►
Description
That the Parliament considers that
there is a continuing existence of homophobia in Scottish sport; regrets that research by Stonewall
Scotland states that 60% of sports fans had witnessed homophobic behaviour in the last five
years, which is 9% higher than the rest of the UK; believes that it is important for sports
personalities, coaches and sports clubs in the West Scotland region and across the country to
challenge and oppose homophobia in all its forms to show that it has no place in Scottish sport;
understands that there is a particular problem with homophobia in football, which is highlighted by
the fact that there are no openly-gay, male professional footballers in the UK; commends the work
of the Equality Network and its LGBT Sports Charter, which aims to set out the principles to make
Scottish sport more inclusive, and welcomes the commitment of the SFA and sportscotland to
tackle homophobia and LGBT discrimination in sport.
Published by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.
www.parliament.scot // We do not facilitate discussions on our YouTube page but encourage you to share and comment on our videos on your own channels. // If you would like to join in our conversations please follow @ScotParl on Twitter or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/scottishparliament
A
The
next
item
of
business
is
a
members
business
debate
on
motion,
597
0
in
the
name
of
Mary
fie,
on
tackling
homophobia
in
sport,
and
the
debate
will
be
concluded
without
any
questions
being
put
with
those
members
who
wish
to
speak
in
the
debate.
Please
place
requests
to
speak
buttons
and
I
call
a
minifee
to
open
the
debate
up
to
seven
minutes.
Please
miss
fee
Thank.
B
You
presiding
officer
in
opening
this
debate
can
I
take
this
opportunity
to
welcome
LGBTQ
rights
campaigners
and
activists
to
the
public
gallery
and
can
I
also
thank
members
from
across
the
chamber
for
supporting
my
motion
tackling
homophobia
in
sport,
allowing
this
to
be
to
take
place
almost
two
decades.
Since
the
formation
of
this
Parliament
there
have
been
massive
gains
in
LGBT
rights
and
Scotland.
These
rates,
such
as
equal
marriage,
have
been
hard
fought
for
by
tens
of
thousands
of
strong,
proud
LGBT
activists
and
campaigners.
B
Yet,
despite
these
advances,
discrimination
against
LGBT
people
continues
to
persist
in
all
walks
of
Scottish
society.
Recent
research
from
Stonewall
Scotland
highlights
the
particular
issue
of
LGBT
discrimination
and
Scottish
sport.
A
staggering
46
percent
of
LGBT
people
do
not
find
sporting
events
to
be
welcoming
species
more
than
one
in
ten
LGBT
people
avoid
going
to
the
gym
or
participating
in
sports
groups
because
of
fear
of
discrimination
and
harassment
and
for
trans
people.
This
figure
shoots
up
to
39
percent
and
it's
clear
that
there
is
a
particular
issue
with
LGBT
discrimination
in
Scottish
football
and
football.
B
More
generally,
research
by
the
Equality
Network
back
in
2012
identified
football
as
the
sport,
which
has
the
biggest
challenge
to
overcome
in
relation
to
LGBT
inclusivity,
and
it's
vitally
important
that
the
culture
and
sport
and
in
particular
football,
must
change
education,
LGBT
rights
campaigns
and
visible
role.
Models
are
all
important
mechanisms
which
can
help
in
the
battle
to
eradicate
LGBT
discrimination
in
football
and
in
Raider
society
and
I'd,
also
like
to
main
sports
Scotland
an
LGBT.
A
sports
charity
who
work
for
inclusion
of
LGBT
sports
participants
and
work
to
tackle
homophobia
and
transphobia
and
I.
B
Had
the
pleasure
of
meeting
staff
and
volunteers
of
leaked
sports
during
the
2014
Commonwealth
Games
at
trade
house
in
Glasgow
and
I
would
encourage
members
and
visitors
to
the
gallery
to
visit
their
website
and
see
what
they
can
do
to
support.
The
work
of
this
organization
residing
officer,
research
by
storm
or
Scotland
has
revealed
that
a
shocking
70%
of
fans
have
heard
homophobic
abuse
understands
at
a
football
game
and
one
of
the
respondents
to
stone.
Moles
research
commented
and
I
quote
men
in
the
clade
around
me.
B
At
a
football
match
used
the
teram,
gay
and
a
derogatory
manner
to
the
fair
to
the
players
on
the
patch.
