Rainbow Laces: Move with Pride
When belonging is visible, confidence grows. Sport feels safer, exercise becomes easier, and movement becomes joy.
Why Rainbow Laces matters
Many in the LGBTQ+ community still feel and often are unwelcome in sport, exercise and movement. Fear of judgement, exclusion and stigma continue to hold people back.
Our new research reveals that more than a third of LGBTQ+ people still face discrimination while exercising. Everyone should be welcome to move, play and participate. Rainbow Laces exists because belonging is the starting point for participation.
When people can see that they are welcome, confidence grows and movement becomes possible. This applies across sport, exercise and everyday movement.
When people don’t feel they belong, they don’t move - and their health and wellbeing suffers, Rainbow Laces exists to change that.
Exercise and mental health are closely linked, the Mental Health Foundation found that Almost half (45%) of UK adults feel that their mental health and wellbeing can be improved through physical activity.
In the last couple of years the world has changed, it feels less welcoming and those in the LGBTQ+ community don’t always feel that they belong in exercising or sporting environments. Rainbow Laces is a visible signal that those in the LGBTQ+ community are welcome, that they do belong.
Rainbow laces is becoming a national, always-on movement encouraging people in the LGBTQ+ community to move, play and participate. It will become a visible network of belonging across sport, exercise and everyday movement.
Support LGBTQ+ inclusion with Rainbow Laces: Move, share, show
How you can support Rainbow Laces
Rainbow Laces is a visible network of belonging across sport, exercise and everyday movement. Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, an organisation or workplace that wants to signal inclusion, or an ally wanting to show your support, there’s a way for you to get involved.
Move with Pride and help others do the same, make belonging visible wherever you are.
Move, share, show - How Rainbow Laces builds belonging
Move
In the way that feels right for you - walking, running, training, stretching, playing. Movement builds confidence, community and boosts wellbeing.
Share
Real clips, real stories, shared publicly. Every moment builds visibility and momentum for others to join. If you’re moving with pride, document this on social media and make belonging visible.
Follow our social media channels: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn and use the hashtags #RainbowLaces #MovewithPride to share what you’re up to.
Show
What organisations show publicly shapes who feels able to take part. The Proud Pledge turns inclusion from an intention into a visible signal. Every mark displayed on a gym, club, shop or pitch tells LGBTQ+ people “you belong here”.
The Proud Pledge is a public signal from any organisation, workplace, club, team or group that believes everyone should be welcome to move, play and participate.
When organisations sign the Proud Pledge, they show they are committed to creating spaces where people in the LGBTQ+ community know they belong.
The Proud Pledge isn’t a verified accreditation process, it's simply a signal of intent from organisations, businesses and suppliers.
Find out more - LINK TO PP
