LGBT+ rugby players have talked about the prejudice they face from other teams – and how all that changes when they play well.
The Birmingham Bulls RFC is preparing to host a small army of burly gay and bi rugby lads in 2021. The Union Cup contest will bring together 60 teams from 18 countries across Europe in Birmingham, in the Midlands of England.
Now they’ve spoken to the BBC’s LGBT Sport Podcast about their battle to overcome prejudice in the sport. Alistair Burford, recalled one team saying: ‘We’re not losing to a bunch of poofs.’ However he added: ‘It hurt in a way.
But actually it spurred me on to think “we’re just as good at sport, it doesn’t matter about our sexuality”. ‘The nice thing about those games is that on the pitch it can