More LGBTQ+ athletes than ever are competing and making history at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Not only as the first Games for which transgender athletes have qualified for competition, but if all openly queer and trans Olympians were considered a single country, they’d be ranked 11th in total medals.
But despite these notable milestones, LGBTQ+ athletes continue to experience inequality and fear of backlash from being authentic and open on a global stage, amidst one of the worst legislative years on record for the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S.
As a longstanding global sponsor, P&G believes it has a responsibility to honor and amplify this critical moment for the LGBTQ+ community while using its voice to continue to advocate for and drive equality and inclusion in sports. Through meaningful action alongside impactful partners including Athlete Ally and GLAAD, P&G is working to ensure equal representation and equal opportunity for all individuals – particularly in sports
As part of those efforts, P&G held a virtual panel with LGBTQ+ athletes and allies to discuss the importance of visibility in sports and highlight the actions taken – and still needed – in order to continue progressing forward.
Brent Miller, P&G's Associate Director, Global LGBTQ+ Equality:
“Since my start in 2018 as P&G’s first-ever Global LGBTQ+ Equality Program Leader, I make it a priority, year after year, campaign after campaign, to ensure we are accurately portraying all people in everything we do. As a company that reaches 5 billion people every day with our brands, and serves all humanity, P&G has a responsibility to use our voice and our reach to increase authentic visibility of the LGBTQ+ and other diverse communities. We are using our voice to drive acceptance, inclusion and a love of humanity.”
Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally said:
“Athlete Ally is proud to partner with P&G because they've demonstrated a holistic, institutional commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility, and are using their global platform with both passion and purpose. We're especially excited to be working together during this historic Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where we're seeing a groundbreaking number of out LGBTQ+ Olympians and Paralympians, including our first-ever openly transgender and non-binary athletes competing. Having such powerful visibility and representation for audiences around the world underscores that sport is at its best when all LGBTQI+ athletes are safe, welcome and included, and when athletes and fans can see themselves represented on the highest levels of competition.”
The panel was hosted by LGBTQ+ activist and award-winning transgender journalist Dawn Ennis. The panelists included Olympian Gus Kenworthy, Paralympic Athlete Abby Dunkin, Athlete Ally Founder Hudson Taylor and P&G’s Global LGBTQ+ Equality & Inclusion Leader Brent Miller.
View the panel here.
