Tuesday 17 May 2022 is IDAHOBIT Day*. A day to celebrate rainbow communities and challenge LGBTIQA+ discrimination.
At CatholicCare Victoria, we stand in solidarity with trans and gender-diverse people and support their right to feel included and respected.
God is Father and he does not disown any of his children. And ‘the style’ of God is ‘closeness, mercy and tenderness.’ Along this path you will find God.”
Pope Francis
CatholicCare Victoria has signed the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare's Statement of Solidarity, supporting and encouraging the participation of transgender and gender-diverse children and young people in sport:
Statement of solidarity with trans and gender diverse children and young people in sport
Every child and young person deserves to feel included, respected and encouraged to participate in sports and physical activity, regardless of their gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Sport provides physical, social and mental health benefits. This is why every child and young person should have the opportunity to participate in sport so they can learn, grow and connect on and off the field.
Unfortunately, transgender and gender-diverse children and young people are sometimes excluded from sport or may experience discrimination when they do participate.
It is important that sporting bodies, from local clubs to national sporting organisations, reflect the rich diversity of the communities they are a part of, and that together, we ensure every person is treated with respect and dignity and is protected from discrimination.
We support the inclusion of safe participation of transgender and gender-diverse children and young people in sport today and every day and encourage sporting organisations to commit to creating a safe and welcoming space for all players with a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.
Visit the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare website to learn more!
*International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia