Why Pride Month is more than just the change of a logo

Every June, Pride Month celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community. It gives us the chance to embrace and celebrate participation and inclusion and sport is a great way of doing this.

Sporting clubs should be a place where everyone should feel comfortable and safe and whilst there has been progress made there is still a long way to go.

One of the Adelaide University Rugby Union Club team’s known as the Sharks have been leading the way in making everyone welcome and celebrating participation and inclusion.

In June 2020 they became Adelaide’s first gay and inclusive rugby union club and they played their first-ever match since forming almost 12 months earlier.

Sharks player Abbas Hakeem said he was very appreciative of the way the club that he now called his family had embraced him.

“Playing for the Sharks has been transformative in my journey, as an international student, moving to Adelaide was daunting, and as a gay person, the fear of acceptance in sports was paralysing,” Abbas said.

“However, the Sharks embraced me with open arms.

They did not just give me the opportunity to play the sport I now love, but also provided a safe haven where I can express myself freely. Sharks has become more than a team for me—it’s a family that understands, supports, and stands by me.

This solidarity and sense of belonging have been instrumental in enriching my university experience at the University of Adelaide, extending far beyond the rugby field and into my social life. 

The love and camaraderie I've found in the Sharks have bolstered my confidence and taught me the essence of teamwork, resilience, and acceptance. 

These lessons are not just pivotal to sports, but are values I carry in my daily life. 

So, the Sharks is not just a rugby team to me; it's a beacon of hope, acceptance, and resilience.”

Abbas said sporting clubs could be tough and challenging.

“LGBTQ+ representation in university sport is not just about ensuring diversity; it is a crucial stepping stone to creating a more inclusive, respectful, and empathetic society,” Abbas reflected.

“For individuals like me, who identify as gay, sports have often been a challenging terrain to navigate due to deeply entrenched stereotypes and potential discrimination.

But representation shatters these barriers, making sports a welcoming environment for all. 

It empowers us to embrace our identity, liberates us from the fear of judgment, and ignites the passion to strive for excellence.”

Adelaide University Sport is also focused on highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion and making sporting clubs a place where everyone is welcome.

During Pride Month, Adelaide University sporting clubs have been given the opportunity to go into a draw to win a $500 inclusivity grant by sharing what they are doing for Pride Month with the funds to be used for supporting activities they are doing during the month.

The Adelaide University (AU) Hockey Club and Rugby Club have both been rewarded with a $500 inclusivity grant as part of the campaign.

We couldn't decide on one winner, so we shared the love and granted both clubs $500! 

It was great to read about what clubs are doing to celebrate Pride Month and how they operate to be inclusive and welcoming. 

Both the Rugby & Hockey Clubs are hosting Pride Rounds in the coming weeks - we'll share more about this in the coming weeks!

Adelaide University Sport and Fitness General Manager, Michelle Wilson said Pride Month was so important and as such it forms a vital part of our commitment to Participation and Inclusion within our strategic plan.

Michelle also said that inclusion underpins everything that we do and sport was a great way of connecting communities and celebrating that diversity.