It
made
me
extremely
uncomfortable,
but
I
didn't
feel
in
a
position
to
challenge
them
common
forms
of
discrimination
experienced
by
LGBT
people
when
participating,
N
or
spectating
at
sport
as
the
use
of
homophobic
or
transphobic
language,
as
well
as
stereotypes
of
a
sexual
orientation
and
gender
identity
and
such
stereotypes
of
dangerous
and
only
self
to
reinforce
prejudice
against
LGBT
people
and
based
on
Scottish
government
statistics
regarding
sexual
orientation.
B
Around
a
hundred
thousand
people
in
Scotland
identify
themselves
as
LGB
and
other.
However,
there
are
still
no
openly
gay
or
bisexual
meal,
professional
footballers
and
Scotland,
but
across
the
UK,
a
no
lack
of
a
visible
role
model
for
LGBT
people
and
professional
football
in
Scotland.
As
of
real
concern,
a
lack
of
a
visible
role
model
makes
it
extremely
difficult
for
a
young,
gay
or
bi
meal
to
feel
confident
about
being
themselves.
B
If
they
can't
see
anyone
else
like
them
in
the
sport
and
it's
incredibly
important,
that
the
governing
body
of
Scottish
football,
professional
football
clubs,
LGBT
groups
and
thus
carlomon
work
collaboratively
to
create
the
right
environment
for
players
to
feel
comfortable
about
coming
out
and
I
was
extremely
pleased
to
see.
13
professional
football
clubs.
Tek
leads
an
illuminating,
LGBT
discrimination
by
signing
up
to
the
Equality
networks,
LGBT
sports
charter
and
current
signatories
to
the
sports
charter.
A
C
Thank
You
presiding
officer
and
can
I
say
that
although
I
am
pleased
to
have
the
opportunity
to
speak
in
this
debate
and
I,
thank
me
any
fee
for
bringing
it
to
the
chamber.
I
sound
like
take
no
pleasure
and
having
to
address
this
topic
in
this
day
and
age.
Fine
equate
the
placing
that
the
specter
of
homophobic
behavior
still
casts
such
a
shadow
over
our
communities,
and
the
topic
is
only
one
that
I
really
became
aware
of
began
to
take
an
interest
and
on
joining
Parliament,
mainly
as
research
into
a
consultation
paper.
C
I
was
doing
around
barriers
to
inclusion
in
sport
and
activity
and
it's
he
only
came
as
a
short
to
hear
of
some
of
the
experiences
of
Potosi
million
participation
and
support
from
the
LGBTI
community
stories
of
discrimination
of
bullying
and
some
things
worse.
Is
he
a
deputy,
presiding
officer
as
a
surprise
to
me,
because
I
can't
come
from
a
sports
background
and
it
was
never
an
issue.
I
was
aware
of
during
10
years
of
professional
sport.
C
We
were
all
just
athletes
joined
by
a
mutual
respect
around
our
sport
and
the
work
attained
to
get
it
where
we
were
I
know.
You
may
find
this
difficult
to
believe
presiding
officer,
but
I
retired,
quite
a
long
time
ago,
its
measured
in
decades
at
the
last
millennium
and
fight
or
to
put
it
more
delicately
about
two
stone
ago,
but
friendships
made
during
that
time
in
do
to
this
day
that
respective
of
color,
creed,
religion
or
sexual
orientation.
C
Amid
sex
foot
named
Jeff
her
bags
Parsons,
it's
got
his
high
jump
record
holder,
who
please
go
for
a
giraffe
going
for
a
drink
with
captain,
courageous
and
Redman
with
steeplechase
are
Eddie
the
chip
where
the
bomb
journey
to
chase
Regis
and
me
all
travelled
from
every
part
of
the
country.
To
me
up-
and
let
me
tell
you,
golf
was
the
winner-
you
see,
but
that's
what
support
as
to
me
a
way
to
break
down
barriers
and
to
find
commonality.
It's
a
way
to
promote
inclusion
and
participation.
C
C
Now
we
are
debating
here
as
a
salient
elements
of
society,
are
being
excluded
from
these
opportunities
and
there
have
been
examples
in
support
of
Coach
poor
treatment
of
athletes
such
as
the
air
intersex
debate
around
caster
Semenya,
who
is
an
Olympic
and
World
800-meter
women's
champion,
and
there
may
have
been
a
genuine
issue
to
investigate
by
by
the
double
their
iwf,
but
they
handled
it.
