To improve the psychological safety of athletes and the playing environment. Presenting “Ally Athletes” who aim to change the sports industry and society to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ related issues! Video messages from medalists and sports officials released

~ Hosting of the certification ceremony for certified athletes & expert talk ~

NPO Pride House Tokyo is pleased to announce that “Ally Athletes” have been selected to promote understanding of LGBTQ+ athletes and take action and raise awareness regarding issues in the sports world.

The 12 athletes who took part in all three training programs held from August to September 2023 and submitted their assignments were officially recognized, and on Wednesday, October 11th 2023, they released a video message from each sport category.

◆Video Message4 URL：https://youtu.be/phnDXpKfMPU

The sports industry and LGBTQ+ issues

While the idea of diversity and inclusion (D&I) is spreading, and progress is being made in understanding and addressing sexual minorities such as LGBTQ+, sports are said to be the “last barrier” to eliminating discrimination and prejudice. For athletes, expressing and having their individuality understood is directly linked to their ability to play, perform, and continue competing. In particular, it has been reported that transgender athletes face various difficulties, including the possibility of losing their eligibility to compete if they undergo hormonal therapy in pursuit of their true identity. The issues are indeed very complex.

Creating an environment where everyone can safely and securely play in their own way

As such, it is important to create an environment where everyone can play safely and securely in their own way, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender expression, in all areas of sports – including competitions, training processes, and educational institutions. Pride House Tokyo launched an “Ally Athlete” development project in 2022, with the aim of eliminating discrimination in the sports field and contributing to the creation of an inclusive environment. The training program was held for the second batch of candidates from August to September of 2023, and the “Ally Athletes” have been officially selected.

2nd batch “Ally Athletes” introduced on the website

Ally athletes from different sport categories have been published on the website.

♦URL：https://pridehouse.jp/allyathletes/

♦List of Ally Athletes (batch 2, as of October 18, 2023)

Certification ceremony for certified athletes and expert talk event (event report)

On Wednesday, September 20th, for this certification process, a certification awarding ceremony and a talk event took place for the press, inviting experts.

Aya Noguchi, Co-Representative of Pride House Tokyo, kicked off the event with an overview of the organization and explained the Ally Athlete project. She also introduced initiatives at sports competition venues, various awareness-raising activities such as pride matches, and research activities at physical education facilities in Japan to achieve the goal of “bringing allies to the world of sports.”

Followed by an explanation of the background and current activities as well as the current situation in the sports field was given by the Ally Athlete instructors, who are involved. Fumino Sugiyama, a former member of Japan’s national fencing team and a board member of Pride House Tokyo, spoke about the “difficulty of balancing being an individual and continuing to compete” during his athlete days when he had not come out about his sexuality. He also stated that as a director of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), he would like to work to promote diversity and improve psychological safety in the sports world and build a strong Team JAPAN.

Additionally, Airi Murakami (former member of Japan’s 15-a-side rugby team/current member of Yokogawa Musashino Artemi Stars), who is a member of the very first batch of Ally Athletes and will serve as a director of Pride House Tokyo from this year, said, “There are many things that even the persons concerned don’t know. I myself learned about word choices and being conscious of them. So I want to do what I can as a competing athlete and also as the very person concerned.”

Next, on behalf of the Ally Athletes, a certificate was presented to Ayumi Tanimoto, former member of Japan’s judo team and member of the Japanese Olympic Committee. We received the following message after the trainings conducted:

“I think there is something I can do to improve the environment for athletes, so I want to get involved in the organization of the Olympic Village. Specifically, I want to create a personal space where everyone can relax, not just LGBTQ+ people, and I want to create an opportunity for athletes to be exposed to social issues including LGBTQ+ issues. I want to keep learning so that many athletes can be proactive organically.”

At the end of the event, Atsuhisa Yamamoto, a sports sociologist and professor at Seijo University’s Faculty of Social Innovation, gave a lecture on the theme of “Athletes x Activism.”

He touched on the huge momentum behind the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and explained the impact the sports world has on society outside of sports – such as the possibility of actually leading to liberation from discrimination and oppression. At the same time, he also explained the importance of society protecting and compensating athletes for their courageous statements and actions.

Pride House Tokyo will continue to deepen athletes’ understanding of LGBTQ+ issues and take action and raise awareness regarding issues in the sports world.

Launched on the occasion of Tokyo 2020 – From the sports world to the realization of an inclusive society –

“Pride House Tokyo” is a project in which NPOs, experts, companies, embassies, and others collaborate across sectors to realize an LGBTQ+ inclusive society that excludes no one. It was established in conjunction with the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games which took place in 2021. This is an official program by the Organizing Committee, and in addition to establishing Pride House Tokyo Legacy, Japan’s first large-scale permanent LGBTQ+ center, we offer a variety of events and content related to diversity. Most recently, during the World Aquatics Championships 2023 Fukuoka, we co-sponsored an LGBTQ+ information booth with Fukuoka City in the fan zone at the venue. Pride House Tokyo respects the diversity of athletes and aims to create a society where everyone can live their own lives through the world of sports.

What is “Pride House Tokyo Legacy”?

“Pride House Tokyo Legacy” operates with the concept of creating a safe and secure place where people of all genders are respected. We aim to create a society where everyone can live as themselves.

◎公式ホームページ：https://pridehouse.jp/legacy/
◎Official homepage: https://pridehouse.jp/legacy/

What is “Pride House Tokyo” Consortium?

“Pride House Tokyo” collaborates with NPOs and individuals involved in LGBTQ+ and social-related activities. Divided in 8 themes: “education and diversity communication,” “culture, history, and archives,” “wellness support,” “athlete communication,” “festivals, sporting events, and volunteering,” “creating a safe space,” “creating a system,” and “legacy management team,” together they plan and implement collaborative programs.