‘I hate the word homophobia. It’s not a phobia. You’re not scared. You’re an arsehole’. Morgan Freeman, 2012
Sport can be an incredibly inclusive space, welcoming women whatever their sexuality – and in many cases providing a haven for a young woman, potentially normalising her identity in a way she may not have experienced elsewhere.
And yet sadly, society’s perception of LGBTQ+ women can also be the very thing that drives girls away from sport, with National Governing Bodies historically choosing to downplay the high percentage of queer women in their national sides.
In this important chapter of my book ‘Game On – The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport’, I explore the history of LGBTQ+ women in sport and its impact on participation, and how a more inclusive society today sees high profile gay athletes like Megan Rapinoe no longer penalised by sponsors in the way Billie Jean-King and Martina Navratilova were in the past.
I talk to Kate Richardson-Walsh and Casey Stoney about the issues of stereotyping in women’s sport, and consider how tough it can be to explore the subject of transwomen’s inclusion in sport with the constant vitriol surrounding any discussion of the topic.
Thank you to Sport England for supporting The Game Changers podcast through a National Lottery grant.
Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.
Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers
Hosted by Sue Anstiss
Produced by Sam Walker, What Goes On Media
A Fearless Women production
Jessica Ennis-Hill: On being the poster girl at a home Olympics
Orla Chennaoui: The power of being authentic as a woman reporting sport
Pippa Grange: Understanding the role of fear and how to combat it
Esme Morgan & Charlotte O'Neill: Leading the way in women's football
Rimla Akhtar, Wendy Taylor, Tess Howard & Holly Bradshaw explore the impact of women's sport clothing
Jackie Oatley: Changing career to follow your passion
Lauren Steadman: How para athletes change society's perceptions
Tanni Grey-Thompson: Calling out sports governing bodies for lack of diversity
Steph Houghton: Lessons learnt as a captain of club & country
Mo Hunt: The journey to professional rugby
Lisa O'Keefe: Uniting women’s sport across the world
Kristen Dusting: The cultural and community impact of roller derby
Sabrina Pace-Humphreys: Running Towards Inclusivity
Sue Redfern: Breaking boundaries for cricket umpires
Claire Taggart: The impact of Boccia – a totally inclusive sport
Jess Carter: The reality of life as a Lioness
Series 16 of The Game Changers
2023 Highlights
Kelly Smith: Why talking openly about mental health is so important
Casey Stoney: On embracing mistakes & the desire to keep learning
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