So
badly
emphasized
lack
of
respect
to
the
athletes
welfare
that
the
LGBT
ice
community
and
participating
in
world
sport
was
put
like
many
many
years.
C
They
thankfully
she's,
now
back
competing
at
the
very
highest
level
and
won
the
World
Championships
in
London
this
year
and
I'd
like
to
thank
all
the
briefing
notes.
Many
organizations
st.
prior
to
this
to
be
and
I
now
recognize
the
storm
water,
Scotland,
Rainbow
Lacey's
campaign,
which
I
took
part
in
last
year.
I
will
have
to
say
that
they
did
take
the
picture
of
me
with
just
one
shoe
on
and
I
would
just
like
to
see,
for
goodness
sake,
it's
more
than
thirty
years
ago.
Will
you
please
let
it
go?
You
see.
C
Sport
should
be
a
thank
you
for
all
a
place
where
a
person's
back
during
the
matter.
What
that
may
be
is
irrelevant.
Sport
can
lead
in
the
battle
against
prejudice.
We
in
this
place
must
continue
to
drive
this
direction
of
travel
until
such
prejudice.
Veggies
are
no
more
in
our
communities.
Thank
you.
D
You
for
sailing
officer
last
week,
I
attended
the
cross-party
group
on
sexual
health
and
blood-borne
viruses.
There
we
heard
a
moving
account
from
an
hiv-positive
women
who
beast
her
talk
around
the
word
stigma.
The
dictionary
definition
of
the
word
is
a
mark
of
disgrace
associated
with
a
particular
circumstance,
quality
or
person,
presiding
officer,
I.
Believe
everyone
in
this
chamber
would
agree
that
being
gay
should
have
no
stigma
attached
to
it,
but
sadly,
despite
Scotland
been
one
of
the
most
progressive
nations
in
the
world
when
it
comes
to
LGBT,
plus
equality.
D
When
it
comes
to
sport,
there's
still
much
work
to
be
done
in
sports
players
face
a
disproportionately
difficult
time
in
coming
out
for
a
variety
of
reasons
too
complex
to
detail
in
a
four
minute
speech.
Recently,
Gareth
Thomas,
a
Welsh
Welsh
rugby
player
with
a
hundred
caps,
give
a
grim
account
of
his
experiences
of
being
a
gay
man
in
rugby.
D
Recently,
three
former
Rangers
players
started
working
with
the
excellent
Thai
campaign
to
clamp
down
on
hope
of
homophobia.
Education
is
the
key
to
changing
attitudes
and
helping
people
to
realize
that
it's
simply
not
acceptable
to
perpetuate
this
inequality
but
presiding
officers
of
Herot.
Sport
can
also
be
an
unwelcoming
and
threatening
environment
for
LGBT
fans.
D
70%
of
Sports
finds
the
Scotland
have
witnessed
anti
LGBT
language
or
abuse,
and
a
sport
setting
in
the
last
five
years,
almost
half
of
LGBT
people,
46
percent
of
things,
public
sporting
events
aren't
a
welcoming
space
and
one
in
10
who
attended
a
live
sporting
event
in
the
last
year,
experienced
discrimination,
presiding
officer
in
2017.
This
simply
isn't
good
enough
problems
with
racism.
Sectarianism
and
homophobia
are
taken
seriously
by
the
SNP
government,
an
art
he
claimed
legislation
exists
to
eradicate
it.
D
Stonewall
Scotland
supported
the
introduction
of
this
bill
in
2012,
noting
the
serious
impact
that
homophobic,
biphobic
and
transphobic
behavior
and
sport
has
for
LGBT
people's
safety
and
confidence
to
participate
in
sport.
Discrimination,
discourages
participation
and
cultivates,
lack
of
inclusion
and
diversity.
Football
and
the
sporting
culture
must
not
be
left
behind,
while
the
rest
of
society
sees
progress
in
equality,
there's
clearly
a
lot
of
work
being
done
with
13
clubs
signed
up
to
the
Equality
networks,
LGBT
charter
and
more
poised
to
do
so.
