We recently caught up with the Village Spartans RUFC - Manchester and the North West's gay and inclusive rugby team. Here they talk about coming out and why they’re looking forward to the 2012 Bingham Cup.

The Spartans are renowned as Manchester and the North West's gay rugby team. Can you tell us a little bit about the team?

The Village Spartans was formed over a decade ago in 1999. The team currently plays competitively in the North West League - Division 5 East and we play each week on a Saturday between August/September and March/April with training on Wednesday evenings.

The Village Spartans is an inclusive rugby club – we welcome gay, bisexual and straight men. Our focus is on providing a supportive environment for gay men and we welcome all players of all abilities – from those starting out to veterans.

We recently won the bid to host the 2012 Bingham Cup, a biennial competition which is regarded as the “Gay Rugby World Cup.” This is the largest XV a side rugby tournament in the world outside the Rugby World Cup. Bringing it to Manchester is a great achievement and we look forward to getting 1,000 gay rugby players from round the world to Manchester! Register at www.binghamcup.com to find out more.

Village Spartans RUFC has been granted some community funding from Manchester Pride. Please can you tell us what this money will be used for and the difference it will make to your team?

The community funding recently given to us by Manchester Pride will enable us to do a number of things. The funds will be used in our preparations to host the Bingham Cup; for example on the website and marketing materials. Without the funding, the club would have found it particularly difficult to afford the set up costs involved, including the dedicated website and other IT functions.

What advice would you give to sports people who are thinking of coming out for the first time?

Coming out is a very significant time in anyone’s life, regardless of whether or not they are sports people. I suppose the important thing to remember is that there is plenty of support out there from a number of organisations. If, after coming out, people feel uncomfortable playing with “straight” teams, there are plenty of gay and gay friendly sports teams out there.

Can you tell us a little bit about any games you have coming up?

We have a number of league games still to play this season and we’re hoping to get promoted to a higher league next year, so we have a lot of hard work still to do. As well as our regular league games, we also have a couple of tours coming up, including:

• The Hadrian Cup, a yearly national gay rugby tournament held in Newcastle. We have won the cup for the last 2 years running, so we hope to retain it this year.

• The Union Cup, a European gay rugby tournament held every two years. This year, the competition will be held in Amsterdam and we’re in with a good chance of winning. We narrowly lost (3-0) in the final in 2009 to the tournament hosts, The Kings Cross Steelers so we hope that we can beat them this time.

Find out more at www.villagespartans.co.uk

We recently caught up with Manchester Stingers - a football club welcoming all women, regardless of age, ability, race and sexuality. This is what they had to say.

Can you tell us a little bit about Manchester Stingers Women’s Football Club.

Manchester Stingers was formed in 1999. For the past 12 years we have developed into a club for all levels, ages and abilities. From dedicated players to those who enjoy the social side. Whatever your ability or experience the club provides a safe and welcoming environment for women to get fit and increase their enjoyment in sport. Our coaching takes into account individuals different levels of experience and ability so that the team can improve as a whole. Whether you decide that you want to take part in matches or just come along to train it will definitely allow you to meet new people. There are plenty of informal social activities and we have taken part in a few football tournaments, which have allowed us to spend a weekend away, enjoying football and of course enjoying the social side. Even if you don’t want to play you can come along and support us.

Manchester Stingers Women’s Football Club has been granted some community funding from Manchester Pride. Please can you tell us what this money will be used for and the difference it will make to your team?

It’s invaluable. The money we’ve received from the Manchester Pride Community Fund enables the club to continue providing training facilities and coaching for women to take part in football in the centre of Manchester. It also helps to pay towards our training costs, pitch hire and other match-day expenditure.

What advice would you give to sports people who are thinking of coming out for the first time?

It’s important that anyone considering coming out understands the support network that is available to them. They should draw inspiration from fellow sportsmen and women who have taken the same step.

People like Gareth Thomas (Dual Code Rugby International) and Steven Davies (England International Cricketer) are perfect examples of strong willed people who are bold enough to tell the world who they really are. It may not be easy, but I think these two cases have shown that it can be done at a professional level and that attitudes are changing.

At Manchester Stingers we welcome all women, regardless of age, ability, race and sexuality. If you want to play football, we’ll provide you with a safe and welcoming environment.

Can you tell us a little bit about any games you have coming up?

With only five games of the season remaining, we’re hoping to push them all the way and end the season on a high by finishing as high up the table as possible.

And finally, what’s in store for the League for all in 2011?

Whilst it’s still mathematically possible for Stingers to win the title, we’re realistic enough to know it may not happen this year. Even if we don’t win the league, it will have been our most successful season for a long time and the club has taken massive strides both on and off the pitch. Northwich Vixens are having a superb season – they are currently unbeaten. The rest of the league is very competitive and there are no easy games.

