How did you spend last Saturday? I usually think of Saturdays as bacon and waffles and then a food coma on the couch. Sometimes I catch up on much needed sleep, or take advantage of being so close to St. Lawrence Market and pick up something fresh and delicious for dinner.
Last Saturday I did something different; I spent the day representing OUTSPORT TORONTO at the Toronto Sports Council Sport Summit 2014. Joined by Olympic Athlete Perdita Felicien, over 100 organisers of community sports programs from across the GTA listened to Ontario Minister for Sport Michael Chan speak about the importance of sports and recreation in our communities. We held round table discussions and provided input into things like bids for future multi-sport games, and heard from TO2015 CEO Saäd Rafi on the projected impact of the Pan/ParaPan American Games in 2015.
People like Brittney Griner and Michael Sam, Blake Skjellerup and Jason Collins, Anastacia Bucsis and Orlando Cruz lead the charge for LGBT inclusion on the elite field of play, but what about locally? What about where we play?
Volunteering with OUTSPORT TORONTO has offered me the opportunity to act as a voice on your behalf in venues where previously there was no active LGBT advocacy. And people are listening. Exciting OUTSPORT TORONTO initiatives like the SportZone at WorldPride, the annual SCRUM conference in November, and acting as Co-Chair for PrideHouseTO for next year’s Pan/Parapan American Games, are raising awareness and encouraging discussion about LGBT inclusion across a broad spectrum of our community and country.
OUTSPORT TORONTO’s vision is to be the respected voice of LGBT sport. I encourage you to join us and add your voice. Visit our website and find out how to get involved today.
