A Whole Lot of #ROPride

July 14, 2023

A Whole Lot of #ROPride

“Pride Month serves as an important reminder that safe spaces are not automatic; they are deliberately created and maintained by individuals and communities,” says Jojo Debono of Muddy York RFC.

Rugby Ontario is pleased to share a month-long project that reflects the organization’s commitment to deliberately create and maintain these safe spaces for all members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community within the sport of rugby.

Throughout the month of June, we gathered insights and stories from different members of our community. From Ottawa to Sarnia, they were happy to share their experiences as 2SLBGTQ+ members who have proudly played, coached or supported the sport of rugby. Keep reading to find out what our five athletes had to say about how our community supports members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, what we can do better and what everyone should know about Pride.

Tell us a little bit about your history in rugby as well as in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

“I’m from the Netherlands and before I started rugby, I rowed for 6 years. I came out when I was 13 years old as bisexual. Unfortunately, it was not really accepted by people around me in the rowing community. But then I started playing rugby and was thrown into a warm bath as we say in the Netherlands. I was accepted for who I am, the rugby community made it better.”

- Fenne Maria van Putten, Sarnia Saints RFC

What do you think the rugby community does a great job of in creating safe spaces for queer individuals?

“Rugby is the most inclusive and welcoming sport out there. As a queer person and someone who has experienced exclusion from sports in the past due to my body size, I had given up on finding a sport that I could truly fit in. When I found rugby, it provided me with an environment that broke down those boundaries and enabled me to become part of an amazing community.”

- Vanessa Bruneau, Ottawa Wolves RFC

How do you create change within the rugby community or within sport as a whole?

“Personally, I love working with the Build Belonging Project to build a response system for our club. I enjoy having conversations with different people surrounding the importance of representation in coaching and leadership. I think it’s important to answer the difficult questions that can be uncomfortable to ask but are necessary for everyone to have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives!”

- Jesenia Alvarez, Kingston Panthers RFC

What do you think the rugby community still needs to work in creating safe spaces for queer individuals?

“Not treating us as if we aren't serious about playing rugby. I understand that we're a relatively new club in the grand scheme of things but the way that I've heard some people refer to us, it's clear that they don't see us as serious about what we do. We work very hard to earn the respect of the people we play against because we're fighting an uphill battle, and I hope that changes sooner rather than later.”

- Shakyle Daley Samuels, Muddy York RFC

What’s something our community should know about Pride month?

“Pride Month is so multifaceted, it is about celebrating who we are as queer people, advocating for equality, and creating activism against the prejudices which we're still facing to this day. It's also a reflection of our queer ancestors who fought for the rights we have and those who have lost their lives during the AIDS pandemic. It's meant to help the next generation of queer people to see that they are valid and deserving. But if there is one take away, you should have about the 2SLGBTQ+ community is that we're human, and we deserve love, support and freedom just like everyone else.”

- Ian Royer, Rainbow Griffins RFC

Though Pride Month is over, our community shows #ROPride all year long. Check out our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see some of these features on the big screen. To learn more about how you can support the 2SLGBTQ+ community, see our Resources document.

A special thank you to all of our participants: Ian Royer, Vanessa Bruneau, Shakyle Daley Samuels, Jesenia Alvarez, Jojo Debono and Fenne Maria van Putten!

ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to lead, support and promote Rugby for All from communities to clubs to province. This mission signals a movement toward creating a more cohesive, supportive and progressive sporting environment that is responsive to the needs of all members.

To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/