The LGBT Sport Podcast

It was the fear of failing to pass one of the Royal Navy’s fitness tests that really got Mel Haslam into sport.

She needed to meet that criteria to serve on the frontline in Afghanistan – which she ended up doing – but it also led Mel in directions she could never have dreamed of.

To kick things off from a sporting point of view, there were the European and World powerlifting events that she smashed, picking up titles and setting a world record in the process.

Once that was under her belt, she switched to winter sports – spending half a dozen years competing with the UK Armed Forces Skeleton Team, before switching to bobsleigh and becoming the top brakewoman in the Royal Navy.

She made her international GB Bobsleigh debut in January of last year – and is an absolutely brilliant guest to have on the podcast this week.

We talk about her experience in the military and her motivation to start taking fitness seriously; her powerlifting success and transitioning across to winter sports; why she’s proud to be an out woman in the Royal Navy; her goals for bobsleigh moving forward; and how she manages to switch off!

This is a great conversation with a fantastic guest that we think you’re really going to enjoy.

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By anyone’s reckoning, Joyce Cook has an extraordinary story to tell.

She grew up loving football, kicking a ball around with the neighbours when she was just a child.

She began a career in nursing that took her around the world, and it was only when she unexpectedly became disabled that she became an active advocate for making the beautiful game accessible to everyone.

She became heavily involved with Women in Football, the FARE Network and others – and now, she champions equality as FIFA’s Chief Education and Social Responsibility Officer.

So, a great guest - and plenty to get into in an absolutely fascinating conversation.

We talk about Joyce’s personal story; her coming out in the workplace and the battles she had to fight there; the work she’s doing at FIFA when it comes to equality; holding the World Cup in Russia and Qatar and whether that sits well alongside FIFA’s diversity commitments; whether the rainbow is a political symbol and much, much more.

It’s all in this conversation, which we think you’re really going to enjoy – and we’re grateful that Joyce took the time to join us for it. It's a cracking episode, this one.

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He’s widely recognized as one of the best umpires in baseball.

With multiple World Series and All-Star Games under his belt, there’s very little Dale Scott failed to accomplish in a major league career that spanned more than three decades.

And in 2014, Dale Scott did something no other umpire before him had done when he came out publicly as gay.

We’ve wanted to have Dale on the podcast for a long time to talk about that and so much more, and this episode really doesn’t disappoint.

There’s loads of stuff on the table here – Dale’s own journey in the sport; how he dealt with the pressure of being an elite level umpire; making it to the major leagues; concealing his sexuality, and then opening up about it; and the process of writing his book, which will be hitting stores in the not-too-distant future.

Honestly, this one is a cracker – and we really think you’re going to like it!

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It’s been just about a week since Clay Davies shared his story with the world.

In a brilliant feature-length article with ‘The British Continental’ website, the elite rider from the Spirit Racing team spoke openly about his sexuality for the first time.

If you haven’t read it yet, we’d really suggest you go and find the piece and give it a read. It went viral on social media and in the world of cycling – and it’s fair to say that the few days after it was published were a bit of a whirlwind for Clay.

Now things have calmed down a little bit, we’re speaking to Clay about that article – and about his journey in the sport.

From how he got into cycling; to how a near-death experience changed his attitude to life and convinced him to come out; to his experiences in cycling when it came to sharing his sexuality; to what he does to switch off and relax – it’s a cracking episode with a brilliant guest that we think you’re really going to like.

It’s a cracking listen, and we’re really grateful Clay took the time to join us for it.

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It’s a sports day like no other, and is a vital fundraiser for one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charities.

And after a year off due to COVID in 2020, the RVT Sports Day returns on Monday 30th August to raise money to support the work of LGBT HERO – the UK’s national health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQ+ people, who hold the event in partnership with the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.

Ian Howley is LGBT HERO’s chief executive – and the perfect person to talk to about an event that’s become iconic for many in the LGBTQ+ community.

We also discuss the work being done by LGBT HERO; the importance of health and wellbeing in the LGBTQ+ community; how the pandemic has affected the work it can do; what the return of RVT Sports Day means; and loads, loads more.

