IT'S A GAY KNOCKOUT

                                                TAURUS BAR       
                             PRIDE GAMES and JUST A BALL GAME?
                                                  bring you
                                       ‘’It’s a gay knockout’’
                             Thursday 25th August, 8pm onwards.
                                Come along and join in the action.

         Several local LGBT sports clubs and community organisations will compete in the fun to help kick off the weekend and celebrate 21 years of Manchester Pride.
                  Sign up to ‘the Charter ‘ (against homophobia and transphobia in sport) and take two minutes to complete the JUST A BALL GAME? survey, looking at homophobia in sport.

           Monday 22nd Aug. (15.30-16.30) will see the launch with VBA,  TAURUS BAR and first of the sports groups sign up and display ‘the Charter’ in the bar, followed by more teams Tues/Wed/Thurs till we have 21.

homophobia in sport- the survey

Media release:           JUST A BALL GAME?  A survey looking at homophobia in sport.            Media release.

                                                                                  

A week ago Just A Ball Game?  (justaballgame.blogspot.com) went live with a survey looking at homophobia in sport.

 Just A Ball game?  are inviting  sport’s people, in particular those who identify as LGBTQI to fill out this survey which will be live until 1 September 2011.

The link for the survey is: http://app.fluidsurveys.com/s/justaballgame/, it is very easy to complete and will take only around 2 or 3 minutes of your time to do so. You can complete the survey whether you are active in a sport or leisure activity or even if you only watch live sport as a fan. There is no limit to how many times you can take the survey so you are able to fill in details on the 17 questions, as a sports participant and then do so again as a spectator if you wish too.

In May this year Just  A Ball Game?  completed over 240 hours of research looking at homophobia found on the internet,  from football fans forums and message boards and put out research findings from this. The research can be found with this link: http://justaballgame.blogspot.com/2011/05/media-release-were-not-homophobic.html

The fluid survey,  http://app.fluidsurveys.com/s/justaballgame/,   looking at HOMOPHOBIA IN SPORT is part of Just A Ball Game?  on-going research, campaigning  and activist work  which is recognised by many LGBT sport groups and organisations including the JUSTIN CAMPAIGN, and also by the TUC (trades  union congress) CWU (communication workers union)  PFA (professional footballers’ association) to name just a few.

As an alternative to filling out the survey on line, if you live in Manchester or will be around the last week in August as part of the many events to celebrate Manchester Pride’s 21^st birthday you can fill out the survey form and hand it too Just A Ball Game? representatives who will be present at venues Taurus (including 25^th Aug. for IT’S A GAY KNOCKOUT)  and Vanilla throughout the whole week.

Lindsay England author of the JUSTABALLGAME.BLOGSPOT.COM, says that ‘’although LGBT participation in sport is still very much a taboo subject it is important that the community has a voice and a platform where views, opinions and concerns can be aired. A number of ‘straight allies ‘ are being found and it’s hoped that sooner rather than later much progress can be made to help change society’s attitudes around the inclusion of LGBT’s  in sport and their skills and talent can be enjoyed and admired and aspired too by young and old alike.’’