D
As
we've
heard
sports
scotland
believes
education,
positive
role,
models,
embracing
LGBT
plus
policies
and
promoting
gay,
lesbian
and
bisexual
sports
stars
is
the
way
forward,
and
that
is
the
path
we
should
follow.
But
there's
still
a
lot
to
be
done
and
until
we
need
no
longer
debate
this
subject
in
chamber
when
it
stops
becoming
a
story
and
when
people
wonder
why
someone's
sexual
orientation
has
even
been
raised
as
an
issue,
we
need
to
continue
to
strive
for
equality.
It's
time
to
blow
the
whistle
on
homophobia
in
sport.
E
E
That
is
an
alarming
number
of
people
so,
where
Scotland
has
made
great
strides
towards
achieving
legal
equality
for
the
LGBT
community
over
the
past
few
years
with
the
commencement
of
equal
marriage
laws
is
clear,
we
still
have
so
much
more
to
do
to
combat
prejudice
and
an
equality.
Last
week,
most
MP's
MSPs
and
the
chamber
were
able
to
join
with
the
show
recess
in
the
red
card
campaign.
E
So
it's
my
hope
that
will
also
see
foot
clubs
and
football
clubs
and
fans
across
the
country
using
that
opportunity
to
engage
with
an
embrace
the
supporting
campaign,
and
then
my
colleague
merely
feed
at
a
place
of
list
of
football
clubs,
but
there's
many
more
names
that
that
could
be
added
and
the
evidence
gathered
by
some
more
Scotland
about
homophobia
and
sport.
The
most
troubling
and
striking
statistic
to
me
was
how
negative
experiences
of
sport
for
LGBTQ
people
can
often
start
as
early
as
their
school
years.
E
Their
evidence
showed
that
one
in
seven
LGBT
young
people
say
they
have
experienced
bullying
during
school
sport
and
almost
one
in
five
and
skill
changing
rooms.
That's
is
yet
another
wedding
statistic,
and
it
will
only
underlines
why
it's
so
important
that
we
ensured
we
get
inclusive
education
and
our
skills,
many
colleagues
will
have
noticed,
and
there
we
enter
the
chamber
this
evening
that
the
tie
campaign
and
in
Parliament
again,
where
the
next
question
of
their
progress
so
far,
and
the
aim
of
signing
even
more
MSPs
up
to
the
pledge.
E
It's
been
a
privilege
to
sponsor
their
time
in
Parliament
this
week
and
I
hope
that
many
colleagues
as
possible
over
the
chance
to
speak
to
Jordan
and
Liam
about
their
work
and
I
notice
on
I,
said
earlier
that
the
more
their
maize
peas
have
signed
a
pledge
today.
So
it's
really
good
that
we
have
the
tight
campaign,
whether
it's
in
Parliament.
E
It's
only
been
a
few
months
since
I've
brought
my
own
members
to
be
on
the
take
campaign
to
the
Scottish,
Parliament
and
I'm
pleased
that
the
Scottish
Government
working
group
on
inclusive
education
is
continuing
to
make
progress
as
ever
I
look
forward
to
seeing
the
group's
eventual
outcomes
and
recommendations
at
its
conclusion.
We
need
to
make,
in
course,
of
education
a
reality
unless
Parliament,
so
that
we
can
eradicate
homophobic
attitudes
in
the
next
generation
of
young
people
who
are
growing
up
in
Scotland
today.
E
Homophobia
has
no
place
in
our
society
and
the
road
to
tackling
that
begins
with
education.
Just
like
to
repeat
my
thanks
to
me,
Rafi
for
bringing
forward
to
be
merely
mentioned.
At
the
start,
the
importance
of
role
models
and
sport,
but
in
general
and
I'd
like
to
see
well
have
the
chance,
because
Katie
sitting
next
to
me,
Kaiser
Doug,
deal
of
course
was
awarded
politician
of
the
Year
at
the
prestigious
Eichorn
awards
or
inflating
ie
and
I'd
like
this.
E
F
You
presiding
officer
I'd
also
like
to
thank
MIDI
fee
for
bringing
this
important
to
be
to
the
chamber.
I
agree
wholeheartedly
with
the
terms
of
the
motion
and
thank
all
of
the
organizations
who
sent
us
briefings
indicating
the
work
that
is
going
on
to
tackle
homophobia
and
improve
our
sporting
culture,
as
well
as
highlighting
the
unacceptable
barriers
to
participation.
