June is Pride Month - Paddy's story!

"I was born in the 1960’s and raised in a strongly Catholic working-class community in the Northeast and entered my teenage years in the 1970’s when being gay was not deemed as being acceptable – even though flares were! There were very few role models for what a positive adult life might look like for me - these were the days before the internet when we had the choice of 3 TV channels and when any stories relating to a sexuality other than being straight were couched in negative terms and when playground and workplace banter was frequently homophobic and accepted as the norm.

Football seemed to be the only game that was recognised as being acceptable for boys and young men to play and even though I joined in with the Sunday League games with my brothers and cousins I always felt like an outsider.  

However, I loved sport and being physically active, especially running but never felt welcome in any team sports I participated in because of the evident homophobia – I knew instinctively that I had to hide my sexuality to avoid being targeted by bullies and that meant I isolated myself and dropped out of team sports to avoid being targeted. That’s a story that I have heard from a lot of LGBTQ+ people who, despite enjoying sport felt excluded, unwelcome and often afraid to participate. 

Jump forward to more recent times and I sense the narrative has at last started to shift in relation to LGBTQ+ participation in sport (more in some than others!). There is a recognition that physical activity makes a major contribution to the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals and specifically, participation in team sports helps build confidence and reduce the isolation often felt by the LGBTQ communities.

There are also an increasing number of public figures in the sporting arena who are willing to talk about their sexual orientation and have not been vilified as a result giving confidence to LGBTQ+ individuals to participate in activities. 

I joined Frontrunners not long after its inception because I wanted to participate in a sport that I loved where it felt safe to be myself. Initially the group was mainly gay men but over the years the group has developed into one of the most inclusive clubs to be in, with participants who are a mixture of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans men and women, non-binary people and heterosexual men and women. It offers a truly supportive place for all members providing training and development, social opportunities and an opportunity to run with a diverse group of people regardless of ability – all of whom celebrate their differences.

I’ve seen first-hand the importance of being included in the group and what that has meant for some of the most vulnerable participants in terms of belonging. I wish this kind of club had been available when I was younger, the value of making connection with such a great supportive group of people is inestimable. 

As chair of the club I’m really proud of the work the committee and members do to make sure everyone feels included and heard within the club and our positive reception from Gosforth Pool has made it possible for us to continue to grow our rainbow run sessions every Wednesday."