LGBTQ+ Inclusive Cricket Club Advocates for Inclusion
February 25, 2022
The Birmingham Unicorns, potentially only the second LGBTQ+ inclusive cricket club in the world, and first in its city in the UK, is on a quest to improve inclusion and diversity within the sport. To date, there is only one openly gay male professional cricketer.
Created during the 2020 lockdown, and organized over Zoom, the Unicorns provides a place for people passionate about cricket to play and socialize in a welcoming environment. Last summer, the club played its first match against Graces Cricket Club, the world’s first LGBTQ+ club, making history as the first-ever LGBTQ+ inclusive cricket match in the world. They are set to play in their second full season, and founder Lachlan Smith one day hopes the club will be competitive enough to play league cricket.
"Teams like Graces and Unicorns, and events like Sunday's, can play a big role in helping to further welcome LGBTQ+ cricket fans and cricket players alike, and I'm really excited about the game of cricket coming together to break down barriers and become more inclusive," said England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive, Tom Harrison, before the June 2021 Birmingham Unicorns v Graces match.
Having played as an openly gay man at a club in South Birmingham for a number of years, Smith felt that the LGBTQ+ community needed to be encouraged to take part and get involved in cricket. He re-kindled his love for the sport after giving it up in his early twenties and decided to find a way to share cricket more widely and fully inclusive. Smith will be joining the Warwickshire County Cricket Club Members Committee to improve the sport's inclusion and diversity in the county.
With support from the community, Graces, Pride Sports and Birmingham LGBT, the club had 20 people interested in either playing or helping. The club is supported by Warwickshire Cricket Board, the ECB and main sponsor, the Cricket Supporters’ Association.
Smith told Sky Sports that cricket was a good aid for mental health, and he wanted to open doors for other LGBTQ+ people to enjoy the sport. “Here we are two years later, about to enter our second season, and we’re a club that focuses on enabling LGBTQ+ people to play cricket in a supportive environment.”
It’s not just LGBT inclusion that the club and Warwickshire CCC are working towards. They recently became one of the first sporting organizations to announce a new multi-faith charter. Created with input from representatives from various religions, the club promises a safe and welcoming environment for players, staff and visitors.
Source: Sky Sports