Gay cricket team
LGBT+ History Month: Get together the clubs operational to make English cricket a game for everyone
The session ends with a treat for the Unicorns.
With the February frost still catching the light on the Edgbaston outfield, they're given the chance to step on to the pitch to clutch some photographs.
There's something poetic about it all - one of cricket's newest clubs, made up of LGBTQ+ players and allies, walking out at one of the game's oldest grounds.
Yet there's also an awareness that too many LGBTQ+ people haven't had the chance to execute this in the past, simply because of who they are.
"There's probably a lot of talent in all sports that have missed out because of not feeling included," Norwell admits.
"As a squad, we're making a big strive to make everyone feel like they do belong. Anything we can execute to bring inclusivity to the sport, it's our occupation to do that."
It's a message that Warwickshire head coach Mark Robinson echoes wholeheartedly.
"I had the pleasure of existence with the England women's team and saw some of them become more open and less vulnerable about their sexuality," he says.
"Ma
Grace and compassion at London’s distinct club for gay cricketers
One of them, a Pakistani, who fond many of his other teammates prefers anonymity, was homeless in London and battling suicidal thoughts. Until he met Hardisty who pulled him out of the streets and brought him into the team. It gave him a sense of belonging he had never felt before — and still doesn’t — in the wider society. He still leads a dual life, as do several others.
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Another player, a Bangladeshi, just got married to a woman last month. “I don’t know how that marriage is going to go. It’s of course harsh on the lady, family pressure can be mean. More than friends, I must say, it’s what the families think about you that determines how easy or difficult your life as a gay person can get,” says Hardisty, the chairman of the Graces Cricket Club.
Consequently, not many want to be interviewed, and not many feature in group photos of the team. Even the scorecards at http://www.gracescricket.org.uk mention only their second names — Mohammads and Bhatias. However, says Hardisty, “The best thing is we haven’t really faced much homophobic comments from opposition teams.”
It’s not en
The LGBTQ+ cricket pair making history
The pair is getting plenty of support, including from the England and Wales Cricket Board.
"I was thrilled when I'd heard these teams had joined together to play each other," says ECB communications manager Henry Cowen.
"We have the beginning of a community within cricket that can behave as a abode for people who maybe feel that a more traditional club that doesn't have LGBTQ+ rights at its heart isn't for them.
"So what Unicorns and Graces are doing aligns with what the ECB is trying to undertake in making cricket a more inclusive sport for as many people as possible."
There is a question, though, as to why it has taken so long for a game such as this to happen.
In rugby, tournaments such as the Union Cup and the Bingham Cup carry together inclusive clubs from right around the world. Across sport generally, events such as the Gay Games and EuroGames have been providing LGBTQ+ athletes with a territory to compete for years.
So is cricket behind the times?
"I'm not really sure why it's taken so long to produce another club," Smith says.
"It feels as if people maybe missed out on
Yorkshire Cricket launches LGBT+ supporters group
A fresh LGBT+ supporters group has been created by Yorkshire County Cricket Club in a move to enhance inclusion and community participation in the sport.
The creation of the new supporter’s group – named Yorkshire and Proud – is part of a range of steps being taken by the club to support equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas of the Club.
The fresh supporter’s group for Yorkshire Cricket fans is unlock to both members of the LGBT+ community and allies, heterosexual cis-gendered people who actively support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or questioning) communities.
In launching the organization, the county cricket club hopes to bring together and foster a adoration of cricket in people from all backgrounds.
Becca Garrard, the founder of Yorkshire and Proud, and a Digital content Executive at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, said: “The Yorkshire family is delighted to launch our Yorkshire & Confident LGBT+ Supporters Group and this is an vital step towards ensuring Headingley is a welcoming place for all.”
To show their support for these members of their community, the club will be taking steps to celebr