LGBTQI+ Awareness in Portlaoise GAA​

Let us start by wishing all our members a Happy Pride Month. We pride ourselves in Portlaoise GAA on being an inclusive GAA club that is open to people from all walks of life. Although the majority of our members are not part of the LGBTQI+ community, we have a duty to be allies to those in the club who are a member of the LGBTQI+ community and to those who may be struggling with their sexual orientation or identity, and do our very best as a club to support them. We hope this leaflet will help you to become more informed on the topic and help make everyone feel at home in Portlaoise GAA.

LGBTQI+ LINGO

LGBTI+

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans+ and intersex people.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Sexual and romantic attraction to other people.

LESBIAN

A woman who is attracted to other women.

GAY

Someone who is mainly attracted to people of the same gender.

BISEXUAL

Someone who is attracted to more than one gender e.g. both men and women.

PANSEXUAL

Someone whose attraction is not limited by sex or gender.

HETEROSEXUAL

Someone who is attracted to people of the opposite gender.

GENDER IDENTITY

Our deeply felt internal experience of our own gender.

GENDER EXPRESSION

How we show our gender through our clothing, hair, behaviour, etc.

TRANSGENDER

Someone whose gender identity differs from the sex they were given at birth. Trans+ includes non-binary people.

NON-BINARY

People whose gender identity is not exclusively male or female.

CISGENDER A person whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.

INTERSEX

People who are born with variations in their sexual anatomy or their hormonal patterns, variations that are not seen as fitting in with typical male or female bodies.

LGBTQI+ BULLYING

Bullying based on prejudice or discrimination towards LGBTQI+ people.

HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND IF A PERSON COMES OUT IN THE CLUB?

Most young people come out to a friend or another trusted individual before coming out to family. Sometimes this trusted individual is a coach or a teammate. All caoches need to be prepared for the possibility of a player coming out and the following points will support preparations: We as a club communicate a message to all students that diversity is welcomed and respected. LGBTQI+ young people and other minority groups should be clear that they are valued, and that their identity doesn’t affect their ability on the pitch. It is critical that a young LGBT person discovering their sexual orientation or gender identity feels supported and valued, regardless of whether or not they come out.

Often a young person experiences intense fear of rejection by their family and consequently finds it easier to come out to others first. A positive experience of coming out to others, where they are met with acceptance, is critical to safeguarding the young person’s mental health and well-being; it can also lessen the young person’s fear of disclosing to their family and friends.

HOW TO REACT IF YOU ARE BEING BULLIED OR HEAR SOMEONE BULLYING OTHERS IN THE CLUB?

• Talk with the person being bullied. Ask what you can do to help. Sometimes just chatting before and after training or matches can help.
• Listen without making judgments. The person being bullied could feel sensitive about what’s going on and scared to talk about it. They may feel powerless and unable to get away from the bullying.
• Let them know you care. Show that you’re a friend. Invite them into your group when training or to do things together. Being bullied hurts a person’s confidence, but friends can make a huge difference.
• Tell an adult or coach you trust. Try to involve the person being bullied in the discussion. They might be afraid to tell someone, so your encouragement could help.
• Take a stand as a group. Talk with your teammates about how you can all stand up to bullying. There’s strength in numbers.
• Don’t repeat rumors. Bullies sometimes try to start rumours — you can help stop a rumour by not spreading it.
• Confront bullying. It takes courage, but talking to someone who’s bullying lets them know that their actions aren’t cool, and neither are slurs.
• Educate! Some types of bullying — like bullying someone for their race, religion, or being LGBTQI+ — is based on fear and ignorance. If you teach someone what you know about these things, you might be able to change the way they treat people.