F
Lgbti
people
still
face
in
2012
I
just
booked
at
the
out
for
sport
conference
launching
equality
networks
report
on
the
opportunity
sport
provides
to
tackle
discrimination
and
to
promote
equalities,
and
their
report
recommended
that
there
should
be
more
visible
leadership
from
government
and
from
sports
governing
bodies
establishing
a
Scottish
LGBT
sports
charter
to
ensure
the
LGBTI
people
are
more
fully
included
in
Scottish
sport.
It
called
for
more
action
to
ensure
clubs
at
all
levels
of
sport,
weather,
competitive
or
recreational
in
our
local
authorities
or
in
our
universities,
comply
with
the
Equality
Act.
F
It
asked
clubs
and
sports
facilities
to
improve
training
for
their
staff
and
coaches,
helping
them
to
identify,
prevent
and
challenge
homophobic
and
transphobic
bullying,
and
in
the
past
five
years
there
have
been
improvements
to
sport
in
Scotland
and
now
I'm
glad
to
see
Sport
Scotland
make
new
commitments
to
embed
equalities
and
inclusions
in
all
aspects
of
their
work.
I
also
want
to
highlight
some
of
the
positive
work.
Scottish
athletics
has
been
leading
building
on
their
four
frontrunners,
LGBT
clubs,
supporting
them
to
work
with
more
athletic
clubs
and
jobs.
F
Scotland
groups
and
Scottish
athletics
also
helped
to
pilot
a
non-binary
athletics
category,
approving
non-binary
races
for
JED,
but
a
Running
Festival,
but
sadly
few
areas
of
sport
in
Scotland
are
quite
so
inclusive
and
as
the
briefings
I've
read,
while
preparing
for
this
debate
make
all
too
clear
the
impact
of
homophobia.
As
others
have
said,
in
sport,
it's
felt
very
early
in
life
in
2016,
Sports
Scotland's
research
with
the
equality
and
Human
Rights
Commission
showed
that
one
of
the
key
barriers
to
participating
in
sport
for
young
people
included
homophobia
and
previous
negative
experiences,
particularly
in
school.
F
If
we
are
serious
about
tackling
homophobia
and
sport
and
making
sport
more
accessible
for
everyone,
we
really
have
to
tackle
the
bullying
and
discrimination
that
young
people
face.
Lgbt
youth
Scotland's
report
on
the
legacy
of
the
Commonwealth
Games
shows
the
LGBTI
young
people
are
less
likely
to
engage
in
sport
and
physical
activity.
Homophobia
in
sport
is
holding
young
people
back
from
participating
in
sport
and
I
have
no
doubt
that
this
will
have
a
negative
impact
on
the
long-term
physical
health
and
well-being
of
too
many
LGBTI
young
people.
F
My
colleague,
Ross
Greer,
has
campaigned
for
a
review
of
PSE
in
schools,
and
today's
debate
shows
us
that
the
upcoming
review
of
PSE
must
consider
sporting
schools
and
how
high-quality
PSE
can
help
build
a
whole
school
approach
to
equalities
and
mental
health.
Moving
beyond
the
classroom
and
improving
all
aspects
of
school
life.
Recently,
there's
been
a
welcome
greeter
on
the
potential
sport
has
to
improve
mental
health.
F
The
Scottish
Association
for
mental
health
is
partnering
Scottish
Athletics
on
the
jog
Scotland
program,
helping
people
to
become
more
active
and
initiatives
like
this,
surely
urgent
need
to
make
sport
truly
accessible
to
all
and
to
tackle.
Homophobia
are
all
levels
of
sport
as
May
leafy
and
run
amok.
I
and
others
have
noted.
F
It
showed
that
the
most
likely
place
to
encounter
homophobia
in
UK
sport
was
on
the
spectator
stands
an
85
percent
of
that
study's
participants
believed
that
and
I'm
quoting
an
openly
gay
person
would
not
be
very
safe
as
a
spectator
at
a
sports
event,
presiding
officer,
given
the
impact
of
international
competition
on
sporting
culture
and
on
societal
behavior
more
widely,
we
must
think
about
how
good
practice
can
be
shared
internationally
and
how
we
can
protect,
supports
peoples
and
fan
sports
people
and
fans
from
homophobia
wherever
they
are
competing
or
supporting.