For more information visit http://manchesterstingers.co.uk/

‘BALLS’ TO HOMOPHOBIA IN SPORTS

By Matt Horwood

At the end of last month in The Daily Telegraph, 24 year old Surrey cricketing star Steven Davies has come out of the closet as gay. Despite missing out on the World Cup team Davies was wicketkeeper in the winning squad at the Australian Ashes, and is renowned as a fantastic athlete within his sporting field. Despite admitting that his family has known for five years, Davies is the first professional cricketer to ‘come out’ publicly before retirement, and dealt with months of ‘personal conflict’ before realising he was unable to keep his sexuality a secret any longer.

Similarly to this in 2009, rugby star Gareth Thomas came out as being gay.

Thomas, who stated in the Daily Mail that he did not “want to be known as a gay rugby player”, has told the BBC since that he hopes his coming out will pave the way for future ‘in-the-closet’ rugby players, and has firmly stated that what he “chooses to do when [I] close the door at home has nothing to do with what I have achieved in rugby”. Thomas is now involved vocally with charity ChildLine, and Steven Davies has praised his efforts exclaiming that “there was no one to look up to before Thomas”. Since then the reaction to Thomas has been, the star has been accepted for who he was, and has continued to be successful within his game.

Stories such as Davies’ and Thomas’ should not be responded to with shock, surprise or intrigue, but should be respected, applauded and accepted. Thomas’ and more recently Davies’ ‘coming out’ is therefore not the pinnacle point to this story, but the catalyst for an article concerning the unfairly controversial topic of sexuality in one realm of British sport – namely football.

HOMOPHOBIA IN FOOTBALL

English footballer Justin Fashanu is listed as Number 99 in The Pink Paper’s Top 500 Lesbian and Gay Heroes, and is the only professional footballer in the world to come out as being gay. Despite this, the reaction to Fashanu’s ‘coming’ out 21 years ago, can be described as nothing but disgraceful. Aged twenty nine at the time, the £1M Hackney born player was disowned by his family, neglected by his team-mates and rejected by his fans. After an eight year downward spiral, Fashanu hung himself in 1998, after what can only be imagined as the most horrific experience of trying to be accepted for who you are.

Only one year after the tragic death of Fashanu, the well respected and infamous Italian football coach Marcello Lippi made homophobic and degrading remarks about gay men in sport. The coach and ex player, whose many accolades include helping Italy win the World Cup in 2006, told the media that gay football stars should remain in the closet. With such high profiled sporting personalities making remarks such as these, it is possible to see why the public reaction to gay players in football does not look soon to wane.

A MEDIA RESPONSE

FIFA head Sepp Blatter has also made remarks deemed homophobic by some late last year, concerning Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Despite apologies for the remarks, which were meant in jest, they still go to show a measure of inequality between ‘gay’ and ‘straight’ football players (if this wasn’t clear from the sport’s general approach to homosexuality…)

So whilst cricket and rugby stars appear to be able to come out of the closet to accepting fans and fellow players there appears to be lack of support within British football which, according to Publicist Max Clifford in a 1999 interview with The Daily Star, “remains in the dark ages”. Both Stonewall spokesperson Gary Nunn and Associated Press sports columnist have stated that athletes’ ‘coming out’, particularly in football, should not be neither scandalous nor revelatory news. A similar and also interesting view on this comes from Mario Gomez – a player for Bayern Munich – who believes ‘coming out’ could make for better players, who can feel truer to themselves and more liberated on the pitch.

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that we do not watch British sport for the sexuality of players, there is an unfair scrutiny and often prejudice to those players who come out. Many industry professionals have admitted that there are gay players who are out both to team-mates and managers, to no negative reactions, who yet hide their sexuality from the public with no expense spared. Whilst a ‘coming out’ story should not be treated as controversial or shocking, the rarity of it should be taken as a need to break down discrimination, before any more blood is shed in the world of British sport.

Being gay and involved in sports is not unusual and should not be an issue for anyone (LGBT or otherwise). Manchester Pride is proud of our sports teams in and around the village such as the GHAP and Northern Flight (badminton), the Village Spartans (rugby), Northern Wave Swimming Club and the Village Football Club, pictured, who took part in our 2007 Pride Parade to great reception. With such fantastic sporting teams made out of LGBT individuals, it is such a shame that professional gay sportsmen and women must remain ‘in the closet’ to secure their fans and careers.

For now, however, all we can do is applaud athletes such as Davies, Thomas and the late Fashanu for their bravery, and for them paving the way to equality for LGBT individuals both on and off of the playing field…

Tweet us your thoughts: @ManchesterPride

We recently caught up with Northern Wave Swimming Club. Here they talk about their lovely club and the events they have coming up.

Tell us about Northern Wave Swimming Club?

Twelve years ago we began as a swimming club that has developed into a successful sports organisation. Many of our members have been involved in starting up other sports groups, giving excellent friendly links between LGBT groups in Manchester.

Northern Wave Swimming Club is a member of the ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) which is the lead body for this sport. This provides us with support from the professionals in swimming, encouragement to make the club grow and contact with other swimming groups in the UK.

Our club is led by Trevor Burchick MBE and is run democratically by its volunteers. It promotes health, physical wellbeing and develops swimmers’ skills. In addition to these, our stated aims, other benefits have become increasingly apparent, including our growth as a caring social network: making us a thematic health improvement community with social values.

The club meets Sundays (Manchester Aquatics Centre), Tuesdays (Moss Side Pool) and had a dedicated evening Wednesdays (Chorlton) for women. We welcome people from different backgrounds as the activities integrate people of different cultures, including people of different ages, classes, professions and abilities; bringing people together who are isolated and for those who suffer discrimination.

Northern Wave Swimming Club has been granted some community funding from Manchester Pride. Please can you tell us what this money will be used for and the difference it will make to your team?

Funding is essential to enable the club to offer additional opportunities to the LGBT community. For example we have to pay for swimming pool hire, as Frank says on Shameless “we live in Manchester and they charge us for water.” Groups will face a difficult year ahead as funding sources dry up, this is without doubt the year when Manchester Pride funding will help keep activities in the LGBT community afloat. We thank everyone involved.

What advice would you give to people who are thinking of coming out for the first time?

We have all been there and know how difficult this can be, caused by the society of the past. Our advice is to find a friend you can trust and talk to them about your future, the quality of the rest of your like. If no trusted friend is at hand we would recommend Ice-Breakers that meet at Lesbian and Gay Foundation weekly or if our activities appeal, or one of the many LGBT alternative sports clubs that are in Manchester, then come along and make new friends. Realising you are not alone but have good friends will help.

Can you tell us a little bit about any events you have an offer?

The club meets on Sundays (Manchester Aquatics Centre), Tuesdays (Moss Side Pool) and have a dedicated evening on Wednesdays (Chorlton) for women. One of our favourite sessions is the Tuesday end of day weekly ‘Shameless Water Polo’ match to reduce stress. Mike the referee becomes Frank from the TV series Shameless to hand out ‘B’ or ‘F’ yellow and red penalty cards. In 2011 expect more success as we run our annual swim weekend camp (Lancaster University). Join 10,000 LGBT participants at EuroGames in Rotterdam (July) and put on more sessions to keep all taking part more healthy in body and mind.

And finally, what’s in store for Northern Wave Swimming Club in 2011?

We are on the verge of getting the Swim21 quality standards accreditation, its has taken over 1000 volunteers hours to put our 28 section fact portfolio together which is an example of our volunteers commitment to being proud of their club. The Swim21 achievement gives opportunities to be bigger and bid for lottery funding. At Manchester Pride 2011 we will showcase a wave of opportunities and will strengthen partnership links with Pride Sports as together we aim to be at our best, ready to bid for post London Olympic 2012 legacy funds whatever they may be.

http://www.northernwave.org/

We recently caught up with Manchester’s Rugby League for all. Here they discuss the significant changes made to the equality and diversity of the sport, and the games they have coming up.

Can you tell us a little bit about League for all?

League for all is a group that tries to get people of all ages, sexes and abilities taking up active sport. We offer Touch and Tag Rugby as our main sport through our qualified coaches. It is a game that can be played by all due to it being a non contact sport, so no broken bones from hard tackles. It is a great sport for keeping fit and can be played by mixed teams. You can have a good workout and then socialise in the pub afterwards.

League for all has been granted some community funding from Manchester Pride. Please can you tell us what this money will be used for and the difference it will make to your team?

The grant will help us to market and promote ourselves to a greater audience as well as allowing use to update our equipment. This will enable the sessions to become sustainable as well as allowing us to put together a more structured timetable of events.

What advice would you give to sports people who are thinking of coming out for the first time?

Our advice to those sportsmen who are thinking of coming out is to try ,although it is hard to do. Take inspiration from Gareth Thomas, who, in one of the hardest sports in the world, has come out and is respected for it.

We know that the sport of rugby has made significant changes to its equality and diversity departments especially in Rugby League with Sarah Williams (Rugby Football League Equality and Diversity Manager) putting together a conclusive anti Homophobic Guide. This includes advice for both participants and clubs.

Also in Manchester you have the highly successful Village Spartans who play in the city and will be hosting Rugby Union's Gay World Cup, The Bingham Cup, in the city in 2012.

Can you tell us a little bit about any games you have coming up?

We’re planning to run some taster sessions in the sport of touch rugby in the weeks running up to June 11th were we will be holding a Pride Touch Rugby competition on June 11th – location TBC.

Once that has run we hope to continue the initiative and hopefully run a weekly touch rugby session in Manchester.

And finally, what’s in store for the League for all in 2011?

It all depends on us getting out there and promoting the game of Touch Rugby – watch this space.

The lovely members of Northern Wave Swimming Club have just sent us a picture of them with their Manchester Pride cheque.

They've recently been awarded funding as part of our fast-track support grant scheme.

Northern Wave Swimming Club is a not-for-profit community run entirely by a wonderful team of volunteers.

The club is for the lesbian and gay community and friends in Greater Manchester and beyond.

For more information visit http://www.northernwave.org/