Pride House patrons from government, sport and entertainment

15th May 2014

Press Release

2014 Pride House Glasgow
LEAP Sports Scotland

LEAP Sports Scotland is delighted to announce a number of important supporters of PRIDE HOUSE that will be open to all in Glasgow for this summer’s Commonwealth Games.

Patrons of Pride House will include the Cabinet Secretary for the Commonwealth Games and other leading figures from government, sport and entertainment:

Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners’ Rights

Marco Biagi MSP, member for the Scottish National Party

Bryan Burnett, Scottish Radio and TV Presenter

Claire Harvey, Captain of the Women’s Sitting Volleyball team at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Patrick Harvie MSP, Co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council

More patrons will be announced in due course.

Located on Albion Street in the heart of the Merchant City, Pride House will play host to a range of sports, cultural and arts events which share as a common theme our vision of breaking down the social and personal barriers which discourage Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people across the country from participating in Scottish sports.
Pride House Glasgow will run from 23rd July to 3rd August and will be a place for people to come together to talk, think, relax and have fun.
Full details of the programme of events will be announced in due course.

Scotland is a leader on LGBT equality and 2014 has already been an historic year with the passing of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 that enables same sex couples to marry in Scotland.

Pride House will offer a further opportunity for the people of Scotland to demonstrate their support for LGBT people at home and across the Commonwealth.

Shona Robison MSP said:
“I am proud to be a patron of Pride House as I am proud of what Pride House stands for. I think it is important we celebrate the progress made towards equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people here in Scotland, but to also recognise the different journeys other countries are on in achieving the same.”

“Pride House will facilitate the sharing of good practice, experiences and resources and provide a constructive platform for voices that may not have previously had the opportunity to be heard. It will promote the visibility, inclusion and participation of LGBT people by celebrating the contribution LGBT people make not only to sport but in society more generally, and I hope this will be conducive to challenging homophobia and transphobia in sport and producing role models LGBT people can aspire to.”

Marco Biagi MSP said:
“While the cause of LGBT equality has come on leaps and bounds even in my lifetime, LGBT role models in sport are rare and so there must be many athletes who continue to hide their sexuality. I hope Pride House can help to normalise the place of LGBT athletes in sport, and make sure that the next generation of gay athletes come of age into a more tolerant and diverse sporting community.”

Claire Harvey said:
“Whilst it is great that, for the most part, purposeful discrimination is behind us, the issue remains that much provision and services are geared towards the majority and that too often, minority groups go unnoticed. That is why places like Pride House are so important. Firstly, they recognise and demonstrate how valued LGBT people are in relation to participating in, organising, volunteering and supporting sport. Many of these people do so for little recognition or reward, but are often shining role models for so many people. Secondly, I believe they provide a place for LGBT people and anyone who wants to be inclusive to come together, celebrate their love of sport. That is why I am so honoured to be part of Pride House; valuing, supporting and broadening the experiences of our community.”

Bryan Burnett said:
“As one of the most welcoming cities in the world, Glasgow is set to deliver a friendly, inclusive games for all and Pride House most definitely has a big part to play in that. Gay men and women can often feel excluded from mainstream sport so I am delighted to be a patron of this great initiative which will promote equality and help make it a games to remember for LGBT Scots and visitors from around the Commonwealth.”

Patrick Harvie MSP said:
“The Commonwealth Games offers Scotland an opportunity to make sport inclusive for LGBT people in Scotland, and more importantly to challenge the prejudice and discrimination that many Commonwealth governments still impose on their citizens. Now that we’ve made progress toward equality and human rights in Scotland it’s vital that we help to achieve that around the world, and Pride House can help us build lasting link with activists in countries like Uganda, Nigeria and Brunei where equality isn’t a matter of pensions and inheritance — it’s a matter of life and death.”

Councillor Gordon Matheson said:
“I am delighted to support Pride House, which I am sure will be a great success during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Glasgow is famed for its welcome to all, and our guests will see the very best of the city this summer.”

Hugh Torrance, Chair of LEAP Sports Scotland said:
“LEAP Sports Scotland is honoured to be organising and managing Pride House for the Commonwealth Games this summer. We feel this is a vital opportunity to further our commitment to bringing equality for all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Scottish sport.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

For any further information, or to be added to our media release database contact:

Katherine Burrows, Director of Public Relations
LEAP Sports Scotland
Baltic Chambers (3rd Floor)
50 Wellington Street
Glasgow
G2 6HJ

Tel: 07764 485006

Email: Katherine@leapsports.org

Web site: www.leapsports.org
Twitter: @LEAPsports

Leadership, Equality and Active Participation (LEAP) in Sports Scotland
is a registered charity in Scotland (SCO43210)