Thank
you.
G
You,
deputy
presiding
officer
and
I'd
like
to
congratulate
Mary
fie
on
securing
today's
debate
and
welcome
the
opportunity
to
participate
in
it.
I'd
also
like
to
pay
tribute
to
the
work
she's
done
on
this
issue
for
many
years
now
within
the
Parliament,
and
also
thank
the
organizations
who
provided
briefings
for
today's
debate
and
commend
Stonewall
and
their
quality
Network
for
the
good
work
they've
been
doing
around
this
issue
over
many
years.
G
The
motion
rightly
refers
to
what
appears
to
be
a
particular
problem
of
homophobia
within
football
like
Mary
fie
I
welcome
the
Scottish
Football
Association
and
sports
Scotland
support
for
their
quality
networks,
LGBT
sports
charter,
I.
Think,
minister
and
I,
particularly
like
the
fact
that
say,
Johnston
have
led
a
trail
on
that.
Clearly,
a
lot
of
work,
though,
still
has
to
be
done.
G
The
fact
that
no
professional
footballer
has
felt
able
to
come
out
in
the
UK
since
just
in
fash
knew
in
1990
I
think
speaks
volumes
about
how
far
we
still
have
to
go
before
being
gay
and
a
footballer
is
as
unremarkable
as
it
would
be
in
so
many
other
professions.
The
lack
of
gay
role
models
as
a
professional
football
level
is
an
obvious
concern
openly.
G
We
should
rightly
put
on
record
our
admiration
for
their
decisions
to
be
open
about
their
sexuality
in
a
public
way
and
thank
them
as
we
look
forward
to
many
other
LGBT
sports
people
excelling
in
their
field
in
the
future.
Increasing
participation
in
sport
and
boosting
physical
activity
across
all
age
groups
is
vital
in
terms
of
a
tackling
obesity,
improving
the
populations,
physical
health
and
indeed
in
maintaining
good
mental
well-being
and
good
mental
health.
G
Competitive
and
team
sports
encourage
self-confidence,
develop
transferable
skills
and
build
resilience
amongst
young
people,
and
tackling
for
homophobia
in
sport
should
be
seen
as
helping
to
remove
another
barrier
which
may
prevent
LGBT
people
participating
in
sport
and
with
a
number
of
studies
showing
that
LGBT
people
are
more
prone
to
suffering
from
mental
ill-health.
This
should
be
seen
as
especially
important
in
terms
of
allowing
them
to
access
or
without
fear
that
they
will
be
a
victim
of
any
abuse
or
prejudice.
G
To
conclude,
deputy
presiding
officer
again
welcome
today's
debate
and
I
look
forward
to
real
progress
being
made
as
we
go
forward.
I
recognize
that
it
can
take
time
for
ingrained
cultures
and
behavior
to
change
and
how
difficult
this
can
be.
But
it
is
right
that
Scotland's,
Parliament
and
all
of
us
across
all
parties
in
this
chamber,
unite
today
in
sending
a
clear
message
that
we
won't
accept
homophobia
in
sport
and
will
work
to
reduce
and
eventually
eradicate
it,
so
that
everyone
can
have
equal
access
to
sport
in
an
equal
and
welcoming
basis.
H
You
very
much
presiding
officer
and,
like
colleagues,
can
I
congratulate
minifee
on
securing
tonight's
debate,
but
also
leading
on
this
issue
for
a
number
of
years
now
as
miles
acknowledged
and
also
thanked
the
Equality
Network
in
Stonewall
Scotland
for
providing
their
briefings
for
tonight's
debate.
It
was
actually
when
I
was
reading.
H
Those
briefings
I
was
reminded
of
the
rainbow
least
his
campaign
that
Stonewall
Scotland
launched
not
so
long
ago
and
I-
remember
thinking
at
the
time,
even
an
openly
gay
woman
that
it
was
a
bit
of
a
gimmick
that
it
didn't
mean
that
much
and
then
my
political
researcher,
this
time,
a
guy
called
Gareth
Lodge
who
played
basketball
for
Scotland,
sneaked
the
rainbow
laces
out
the
parliament
office
and
then
wore
them
for
an
international
match
that
he
was
playing
in
and
I
saw.
