to a new page where you can fill out ‘Your Profile’.
Be authentic and tell us why you’re fundraising for Pride in Sport, and add an image that means something to you.
A little personal touch. And don’t forget to set a person fundraising goal.

Read the Terms & Conditions.
Then make sure you select ‘Join a Team’ and search for ‘Pride in Sport’.

… … … … … …

Once you’ve selected Pride in Sport as your team, click ‘Continue’.

Step 4:

Click ‘Sign Up’ to finalise your account and Champion status for Pride in Sport.
You can also kick-start your campaign and donate to Pride in Sport. This way it is attributed towards your personal target.

Step 5:

Begin fundraising!
Promote your Champion Account page (web address) with your friends, and encourage them to donate to Pride in Sport via your page.

For any enquiries/support, please email us – info@prideinsport.com.au

The National Sports & Physical Activity Convention (NSC) is pleased to confirm that this year’s event, scheduled 9-11 November, has now been realigned to meet the industry’s needs during Covid. The new format aims to redefine the future of industry conferences by offering a combination that flexible on-demand options, virtual and interactive keynote sessions, in-person networking and hundreds of hours of extended interviews and access to industry knowledge in the NSC Academy.

The expanded NSC conference program now offers:

• Weekly Global and Keynote Sessions every Thursday morning (90 minutes)
• 7 hours of on-demand workshops against each of the 5 streams
• NSC Oration, Awards and Networking event planned for Thursday 9th December
• Access to over 75 hours of video interviews, presentations and insights as part of the NSC Academy
• Over 20 hours of Supplier Solutions interviews that are aligned to each of the conference streams

NSC Co-Founder Martin Sheppard commented “We have worked with our collaborators, speakers and sponsors to bring the industry an expanded program with significant increased value, which has been challenging, but exciting at the same time.”

Sheppard continues “The NSC has become Australia’s leading community sport and recreation industry conference and there is an expectation that we will continue to share global best practice with policy advocacy and case studies from across Australia and New Zealand. By adopting new platforms, NSC21 can do this and provide flexible solutions. We aim each Thursday morning (9.00am – 10.30am) to host a keynote discussion and interactive session for the industry to participate in. At the end of this session, delegates can then access approximately 7 hours of on-demand streamed workshops. This will be hosted over 5 weeks (11th November – 9th December).”

The weekly streams are:

• A Bold Agenda for Managing Sport (Thursday 11th November)
• Growing Participation in Active Cities (Thursday 18th November)
• Creating Community Sport and Leisure Facilities with Impact (Thursday 25th November)
• Sustainability in Sports Field and Facility Design (Thursday 2nd December)
• NSC Oration – A Blueprint for the Next Decade, Brisbane 2032 and Beyond (Thursday 9th December, 4pm)

The NSC Oration full program will be launched on 1st October and will be held on Thursday 9th December 4.00pm-6.00pm and will include:

• NSC Oration and Panel Discussion: A Blueprint for the Next Decade – Brisbane 2032 and Beyond;
• Australian Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards presentation;
• Launch of NSC 2022; and
• Industry Networking event.

The full program can be viewed here.

Pride in Sport is a proud collaborator for the National Sport & Physical Activity Convention

Tennis NSW has become the newest member of the Australian Pride in Sport program, committing to further develop and enhance the inclusion of LGBTQ people. 

ACON Health’s Pride in Sport program is the only sporting inclusion program specifically designed to assist sporting organisations with the inclusion of employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators with diverse genders and sexualities.

Being a Pride in Sport member means changing practices and working towards a more inclusive, safe, and healthy sporting environment for people with diverse sexualities and genders.

Nikita Sayle, Head of Inclusion, Diversity and Programming at Tennis NSW, is excited about the opportunity that Pride in Sport will play when helping promote positive messages and examples around LGBTQ inclusion for sport and recreation programs in the NSW tennis community.

“Tennis NSW is pleased to have partnered with Pride in Sport. We aim to further our inclusive practices so that everyone feels welcome”, Sayle said.

“Tennis NSW has recently announced Vision 2025, a four-year strategic plan for tennis in NSW. This strategic plan highlights the increased focus for the organisation in Inclusion and Diversity. Vision 2025 reiterates the plans for Tennis NSW to increase its focus on engagement with and opportunities for the LGBTQ community in NSW as we deliver on our Inclusion and Diversity strategy.”

Data from the 2020 PSI National Survey showed that just 44% of LGBTQ people felt mentally well within their sport, with 44% of people who are not an active LGBTQ Ally saying they were too busy to be engaged in individual activities.

Data from the Out on the Fields study showed that 80% of people have either witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, with 75% believing that an openly gay person would not be safe as a spectator at a sporting event.

Data from the LGBTIQ+ Health Australia showing that LGBTQ young people aged 16 to 27 are five times more likely to attempt suicide compared to the general population, with transgender people aged 18 and over nearly eleven times more likely.

Beau Newell, National Program Manager of Pride in Sport Australia, said actual and perceived social exclusion is a leading cause of preventable death in Australia, and creating a much healthier and safer sporting culture for LGBTQ people has never been more important.

