The LGBT Sport Podcast

If you’re listening to this, there’s a good chance you’ll already know about Emma Smith’s work.

An assistant editor at the football website Goal, you’ve probably read her pieces on everything from the youth system at Real Madrid to Bundesliga stars that flopped in the Premier League - and much, much more besides.

She’s also worked at the Daily Mail and local newspapers as well – and whether it’s covering European matches at Spurs or looking at Britain’s up-and-coming F1 stars, Emma is a woman who lives and breathes sport.

And in 2019, Emma opened up about her personal life when she shared with the world the fact that she's transgender.

This episode is all about Emma’s journey – how she got into sports journalism; the tips she’d recommend to upcoming journalists; and some of the stories that have stuck with her.

We also talk about her experiences of discovering her own identity and about coming out as trans, both professionally and personally.

It’s a really powerful episode with Emma, and we’re really glad she took the time to join us today.

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Lauren Rowles first burst onto many of our screens in 2016, when she won gold in the rowing at the Paralympics in Rio.

But the journey that led her there – and the story that comes afterwards – really is extraordinary.

This episode is a real gift – and we think that after hearing it, you’ll understand why.

There’s so much in this - where Lauren’s love of sport comes from; her disability and how it led to her enjoying sport in a different way; the journey from wheelchair racing to rowing; becoming Paralympic champion in Rio, and what came next; mental health; accepting her own sexuality; and why being put into boxes of any kind just isn’t her thing.

Oh, and we also talk a little bit about gaming as well!

All in all, it might be one of the most powerful episodes we’ve ever done, and we really hope you’ll like it.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Rowles

Today’s guest is arguably one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes we’ve ever had on the show, and a woman who is preparing to do something truly extraordinary.

Rebecca Rowe won numerous championships in surf-life saving at the start of her sporting career, where she also swam at a high-level as well.

She then switched to rowing where she represented Great Britain - and after a back-injury put pay to her dreams of going to the Olympics, she took up rugby, where she played for Wales in the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup.

She did all this while working as a PE teacher before switching to become a firefighter - and it’s in that capacity that she, alongside four other female firefighters, is preparing to trek across Antarctica in November 2023.

That’s 1,900 kilometres, pulling their own support sleds in temperatures as low as -50 degrees, as they look to eradicate gender stereotypes, get people talking about mental health, and break a world record in the process.

We talk about all of that and so much more – and if you didn’t know Rebecca before, we hope this episode helps to change things and get her the recognition she deserves.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Antarctic Fire Angels

Finding a place where you feel welcome is crucial, not just in sport but in life – and that’s something Mike Turner knows all about.

He’s the chair of the Liverpool Tritons inclusive rugby club, as well as a teacher – and before he joined the Tritons, he’d never played rugby before.

In fact, he’d never really done sport before – and this podcast is a perfect illustration of how visibility and diversity can play a crucial role in making a person feel welcome.

We talk all about the history and heritage of the Tritons in this episode, as well as Mike’s own personal experiences – plus the Bingham Cup, life in a pandemic, growing a side, and how sport is about more than what happens on the pitch.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Liverpool Tritons

Sam Stanley is a trailblazer – and has been an inspiration for so many of the people who have joined us on the show over the past few years.

Born into a rugby-mad family, he played for Saracens in the Premiership as well as Bedford and Ealing in the Championship – and represented England at the international level in the sevens form of the game.

And in 2015, he made history as the first professional English male rugby union player to come out as gay.

Since then, so many people have cited Sam’s story as an inspiration when it comes to their own decision to come out – and we’re delighted to finally get him onto show podcast.

There’s loads on the agenda for this one - Sam’s love of rugby; his experience of playing internationally and life after retirement; his coming out story; his life in lockdown and so much more.

It’s a cracking conversation with a top bloke, and we’re delighted to we’ve been able to make this chat happen.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Sam Stanley

There really aren’t enough words to sum up what Michaela Breeze has accomplished in her sporting career.

A two-time Olympian; a Commonwealth champion with six medals across four different Games; more European medals than you can shake a stick at; and an MBE as well.

Put simply, she is Britain’s most successful female weightlifter of all time – and she’s an absolutely brilliant guest for this episode of the podcast.

There’s loads in this conversation –getting her start in weightlifting; some of her sporting highlights; retirement, and what brought her back to the sport for a second time; her experiences of being LGBTQ+ in sport; and becoming a mum during a pandemic.

We really think you’ll like this conversation, and we can’t thank Michaela enough for taking the time to join us.

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So, LGBT+ History Month is almost at an end.

And honestly, it’s been amazing to see how many fascinating stories have been shared across so many different parts of the BBC from the world of sport.

So for our final episode of the month, we’ve put together this compilation show with some of the best bits. Basically, it’s an LGBTQ+ sport megamix – featuring conversations from BBC Sport, Football Focus, BBC Local Radio, BBC Network Radio and more.

It barely scratches the surface of what the BBC has done for LGBT+ History Month, and we massively recommend you check out the link below to see some of the other brilliant pieces that we couldn’t squeeze in.

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If you know rugby league, you’ll know James Child.

The Super League referee has been taking charge of games at the top-level since 2010, including the 2017 Super League Grand Final.

He’s also been a touch judge at the Challenge Cup Final (in fact, he was the youngest-ever touch judge to do it at the time) as well as at the World Cup Final – and to be honest, there’s not a lot in the sport that the Yorkshireman hasn’t done!

This is a conversation about all of that and more – how James got into refereeing; why his family thought it might be a fad; the dedication it takes; and officiating behind closed doors.

To be clear, it’s not a coming out story – as his family, his friends and his colleagues have known James is gay for ages.

But it is the first time he’s chosen to talk about his sexuality – and his is, arguably, the most high-profile man in rugby league to talk about the fact he’s gay.

So, we’re grateful he’s taken the decision to do that with us – and as the chat goes along, you will hear more about why now was the right time for him to do that; why this was the right show for him to do it on; and the difference he thinks it might make.

It’s a top conversation with a great guy – and we really think you’ll enjoy it.

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PHOTO CREDIT: SWPix

I know, I know.Two episodes in one day. What’s going on?!

Well, this is almost an accompanying episode to the one that has just dropped in your feed, looking at how HIV, sport and society have interacted over the years.

One of our guests for that show was Lord Robert Hayward – one of the founding members of the Kings Cross Steelers. For that episode, we mostly spoke about HIV in sport – but there was so much more to the chat that didn’t really fit for the theme of that show.

So, we thought we’d put out a bonus episode of the podcast that’s focused entirely on Robert and his story.

From the founding of the Steelers; the joys of competing at a Bingham Cup; how rugby has become more inclusive and what that’s meant, both to society and to Robert personally - it’s a conversation with a man who is committed to making rugby a sport for absolutely everyone.

So, enjoy!

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“The conversation around living with HIV must be had”.

Those are the words of Wales rugby legend Gareth Thomas, who is one of three top guests joining us for this episode of the podcast, looking at how sport can help to play a role in busting the myths and misconceptions that still exist around living with the virus.

And if Gareth says this conversation is important, then it’s absolutely something we’re going to do on this show.

The episode also features Matthew Hodson from NAM Aidsmap, and Lord Robert Hayward (one of the founding members of the Kings Cross Steelers) – who both share their thoughts on how HIV, sport and society have interacted over the years.

From the huge advancements in treatment to why athletes have a role to play in breaking the stigma that still exists around HIV, this is a conversation that’s been inspired by ‘It’s A Sin’ – and hopefully explains why living with HIV in 2021 is nothing like it was in the 1980s.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Tackle HIV