Some parts of the conversation are quite frank and powerful – with discussions of depression and suicide – but ultimately, the message is an uplifting one, about how the LGBTQ+ community is using sport to come together and support one another.

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On this day in 2013, a little bit of history was made in the UFC.

Jessica Andrade squared off with Liz Carmouche in the organisation’s first-ever match between two out gay fighters – and we thought that anniversary was the perfect opportunity to hear from not one, but three LGBTQ+ competitors who have graced the Octagon.

Up first, you’ll hear from Brazil’s Jessica Andrade, the former UFC Strawweight Champion and top contender in the Flyweight Division – who, speaking through an interpreter, tells us all about her experiences in the sport and why she’s proud to be a role-model.

Then, we’ll take a trip back into the archives to hear from Jessica’s opponent on that day, as Liz Carmouche tells us how she got into MMA, and her own journey with her sexuality after being part of the Marine Corps during the era of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’.

And any show looking at what it’s like to be an out woman in MMA has to include Molly McCann, as we revisit our chat with the pioneering English fighter and her own coming out story.

So, three amazing LGBTQ+ women from the world of MMA, sharing their stories on a special episode of this podcast.

We hope you like it.

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It’s fair to say that Laura McAllister is a Welsh sporting legend.

The ex-Wales football captain played in every single one of the country’s international matches between 1994 and 2001, and is also a former chair of Sport Wales.

In April, she narrowly lost her bid to win a place as UEFA’s representative for women on FIFA’s ruling council, which was the latest move from a woman who is passionate about making the beautiful game a sport where everyone feels welcome.

Laura – who is also a professor of politics and sports governance – is someone we’ve wanted to have on the podcast for a little while, and this episode really doesn’t disappoint.

We chat about everything from her experiences in the beautiful game; why she wants to use her platform to help make the sport more inclusive; the pride of representing your country; the people who came before her that made football more welcoming to LGBTQ+ people; and the importance of authenticity in sport and in life.

We really, really enjoyed this one – and we think you will as well.

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Grant Skene has been with Aberdeen Taexali since its earliest days.

In fact, he’s played an instrumental part in growing the club to where it is now, and it’s not just us saying that either.

Scottish Rugby agrees – which is why it gave him one of its Community Champion Awards at a special ceremony held last month.

He’s now Taexali’s head-coach – and a cracking guest to have on this episode of the podcast.

There’s loads in this conversation, from Grant’s love of rugby to the growth of Taexali to why inclusivity is such a crucial part of making rugby everyone’s game.

We’re grateful Grant took the time to join us for it – and we really think you’ll like this episode.

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It’s no exaggeration to say that sport changed Bethany Tucker’s life for good.

Born with cerebral palsy, she never really enjoyed PE at school – and only took it up again later in life when her chiropractor recommended it to help with her CP.

That suggestion ended up changing everything for Bethany – and the T37 para-athlete has now competed far and wide.

She’s been to Diamond League events, the City Games in Manchester, the Anniversary Games in London – and after opening up about her own sexuality, she’s also helping other athletes to feel more comfortable in sport as part of the Athletics Pride Network.

So, this is a fascinating chat with a great guest about all sorts of things.

From finding a sport that accepts you to finding yourself as a person, there’s plenty in it that we think you’re going to love - and we’re grateful Bethany made the time to join us.

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Andy Paul first got involved with Birchfield Harriers when he was 11 years old.

He was, by his own description, a fairly average athlete – but his love affair with the sport has existed ever since.

He’s been a club at the coach for decades, as well as a deputy-chair and chair – and now, he’s a life vice-president.

He’s also one of the founders of the Athletics Pride Network, which launched last year to help make athletics a place where more LGBTQ+ people feel welcome.

This is a conversation that touches on that; the plans for the network going forward; Andy’s own experiences of being LGBTQ+ in sport, and loads more besides.

He’s a brilliant, engaging talker – and we’re really glad Andy found the time to join us for a chat.

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