The
pictures
of
that
the
next
day
and
I
can't
tell
you
presenting
officer.
H
Just
how
touched
I
was
that
somebody
had
decided
to
do
that
for
me
and
other
people
like
me,
so
I
think
we
she's
never
fully
underestimate.
The
value
of
campaigns
like
that,
and
the
difference
that
they
can
make
tonight
is
to
be.
Is
all
about
sport
I'm
going
to
focus
the
rest
of
my
remarks
on
football
as
the
sport
that
I
know
best?
It's
also
the
one
that's
recognized.
The
number
of
the
briefings
is
the
one
with
the
highest
participation
level
among
Scots
and
I've
grown
up
with
football.
H
You
tear
that
language,
probably
in
each
and
every
match,
and
the
reports
that
we're
reading
today
in
advance
of
this
to
be
recognised,
neither
60%
of
people
have
heard
homophobic
language
at
a
sporting
event,
but
it
rises
to
82%
in
the
instance
of
football
alone.
So,
whilst
it
means
a
bit
of
progress,
there
clearly
is
a
long
way
to
go.
H
But
the
reality
is
that
not
only
do
we
have
two
Premier
League
football
teams,
they
are
both
cheered
by
women,
the
chief
executives
of
both
hips
and
at
heart,
medallion,
Football
Club
are
women,
I,
don't
do
their
pickle
or
fight
was
merely
fee
here,
because
she
said
run
that
the
Brno
LGBT
role
models
in
male
football.
There
is
there's
one
and
it's
a
woman,
that's
Leon,
Dempster
who's,
the
chief
exec
of
hernion,
Football
Club,
my
team,
in
fact,
hebbs.
H
Why
LGBT
players
don't
come
I?
Why
don't
they
speak?
Why
is
it
that
we've
never
in
Scotland,
tidies
single,
openly
gay
football
player
and
the
island
sport
report,
which
has
also
been
referenced
from
their
quality
network,
gives
us
some
indication
as
to
why
that's
the
case?
It's
also
worth
remembering
presiding
officer.
That
was
a
report
written
by
Margaret
Smith,
the
first
openly
female
gay
MSP
in
this
chamber,
and
she
told
us
that
there
were
two
main
reasons
in
that
report:
fear
of
for
spectators
would
say,
and
secondly,
the
impact
on
those
players.
H
Careers,
I,
was
been
spending
a
bit
more
time
watching
TV,
recently
presiding
officer,
can't
imagine
why
and
I've
been
hugely
comforted
by
the
increased
number
of
adverts
on
TV,
which
sure
seems
sex
relationships.
Hopefully
that's
the
start
of
a
changing
attitudes
of
culture
towards
the
relationship
between
commercial
enterprise
and
people,
disclosing
their
sexual
orientation
and
finally,
I
appreciate
I've
gone
over
my
time,
presiding
officer
when
you're
likely
to
be
less
gracious,
know
that
I'm
on
the
back
benches
I
think
we
have
to
acknowledge
the
issue
of
gender
segregation
in
sport.
H
I
Thank
you
is
anything
officer
and,
like
other
speakers
this
evening,
I
want
to
thank
really
fee
for
releasing
this
really
important
issue
and
to
everybody
who
has
contributed
to
this
debate
and
also
upon
record
I,
don't
think.
Actually,
since
the
case
yeah
dog
deal
from
becoming
an
icon
as
well,
we
saw
some
of
the
pictures
on
twisted,
like
a
heck
of
a
good
night
that
everybody
had
and,
like
all
speakers,
I,
believe
very
firmly
that
there
should
be
no
barriers
at
all
to
participating
and
support.
I
Also
Lauder
Montgomery
as
well,
incredibly
impressive
individuals
who
doing
so
much
to
ensure
and
promote
a
tolerance
in
sport.
So,
as
in
terms
of
the
government,
we
are
committed
to
promoting
equal
participation,
access
to
sport
and
tackling
a
homophobia
and
transphobia,
and
that's
why
we
support
LGBT
equality
organizations
working
to
reduce
that
discrimination,
and
he
claimed
that
people
have
discussed
this
evening
and
in
our
2017-18
program
for
government.