“By joining Pride in Sport and working with ACON, the Tennis NSW is showing the community that they care about the health and wellbeing of their athletes, and members across NSW”, Newell said.

“Congratulations to Tennis NSW for leading the way in changing Australia’s sporting culture, to be more inclusive.”

Pride in Sport is Australia’s first and only sexuality and gender diverse sporting inclusion program for the Australian sporting sector.

ENDS

ABOUT PRIDE IN SPORT

Pride in Sport is a national not-for-profit program that assists sporting organisations and clubs with the inclusion of LGBTQ employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators. It is part of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, which provides a range of services to employers, sporting organisations and service providers with support in all aspects of LGBTQ inclusion. All funds generated through membership and ticketed events go back into the work of Pride in Sport, actively working alongside sporting organisations, clubs and participants to make Australian sport inclusive of LGBTQ communities. For more information, visit the Pride Inclusion Programs website here.

ABOUT THE PRIDE IN SPORT INDEX

The Pride in Sport Index (PSI) is an independently administered benchmarking system that provides the opportunity for all national and state sporting organisations to have their LGBTQ related initiatives, programs and policies reviewed, measured and monitored. An initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Australian Sports Commission and a legacy of the Bingham Cup Sydney 2014 (the world cup of gay rugby), it was developed alongside an advisory group that includes representatives from the National Rugby League (NRL), the Australian Football League (AFL), the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), Football Federation Australia (FFA), Cricket Australia, Swimming Australia, Water Polo Australia, Basketball Australia and Golf Australia. For more information, visit the Pride in Sport website here.

Squash Australia has become the newest member of the Australian Pride in Sport program, committing to further develop and enhance the inclusion of LGBTQ people. 

ACON Health’s Pride in Sport program is the only sporting inclusion program specifically designed to assist sporting organisations with the inclusion of employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators with diverse genders and sexualities.

By joining the Pride in Sport program, Squash Australia takes another step towards further extending its inclusive sporting culture, one that fosters positive connections between individuals and ensures that everybody who wants to participate in the sport can do so in a safe and respectful environment

Squash Australia CEO Rob Donaghue is excited about the opportunities that Pride in Sport will create by helping promote positive messages and examples around LGBTQ inclusion for sport and recreation programs at Squash Australia.

“Squash Australia is pleased to have partnered with Pride in Sport. We are committed to creating a healthy sporting environment and a supportive community for LGBTIQ+ athletes, coaches, volunteers, staff and supporters.

“Being a Pride in Sport member means we are supported in ensuring squash is a game for all, where everybody feels welcome and respected, both on and off the court,” he said.

Beau Newell, National Program Manager of Pride in Sport Australia, said actual and perceived social exclusion is a leading cause of preventable death in Australia, and creating a much healthier and safer sporting culture for LGBTQ people has never been more important.

“By joining Pride in Sport and working with ACON, Squash Australia is showing the community that they care about the health and wellbeing of their athletes, and members across Australia,” Newell said.

“Congratulations to Squash Australia for leading the way in changing Australia’s sporting culture, to be more inclusive.”

Data from the 2020 PSI National Survey showed that just 44% of LGBTQ people felt mentally well within their sport, with 44% of people who are not an active LGBTQ Ally saying they were too busy to be engaged in individual activities.

Data from the Out on the Fields study showed that 80% of people have either witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, with 75% believing that an openly gay person would not be safe as a spectator at a sporting event.

Data from the LGBTIQ+ Health Australia showing that LGBTQ young people aged 16 to 27 are five times more likely to attempt suicide compared to the general population, with transgender people aged 18 and over nearly eleven times more likely.

Pride in Sport is Australia’s first and only sexuality and gender diverse sporting inclusion program for the Australian sporting sector.

ENDS

ABOUT PRIDE IN SPORT

Pride in Sport is a national not-for-profit program that assists sporting organisations and clubs with the inclusion of LGBTQ employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and spectators. It is part of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, which provides a range of services to employers, sporting organisations and service providers with support in all aspects of LGBTQ inclusion. All funds generated through membership and ticketed events go back into the work of Pride in Sport, actively working alongside sporting organisations, clubs and participants to make Australian sport inclusive of LGBTQ communities. For more information, visit the Pride Inclusion Programs website here.

ABOUT THE PRIDE IN SPORT INDEX

The Pride in Sport Index (PSI) is an independently administered benchmarking system that provides the opportunity for all national and state sporting organisations to have their LGBTQ related initiatives, programs and policies reviewed, measured and monitored. An initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Australian Sports Commission and a legacy of the Bingham Cup Sydney 2014 (the world cup of gay rugby), it was developed alongside an advisory group that includes representatives from the National Rugby League (NRL), the Australian Football League (AFL), the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), Football Federation Australia (FFA), Cricket Australia, Swimming Australia, Water Polo Australia, Basketball Australia and Golf Australia. For more information, visit the Pride in Sport website here.