Everyone should have access to sport - particularly those in the LGBTIQ+ community and people with disability - says non-binary para-athlete Robyn Lambird.
The 25-year-old made history at the Tokyo Paralympic Games last year, not only for winning a medal but becoming the first out non-binary person to win a medal.
The race is a "wheelchair sprint for people with cerebral palsy or similar conditions," Lambird said.“I’m a little nervous and a little excited … but this race feels a little more special because I am from England originally and the majority of my family still lives in England.We don't know how big and diverse Australia's LGBTIQ+ community is
“[For some people] it's extremely difficult to live authentically and to be true to themselves,” Lambird said, adding that there could be other non-binary people in Australia’s Commonwealth Games team who may not have “the privilege to be out and be themselves”. “I feel extremely privileged that I’ve always had the space to be who I am within my immediate circle.
“Hopefully, we can get to a point where we can sit down and take politics out of it and try and talk about how we can celebrate this awesome thing that is sport with as many people as possible.” According to a survey published by LGBTIQ+ Health Australia in April 2021, 25.6 per cent of LGBTIQ+ people aged 16 to 17 had attempted suicide in their lifetime, almost five times the rate of the general population .Credit:Lambird said sport can have an incredibly positive physical and mental impact on people and therefore it should be made more accessible to the most vulnerable.
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