ISSUES
: Sexuality and Gender
Chapter 1: Understanding sexuality
12
#LGBTInnovators – British race walker
Tom Bosworth
T
om Bosworth is a British race walker who holds
three British Records. He is currently ranked
1st overall in the UK for 20 km. He is the British
record holder for the 10k race walk, 39:36, set in 2015
along with the 5,000m race walk, 19:16, set in 2014.
Tom was selected to carry the Olympic Torch through
Potternewton, Leeds. He competed for Great Britain at
the World Athletics Championships, is set to feature at
the Rio Olympics and is the first athlete on the team to
come out as gay.
Tom came out publicly as gay on the Victoria Derbyshire
show on BBC last year. Speaking to the show, he said:
“Coming out is no surprise to my friends, family and
even team-mates, even Mo Farah, who didn’t bat an
eyelid when I told him I was gay.
I got to know him and others on the Great Britain
endurance team prior to the World Athletics
Championships in August after we spent a few weeks
on a pre-training camp in Japan.
It was a great chance to talk about it in a relaxed
environment and everyone was very supportive of me
being the first openly gay athlete on the GB team.
I know there will always be people who have a problem
with my sexuality, but one person’s opinion doesn’t
affect me now, as I have support from my parents and
partner.
All I want to do is give a positive message that you can
succeed in sport whatever your background. Be it gay,
straight, black, white, religious or non-religious – there
are no barriers.
I can only speak from my experience but I found it a relief
to be open with my friends, family and team-mates. It
made me feel comfortable not having that cloud over
me, the feeling that you are covering things up.
I just hope that the more sportsmen and sportswomen
who come out, the more sport will catch up with the real
world.”
LEAP Sports is spotlighting #LGBTInnovators in sport
throughout LGBT History Month this February. We will
celebrate a different LGBTI innovator in sport each day.
LGBTIsports innovators include athletes, competitors,
coaches, managers, community members, founders or
co-ordinators of sports groups, someone passionate
about their sport.
Got an LGBTI innovator in sport that you would like to
shine a light on?
Use your imagination and join the conversation using
the hashtag #LGBTInnovators on Twitter @Leapsports
and Facebook facebook.com/leapsports
Find out more about LGBT History Month at www.
lgbthistory.org.uk.
28 February 2016
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The above information has been reprinted with kind
permission from LEAP Sports. Please visit www.
leapsports.org for further information.
© LEAP Sports 2016
What do you think should be done to tackle homophobia and transphobia in sport? (Tick all that apply)
High profile anti-homophobia/
transphobia campaign
Encouraging more sports
stars to come out
Diversity training for
sports facilitators/
coaches/participants
Homophobia and transphobia
should be challenges more
Encourage more LGBT
people to take part in sport
Tougher sanctions
for sports clubs
More inclusive policies
Tougher sanctions
for spectators
Tougher sanctions
for participants
Other (please specify)
All other responses
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
74%
73%
73%
68%
65%
58%
58%
58%
56%
9%
2%
Number of repsondents
Source:
Out for Sport: Tackling Homophobia and Transphobia in Sport,
Equality Report, June 2012
