A recent survey has revealed that a significant number of LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face discrimination while engaging in physical activities and perceive their identities as hindrances to their participation in sports. This comes as the Rainbow Laces campaign, spearheaded by Stonewall, is re-launched for its 13th consecutive year to promote inclusivity within the sports realm.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Sports
Stonewall's Rainbow Laces initiative is an annual effort that visibly champions LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports. It encourages athletes from both professional and amateur levels across various sports disciplines to wear rainbow-colored laces as part of their sports gear. This act serves to highlight the importance of equality and acceptance.
As a part of this year's #MovewithPride campaign, a YouGov survey found that over one-third of LGBTQ+ respondents (37%) reported experiencing discrimination due to someone else's behavior, attitudes, or language while engaging in physical activities. This is in stark contrast to the overall respondents, of whom only 13% reported similar experiences.
Survey Insights
The survey, which sampled 2,122 adults aged 18 and over on December 22 and 23, 2025, also revealed that slightly more than a third of LGBTQ+ participants (34%) felt that their sexual orientation acted as a barrier to participating in sports and exercise. Additionally, 45% admitted they were not achieving the levels of vigorous exercise recommended by health authorities.
Alarmingly, more than three-quarters (76%) of the LGBTQ+ community members surveyed reported experiencing poor mental health, compared to 44% of the general population.
Voices of Support
Dame Kelly Holmes, a celebrated double-Olympic gold medalist who publicly identified as a lesbian in 2022, is set to host a roundtable in collaboration with Stonewall. This event aims to address and dismantle the barriers that prevent LGBTQ+ individuals from engaging in sports. Holmes remarked, "As an elite athlete, I've had the privilege of winning gold medals, and that achievement is a significant part of my story. Although I'm no longer competing at the elite level, movement and exercise continue to be vital to my wellbeing, supporting both my physical and mental health."
Holmes continued, "I'm supporting the Rainbow Laces campaign because I believe that movement and exercise should be accessible to everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. When individuals feel a sense of belonging, confidence flourishes, making it easier and more enjoyable to participate in sports."
Professional footballer Josh Cavallo, who came out as gay in 2021, emphasized the integral role sports play in his identity, stating, "Being a sportsman is as integral a part of my identity as being a gay man. I am saddened that other members of the LGBTQ+ community are not always able to access the immense joy and benefits that sports and exercise can provide."
The Call for Change
Simon Blake OBE, Stonewall's chief executive, shared his perspective as an enthusiastic equestrian, highlighting the "joy and sense of wellbeing that taking part in movement brings." He asserted, "The Rainbow Laces campaign is working to ensure that this feeling and its benefits are accessible to everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community."
Blake encouraged sporting and exercise organizations to join the Proud Pledge, thereby showcasing their support and enabling all individuals to "move with pride."
Previous research by Stonewall for the Rainbow Laces campaign has shown that LGBTQ+ individuals often feel unwelcome or unsafe while participating in or watching sports. Notably, one in four reported feeling unwelcomed in community sports groups or team sports.
The 2024 research indicated that one in five individuals who attended a live sporting event in the past year felt discriminated against due to their LGBTQ+ identity. Furthermore, one-third of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic LGBTQ+ individuals who attended such events reported experiencing discrimination.
The ongoing efforts to make sports inclusive for all underscore the importance of campaigns like Rainbow Laces, which continue to push for equality and acceptance within the sporting world.
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