I
That
is
because
these
actions
will
I
thank
building
on
that
lose
two
decades
of
progress
that
merely
fee
articulated
under
devolution
will
allow
people
to
openly
discuss
their
sexual
orientation
without
feeling
prejudice
or
the
stigma
which
was
attached
in
the
past
and
even
pleasant
D,
and
we
remain
committed
to
demonstrate
the
leadership
needed
to
tackle
inequalities,
homophobia
and
transphobia
and
Sport
Scotland
demonstrated.
Thus,
during
the
2014
Glasgow
Coma
elf
games
will
be
supported.
I
The
establishment
of
played
house
which
were
provided
a
welcoming
place
for
people
to
view
the
games
and
enjoy
the
veins
and
cultural
programs
which
supported
the
sporting
events,
numbered
pleased
that
the
Scottish
Government
is
again
working
with
partners
to
explore
opportunities
to
further
boost
engagement
of
the
LGBTI
community.
During
the
2018
european
championships,
including
use
in
the
2014
play
house
model
and
as
a
government,
we
participate
in
the
national
LGBTI
sports
coordinating
group
and
that
group
things
together.
I
Partners,
including
sports
scotland,
leap
sports,
dunwall,
the
quality
network,
the
Scottish
FA,
amongst
others,
with
the
aim
of
removing
barriers
that
may
stalk
LGBTQ
individuals
participating
in
sport,
as
well
as
helping
to
educate
sport
providers
to
be
as
open
and
accessible
as
they
can
be.
But
the
stats
from
Stonewall's
report
show
the
journey
that
we
still
have
to
make
to
ensure
that
our
ambition,
our
shared
ambition
of
eradicating
homophobia,
homophobia
turns
from
being
an
ambition
to
actual
reality,
and
many
people
have
in
their
contributions,
mentioned
our
beautiful
game.
I
And,
like
me,
Rafi,
though,
I
am
encouraged,
that
a
number
of
SPFL
clubs
have
already
signed
up
to
equality.
Chatter
and
we've
been
encouraged
by
positive
discussions
with
the
SPFL,
as
it
continues
to
promote
equality
and
Scottish
football
through
its
support
of
initiatives
such
as
the
rainbow
laces
campaign.
Late
May,
also
particularly
pleased
to
see,
is
in
Johnston
featured
highly
out
of
the
Hat
in
the
clubs
today
in
May.
I
Also,
please
do
Romilly
fees
aim
a
contribution
to
hear
about
the
aberdeen
if
it
becomes
fans
initiatives
and
also,
as
a
parent
drew
fitzpatrick
west
filling
in
my
year
a
dundee
football
club
also
taken
forward
a
similar
initiative
very
recently,
Prodi's
which
they
set
up
last
month,
but
on
the
broader
issue
of
football
I
think
there's
real
opportunity
to
explore
the
potential
of
football.
Has
it
has
that
reach
that
I
think
KZ
on
MIDI
and
others
have
have
I
talked
about
into
all
of
our
communities.
It
does
fantastic,
whether
that's
the
game,
changer
project.
I
It
helps
whether
that's
whatever
Community
Trust
Aberdeen
Football
Club,
they
have
a
reach
and
a
potential
to
change.
Culture
and
I
think
we've
probably
not
even
touched
the
the
surface
of
what
further
work
a
football
clubs
can
do
in
our
communities
to
help
change
a
cultures
and
be
a
force
for
good.
I
Also,
however,
there's
lots
of
other
additional
work
going
on
last
year.
Sports
Scotland
and
the
quality
and
human
rights
commission
published
and
the
quality
in
sport
research
into
equality
in
Scottish
sport,
and
that
looked
at
who
currently
participates
in
sports,
the
barriers
to
participation
and
suggests
potential
solutions,
and
while
participation
levels
amongst
the
LGBTI
population
is
not
significantly
different
to
the
hit
recei
educational
levels
of
participation.
I
I
So
a
school
level
a
governing
body
level.
We
have
plans
that
are
strategies
in
place
to
try
and
ensure
the
inclusivity
that
we
all
desire
as
they're
in
sport,
but
that,
of
course,
there's
much
more
that
we
need
to
do
to
drama'
comments,
their
conclusion,
presiding
officer.
We
are
becoming
a
fully
inclusive
nation,
but
there
is
much
more
to
do
and
I'd
like
to
put
on
record
my
thanks
to
support
Scotland,
the
governing
bodies,
leap,
sports
and
everyone
else.