COVER STORY
Photo by Mark Schmitter.
Hanging Out With Stonewall Sports Engaging in physical activity is one of the most popular forms of self-care. Columbus has a whole league committed to offering affirming spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to take part in organized sports. By Kaylee Duff Stonewall Sports is a nationwide nonprofit organization that offers a place for the LGBTQ+ and allied communities to play sports together. It isn’t uncommon for LGBTQ-identified individuals to feel unwelcome or unsafe in traditional sports leagues. After all, homophobia and transphobia (as well as other forms of discrimination) are pretty engrained in organized sports. But sports and other non-competitive physical activities are an important way for people to care for their bodies and meet new friends. That’s where Stonewall Sports comes in. They offer places free of judgment and fear for people to come and play — everything from dodgeball to yoga. In 2017, a league was started up in Columbus. True Q’s editor talked to Rob Leis, President and Co-Founder of Stonewall Sports Columbus, about the history and benefits of this fun-loving community organization.
12 | JANUARY 2019
Kaylee: Tell me about Stonewall Sports and how the organization started. Rob: Stonewall Sports was started in 2010 in Washington, D.C., by a pair of guys, Martin and Melvin. They had this idea of bringing together folks in a safe and inclusive space, to play sports and create community. There wasn’t really anything that existed like that prior. What sets us apart from other sports organizations is that we go beyond just playing sports. Yes, we are organized and play organized sports, and they can get competitive. But the whole purpose behind it is education, outreach and creating an inclusive and safe space for people to get together. We try and ensure that we’re educating folks on transgender inclusion, that we’re trying to be inclusive of people from other socioeconomic statuses. All of that together to bring people together in that community space. When I was living in Charlotte, I didn’t know anybody. I moved there not knowing a single person. I met some guys and were like, “You should totally join Stonewall Sports.” I was like, “Okay, that sounds like fun.” I had no idea what it was. I joined and had a blast. I started meeting TRUE Q MAGAZINE
