The New South Wales Rugby League is proud to announce it has become a member of the Australian Pride in Sport program this week, strengthening its commitment to further develop and enhance Rugby League as an inclusive sport that is the game for all.
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.
NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said he is excited about the opportunity that Pride in Sport will play when helping promote positive messages and examples around LGBTQ inclusion for competition and community programs throughout the state.
“NSWRL is pleased to have partnered with Pride in Sport. We aim to further our inclusive practices so that everyone feels welcome,” Trodden said.
“NSWRL is committed to providing a safe, fun and inclusive environment for all people, including those of diverse sexualities and genders. Being an inclusive sport not only reflects our core values, it also reflects the diversity of our local communities.”
Data from the Out on the Fields study showed that 80 per cent of people have either witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, with 75 per cent 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 11 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, NSWRL is showing the community that they care about the health and wellbeing of their athletes, and members across NSW,” Newell said.
“Congratulations to NSWRL 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.
